Why would you bite someone?

[Apoth]

I've seen this a couple of times and it always strikes me as odd when someone says they would bit if they were in a grappling situation. Biting is one of those things that I don't even want to do because of how dangerous it could be to me. There are tons of diseases you can get from blood and the thought of intentionally exposing myself to it seems like a terrible idea. I think in a life or death situation my view might change if it was a last resort, but only then.

What would most of you consider a valid time to bite.

[Szczepankiewicz]

I would bite Bitty anytime because he has such good taste.

[Tom Yum]

Re: Why would you bite someone?

Originally posted by Apoth
I've seen this a couple of times and it always strikes me as odd when someone says they would bit if they were in a grappling situation. Biting is one of those things that I don't even want to do because of how dangerous it could be to me. There are tons of diseases you can get from blood and the thought of intentionally exposing myself to it seems like a terrible idea. I think in a life or death situation my view might change if it was a last resort, but only then.

What would most of you consider a valid time to bite.

Any fight that is not organized or for competition. If your life is threatened, I think it constitutes self-defense. Bites don't make good starting moves, probably better served while tangled up on the ground or against multiple attackers where one is grappling with you and the others start pummeling randomly (like a real fight).

Whatever you bite off, show it to the other attackers and keep on a strikin' until you can run.

[ryanhall]

Good post, Tom.

As far as getting a blood-borne disease goes, it's not likely at all. Blood to blood contact will catch you whatever the other guy has. However, if you ingest (swallow) blood, the chances of you becoming infected are extremely low.

[Szczepankiewicz]

if you ... swallow....the chances of you becoming infected are extremely low.

Do you have scientific evidence to validate this position or is it from a list of rich and varied experiences?

[ryanhall]

No, this is not from personal experience...swallowing. Thankfully, I have avoided that in all of my life's endeavors, and plan to keep the streak alive.

It comes from a little research of my own, talking to two doctor/scientists in my family, and I believe that Paul Vunak did a lot of studying on the topic and published an article a couple years back. Evidently, saliva and stomach juices kill most everything that blood would hold. The possibility that I could be wrong always exists, but I think I've got this one.

[Szczepankiewicz]

Oh. Sorry. Must've confused you with Platinum Angel.

The possibility that I could be wrong always exists

Always or never?

Actually, that makes sense. Not much survives the digestion process. Mechanical, then taking a HCl bath will pretty much do it in.

If you can track down that article I'd appreciate it.

Spanky

[osopardo]

"You go over there and bite her on the as . real hard!"--
Eddie Murphy in "I Spy"

[Apoth]

I find biting to be valid only as an absolute last resort. While I agree that your stomach acid and maybe even saliva (to some degree) will destroy disease, we're still talking about a mucus membrane. And because your mouth is a mucus membrane its one of the easist places to get blood-born/sexually transmitted diseases (hence why you can get HIV just as easily through oral sex).

Admittedly my scientific knowledge about this is limited, but I know that you can get HIV very easily through just casual contact with blood (assuming you have an open transmission point) and I would think that biting a random person in a country with several million people infected with HIV would be a very bad deal.

[ryanhall]

Spanky,
I'll try to find it for you. I'll shoot you an e-mail if and when I come by it.

Apoth,
Let's get serious for a second here. You don't just go biting people for no reason. Anytime that you bite someome powerfully and with intent, it sends a very strong psychological message to them saying that you will do what it takes to hurt them. As such, it raises the ante so to speak. If you bite someone, it had better be justified, and you had better be serious about it. A little half-assed 'ooh I hope he doesn't have a communicible disease' bite will probably just piss someone off.

Biting is a last-resort tactic for lethal force situations, but it works. It is pretty foolish to be worried about contracting a disease when you could die from the attack itself rather than five or ten years down the road.

[Apoth]

I agree with you completely. I would do it if I had to, I'm just wondering about these people who say they'd do it any time. I'm more trying to get at their reasoning than anything.

[Thai Bri]

I'd do it if it was necessary. But it would be hard to justify to a jury full of middle class dip shits who never saw an angry man in their lives. Especially if done "on duty".

[cakegirl]

Originally posted by ryanhall
talking to two doctor/scientists in my family, and I believe that Paul Vunak did a lot of studying on the topic and published an article a couple years back. Evidently, saliva and stomach juices kill most everything that blood would hold.

The HCl in the stomach kills any bugs you may ingest. The only problem you may have is if you have sores or cuts in your mouth or a throat infection, etc.
Cakegirl

[MuayThaiFighter]

Re: Why would you bite someone?

Originally posted by Apoth
I've seen this a couple of times and it always strikes me as odd when someone says they would bit if they were in a grappling situation. Biting is one of those things that I don't even want to do because of how dangerous it could be to me. There are tons of diseases you can get from blood and the thought of intentionally exposing myself to it seems like a terrible idea. I think in a life or death situation my view might change if it was a last resort, but only then.

What would most of you consider a valid time to bite.

I would do it if I really felt I had to but otherwise I would try and stay away from biting.

As far as diseases how is it any different then if you sparr and your opponent starts bleeding all over you?

Whether there is blood on you from you biting on street or your opponents blood from sparring in martial arts there is no difference either way blood is blood.

[Mr. Heel Hook]

Christ, if someone bite me I would become enraged. I dunno, I would make them pay for it big time. That is of course, if I was winning the fight.