Protection from violent attacks

[FollowingHim2]

In New Zealand we don't have many mass shootings. These are mostly restricted to between gangs, and fairly rare. The mosque shooting was an incredibly rare event. One of the advantages of our gun laws is that it is nearly impossible to get a gun licence and legally obtain a firearm if you have any sort of mental illness, or have had one in the past.

What we do have is mass stabbings, or as in the most recent case, mass whacking with hammers/axes....

The majority of the time these happen in supermarkets, and they are done by people who are mentally ill. One case (in which the guy was doing an islamic attack, but also was clearly mentally ill), the man walked into the supermarket, took a knife off the shelf, then started stabbing people with it.

I'm very rarely out and about, but if I am, the most likely place you will find me is a supermarket. I have thought about this a lot, about how to protect myself if this ever happened, because it's always completely random and out of the blue, it cannot be predicted at all. And so I have had the thought that I should make sure I know where the exits are and pay attention to what is around me when I'm out shopping.

However, when I am shopping, I am shopping lol. I am looking at the price of pasta, and figuring out which type of apples to buy, and trying to figure out which cereal is the cheapest, and working out if I should buy two packets of rice risotto or three. From the moment I walk through that door, I completely forget that it's possible that a mass stabbing incident could occur. I am not paying attention to any of the people around me at all.

This is a blessing, because it means that I have never experienced anything that has had to make me aware of this. The risk has always been incredibly low. And it remains low now. But it's still there.

How do I make myself remain aware of my surroundings? What things do I need to be aware of? How can I protect myself if this situation were to occur?
I don't want to go overboard and start living in fear, I just want to be better at this than what I am now.

 

[frederick]

How do I make myself remain aware of my surroundings?

You've already cleared the first hurdle by recognising the potential danger. Like anything else, correct practice makes perfect.

What things do I need to be aware of?

Practice observing people and look for any anomalies in behaviour or the way they are dressed.

How can I protect myself if this situation were to occur?

Pull your revolver, point it at the low-life and say, Go ahead punk, make my day! Okay, maybe not. But some things are more effective than others. Losing the plot, screaming and shouting random words may illicit a response from a few people. However, if you shout FIRE, FIRE, FIRE, people react! You will get a faster response from more people shouting FIRE than anything from else (except the sound of gunfire from your revolver!).

I don't want to go overboard and start living in fear, I just want to be better at this than what I am now.

There are a few good videos on YT, so maybe search some out. Shalom

 

[Asforme&myhouse]

It’s good that you are thinking about this and working out ways to avoid it, that’s step one. In truth, about 95% of self defense is situational awareness, period. This is something you must cultivate and it takes practice. Like Frederick said, youtube it, but specifically how to train yourself to be aware of what is going on around you at all times. It might feel like paranoia at first, but with practice it becomes second nature and not stressful at all. Situational awareness has saved my skin on more than one occasion.

 

[MemeFan]

Situational awareness is bye far most important. It enables you to recognize potential threats so that actual danger never happens.

If you interested in fight itself, check Twitter account 0xalaric (zero, not letter).

 

[raulus]

It's good to watch out for a person's demeanor and eye contact. Upright people tend to hold themselves literally upright, and they are calm. And those with honor, civility, tend to walk with confidence, chit chatting along the way. What you would probably consider normal. A few obvious red flags are those with hollow blank stares, loud/nonsensical talking, or an aggressive demeanor beelining in a single direction. I personally don't like being around young people in groups, because they are more willing to impress their peers by doing something idiotic. Even at the expense of others. If someone's about to take hostages and blow themselves up, you can read the anxiety on their face prior to that. A person's countenance shows what is going on inside. Before Cain killed Able his countenance had changed.

“And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬

You can read someone's intent based off of these factors, mainly their demeanor and eye contact. For instance with a criminal, thieves tend to break away eye contact, overdress, and try to scurry away to go unseen. When they are spoken to they keep it short, they don't want any attention on them. They live in fear as they steal, and will quickly abandon their cart if they think people are onto them.

When with my wife I direct her away from a person if I notice something off about them. I'll place myself on the side closest to them, or we will walk a different route from them. I do this often especially in highly populated areas. There has been a few times were I was right about them, in some way. Usually the craziest of people never had a chance to be near us because I saw them a mile away. It is good to observe everything and everyone around you when out and about. Even campers have to spot out dead trees and bear tracks, among other things, to keep safe in the wilderness.

