Image courtesy of Randy Son of Robert, on Flickr
A recent post on a forum I frequent generated some interesting discussion. One of the guys from the US reconted the following anecdote
A fellow I met in a bookstore in the martial arts section said this to me during a brief conversation. He had some experience as a law enforcement officer in Chicago.
“The average person doesn’t really need need martial arts”, he said. “3 things can do as well as any martial art, the ability to run fast, a can of mace, and above all common sense”.
Now some may disagree with this statements, I don’t know.
Personally I find his statements to have a clear logic to them.
This is interesting as the substance, the basc idea is something I can very much agree with, however there are some ractical concerns that bear mentioning.
Firstly, the ability to run fast is great. The commonly named Nike Defence is all about not being there. Closely linked to common sense, being able to hightail it away from any situation is one of our most basic defensive options. It does however, depend on being able to outrun your opponent. This where a lot of the ‘Bash & Dash’ approaches advocated in the 80s and 90s fell down. If I’m is not able to run faster and further than my assailents then I am just going to have to deal wih thm again 200 yards down the road, only this time I’ll be out of breath.
For the elderly or the physically infirm running away is not a sensible option. This is where common sense comes into play. John Aitkin, the guy who first taught me practical martial arts, was fond of saying the first rule of self defence is not to drink in the Blue Monkey. That really is the most basic precaution one can take – don’t go to places where you are likely to get in trouble. If you avoid the 3 stupids-going to stupid places, with stupid people and doing stupid things-you will be OK most of the time.
The final factor from Mr Chicago Law Enforcer is Mace. This is, for those not in the know, a brand of chemical spray weapon. It used to be a form of tear gas, but is now more usually a pepper spray. This is a useful weapon, although it does have drawbacks. It is not suited to very close encounters, especially those in confined spaces like a lift or car. It can be dispersed or rendered ineffective by strong wind. More importantly it is less than effective in stopping a determined, pumped-up or intoxicated attacker. Having been on the receiving end of such spras in training I know it is possible to keep going and ignore the pain until later.
The biggest problem with such weapons is that they are illegal. They’re classed as firearms under UK law (Bonkers, I know) and so only the big strapping lads in police boots are allowed to use them. Those more in need of an equaliser have to make do with bare hands or improvised weapons. Of course it would be great if people like my mum had access to self defence tools but that is not going to happen anytime soon. This is where physical skill comes into play. Using techniques derived from martial arts, and with cunning and aggression it is possible to overwhelm a more physically able opponent.
This is the crux of Safeism. We hope to avoid the need for a physical response, by making good decisions about when and where we go, and with whom. By being alert and trusting our instincts. By leaving when we feel the need and by using verbal and non-verbal disuassion to make ourselves less attractive as victims. If called upon however, we strike decisively and effectively, ending the threat to ourselves as quickly, and as safely as possible.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Do you know if there’s any correlation between carrying selv defence tools such as mace and getting into a violent confrontation due to putting yourself in situations you’d normally avoid? I know a few girls who carry pepper spray (it’s legal in Norway) and seem to replace some of their reliance on critical thinking with faith that the spray will protect them/they will protect themselves with the spray if anything happens.
I wouldn’t be surprised if some people did fall into that trap. Years back I worked with a South African lady who did carry pepper spray, not realising it was illegal here. It was an old battered can her Dad had given her when she went off to college and it lived at the bottom of her handbag. Rather than putting any thought into when, how or even if it would be used she thought of it as a magic talisman that solved the bad guy problem.
You’re exactly right Petter critical thinking is key, and this holds true of you carry a weapon or not.
I really appreciate your videos and website James, I am a kung fu,
kenpo, and jui-jitsu student here in the US. I really liked your video on
aggression, I have been studying several different arts and self-preservation concepts and I believe that there is a need for the
uneducated and untrained people to be exposed to the reality of
these scenarios so they will not have a false sense of safety that
even some martial artists have. As far as the cop’s statement, that is like
saying you should drive a car without an engine, you don’t need that.
Hi Darin, thanks for the kind words. You’re exactly right about that cop’s statement.
Please be careful about the age of a can of pepper spray. In Poland it is legal but the product has about a two year life span. The pressure in the can slowly diminishes. It is best replaced at regular intervals. With regards to the legality of pepper in the UK, remember that if it saves your life or serious injury, any punishment is a trivial consideration. The best defence is avoidance. Don’t go where the yobs and brain dead hang out, clubs and pubs for instance. Buy your own bottle and invite the right people to share it with you at home!
Hi John,
Thanks for your comment. The point about use by date is a good one. However I’m not sure at all that carrying pepper spray os worth it in the UK. It’s a ‘maybe’ tool that is not hugely effective. There are much better options, beginning with choosing sensible places to go – as you correctly point out.