Reaction to real world violent/dangerous threat

[Stomper]

Everybody Poops is a famous book and I made a joke

I know, but all my life I have heard some variant that fear loosens the bowels. My experience has been rather contrary this view. In all seriousness, does anybody actually poop themselves in fear? I ask, half jokingly, because obviously I have a sample size of one. It is one of those things that is a legit head scratcher to me.

And I get that fear makes people behave unpredictably, but honestly curious, here. I have seen people pee themselves in fear, so I know while that runs against my experience, it is a thing.
_________________________________________________________________________
My position on drawing my gun is this, Would I be happy for my kids and future grand kids to know this was the reason I died? That is my mental line. Because by drawing I am painting a bright red target on myself and my entire life will be viewed in light of that moment.

I hear you. I've seen plenty of people unintendedly poop themselves but not out of fear.. seen lots pee themselves when scared. Like I said, it was part of a joke.

I know, just always found that phrasing, bewildering.

Most phrasing about anything is bewildering. Poop!

'Nuff said, poop-head!

 

[ma96782]

Aloha, Mark

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Some things to consider when dealing with a threat....

At times the mind will see and hear what it expects to be there...which may not be really what is there or going on.

Perspective is important...just remember that other people's perspective may not be the same as yours.

At stressful times one can get "tunnel vision"...
As clear as tunnel vision can be...it can also be blind to many other important things.

Also one can be hyper-focused...the trick here is to be focused on the proper thing.

Breaking Contact can be one of the most simple , yet most overlooked thing to do , to avoid trouble.

If what you did , got you out of trouble and home alive...then it was the right thing...
That said..the right thing will be different for different people and situations.

Don't get stuck on your plan , be adaptable in your mindset...
Life ain't gonna play by your rules , training , or practices.
Andy

 

[Member 53328]

View attachment 1419297




'Nuff said, poop-head!

I think that photo is in reference to the opposite of pooping…

Instead of the sh!t coming out, it's actually getting pushed in. Haha.

 

[Stomper]

I think that photo is in reference to the opposite of pooping…

Instead of the sh!t coming out, it's actually getting pushed in. Haha.

View attachment 1419376

I was going to go that route, but I suddenly had a case of unexpected class and kept it Romper Room friendly.





That reminds me, my outbuilding workshop is called "Stomper Room"….

 

[MatthewDB]

Threadjack to point out that my new favorite insult is to call someone a dipbubblegum.

We may resume the topic.....

 

[front_sight]

Interesting to hear some of the stories. I pray that I never have to find out first hand what it is like.

I am 68 and have carried since I was in my 20's when I rose to the position of managing two auto parts stores at 25 years old. I usually left one or both stores with the nightly deposit. I grew up shooting with my dad and bought my own guns as soon as I was of age. When I was about 23 I started taking karate and got my black belt at 30. Turning 30 was the greatest part as that put me in the "Executive" division at tournaments, which meant I was fighting other guys who had to go to work Monday morning same as me, and not 20-somethings who were trying to kill me. What I learned was that body language, mine and other people's, was a big part of the key to avoiding a fight.

I started shooting IPSC/USPSA in the early 1980's and a lot of the guys back then were LEO's. One guy who was a pretty decent B class shooter was an officer who moonlighted as an armed security guard. One night he got into a gunfight and said that he emptied his .45 at a bad guy at VERY close range and never hit him. I didn't have to be involved in a gunfight to learn that all the training and proficiency I had on the range was going to disappear along with my visual and auditory perception in a real fight. I carried a Springfield Armory custom .45 "officers" model for 27 years, before switching to the rig in my photo to the left.

I am super non-confrontational. I carry as a last resort to save my life or that of my wife. In over 40 years of concealed carry I have never once had to remove my weapon from its holster. I have had my hand on it a couple of times under my concealment garment, but I imagine I would practically have to be taking a beating before I would actually draw and fire on another person.

