I have noticed what may be a new trend in robberies and attacks. The way we've all been taught that an attack will go down may no longer be the case. In magazine articles, TV shows, and even in Action Pistol events the method used by the "attacker" is usually one of the following, or at least similar. Guy is 3 to 21 feet away threatening you with a knife or gun. He says "give me your wallet or else". That is supposed to be the "typical" scenario for a "street robbery". Or even a guy asks for directions to get close to you at the gas pump and make you think he is ok, then tries to grab you.
The trend I am seeing is different though. One of the first things I have seen to illustrate this trend is the YOUTUBE video where the kid sucker punches the guy at the counter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlP9-8f5YpE
It can be argued in this instance to say that the guy saw the kid and should have moved away, or kept a better eye on him. But he couldn't very well stare at the kid, this could have caused a confrontation. Also, watching him in his peripheral (which is how I probably would have handled it) is fine except when he reaches for his wallet and you jump and try to guard yourself. Then you just look stupid AND could possibly cause a confrontation.
Another situation was one that I heard from a guy that lives in my town. He was in Atlantic City. As he described it, he walked down the ramp from the boardwalk toward his hotel. He heard a voice behind him say "excuse me". As he turned, he was struck in the chest and fell backwards, hitting his head on the concrete. He said he doesn't know if he was punched, kicked or hit with an object, AND he never even saw his attacker. Now as he laid on the sidewalk, slipping in and out of consciousness, he felt two people going through his pockets. They stole his wallet, cell phone and shoes.
Given that I don't know the layout of area he spoke of, nor his level of situational awareness. He had been drinking, but I don't know how drunk he was. So maybe that's the whole problem, and this is nothing. In this situation, I would assume that situational awareness is the key. Chances are, unless he was very visibly drunk, just him noticing the guy may have stopped the attempt and they simply would have waited for an easier target. Or at least gave him an opportunity to defend himself.
In all the "training" that I have had or read, the situational awareness portion pre-conditions "tells" that a person has something bad in their mind. But what about when the first real sign of trouble is the moment the fist is flying? I understand that most of you may say "I'd block it" or "I'd duck."
The problem with that is, you are trying to react to his action, that is already half complete. I don't think anyone is that fast. Martial Artists train to block strikes, but they already know a strike is coming, they just have to figure out what type of strike and where. What if, at a restaurant, you are waiting in the crowded lobby for a table to become available. You are talking to your wife and another name gets called. A group of people get up and the crowd parts just enough for the group to walk through and up to the hostess. As they walk by you, one of them throws a wild punch toward the side of your head. There really isn't much you can do against this. You could argue that people around you, maybe your wife, would not allow him to rob you once you fell. Or even that your wife who carries and is a much better shot than you would shoot him before he even landed the punch. I doubt ANYONE is that fast, except maybe Bob Munden. lol
You might be able to argue that the guy would be acting funny or clenching his fists or something that you might notice ahead of time. But I think that any of that would be a reaction to stress or anxiety over what he is about to do. What if he has already done this 10 times before and is so comfortable with it that he shows no outward signals. Situational awareness can only get you so far, and it's not like you can walk around everywhere with a 6 foot "bubble" of open space and never have anyone walk or stand too close.
What is the defense against this? I certainly can't think of one. But I guess that's the point. It's like the SWAT team that throw flash-bangs after breaching a door. It's all about surprise. Getting the drop on someone that wasn't expecting it. How could you suspect it? I see all sorts of punks that look just like that kid at McDonalds. Most of them are "wish-I-was-a-Thugs" and are no more hardcore than a high school band geek (no offense to the former band geeks out there). You can't be jumpy about everyone that walks past you at the mall.
What are your thoughts?
I am posting this in a couple different forums to get the ideas from more than one "hive", as they call it on ARF.
The trend I am seeing is different though. One of the first things I have seen to illustrate this trend is the YOUTUBE video where the kid sucker punches the guy at the counter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlP9-8f5YpE
It can be argued in this instance to say that the guy saw the kid and should have moved away, or kept a better eye on him. But he couldn't very well stare at the kid, this could have caused a confrontation. Also, watching him in his peripheral (which is how I probably would have handled it) is fine except when he reaches for his wallet and you jump and try to guard yourself. Then you just look stupid AND could possibly cause a confrontation.
Another situation was one that I heard from a guy that lives in my town. He was in Atlantic City. As he described it, he walked down the ramp from the boardwalk toward his hotel. He heard a voice behind him say "excuse me". As he turned, he was struck in the chest and fell backwards, hitting his head on the concrete. He said he doesn't know if he was punched, kicked or hit with an object, AND he never even saw his attacker. Now as he laid on the sidewalk, slipping in and out of consciousness, he felt two people going through his pockets. They stole his wallet, cell phone and shoes.
Given that I don't know the layout of area he spoke of, nor his level of situational awareness. He had been drinking, but I don't know how drunk he was. So maybe that's the whole problem, and this is nothing. In this situation, I would assume that situational awareness is the key. Chances are, unless he was very visibly drunk, just him noticing the guy
In all the "training" that I have had or read, the situational awareness portion pre-conditions "tells" that a person has something bad in their mind. But what about when the first real sign of trouble is the moment the fist is flying? I understand that most of you may say "I'd block it" or "I'd duck."
The problem with that is, you are trying to react to his action, that is already half complete. I don't think anyone is that fast. Martial Artists train to block strikes, but they already know a strike is coming, they just have to figure out what type of strike and where. What if, at a restaurant, you are waiting in the crowded lobby for a table to become available. You are talking to your wife and another name gets called. A group of people get up and the crowd parts just enough for the group to walk through and up to the hostess. As they walk by you, one of them throws a wild punch toward the side of your head. There really isn't much you can do against this. You could argue that people around you, maybe your wife, would not allow him to rob you once you fell. Or even that your wife who carries and is a much better shot than you would shoot him before he even landed the punch. I doubt ANYONE is that fast, except maybe Bob Munden. lol
You might be able to argue that the guy would be acting funny or clenching his fists or something that you might notice ahead of time. But I think that any of that would be a reaction to stress or anxiety over what he is about to do. What if he has already done this 10 times before and is so comfortable with it that he shows no outward signals. Situational awareness can only get you so far, and it's not like you can walk around everywhere with a 6 foot "bubble" of open space and never have anyone walk or stand too close.
What is the defense against this? I certainly can't think of one. But I guess that's the point. It's like the SWAT team that throw flash-bangs after breaching a door. It's all about surprise. Getting the drop on someone that wasn't expecting it. How could you suspect it? I see all sorts of punks that look just like that kid at McDonalds. Most of them are "wish-I-was-a-Thugs" and are no more hardcore than a high school band geek (no offense to the former band geeks out there). You can't be jumpy about everyone that walks past you at the mall.
What are your thoughts?
I am posting this in a couple different forums to get the ideas from more than one "hive", as they call it on ARF.
eep:
