Then why do some keep acting like it's all over if someone gets within 21 ft, or simply reaches you with a knife in their hand?
Because it very well could be.
Isn't that really the same?
It is the same. Youre the one who keeps alluding it isnt.
You expect me to assume the guy with the knife always prevails.
Im simply saying that they have to be considered a deadly threat. You seem to not want to accept that.
Again, it's all just a rehash of a 30 year old discussion, where the only way the knife truly WINS is to keep the parameters unrealistically narrow, and pretend the one with the gun will wait for the attack without reacting at all, and will fall over at the slightest nick.
It has very little practical value in the real world, aside from being something to simply be aware of
Being aware of, and understanding things like this is the whole point, is it not?
The only "unrealistic parameter" in the Tueller drill is, both parties are aware the drill is about to occur, and are prepped for it (very much like the old "slap your ear" drill in your martial arts class, to help you understand reaction times). Real world, thats not usually the case for the person being attacked.
The drill is not the end all of any discussion, and as others have said, there are endless possibilities and variations for anything. It simply shows that the knife can in fact be a threat at a distance, and "if" you know the assault is coming, you are within your rights to deal with it using deadly force.
All along, you have stated that the knife is not a viable weapon (and more or less in any capacity), unless its at contact distance, which is true. The point you seem to not want to admit to, is that a person armed with a knife, can be in that position, very quickly, and in many cases, before you can act, especially if youre not 100% aware, 100% of the time, which we all know is an impossibility.