Back in the 1970's and 80's we were told that gunfights were 1 to 3 rounds fired at one, or at the most two attackers, and at no more than 3-5 feet if not actually in contact. Our summertime guns were lightweight S&W J-frames with CT laser grips and +P ammo. These days, I feel like a concealed carrier might have to make a 15-20 yard shot on a guy with a rifle or shotgun, such as in the church shooting in Texas. That is why the Glock and red dot upgrade from the old .45. But I harbor no illusion that I would CHOOSE to do that if there is ANY way I can get myself and my wife out of the situation. In no thought or daydream do I see myself running TOWARDS the threat or saving a bunch of people I don't know. I am just pretty sure I don't have that hero in me and don't want to find out.

I am sorry for the rambling but all that to say maybe at one time I thought I could take care of myself in a confrontation that came to me. But as I have gotten older I understand that the other guy now will be stronger, faster, meaner, more motivated to fight, and with more experience in actual fighting. And despite my training and theoretical skill, the result will be me not fighting very well, but hopefully retaining the mindset that I am willing to do whatever I have to in order to save my own life. And then physically being able to do it.

I commend those of you who have been there successfully and can talk about it. And I hope the rest of us never have to.

 

[Stomper]

Threadjack to point out that my new favorite insult is to call someone a dipbubblegum.

We may resume the topic.....

Hey, I know that guy!!

 

[Yarome]

That's definitely one way to read it.

I'll clarify my position and opinion a bit further.

Carrying is a responsibility. A huge one. That comes with large consequences.

I'm definitely not trying to say that by carrying you are a bad person. If that's how you read it, I definitely apologize. I definitely wasn't trying to say that.

I'm just stating that there are bad people that do carry. I've heard many that say things along these lines, "Man if a shooting like this ever happened, I'd hunt down that SOB and take him out."

I usually point out that they literally just said they will go and hunt a human with the intention of killing that human.

Cops, hopefully, train to kill people. If trained well, hopefully, they do so without inflicting more harm and or added casualties.

Carrying is constitutional, well sort of these days, and defending yourself is a basic human right.

Killing people is not constitutional.

Sorry if I blended the two.

In light of the subject at hand I was referring to those that are out there that carry with that mentality I quoted above. Those people might not be the best sort of people, or they are just armchair commandos.

That makes a lot more sense and more in character of your typical posts. I kinda thought you meant something different, but just reading it at face value (how it might read to someone without context of your broader views)... it begged to ask the question, "is this what you're saying?"

 

[bbbass]

Philosophically, I agree with the non-confrontational and avoidance strategy first of all (my Sifu taught this). Secondly, I agree with save yourself/wife/kids/loved ones first. Thirdly, that sometimes "RunFu" is the best option.

That said, having been a Lifeguard in my youth, and a Search and Rescue Aircrewman in my 20s, shows how I am wired... to help/rescue those in need. My experience in the Coast Guard is that sometimes those people have acted rashly/stupidly/thoughtlessly/irresponsibly. No matter; life is precious even if it's that of dumbazzes! (As opposed to crims, they can go meet the Devil!)

So I will likely respond to the emergency out of instinct and do what needs to be done w/o regard to myself, and at some risk to the long term welfare of my wife. That might be a bummer since I am her caregiver.

In turn, that means I have to stay out of places like Portland, bars, crowds, etc.

Risk/reward overrides instinct in a situation if you have/take time to think about it.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Some things to consider when dealing with a threat....

At times the mind will see and hear what it expects to be there...which may not be really what is there or going on.

Perspective is important...just remember that other people's perspective may not be the same as yours.

At stressful times one can get "tunnel vision"...
As clear as tunnel vision can be...it can also be blind to many other important things.

Also one can be hyper-focused...the trick here is to be focused on the proper thing.

Breaking Contact can be one of the most simple , yet most overlooked thing to do , to avoid trouble.

If what you did , got you out of trouble and home alive...then it was the right thing...
That said..the right thing will be different for different people and situations.

