What the f@#k is wrong with people???

Learning a martial is a good idea but isn't going to solve the problem of personal safety IME apart from minor incidents.

Most people carry a knife to back them up when people they know are a threat are in the vicinity. They would rather risk being caught in possession by the police than be caught without a weapon by the people they fear.

Isaac - your experience is one of an unknown. Ie. if you had grown up in the area there would be people or groups you would need to avoid which you would come across now and then.

When I left my home town the number of incidents I was involved in dropped dramatically. Once I arrived at my destination I never felt worried or anxious, yet before I felt worried and anxious most of the time and my destination was St. Pauls in Bristol - reknown for being a tough area.

The difference was I was no longer a face. I was a nobody. I knew the worst I could expect was to be mugged so so long as I avoided the St. Pauls / Easton underpass at night I'd be fine and I was.

I think it's easy to be incredulous when you haven't had the same experiences as others.

 

No offence Dom but what about the other 8 cnuts? I think you're being naive.

 

Greg - I disagree. I've never felt that need, regardless of whether it was the town where I grew up or not.

 

watch out for Tenson and his cutlery flinging arsenal

 

Tenson
Some of us can only afford cutlery made of stainless steel!

 

I think it depends upon where you grew up and who you came across as you grew up and what kind of things you got up to I guess.

I grew up in a fairly nice area of a pretty rough Town (Wolverhampton). On one hand I seldom carried a weapon, on the other hand I got into a lot of situations. I'm not talking about random acts of violence, I'm talking about various people trying to build a rep targeting various other people (me for example). What happened would depend upon where you were, who you were with a who you knew - ie. who your back up was.

I became well connected largely out of necessity really, but tried to avoid trouble. Yet trouble would seek me out: the new boyfriend of an old girl friend, somebody who just decided he didn't like me, I'd sort out someone who beat up one of my friends, then his crew would be after me, someone who'd given my sister some grief, etc. These types of issues were never ending. These people would never forgive and forget, they'd just bide their time, wait until you were in a club without your crew. They wouldn't try anything unless they knew you were vulnerable and I can assure Dom martial arts wouldn't help when that happened. I encountered people who had been after me for like 5 years for the most minor of original problems. It was a pain in the arse.

There were (and still are) gangs from all over the town and these types of incidents were very common as they mix in the town/city centre or in specific pubs and clubs. I know of one bloke from Gornal (nr. Dudley) who's g/f lived in Sedgley (like 2 miles away) he wouldnt go into Sedgley for a drink with her unless he was accompanied by at least 20 or so mates. At one time when he was getting aggro he went accompanied by over 60 people from Gornal. This might seem silly but this would be due to you not appreciating what the atmosphere is like there.

I could almost guarantee at least one incident every time we went out and never ever started by me or my friends. In terms of the wider picture when I say "incidents" I'm talking about some that ended up with shootings and stabbings and in several cases murders. There was one murder in particular which caused me to move away.

Where I live now is just doesn't have the same atmosphere, though apparently parts of the town have plenty of trouble. It seems more civilised and friendly, I've never even received a hard stare in a pub or club, never mind been targeted by anyone.

My point is not carrying a knife can be explained, my point is where you live can place a heavy burden upon your daily life and carrying a knife can seem to be the obvious solution to some. Unfortunately people carrying guns are now common place where I grew up as they are in many parts of the Midlands. I'm glad I moved away.

 

I like that film

 

I've never (ever!) needed to go into a bar with a pack in order to be safe.

That kind of establishment is best avoided, as are fight-starting-brain-cell-lacking numpties.

 

Punichments handed out to ppl these days generally don't fit the crime, ppl are not made to take responsibility for their actions thus they don't care, the "the law can't touch me" attitude is very much evident, until this is changed (not under this government!) I don't think things will improve.

 

a. anywhere worth going was frequented by people who would cause hassle b. it was the way it was and we got used to it (to some extent) c. we never started trouble and most importantly d. if I want to go to a bar or a pub or a club then I'm going to go and fcuk anyone who doesn't want me there - ie. it's a free country.

 

bet you're a barrel of fun!

