A Cautionary Tale

Posted by: copyright

A Cautionary Tale - 01/26/07 12:57 AM

Hi. I've been lurking around these boards for a long time and have really enjoyed reading everyone's posts. I haven't felt the need to really post anything but this is a story I feel needs to be shared as people can learn from my mistake.
So a friend of mine and I are in a colonia, besically a small town outside a city for a college course. We are walking outside at night because we've done this before and we feel safe. There's a guy ahead of us and he's definately checking us out. We try to walk past him but he gets in our way and starts asking for money in Spanish and saying other things that we don't understand. We don't give him any and this goes on for a little bit, I feel like I don't want to be pushed around by a punk kdi. He then pulls out a sheathed machete. I don't know that it's sheathed and I toss my wallet and run like I never had before with my friend. He starts chasing us and I realize later that he never saw the wallet as we found it in the morning. The guy catches up to my friend and starts hitting him with it. I think my friend is going to die or be seriously injured. It turns out he didn't really want to hurt my friend and kept hitting him with the sheathed blade. He keeps demanding money which my friend does not have. I tell the guy to wait a second and try to find my wallet which I can't find now. My friend starts taking out stuff like his cell phone to give to the guy and he finally runs off after taking a jacket, a cell phone, and a knife. We both run home.

So what's the moral of the story?

I was an idiot and should have given the guy the money in the first place and ran. I was in an unfamiliar place when someone who really had nothing to lose deicded to mess with us. He was not a big guy and I could have easily taken him alone as could have my friend. I have been training very seriously for about 2 1/2 years now and don't really doubt my ability to handle myself in an actual fight, however if I had simply handed over my thirty, yes only thirty dollars I probably could have avoided the entire incident and my friend could have avoided some bruises. We were in an unfamiliar place with someone who had very little to lose and thirty dollars is not really a lot of money for ones limbs, vital organs or blood.

So in comclusion, for whatever good it does don't be stupid. If someone just wants money it's not worth it. Protect yourself and your friends.
Posted by: grumbleweed

Re: A Cautionary Tale - 01/26/07 01:18 AM

When I used to travel alot to strange and unfamiliar citys for example Lima and Johannesburg I'd always carry a extra wallet with some local currency inside it and wear a pair of shoes I could run in, i.e. not sandals incase I was mugged. I even do this in London on occasional visits. So far I've had to need to execute my plan of action!
Posted by: TaeKwonBoxer

Re: A Cautionary Tale - 01/26/07 03:47 PM

In bad parts of Milan, people will drop babies infront of you and when you catch them little boys will pickpocket you. Just a warning so you can be cautious
Posted by: Zombie Zero

Re: A Cautionary Tale - 01/26/07 03:54 PM

If someone is unarmed, and is pestering me for money, they can go pound sand.

But if a machete came out, I'd toss my cash, and run like my butt was on fire!
Posted by: Ronin1966

Re: A Cautionary Tale - 01/26/07 04:17 PM

Hello Copyright:

Psssssssssssst, you are a-l-i-v-e! Therefore you won!

You both filed a police report, we hope?

2nd moral to consider....

Money Clip
Small bills on the top, (ie lots of singles) and/or paper inside the "toss roll", if you truly can run...

Assaulted a second time,
Make the movements SLOW and VERY clear
"... OK, ok, here you go...."
SHOW the "toss roll"
Toss it where he/they see it but not too close...
(you need time to escape...)

RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad to hear you escaped....! Did well from my perspective...

Jeff
Posted by: copyright

Re: A Cautionary Tale - 01/26/07 05:28 PM

Thank you.

We did not file a police report as we were in an area with corrupt police officers who probably have little interest in the area we were in, in addition to the strict schedule we were on.

I am alive thankfully and so is my friend due to the fact that the guy really just wanted money, but it would have been easy to let ego get in the way of that aliveness. I'm reiterating what I know many people on this board have advocated--don't be stupid, money and pride are not worth limbs--even if you "win".

Normally when I fear the possiblity of being mugged I do something similar. I leave my wallet at home and keep a 20 on me, for some reason I didn't do that this time. However never having the experience of being mugged before and not understanding what the guy was saying added an extra element of "excitement".
Posted by: OneInchPunchMaster

Re: A Cautionary Tale - 01/26/07 07:50 PM

At times like this you gotta carry a licenced gun or a pocket knife yourself.
Posted by: ButterflyPalm

Re: A Cautionary Tale - 01/28/07 08:19 AM

Cross-border transportation of firearms is impossible these days; and a pocket knife against a machete? ...a pocket full of change is more effective. No, a good pair of legs is what you need. The ancient Chinese have already worked it out a long time ago -- of the 36 best strategies for all occasions, the best of the best is to RUN, if you can; if not, NEGOTIATE; If negotiations fail, BEG for MERCY; if that appears to fail, start PRAYING, there is still a 50/50 chance that the person with the machete may be of the same religion; if not, THEN FIGHT; there is nothng else to lose and it has been suggested that fighting with nothing to lose brings out the best in people.

Good Luck.
Posted by: copyright

Re: A Cautionary Tale - 02/12/07 10:09 PM

Quote:

At times like this you gotta carry a licenced gun or a pocket knife yourself.




I'm not sure how I feel about cutting up or shooting a kid who just wanted money. I'm also not sure about having the judgement as to the correct time to use a concealed weapon