Quote from: CindyJames on February 26, 2009, 01:56:15 AM
WoW
You American ladies are carrying more firepower than our police force. Who are armed. Carrying a concealed weapon In Aus is illegal. And using any weapon even in selfdefence is problematic.
I don't want people to think that all Americans carry weapons. The majority does not, and most people (the people I know anyway), are rather scared of firearms.
Again, I just want to clarify that you should only ever use a firearm when it is your last option. I was never advocating using it to go into more dangerous places. Also, you should only carry a concealed weapon when and where you are legally allowed.
I have a permit that allows me to carry concealed, just to clarify. I don't want anyone thinking otherwise.
Quote from: tgirljuliewilson on February 25, 2009, 11:42:31 PM
Ok, my turn....just a couple of things:
1. You fight like you train. If you've taken a class in self defence, great. BUT, if you don't practice what you were taught, you won't be able to do it when you need to--no matter how confident you are that you will be able to. This is why the military, cops and serious fighters are continuously training and drilling until it is truly done without thinking (when necessary). As in "the training just kicked in..." kind of comment after it's all over.
2. Owning a gun does NOT make you a marksman. If you don't practice at the target range at least several times a year, the gun you carry is nothing more than a noisemaker.....which may be good, but if you feel the need to pull the trigger, being able to hit your target is better.
3. One option I haven't seen is the Tazer. They are legal in a lot of places and non-lethal, yet very effective---unless there's multiple attackers, in which case you should not have been there in the first place.
4. Don't overlook the power of high heels. Stomp your heel down on the top of someone's foot and it'll do some serious damage. If you've ever walked across a grassy yard in heels you'll remember how easy it is to sink 'em into something.
5. Hand-to-gland combat, or use the knees (the old fashioned way)--just don't be shy about the amount of force. If you're going to strike, strike!
6. If you use pepper spray, and ANY of it gets into your nose, you will be in very bad shape (that stuff is a lot more potent than they make it appear on TV).
7. Remember: the best way to avoid a confrontation is to not be there. If you have no choice, be prepared. Be trained. Be proficient. Be safe.
'nuf said.
I agree with everything said here. I also have to go a little further and say that my ex was trained in aikido, and was rather proficient, but I could (with not much effort) easily defeat her because I had just a little knowledge of the concepts they used, and I had a major strength advantage. I am not saying that these techniques don't work, I am just saying that you should understand they are not foolproof.
I can't say about pepper spray, but when I was a teenager, I got mace in my eyes (on accident), and it was the worst thing ever.
Training is crucial. I can tell you, I took multiple classes on land navigation (when I was with the Army ROTC), and even 6 months after I stopped doing it, you forget so much. The same applies to most things. If you are not actively doing it, you WILL forget it, or at the very least, not proficient enough for it to matter.
I am a bit paranoid, I know, but I would rather be safe than sorry.
Be safe.