 

Yes Isaac I have sinned - but if the law were such that I knew they were punishable by death then perhaps I wouldn't have

:gatling: :gatling: :gatling: :gatling: :gatling:

 

So you perpetuated the situation every bit as much as anyone else did.

 

This perhaps sums up the problem. If you have the skills and bravery to disarm and hold someone of this ilk then thats very impressive - one problem might be that they normally have 10 mates in tow with similar metalities

But even if you do disarm them and hold them down for the police they will probably only get a caution or community service and then the next weekend they and their mates will be out looking for you.

It's all so depressing

 

Better still the Police will come out to you at home a couple of weeks later, so you'll need to take the cnut back home, naturally still in the arm lock...

A close friend of mine who still lives in Wolves was driving near his house during early evening (still light) and he came across a car stopped in the middle of the road door open. He looked across and saw six 15/16 year olds laying into three 20 somethings. One of the 6 had what looked like a fence post and another had half a house brick and both were using their weapon.

After half a minute two of the lads managed to get back to their car - fence post being used to smash the windscreen as they clambered in. The other legged it with three of the 6 chasing him. My mate took a few pictures with his mobile phone. After the car sped away he followed the 3 remaining teenagers from a distance. They met back up with the other three, turning into an alley. My mate nipped back into his car and drove round to near where the alley exited. He sat there discretely and managed to get a shot of all six face on clearly showing each one.

He called the Police and reported it telling them what had just happened and that he had the six visible to him plus a number of photos clearly showing their faces and what they had done. Ie. if they sent a car now they could not only catch them but the evidence was on a plate. "We'll see if a car's available..." came the reply. He followed them for another few minutes and phone back. "Sorry no cars available...". They sent someone round two weeks later who spent 20 mins taking notes. Nothing came of it. This is part of the reason these things happen - nothing fcuking happens to the assilants half the time so they do it again and again...

 

I sort of agree with greg with what he is saying about where you grow up. If I was to go drinking in my home town, more than likely some t0sser i went to school with and all his mates would probably try and kick my head in... despite the fact i've done nowt to them. However, I go to newcastle which isnt where i grew up and i have no trouble at all - nobody knows me, yet sometimes i see people who obviously know each other, yet are up for trouble, and its clear it would be a similar situation if i went to my home town.

Obviously this doesnt apply to everyone, but it does indeed depend on who you are, and where you grew up. Although to be fair, up here in the North East, there isnt really any places that arent at least a little rough

 

I haven't read all the contributions to this thread so I hope you won't mind me butting in here with a few thoughts, responding to Mos origional thread;

1) I know its an old cliche but Mary Whitehouse had a point.....I blame TV for a lot.
Its not just TV now; you don't need to peruse computer games for long before you find some fairly extreme stuff. Most people can deal with it ie divorce themselves from what they are seeing to how they act - but some I think cannot.

2) What do jail terms mean now? If offenders serve half what they are sent down for................?

Its not much deterent.

Hope your gfs recovering Mo.





David

 

I didn't want to impress i merely wanted to point out that you do not need to learn a martial art where the only moves you learn involve breaking bones.

Usually the only situation i would be in that could involve a knife would be a mugging.
I never have been in a situation that involved a group of ten lads out to get me. I have come close and just avoided them by either walking another way, ignoring them, etc etc. nothing wrong with running as long as you don't wait until you are surrounded. Reading the situation is often as important as being able to handle yourself.

 

As suggested by some where you live or socialize has a lot to do with your chance of being stabbed as well as the odds of you surviving the attack or not.

I am sure their are more than enough knives knocking about in kitchen draws to keep users well supplied for a good few years but short of what may well seem to be draconian measures enacted by the courts and police to remove convicted criminals from circulation I'm at a bit of a loss as to what can be done.

Any new ideas - anyone?

Stabbings 'are on the increase'

 

There certainly seems to have been a rise in serious knife related incidents since the 5 year mandatory term for carry a firearm. This might indicate that this might act as a disincentive if also applied to knives. The question is then what is the next weapon of choice with a low penalty?

As a teenager some of the older Wolves fans used to carry a Jif Lemon squeezy bottle with amonia in it - first sign of hassle squirt in the eyes - unfunny effects.