I hate wannabe thugs

[norther practitioner]

I saw someone get mugged last night right near my girl's place. We were sitting on her couch watching TV when I heard something outside (you know when you've been around a bunch of fights when you recognize the sounds of just there feet shuffling). Went to the window, saw four males three of which were starting to surround and corner the fourth. That fourth guy started yelling at them he didn't have any money, realized he was getting mugged and told my girl to call the cops. During this process I grabbed her keys and went downstairs. Walked down the street to see the three of them stomping this guy out in a gangway.... Didn't want to rush all three of them so I went to my car which was right there, opened up the back, and almost grabbed my sword, geez I really wanted to chase them down with that thing, but realized how much trouble I could get in if I had to use it. Grabbed a pair of gloves in case I had to help the guy if he was bleeding, turned and saw those three guys walking back up the street. The guy was still lying in the gangway when my girl motioned from her window to come up stairs, ran up there grabbed her phone, and talked to the police for a second while I went off looking for this guy who got beatdown. To no avail. Guy was gone, took the cops about 25 min. to get there, talked to them, but they couldn't find him either. Kind of sucks too because I could still ID the wannabe thugs, but without that other guy, they said they really can't do nothing.

Glad it wasn't me, that guy must be hating life right now. Wish it was only one person and there was some way to know they didn't have a knife or anything, I would have loved to box one of those posers..... especially since I ended up grabbing my padded ski gloves.

[kungfudude14895]

dont you carry anything else besides a sword? i mean you could have sparred them, id say that would even out the odds.

[rogue]

Didn't want to rush all three of them so I went to my car which was right there, opened up the back, and almost grabbed my sword, geez I really wanted to chase them down with that thing, but realized how much trouble I could get in if I had to use it.

Sounds like you may have been stalling. Were you doubting your physical skills? Good chance that they heard you open the car door and decided to move on, so the result was good and you get the win. What you may have done wrong is taking your eyes off the muggers and losing track of what they were doing. They could have seen you as someone ripe for a carjacking.

I would have loved to box one of those posers

Sorry NP, but with that mindset you were much better not getting involved.

[Judge Pen]

I hear what you are saying. Too bad you didn't have a short stick in your car; that would have been easier to justify. If CO is like Tennessee you have the right to use reasonable force in the defense of third-parties, but know that you will always be challenged on your decision later (especially if you hurt one of these punk thugs). That's sad to because we should be able to help another person out when they are in trouble without worrying about the legal ramnifications of your good deed.

[Shaolindynasty]

Hmmmm......Beat a guy down? They don't sound like "wannabe posers" to me, they sound like real thugs.

It's better just not to get involved in business that isn't yours. Especially seeing as how the "victum" didn't stick around you don't know what all that was really about.


Chasing them with a swaord is a horrible idea, think about if any of them had firearms.

You could have gotten shot because some crackhead owed guys money and couldn't pay.

That's why I stick to my own business

[norther practitioner]

Sounds like you may have been stalling.

A bit... but it was mostly trying to assess the situation.

Were you doubting your physical skills?

Against three guys, all about the same size as me, without knowing if they had a weapon, yeah, I was doubting I was superman at the time.

Sorry NP, but with that mindset you were much better not getting involved.

And I didn't.... with what mindset, I don't quite understand.. I'm pizzed I saw that go down, tell me you wouldn't like to square up with someone like that one on one after you see them be such a punk.

[norther practitioner]

First thing, can you guys read.. I didn't get my sword.. I realized it was a bad idea.. I think reading comp 101 is in order for some of you.. thank you for the masters of the obvious.

They don't sound like "wannabe posers" to me, they sound like real thugs.

wanna be in the sense that this was something that is just ultimately going to make them think they are tough.. but it was three on one..

Whats up with all you guys and "crack heads"...

It was three of them mugging someone walking down the street eating sushi.

they were looking for cash, to do what, maybe by a bag of weed or Yay.... not the point.

That's why I stick to my own business

[MasterKiller]

Was the sword live?

[norther practitioner]

No but it has weight (you've held that one). Combat steel, not live, just heavy (somewhere around 3lbs if memory serves me correctly).

[MasterKiller]

I remember it. You could certainly put a lump on somebody with it.

You probably did the smartest thing. Let them know you are there to deter their behaviour and stay out of the way in case the shlt hits the fan.

[norther practitioner]

precicely...
Thnks MK.



oh and if anyone wants to know, you can see the sword in question in the Jan/Feb issue of KFTC on page 97... it is in my hand.

[Oso]

NP, the only thing I'll suggest would be to set yourself up with a better weapon if you feel like you would want to act in a future situation. A collapsable baton if you can use a short stick is a good choice in that you can keep it concealed till you need it. Immediately showing a weapon can escalate the situation to a firearm which would suck.

Keeping a large can of pepper spray available could be a good idea. Something with the capacity to deal with multiple opponents.

IMO, a short stick in one hand and 16oz of pepper spray in the other would be a nice combination to handle multiple opponents as long as you had good tactical awareness of the situation.

It's always a tough call to help in a situation like that. Glad you were safe at the end of it.

[red5angel]

It's better just not to get involved in business that isn't yours.

First of all, that's just a fukked up attitude. Someones getting their ass kicked and all you wanna do is sit back and let it happen?


NP, sounds like you couldn't do a whole lot. You could have charged in and tried to take 3 guys, but the odds are sorely against you. If you had a stick, maybe...

You could have yelled that you were calling the cops, that may have helped? Especially from your window.

All in all not grabbing the sword was the right choice I think.

[norther practitioner]

You could have yelled that you were calling the cops, that may have helped? Especially from your window.

I did yell out the window, should have added that in there. They ended up in a gangway (a walkway between buildings) anyway, which I think they may have thought they would be ok in because it wasn't like right out in the open any more.

[Ralphie]

NP,
If you did Krotty or TKD, you would have been able to bring out the bricks, break them, and had glow in the dark Nun Chucks in your back pocket. This would surely have killed the muggers on sheer fear of your display of skill. Also, a good idea is to carry or simply wear a headband around with you at all times. Your teacher's kung fu is obviously no good, or he would have taught you how to blindly attack 3 unknown assailants. Not having been there, I can obviously detect your mindset, and the events as they unfolded. The mistake you made was not doing a back flip into a butterfly kick into the center of the 3, and am surprised you didn't get carjacked because you failed to do this simple and well known strategy when defending a stranger against 3 street thugs. The only way to get your honor, and the honor of your dojo back, is to set out each night and engage in brawls with street gangs down in 5 points.