fight or flight?

[xcavier]

hi,

i'm wondering what some of you guys would do in a situation,

if you and someone you know (i won't say a 'friend', because then that changes the situation) are sitting on a bench and a group of people of say around 4 or so surround the two of you, one on each end of the bench, two standing up, and they try to roll you, would you:

1) hand over money, and sit still
2) hand over money, and get the hell out of there without regard for the other person
3) stay put and start a fight

the reason i'm asking is that this person walks home with me everyday and he was going on about this one incident for ages. and i mean ages . he keeps going on about starting a fight, and about leaving him there. the thing is, i had no intention of starting a fight, i did not leave but rather left the bench but was only a 2 feet away or so keeping an eye on the proceedings. but i think the main reason is that he actually lost money, whereas i didn't, mainly because i already spent all of mine .

love to hear your opinion...

[Tommy DeVito]

if the guys arent big and if they act like they arent armed of course i would fight with them. And you should be next to that person that you walk home with, its even worser that you didnt because they couldnt take your money. One day they will take yours and that person that you walk home with will go away.

[osopardo]

Let me see if I have this right; you and an acquaintance were victims of what is officially referred to as strong arm robbery. Because you didnt have any money you were allowed to go (lucky you). You then distanced yourself from the scene physically, possibly to avoid getting involved in any further "unpleasantness", leaving the other guy there to fend for himself.

If that is a correct accounting of the incident then I can only say that you are a useless, spineless coward and should be treated to a Singapore caning for your craven lack of courage.

Let me clarify my position; it is quite one thing to avoid violence as any prudent person would, it's totally something else to bug out on a fellow human being. The answer to the Bliblical question is that you are indeed your brother's keeper and to shirk that responsibility is a sin and a moral disgrace. I'm surprised this person still speaks to you.

Let me just leave you with one final thought (not my own) ;

"First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then they came for the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did nothing. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me."

[Combat Cherokee]

Fight or flight?

if the guys arent big and if they act like they arent armed of course i would fight with them.

heh so if scrawny naked guys attack, "FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!!"
just curious, how does one not look like they have a weapon on them? just messing with ya dude. I agree with what your, saying, but one must always remember, in a fight always to asume your attacker is armed and has buddies around.

As for the "fight or flight" i look at it this way, fight is an intellegent way of using force when it is needed to survive, flight is understanding when to run in order to survive, not staying out of harms way to save your own ass. You and your friend should have never stayed at all, nor should you have ever let them get that close to begin with. Then you leave the guy to deal with FOUR possibly armed dudes. So far I havnt heard anything tactically wise or morally right about any of this. First off, I never leave someone to deal with something Im half responsible for on their own. You put yourself and the guy in a bad place from a personal protection point of view. Friends like you are no better then enemies. I hope that those who know you have a thread of honor, so that you never find yourself in a situation like that.

-C-

[xcavier]

two things i should clarify:

he was not a friend, and it should also be noted i do not especially like the guy, nonetheless, i was still there. but as to leaving him there, i repeat, i did not leave him there. i was a mere 2 feet away. for if you look at it from a self defence perspective, me sitting on a bench with one guy with his arm around my shoulder and another guy standing right next to me, it would be much more advantageous if i was outside than inside, if a fight started.

i know they weren't armed, because one the only thing they pulled out was a little chopping tool for cigarettes so if they had any other weaponry more menacing they would have used that for threatening us, that would certainly be logical.

[Bjjexpertise@be]

I wouldn't have buggedout. Even if it was someone I hate I would've stuck up for him in hopes of him covering my butt one day. Although I wouldn't have started a fight, I would've tried to get us out verbally. If my oratory skills failed, then I would push one of them away and tell the guy to run for it(I will be running as well mind you).

[IPON]

he was not a friend, and it should also be noted i do not especially like the guy, nonetheless, i was still there. but as to leaving him there, i repeat, i did not leave him there. i was a mere 2 feet away.

First, everything Combat Cherokee said and dude you are a wuss!!

Whether you are friends or not, like the guy or not yuo have a relationship, no? you walk home with the guy everyday (whether you want to or not). Ask yourself what was your reason for getting up, was it to gain a more tatctical position. Well, that is doubtful considering you were standing ther "2 feet away" and basically let the guy get robbed. If this scenerio was in reverse you would make the same stements as your "acqaintance-friend" By the way did I say WUSS!!!