Another thing you can do, is be discreet. If you go unseen you are less likely to be targeted. Wear plain cheaper items to deter robbers. I always keep expensive gadgets in the car, and I personally use a flip phone, so a robber definitely won't take me seriously.

 

[raulus]

This guy's videos are great. Active Self Protection. I suggest anyone look into his channel. He analyzes videos and gives instructions on the best way to deal with lethal situations.

 

[MeganC]

How do I make myself remain aware of my surroundings? What things do I need to be aware of? How can I protect myself if this situation were to occur?
I don't want to go overboard and start living in fear, I just want to be better at this than what I am now.

I was more or less in your place and I ended up fighting back as an act of desperation. To be honest I was contemplating suicide at the time and felt I had nothing left to lose so I fought back. That ended up making me a less desirable target for the predators.

My husband taught me situational awareness and this was hard. I am by nature self-absorbed and it takes a conscious effort to look outward at other people AND consider what they are thinking and what they might do. The most important thinga I have learned are:

1. Always look around. Don't look at a phone or shopping list or a baby until you make sure it is safe to do so.
2. Always look for people who are looking at you. Make eye contact with them and do not look away until they look away. This intimidates them.
3. When someone aggressively moves towards you take a step towards them. This makes them pause because they see you as a threat. This can buy you a moment to escape or plan your attack.

4. Always have a weapon with you. Know how to use it and be prepared to use it.

Simple things like flashlights and pens can be useful weapons.

Kubotan vs. Tactical Light: How to Use Your Flashlight for Self Defens

The modern tactical flashlight, a five-inch-long tube of rubber and glass-reinforced nylon, is very similar to the kubotan, an unassuming stick of similar length made of wood or aluminum built for self-defense. However, if you had to choose between the flashlight and the kubotan, the flashlight...

inforcelights.com

A flashlight is a far simpler self-defense tool. If a threat is approaching you with malicious intent, shining a high-powered flashlight directly in your assailant’s eyes sometimes works just as well as pepper spray.

Pepper spray may be more intense than a flashlight, but it has shorter range and can still potentially blind your assailant long enough for you to escape. You need a 300-lumen light in broad daylight to cause temporary flash blindness, while only 100 is needed at night. At full power, an INFORCE TFx boasts 700 lumens of power.

To use it effectively against an aggressive opponent, simply shine a steady beam of light at your opponent’s face from a distance as he’s coming towards you and “step off the X,” moving either left or right out of your opponent’s way. It doesn’t matter if he shields his eyes or if he still keeps coming at you. He’ll be charging blindly in a straight line. Any horizontal movement you make gets you far enough out of his reach for you to make a getaway.

Ice picks are useful. Folding knives. A heavy fishing weight.

I don't know if pulled pork is popular in New Zealand but I know someone who keeps meat claws handy as weapons and also for impromptu dinner events.

https://www.amazon.com/1Easylife-Stainless-Shredding-Pulling-Handing/dp/B01IK3D8HA

 

[MeganC]

Getting in some basic martial arts classes would also help you defend yourself and it can help boost your personal confidence.

It also helps to be in decent enough physical shape that when you hit someone it will hurt them.

 

[Mark C]

Anti-gun laws are to [further] enslave the peons. And "mass shootings" are almost universally mass propaganda, and (at least in once-free AmeriKa) virtually ALWAYS in 'Gun-Free Killing Zones.' Even the FBI stooges know they need to attack soft targets.

Sadly, the world has watched THROUGHOUT HISTORY what happens when once-free peoples are disarmed. They just fail to heed the lessons.

Worse, the 'men' who allow it - aren't men at all, but the emasculated sheeple that Scripture warned us of.


PS> I know it's hard to hear the truth, especially as it becomes too late. But the next "sage advice" that disarmed victims can expect is, "pee on your rapist," that might put him off...

 

[The Revolting Man]

In New Zealand we don't have many mass shootings. These are mostly restricted to between gangs, and fairly rare. The mosque shooting was an incredibly rare event. One of the advantages of our gun laws is that it is nearly impossible to get a gun licence and legally obtain a firearm if you have any sort of mental illness, or have had one in the past.

What we do have is mass stabbings, or as in the most recent case, mass whacking with hammers/axes....

The majority of the time these happen in supermarkets, and they are done by people who are mentally ill. One case (in which the guy was doing an islamic attack, but also was clearly mentally ill), the man walked into the supermarket, took a knife off the shelf, then started stabbing people with it.

