Self-defence tips for commuting?

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Comments

  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Confusedboy wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    You could try smugly pointing out that you have a helmet cam and that the footage will be up on youtube that very night.

    That'll calm the situation.


    No, it won't. Smugness will annoy your opponent even more and escalate the situation, and the helmet cam will suggest to him that he may want to try his hand at endoscopy on you. Unless you have absolutely no altenative, you should back down and remove yourself from the environment immediately.

    If you really have no way out but to fight, a guy who knew a lot more than me about this sort of thing many years ago advised my to walk rapidly forward and punch the opponent in the face as hard as you can manage as soon as he is in reach-do not threaten or square up, just hit him-as if you were trying to hit the rear of his skull through his head. This will prevent your instinct to 'pull' the punch. Your fist will hurt you a lot, but you should knock your opponent down and will probably have broken his nose. While he is down, make your exit. If he doesn't go down, run, as you are now in very serious trouble and the situation is out of your control.

    I have only once ever done this, in a bar not on the bike, but it worked.

    I have seen nothing in this thread which changes my view that people who wear helmet cameras are actively seeking confrontations that they can post on YouTube. Such folk deserve all they get from where I'm sitting.

    Dangerous game, as it's now you committing the initial assault and people will only see you heading towards said fellow and lamping him
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • Aidy
    Aidy Posts: 2,015
    Dunno about others here, but I reckon planting your feet in order to throw a punch is literally impossible in SPD shoes.

    Not that I've actually tried, mind - but I know that mine aren't exactly designed with grip in mind.
  • RowCycle
    RowCycle Posts: 367
    A pair of stiff soled road cycling shoes round the side of the head could be pretty effective...
  • Redhog14
    Redhog14 Posts: 1,377
    Dear oh dear - violence rarely solves the problem, my oldman - brought up in a seriously rough part of Glasgow used to say -"don't start a fight son, but if you find yourself in one; finish it" Your view on what constitutes "starting a fight" may vary..

    So as I hit 40 and look back I have avoided many a confrontation, and never knowingly come off worse when in one, my initial response to the youtube nutter who starred in the original thread is ignore him at the beginning and he would have gone on his way. Really what purpose does shouting at him "you're on camera" actually serve?
    The motivation for cam wearing on commutes is odd to me but I don't commute in an urban environment so maybe I am missing something.
    @surroundedbh
  • Aidy
    Aidy Posts: 2,015
    RowCycle wrote:
    A pair of stiff soled road cycling shoes round the side of the head could be pretty effective...

    "Could you just hang there a minute whilst I take my shoes off? Thanks!"
  • Aidy
    Aidy Posts: 2,015
    Redhog14 wrote:
    The motivation for cam wearing on commutes is odd to me but I don't commute in an urban environment so maybe I am missing something.

    I keep hovering around it.

    I've been hit and run a few times*, and witnessed shocking driving on more occasions than I can count, and having some sort of evidence would be useful.

    That said, whenever I've tried to run one I find it pretty depressing that I'm essentially preparing to be run off the road when I just want to go out on my bike for a ride in peace.

    I'm currently camera-free, but I might start again soon.

    * Obviously the police make all the right noises, and then do absolutely nothing. But that's probably a rant for another thread.

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