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	Subtopic	Started By	Posts
	Archive through Sep 12, 2001 Last Post: Sep 13, 2001, 02:47 pm		10
	Archive through Sep 16, 2001 Last Post: Sep 21, 2001, 05:12 pm		10
	Archive through Sep 25, 2004 Last Post: Sep 28, 2004, 10:47 am		20

Posted By: fanuilh Sep 26, 2004 - 01:37 pm

It isn't always the best idea, to fight. If one hasn't had the proper training, grabbing the hand with the weapon will probably only get the victim shot. I only advocate that defense if you know what you're doing. Once, a couple years ago, when we were being taught knife defense techniques, I asked my instructor what to do if someone had a gun. "At your level," he said, "this," and he raised his hands. Now I know more than I did then, and any thug foolish enough to poke a gun in my face will end up wishing he had picked on somebody else.

Alternately, you could use a defense someone told me about years ago as a counter to a rape attempt. Drop to the ground and fake a seizure. Do it loudly. This generally freaks your attacker out altogether.

Posted By: Magus Sep 26, 2004 - 07:07 pm

Yeah, my teacher told us that if you aren't an expert at martial arts or boxing you shouldn't punch somebody. You'd more likely then not break your arm, or dislocate it in the event of throwing a hook punch. Instead, opt for "heel strikes", eye gouges and ear slaps. They work to much greater effect. Also, try and stay in kicking range as opposed to punching range. It's safer, by and large, for you. If you're being followed or chased its best to keep at least 15 steps away from them, although many times even that isn't enough.

Posted By: MrB Sep 28, 2004 - 06:18 am

I guess if someone came and stuck a gun in my face and demanded, oh say, my wallet, I guess I'd just give it to him, firstly cos I don't want to get shot, and secondly, hey it's only money...

of course that's just me, I'm not the brave type of person that some of you lot are !

Posted By: fanuilh Sep 28, 2004 - 10:33 am

You're right, MrB. No amount of property is worth a human life.

Perhaps I misunderstood the scenario. My interpretation was not that it was so much a robbery as a kidnapping or rape attempt. Unfortunately, lately it's not enough for muggers to take your money, they want to shoot you also. It's all situation-dependent.

And if all they want is my money, or my car, and they're not stupid enough to get close, they can have my money. Or my car. Although I don't think anybody's going to actually want my car. It's a station wagon. I bought it because I figured no self-respecting car thief would be caught dead in a station wagon.

Posted By: MrB Sep 28, 2004 - 10:47 am

Like it Fan... the ultimate solution to car theft, buy an ugly car, and that's just what I did, I honestly don't think anyone would want to steal my car either...lol

Posted By: Bmat Sep 28, 2004 - 10:50 am

During a snow storm, my husband one time left our clunker of a car in a snow bank at the airport on his way to catch a plane. He left it unlocked. No luck though, when he got back it was still there.

Posted By: Starfire Sep 28, 2004 - 11:04 am

Where I live I have to park on the street. The first month I lived there someone stole my Plymouth Horizon. The lock was broke. I just could not believe it when I looked in the middle of the day and did not see my car. They never did find it.

I do make sure not to buy a fancy car, it would only be a matter of time before it was gone.

A woman I work with was mugged. She fought the mugger and was beat up really bad. It was on her way to work. One of the help desk guys chased down the mugger and got her bag back. She spent 3 months in the hospital. It is hard to believe that she could have been hurt so bad.

It is better to just give them money if they are after it. I would never go along with someone who says "get in the car or I'll shot you". So many woman have fallen for that. They just get raped then shot. I would rather take my chances and not get in the car.

Posted By: fanuilh Sep 28, 2004 - 12:19 pm

LOL, BMat! Reminds me of a story somebody told me of someone having a broken refrigerator that they didn't want to haul off to the dump. So they put it on the front lawn with a "For Sale" sign on it. Next morning it was gone. Maybe if hubby had put a "For Sale" sign on the car....

Starfire, it's terrible what happened to your colleague. It is better just to surrender the purse, but I can fully appreciate the instinct to fight back, especially if she had personal mementos in her bag. Like photographs that she couldn't replace. Plus, some jerk trying to take something away from you is infuriating.

You should never get into a vehicle, not even at gunpoint. Once you're in the car, you're probably dead. There will be no one to help you and no witnesses, unless your kidnapper has buddies who want to join in on the fun. And the last few hours or days of your life will be horrific. I'd rather be killed on the spot.

Posted By: Magus Sep 28, 2004 - 06:16 pm

I remember in the class we discussed John Wayne Gacey. Have any of you heard of him before?

He was a clown who befriended kids where he lived. He'd lure them, all adolecent boys, and kill them, burying them in his basement. When he was cought they found 35 bodies buried down there.

Posted By: Starfire Sep 29, 2004 - 04:04 am

You know there is something really creepy about clowns. My inlaws took us out once to this really dark restaurant and there was a clown there. My daughter was about 9 months old and was totally freaked out. When the clown finally left, she went to the table beside us. My daughter just stared in fear the whole time.

You think those guys would have thought to themselves that something is really wrong with a guy who is a clown and wants to hang out with teenage boys.

Posted By: Starfire Sep 29, 2004 - 06:06 am

I am surprised that story is not covered more. One thing I really hate about the news is they get one story and they talk it to death. You can't even go to another channel because chances are they are talking the same story to death.

Posted By: Magus Sep 29, 2004 - 10:18 am

I never heard of it before this year, in my self defense class. It freaked me out.

Clowns have to be the most innately evil child entertainers of all time. Just watch/ read It or Attaclk of the Killer Clowns From Outer Space, and you'll get the idea in a hurry.

Posted By: fanuilh Sep 29, 2004 - 06:46 pm

Or Stephen King's "It."