I agree that high kicks have their place when used right. But look at that video clip at how many of those guys lost their balance, fell, or just plain lost control when their high kicks connected.

I have been studying TKD for a few years and at my school I sit some where in the middle, I am faster than the big guys (but don’t hit as hard) and I can hit harder than the fast guys (but not as fast). My flexibility, accuracy and timing are good so head high kicks have never been an issue. I also have been in more street fights than I care to count (it was the job at the time, I was not out looking for it). In the school for me it’s 75/25 Kicks/punches. But out of all the street fights I was in I kicked two times, one about belt level to my opponent, the other about my knee high; other than that, all hands. I have always trained for accuracy/power in the full range – high/low. I know of several tournament fighters that don’t know how to kick low with any sort of accuracy or power. All they can do is kick high – boy I love to fight those guys.

Like was said in a post above, I won’t say never, but so far I have not.

My .02
-JBC-

A high kick is definately not the first thing I'm gonna go for in a fight but if I were to see an opening (most likely after my opponent is a little fatigued) then I would probly take the opertunity.

i think in real life it would be wiser to use grappling or your hands, im excellent at foot techniques, i once broke someones jaw with a hook kick lol, but on the street, with shoes and jeans, it generally wont work out. If you want to test it do a little workout at home on the bag with your gi on ( uniform) and then with shoes and regular clothes, i think youll find it works out better with the gi! , yeah so i would stick with upper body in a real fight

I think it depends how good a person is at kicking.
seems like effective mae geri s are a thing of the past

that video was alright, but i doubt even they would try to pull that off in the street, find me a vid where someone beats someone with shoes on