How Hard Have You Tried?

I thought I'd start a running thread with anecdotes about *real* things you've done to avoid a fight (without getting into the debate about a "real men don't avoid fights" crap). Who knows, perhaps a technique or approach here might save someone's life.

Simply walking away is most always an option; proactively not getting into a situation where you even have think about this is even better.

As far a dramatic stuff, I used role playing once when approached by three rough characters, acting like I was metally retarded or very slow witted, even talking to myself with a wierd cadence (think "Rain Man"). It worked very well in that circumstance...although I think I was really lucky.

I also pretended to vomit once in a club...that really worked. A guy may want to get your blood on his knuckles, but most cringe at the thought of getting vomit on them. Disgusting, but effective.

Most often though, I use humor and jokes to divert attention and focus.

What about you guys?

How about avoiding a mugging rather than avoiding a fight? In the summer of 2001 I took a weeks vacation in Edinburgh. I was walking down Princes Street and after awhile I realized two guys seemed to be following me. I was wearing a back pack with the Georgia State University seal on it(I know, very stupid) so I was obviously a foreigner. I figured they would follow until I was on a side street with no witnesses. I walked just a little further, then abruptly stepped to window of the shop I was next to. I put my back to the window so I was facing the street and I turned my head to look directly at the guy in the lead. We made eye contact and he got this very surprised look on his face. He hurriedly grabbed his buddy and pushed him through the door of the shop they were in front of. I waited about 5 seconds, they did not come out, so I left. He wanted an ambush but when he realized his prey was aware of him he broke off pursuit.

I was walking back from Karate one night, it was around 9:30, and I noticed one guy following me about 15 feet behind, almost step for step, and had a large hood on so as to conceal his face. I was carrying my karate bag very loosely, and remembered that I had borrowed a friends pair of tonfa to measure up for size and weight so when i bought my own I would know exactly the measurements I needed. The tonfa were in my bag, which I very subtle unzipped part way, and continued walking. As I walked by a school (there was no one around), I could see him in the reflection. He was beginnging to advance a bit quicker, and when he got to about 7 feet behind, I dropped my bag on an angle, and the tonfa clattered with a deafening echo on the street. I looked down, we both stopped dead. I drooped down, ignoring his presence and picked them up. I had remembered a very flashy spinning trick a friend had taught me witht he tonfa, and spun the tonfa around, saying to myself "Hmmm, My bag must be ripped...Hope my billy sticks (a street name for tonfa, I wanted to make sure he understood what they were) arent bruised...". With that, I spun them around one more time (making sure not to look back to him, but I put almost all emphasis on hearing, so I could hear if he made any sudden movements). I then continued walking. He didn't follow.

I guess he didnt want to fight an armed attacker.

Lucky thing too, I was tired as hell and probably would have been screwed.

the fights i have been in were unavoidable

sometimes because i just lost my temper and had a fight or flight funtion kick on and i would either chase them as they tryed to run or slame their heads into things and hit them


but now no one around where i live starts fights with me

who would want to fight someone who is 6 foot 3 possibly 4 havent measured in a while 360 some odd pounds and is fast(atleast according to my instructer i dont really believe it that much) used to lift weights and people think im psycho(mostly people i dont know though and alot of people think my friends are crazy)

im glad though i dont like to hurt people without reason(defending family friends or self) and would probably hurt them on accident during adrenal dump or something