I'm very rarely out and about, but if I am, the most likely place you will find me is a supermarket. I have thought about this a lot, about how to protect myself if this ever happened, because it's always completely random and out of the blue, it cannot be predicted at all. And so I have had the thought that I should make sure I know where the exits are and pay attention to what is around me when I'm out shopping.

However, when I am shopping, I am shopping lol. I am looking at the price of pasta, and figuring out which type of apples to buy, and trying to figure out which cereal is the cheapest, and working out if I should buy two packets of rice risotto or three. From the moment I walk through that door, I completely forget that it's possible that a mass stabbing incident could occur. I am not paying attention to any of the people around me at all.

This is a blessing, because it means that I have never experienced anything that has had to make me aware of this. The risk has always been incredibly low. And it remains low now. But it's still there.

How do I make myself remain aware of my surroundings? What things do I need to be aware of? How can I protect myself if this situation were to occur?
I don't want to go overboard and start living in fear, I just want to be better at this than what I am now.

S.I.D.E.

Scan
Identify
Decide
Execute

This is a continuing process. Every 30 seconds or any time the situation changes, perform the process again. Eventually you will find a better rhythm or interval.

 

[FollowingHim2]

Wear plain cheaper items to deter robbers

As opposed to what? I'm a stay at home mum, and I am not going to the effort of dressing up to go to the supermarket lol!

Your comments about eye contact and hollowness are interesting. The guy who got the knife off the shelf had 'crazy eyes' according to the people in that shop. You and I know exactly what they mean by that. Eyes are the window to the soul, and to demons.

 

[FollowingHim2]

1. Always look around. Don't look at a phone or shopping list or a baby until you make sure it is safe to do so.
2. Always look for people who are looking at you. Make eye contact with them and do not look away until they look away. This intimidates them.
3. When someone aggressively moves towards you take a step towards them. This makes them pause because they see you as a threat. This can buy you a moment to escape or plan your attack.

4. Always have a weapon with you. Know how to use it and be prepared to use it.

Simple things like flashlights and pens can be useful weapons.

Thank you! I was expecting someone to tell me to seriously carry a gun and I was thinking I'm going to have to explain how the gun laws work here lol. I should have a torch in my bag anyway. I tend to use my phone torch if I need one, but it would be good to have a seperate one I can use and is a weapon if necessary.

Getting in some basic martial arts classes would also help you defend yourself and it can help boost your personal confidence.

It also helps to be in decent enough physical shape that when you hit someone it will hurt them.

Unfortunately this isn't possible for me. My goal would not be to fight if possible, but to run away. I want to see the threat before it gets close to me, and know my exits. This is where a torch is great, because it's a distance weapon.

 

[FollowingHim2]

Thanks everyone! Some great advice and homework for me .

 

[MeganC]

This is where a torch is great, because it's a distance weapon.

 

[raulus]

As opposed to what? I'm a stay at home mum, and I am not going to the effort of dressing up to go to the supermarket lol!

Your comments about eye contact and hollowness are interesting. The guy who got the knife off the shelf had 'crazy eyes' according to the people in that shop. You and I know exactly what they mean by that. Eyes are the window to the soul, and to demons.

My good friend is into sneakers, and he can easily have 500 dollars on his feet. This is the type of opulence I'm talking about. Named brand clothing is a dead giveaway to criminals that you may have money. New expensive iPhones is another. For women specifically, maybe Louis Vuitton bags. Just as examples

He once was stuck up at a gas station, for his fancy car and fancy shoes. The guy behind the mask said shockingly, "Eddy?". It was an old friend of his from high school. And then he said, "Oh, my bad", and walked off. We've also had a group of guys eyeing our sneakers before while out, and I could read it in their eyes what they were willing to do to have them. If only we stuck around a little longer for their right opportunity. Knowing when to call it quits and leave is also key. You can shave off seconds from ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[steve]

My good friend is into sneakers, and he can easily have 500 dollars on his feet. This is the type of opulence I'm talking about. Named brand clothing is a dead giveaway to criminals that you may have money. New expensive iPhones is another. For women specifically, maybe Louis Vuitton bags. Just as examples

He once was stuck up at a gas station, for his fancy car and fancy shoes. The guy behind the mask said shockingly, "Eddy?". It was an old friend of his from high school. And then he said, "Oh, my bad", and walked off. We've also had a group of guys eyeing our sneakers before while out, and I could read it in their eyes what they were willing to do to have them. If only we stuck around a little longer for their right opportunity. Knowing when to call it quits and leave is also key. You can shave off seconds from ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[raulus]

Oh man, I wish I had a meme for you right now @steve

 

[FollowingHim]

We've also had a group of guys eyeing our sneakers before while out, and I could read it in their eyes what they were willing to do to have them.

