What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

risked my life for a PSP?

  • #21
First of all, I'm glad you're ok. There are some just plain rotten people in this world, and that can't be helped.

Now for my view on the subject. An ex-police chief for Ohio State University came to my high school years ago to tell us about safety at college. Being Ohio State, and having his position, I took his word as fairly credible. He said a few interesting things, and while I do not have the actual statistics, it is still fairly interesting.

1. Crooks look for people who look like easy victims. The first step not avoiding incidents is to not look vulnerable. Just saying you don't have the time and walking along would probably suffice in this situation.

2. Even if he has a gun, what are the real odds that he would shoot you? Would he really shoot to kill over a small electronic device? People as such are just using the weapon for intimidation. Their real weapon is fright, and the fact that you fear for your life. Plus, guns are noisy, and a dead give away to a crime scene.

So...

If he does indeed have a gun, this office said your best bet it to just turn and run as fast as you can. First of all, it is something the assailant isn't expecting. At this point, he must decide if he will just leave you alone (probably the case), or, if he will attempt to shoot you. This will probably take him a few moments to decide. Every second he uses making this decision, you are another step away. Every step you take, makes you a harder target to hit.

If he does decide to shoot at you, you must consider.
a. He has probably had no formal firearm training, and even under the best conditions is a poor shot.
b. He is undoubtedly nervous, again lowering his accuracy, concentration, and capability to use the weapon.
c. The target (you) is constantly moving away. Moving target, harder to hit accurately
d. If he does manage to hit you, the shot (according to this police officer) is very unlikely to kill you. Supposedly there are relatively few areas that mean instant death from a bullet, comparatively speaking. If you do manage to get hit, it will most likely be somewhere that is not fatal. Also, supposedly, gunshot wounds are fairly simple to treat, and although very painful, are most often an outpatient procedure.

Like I said, this all came from this police officer, and he had all sorts of statistics to back it up. i.e. Accuracy of hitting a moving target at 50 feet etc. etc. I perceived him as a reliable source because of his years of working in a field where he had experience such situations and was trained in handling them. I found it extremely interesting and helpful. Although I have never been in said situation, and hope to never be, I plan on keeping his words with me.

Pretty good insight/advice if you find yourself in a situation where you are unable to defend yourself. The running thing reminds me, if anybody ever tries to get you into a vehicle, even if they have a gun pointed at you or whatever, do whatever is in your power to resist and flee. It never ends well for the person that is being kidnapped. At least if you run you have a chance. :( At least that policeman didn't advocate curling up into a ball while being victimized like a chief in England did.:-))

Anyway, I still recommend carrying pepperspray at all times. ;)
 
  • #22
Oyes, a good friend of mine is an RCMP officer, he worked several years as an undercover vice Narc

He SWEARS by the "run away" thing, he said statistically that your best chance of avoiding injury is that course of action (even if you DO have say a knife or some kind of martial arts training)

And yeah, even tho I live in a pretty mellow town, there's "bad guys" around- I usually don't have trouble since I am a pretty rough lookin fellow, but I don't respond to shifty lookin folks trying to engage me in conversation.

And I HAVE beaten a few folks RIGHT down for trying to pull crap on me. I might look skinny but I know enough martial arts to mess a (stupid and stoned, usually) person up REAL bad REAL fast
 
  • #23
how about if he has a gun, you run away and he follows you....?
 
  • #24
then you incorporate the zig-zag and try to run faster.

a LOT of times, people with guns are probably NOT going to use them- can't count on that but it's borne out by statistics too.

Being a vice Narc going on actual lightning raids and stuff, my buddy has pulled a gun on a LOT of folks who were similarly (or MUCH better) armed. Granted he was usually part of a squad of a dozen or more heavily armed, highly trained dudes, but it takes a special amount of certainty to actually pull the trigger, especially when the possible gain is potentially a couple of dollars.

He downright INSISTS that the highest survival rate in a situation with an unarmed person vs. a person with a gun is produced by just running the hell away, no ifs ands or buts.