[MuayThaiFighter]

I would have stayed,because I would be afraid of my friend getting beaten up.I stick up for my friends before I stick up for myself. You **** with my friends then you're messing with me too.

I would however try to get my friend to just give them what they want and to walk away with me,because usually when in groups chances are at least one or two of them are armed whether it be a gun or knife.

If my friend were to insist on not giving them what they want and tried starting a fight I wouldn't back him up , because I don't back up people who start fights,however if they start a fight with him I will fight too.Don't get me wrong though either way I would not leave my friend behind. I would make sure if a fight does come out of it due to my friend's refusal and trying to start a fight that it would only be one on one otherwise I will jump in,because I don't want my own friend to end up get beaten up or killed.

On the other hand if he doesn't start the fight and one of the 4 guys hit him then I will help fight back without even thinking twice.

If we were to win then great we walk away with a smile but if we lose then I would be upset but glad that my friend and I still got our share of punches and kicks in provided we would still be alive.I would rather die having tried to fight back and survive then die because I didn't even try to defend myself and friend.

[guy incognito]

Sounds like no fight actually broke out.In which case you did the right thing putting yourself in a position to defend yourself and your aquaintance.

[MuayThaiFighter]

All I can really say is use your brain first and your fists as a last resort.

It takes more of a man to walk away from a fight then to engage in one.

Should you be forced to fight then go in fast and hard with no mercy.

[osopardo]

two things i should clarify:
he was not a friend, and it should also be noted i do not especially like the guy....

http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/kitty_genovese/1.html?sect=2

You ever hear of Kitty Genovese? She was slowly and brutally murdered returning from work on March 13, 1963 at 3:15 a.m. while 38 witnesess looked on from their apartment windows. Her cries for help had awakened an entire neighborhood who did not want to become involved because "it wasn't their business..." "they didn't know her..." "they didn't think they could have stopped it..." etc. etc.

So what would have prompted you to speak up in this person's defense? (notice, I didn't say "friend"). What would it take for you to get involved? Where do you draw the line?

God help you!

[Pornstar]

to answer your question, i wouldn't have left a total stranger there to fend for himself. fighting two on four is very difficult and probably would have taken a little beating. if it's only a few bucks, i would have talked the guy into handing over his money, it wouldn't be worth a devastating ass beating, they may have hospitalized you, you just never know with complete strangers these days. if your intentions were to get a better angle to attack if you needed to, then it was wise to attack from the outside of the group and cheap shot one out cold to lower the odds, but it doesn't sound like this was the plan or you would have mentioned it in the original post, i think you thought of this after some guys on the forum bashed you a little. how to handle the situation if a fight did break out is a different post, so for now my answer is, i would have stayed and helped.

[Combat Cherokee]

i know they weren't armed, because one the only thing they pulled out was a little chopping tool for cigarettes so if they had any other weaponry more menacing they would have used that for threatening us, that would certainly be logical.

That is about as logical as wiping your ass with sand paper! The whole point of concealed weapons is that they are, you guessed it(maybe not) CONCEALED! People dont run around showing their blades or guns, unless their complete psychos or stupid punks having a pissing contest all be their little punkarse selfs. You ALWAYS assume someones armed, i know a cop who was dealing with a "nice guy" who he "knew" wasnt armed and suddenly threw a haymaker at him. well it turned out to be a knife, but the dynamics were the same so he did a basic boxing cover and took a knife in the bicep.

And tactically you moved outside of their surrounding? Oh your such a personal protection wizard! Im gonna forget the last 10 years of studing self defense, martial arts, situational awareness criminal behavior and all that other BS, Ive wasted so much money all these years. Im so wrong, its not like in multiple attacker situations at least one guy isnt there to keep an eye out for...I dunno, OTHER PEOPLE, and to keep other from, lets just go out on a limb and say,JOINING THE FIGHT?!?!?!

Even if you did take on one of the guys by surprise, what about the other 3? are they gonna stop the onslaught on the guy you dont like, NO! While your over taking one guy by surprise, they wil do one of two things, even the odds, or finish the guys off faster then come over and beat you like prick that you are. Even if you do take out the guy theres still 3 more who are fresh, cause sounds like this guy you dont like isnt exactly capable in the first place. Think about stuff a little bit more before ya make your self look bad.

-C-