I am struggling to picture this strange situation. Are you talking about a group of guys who are so poor they can't afford shoes and need to steal them? Or just people who like fancy sneakers? I've just never seen that sort of thing in our culture so can't wrap my head around it.

Anyway, Sarah does not dress opulently, there's little risk of her looking rich enough to be targeted by a mugger - and she is rarely in a situation where that would be likely. Random violence like she has described is a more serious risk.

I want to see the threat before it gets close to me, and know my exits.

It's really about being in the habit of looking - and neither of us are in this habit, because we have been in a fairly safe culture much of our lives and haven't needed this habit.

On the other hand, we are in the habit of scanning any room we are in for earthquake exits and shelter spots, completely subconsciously, because that is a danger we have far more frequently encountered. We would instantly react correctly to an earthquake and move immediately to a spot that our brain had already decided upon without us even really thinking about it.

I think this is simply a matter of consciously cultivating the same habit for human threats.

 

[raulus]

I am struggling to picture this strange situation. Are you talking about a group of guys who are so poor they can't afford shoes and need to steal them? Or just people who like fancy sneakers? I've just never seen that sort of thing in our culture so can't wrap my head around it.

Yes, in America we love named brand things. It's a class thing really. To desire someone's stuff in this way is not a poor thing by any means, just a complete disrespect for others and a desire to take someone's belongings simply because you'd like to wear it. It comes to down to what the the thief/mugger finds valuable from their own perspective. In the situation as I mentioned, my friend will wear shoes worth half a grand, while in a showy car. This is the type of thing that makes one an easy target for the common thief/mugger. Also, people in groups are always more daring as a collective. If this does not apply to you, then that is a good thing.

I'm not too familiar with the culture of New Zealand, but I have heard that it is very safe. I am sure there are many cultural differences between us that would have to be taken into consideration. But surely a drug addict or terrorist will be the same between us, and will show similar patterns of criminal behavior. Those patterns are worth the research if you have little cultural knowledge of it.

I now live in one of the safest parts of America, Idaho, but I came from one of the worst parts of America, California. The stark difference in criminal behavior between these two places, is probably as comparable to America and New Zealand. In Idaho there is practically no crime, and what Idahoans consider "ghetto" or "corrupt" would be laughable where I come from. But still, even in the best of places there are still things going on, so definitely, keep your eyes out for what is considered bad where you are. Other Californians are flooding into here who are an actual threat to this small equilibrium, so I guess as a piece of relatable advice keeping an eye on what people are coming to your area or country is probably worth the research, for the sake of awareness. And since you can't see every thing that may come your way, knowing what to do in sticky situations is equally important to everything else I've said. So I highly recommend that youtube channel for that, to help you simulate different scenarios for your safety.

Learning to be vigilant of human behavior and your surroundings will go a long way, and is more of retraining how you view the world and its potential hostilities. For myself, I learned to view the world this way due to necessity growing up amidst violence.

 

[raulus]

This is what it is like to have a car in San Francisco, near to where I used to live. Just as a reference point to my prior post.

Constant theft. Many big retail stores are fleeing the area.

And homeless encampments a 40 minute drive away in Oakland, enabled by our government and backwards policies.

Which reminds me, bad policies made by your government can also bring these types of bad changes to your society. Worth the research to know what policies are changing, and the political climate of your area, and how that can affect you and your family. In San Francisco and Oakland, the liberal way of thinking has gotten so soft on crime and sympathizing someone's skin color that most crime goes completely off the hook.

They've set up places to shoot up drugs in the name of safety, in SF, called Supervised Injection Sites, completely enabling illicit drug use and all associated crime by proxy. I won't put up a video for this one, due to it being too disturbing. Just know, in the city there are junkies and mentally ill people everywhere. Look up 'drug use san francisco' on youtube if you're interested to see that train wreck.

This type of info surely can help you in some way. If not now, maybe in the future if your area comes into change. SF wasn't always like this. It used to be a relatively nice place long ago. And what is known to happen in Cali, has the ability to spread to other places in the country. It sets trends for other states and like places to take suit.