And he is NOT a "roid rage" big-arse tough guy either, he is one of the most gentle, friendliest guys I know.

OH and as to the gangs- a friend of mine is CSI in Bakersfield CA , Kern County but since he's a specialist he deals with a large range, all the way into L.A.

The cops are somewhat afraid of the gangs in a weird way, they are VERY careful about having certain types of interaction with them. Since he is CSI tho, my buddy is pretty safe, tho just wearing the uniform in the wrong place is not advisable without back-up and heavy arms

I am glad you are safe tho, forgot that in my first post.

Seriously tho, running away at top speed is the best option, yer bound to run past a good samaritan OR a cop before anything happens, and if you DO get winged, you're actually doing a service by giving them one more "strike" before they're OUT- sounds goofy but it's true, and as someone else posted, a killing shot on a running zig-zaggin person is NOT too likely- one shot will get people looking, so trying to actually finish the job after a few misses, the chances of the situation continuing go WAY down second by second
 
  • #25
thanks.
 
  • #26
Be glad you ran into a novice in the.. "art of mugging". He would have to be dumb or mentally disturbed to try to mug you during the day on a crowded street and to not just grab your psp, give you a hard shove and take off. You were right not to comply in those conditions. Giving up without a fight when your outlook is good does nothing, it only makes the jackass more confident and invites him to keep on mugging.

It's a shame we can't just kick these kinds of people out of our society.


Anyways, I think I should invest in some pepper spray. Is there a particular brand thats the best or is it all the same? Anyone have a recommended source(s) for it?
 
  • #27
upper, where are your parents and why don't they pick you up from school?

If it was me in that situation, I would just continue walking down the street as if I didn't hear the guy... no eye contact, no talking, no nothing.
 
  • #28
upper, where are your parents and why don't they pick you up from school?

If it was me in that situation, I would just continue walking down the street as if I didn't hear the guy... no eye contact, no talking, no nothing.

my parent are at home, sleeping. i take the public bus that stops like 2 blocks away from my house, which is right in front of home depot, and walk home.. parent work at night, sleep at day. i take the bus to school and take the bus home. it seems that i live in the "ghetto". i took most the people's advice here and just kept walking yesterday when some african american homeless called me and act like i didnt hear him. it was scary as hell walking past him without looking back. i dont know what he's doing behind me, dont know if he's running after me, dont know if he's chasing me. but in the end, nothing happend i was happy :D.


ps. 90% of the kids at my school takes the bus or walk home.
 
  • #29
today, i was speed walking back home from school. and outa nowhere. in the open street with a bunch of cars and people around an african american guy with those LA hats with the doorag came up to me and asked if i know what time it is. i said no i dont know what time it is. he replied saying "Dont you have a phone?" i said No i dont have a phone. he said so if i check your pocket i wont find any phone. i'm metaphorically pissing my pants here. i said no you wont find any phone. then i look down at my pocket and my PSP was popping out. he said what do you have in your pocket. i said "nothing....." but the psp was visible, he said he saw my wallet and my psp and he said "give it to me or i'll shoot you." as stupid as i am i said, show me the gun and i'll give it to you. he didnt have any,but he said again, "give it to me" i said "no" then i turned around, ran as fast as i can and shouted help! a couple of car heard me and started honking. woulda been better to carry a watch and told him the time. now i gotta go around the block everyday now to avoid meeting him again.



feel free to comment on how stupid i was. :-D

ps. this was on hollywood blvd, there's alot of cars running around and hispanic selling coconuts and mango.

dude in the first place, he was asking you the time just to distract you. his intention was definitely to rob you. im sure his car has a clock in it right?
 
  • #30
dude in the first place, he was asking you the time just to distract you. his intention was definitely to rob you. im sure his car has a clock in it right?

i was on the sidewalk, he was on the sidewalk. him asking for the time as he see that i dont have a watch means he wants me to check my "cellphone" and once i bring that out, i think he would take it from me, so i said i didnt have a cellphone.
 
Back
Top