Guy acting drunk in the yard: "tactic ?" used

animal said:
It seems to me, that no matter how much you train or in what way you train, once a fight begins … all but the most basic elements of the training are rendered useless by things that come up in the situation. Plans and scenarios never seem to fit into reality but different parts of the things you learned by planning and practicing out scenarios do. Parts of the training become almost invaluable and one thing you learned 10 years before and nearly forgotten, may be the thing that saves your bacon.
Increasing the speed of choosing between the little things you’ve learned and apply them to the situation at hand … is what I’m wondering if it can be taught.. Often it seems to come naturally as a consequence of training, but it also sometimes seems that people can become "over-trained" in a particular method, and they’re lost when they can’t adjust. Cross training helps, I’m sure, but is still indirectly targeting the problem.
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Much of this is just a roundabout way of saying a few pretty obvious things about reacting to a threat -- or any other "emergency" situation:

  1. The more experience (or good training) you've had with something, the more knowledge and skill you have available.
  2. "Life experience" counts, too. If you have decent problem-solving skills, they'll generalize from one situation to another.
  3. Reacting emotionally in an emergency gets in the way of applying what you know.
  4. One of the main functions of experience (or realistic training) is to help you stay calm, so you're able to make efficient use of what you know, and efficient equals faster, pretty much.
So the answer to your "how-to-train-this" question comes down to "If you keep training, and keep living, efficiency will follow ..." ;)

And this also brings out the value of knowing what you don't know, which also comes with experience: being able to say "I'm not equipped to handle this, and I don't want to make things worse, so it's time to yell for help."

And, Glenn, regarding the "no-bozo rule"... it's not that we wouldn't throw the bozo a rope, get him to shore, and get some hot liquid and sugar into him -- of course we would. But we're not gonna go chasing his canoe for him, give him our own spare clothing, or do anything else that will jeopardize our own chances of having a safe trip. His friends are going to have to do that stuff. (Unless he's running the rapid alone, in which case he's... way beyond "bozo.") But your point about the limits of altruism is a good one -- we would do all those things, and share body heat as well, for someone who's part of our group.
 
I was prepared to deck him or worse if he turned violent
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Really? You know for certain that you are more capable in a physical altercation than a total stranger? Just because you're physically bigger than him?

I've seen plenty of little guys whipping much bigger, stronger guys. The worst mistake you can make in such a situation is to overestimate your own capabilities vis a vis your opponent.
 
Every person has weak points on their body. If you smashed anyone's head with a crowbar then its going to be a similar injury. A 100 lb woman smashing a crowbar against a 250 lb professional football linebacker's head might kill the linebacker. There is no way to work out the bones on your head to make them stronger.

The minimum safe distance between you and a stranger is about 5 yards...preferably at least 10 and you do not turn away from them. If they decide to run at you, then it gives you at least a few seconds to get in a defensive position. The further away, the less risk they are to you. When I am traveling in a foreign country or in an urban area then I will switch sides of the street if I see a man or group of men walking towards me that I feel a little uncomfortable with. I will also increase my pace to a fast walk as I get past them.

Facing off with a stranger is a crap-shoot and best avoided. Its best to be a good witness in these circumstances letting the police do their job. I would not become involved unless the man was actually attacking a person or myself.
 
"It is also very sad indeed that one of the ways that violent criminals take advantage of people is to feign illness or a need for some kind of immediate help for themselves, a so-called spouse, or an alleged child.

"We've seen accounts of home invasions, muggings, car jackings, and robberies, some ending in death, that started out with some low life taking advantage of the natural inclination to help his fellow man."--OldMarksman

Too right. That's why, a while back, I was driving at night in a rural area when I saw some people on the side of the road trying to wave me down. I didn't stop, but called 911. Given the overall situation, the call was my Good Samaritan gesture. A phone call was probably all I could have done, even if I HAD stopped.
 
Like I said in my big post - knives are the equalizer. An old man killed a stud. A young person could cut your mighty bicep to the bone.

I know an LEO who said that the scary thing he every saw was a crazed 8 year old girl coming at him whirling a butcher knife. Nice choice to shoot her. Another LEO friend said he would give her two rounds.

In class, we were always taught to create distance.
 
Since this got revived and it was mentioned that we have a Dr in the house … what I was getting at is a tactic of mental preparation

The idea is that numbers and quantities are emotionally neutral and training yourself to look at surroundings and actions through a single mental filter … would streamline the thought processes to remove distractions and subdue emotional impulses. I’ve attempted to do this from an early age because of seeing operating by "feelings" to be too prone to error, and because of having an affinity for numbers and formulas.

I don’t really know how to describe this …whether it is "getting too busy to get scared" as one friend described, entering a sort of altered state of consciousness, or whatever.

The "method" is an attempt at a discipline of sorts …or a mental crutch ? … to not allow feelings to get in the way of what needs to be done…also, to prepare for, and hopefully control, the adrenaline rush … so that you can remain focused on the task at hand … instead of falling into a blind fight/flight response. It seems to work, but I don’t know if I’m just fooling myself.

I’m hesitant to even describe how it "feels" when in that state beyond not feeling and being intensely focused….might end up in a full-wrap white jacket. ;)
 
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