Don't get stuck on your plan , be adaptable in your mindset...
Life ain't gonna play by your rules , training , or practices.
Andy

100% to all that! I might add to be aware you may have many tools in your toolbox such as voice, body language, a flashlight, whatever, that can make the threat go away (situation dependent of course).

Also in today's age don't forget the prevalence of video. Bystanders can be videoing things, or stores, or your/someone else's car, your house cams, your significant other, etc. Using visible passive actions, actions to de-escalate, warnings to stop, etc are all things that may be captured on video and be of help later.

 

[40man]

I was a shaggy-haired drifter trying to visit an old platoon comrade in rural Washington state -- where I learned that my friend, my last surviving friend, had died of Agent Orange-related cancer. I was subsequently sighted by bullying local cops trying to kick me out of town, and when I refused to be harassed I was arrested for vagrancy. When the small-town lawmen brutalize me in the town jail, flashbacks to my wartime torture by Viet Cong pushed me back into full combat mode and instincts. They drew first blood, not me.

Escaping into the forest, I fought back using guerilla weapons and tactics. Ultimately, I made a one-man war on the entire town with captured National Guard firepower and prevailed thanks to some help from an old commander that got me out of there.

Another time some russian thugs broke into my house, beat me, killed my dog and stole my car. Natually I burned their entire organization to the ground.

I have had some stuff happen in real life, but don't talk about them.

 

[Knobgoblin]

 

[Bushman]

Guy tried to rob me with a Glock 19 in Florida. I wouldn't give him my money. Pointed at the camera and when he looked I tried to go for the gun. He saw me move and moved around me. A gas station attendant then walked by and I yelled this guys trying to rob me and the punk ran off. The end.

 

[Camelfilter]

Had a guy up in Salem play the fake working on his car deal...

Never had seen him on our loop before / didn't recognize the car.

Miraculously had "fixed" his car the second trip out to my truck to unload groceries, and he was then parked in front of our house (was prior on opposite side of loop "fixing" it). Was already out if his car & coming up on the property.

Cover behind truck door, cleared holster, command voice "STOP RITE THERE!" with open palm off hand up forcefully...

Some bull pucky tale of looking for property as he got back in his car & quickly drove off...

Didn't draw, no weapon seen, had adrenalin dump afterwards. However no problems during, didn't appear scared/shaky etc. Just acted.

"What if'd" it quite a while afterwards tho.

Dude was absolutely up to no good, whether it was vehicle theft or trying to come in our home, no idea.

Do remember his hands going into & out of his coat pockets tho...always watch hands.

 

[Member 53328]

Didn't draw, no weapon seen, had adrenalin dump afterwards. However no problems during, didn't appear scared/shaky etc. Just acted.

"What if'd" it quite a while afterwards tho.

Dude was absolutely up to no good, whether it was vehicle theft or trying to come in our home, no idea.

Do remember his hands going into & out of his coat pockets tho...always watch hands.

Hands get you killed. Although I've seen a complacent officer get dropped by a suspect in handcuffs due to a kick to the side of the head.

You can't run fast in cuffs and the officer had some major damage done to his ego.

At the end of the day you never know who you're dealing with, their intentions, or their skill level.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Hands get you killed. Although I've seen a complacent officer get dropped by a suspect in handcuffs due to a kick to the side of the head.

You can't run fast in cuffs and the officer had some major damage done to his ego.

At the end of the day you never know who you're dealing with, their intentions, or their skill level.

Hips don't lie

 

[Member 53328]

Hips don't lie

 

[solv3nt]

Hands get you killed. Although I've seen a complacent officer get dropped by a suspect in handcuffs due to a kick to the side of the head.

Dropped you say...

 

[RX-79G]

Lost an engine in flight. Flew the helo, talked through the procedures, talked to the crew, called ATC, avoided the unexpected arresting hook line on short final and made a sliding landing.

Witnessed two aircraft crashes. Ran in to render aid.

Witnessed a negligent shooting at a gun show.


No shootings, but I know that I do not lose my head. Everything just gets clearer under stress.