Here is the scenario, and my drawing (click on the drawing to enlarge it). You are at home, in a motel, at a friends house (wherever), and you are chilling out in the living room type set-up. You are just coming back from grabbing a nice cold beverage (must be a soda because you are armed) and are headed to the sofa to couch-potato out after a long day at work. You hear a noise, you look to the doorway and see a really bad boogular coming at you with a knife in his hand, raised as if to attack. You go from being in white mode to red alert instantly because you recognize the threat. There is absolutely no doubt in your mind that you are about to be skewered, nor should there be any doubt in a reasonable person's mind that such is about to occur. You are in fear for life and limb. You are armed with a handgun (yes some people do wear them at home).
What do you do? You have to do it right away!
Think quickly, and decide now!
What was it that you decided to do? Did you decide on any of the following, or did you come up with something else.
Do you freeze.
Do you comply with the demands of the bad guy?
Do you draw and fire?
Do you move backwards as you draw then fire?
Do you seek cover, if so where?
Do you attack the bad guy with hand to hand combat?
Do you throw the soda at him?
Do you run away?
Do you cry for mama?
Do you pray?
Do you do something else?
The real question is: What would you do?
Think about this, and please come up with an answer if you will, then share with all of us. This is a good way to learn the good, the not so good, and the outright bad choices one can make. We can all benefit from this.
There are some outright wrong answers as to how to survive this, and there are some better answers, but probably not a completely right answer as each can have its faults and there are just too many variables. The truth be told though, there is definitely one thing about which you should be thinking of doing in order to increase your odds at surviving this type of attack? The success of almost everything else you do very likely will depend on that one thing. Do you know what it is?
Whatever answer you come up with, don't feel afraid to leave it here. There will be no embarrassment coming from me to you.
I'll add, in a leter post (probably tomorrow or Sunday), what I believe would be my response to such an attack, a response designed to keep me alive and unharmed.
All the best,
Glenn B
My Plan 9as I posted over on TheHighRoad.org:
Yep, 8 feet sure is close isn't it. If the bad guy was approaching me fast, I woulld prepare for hand to knife combat, I would try to sidestep and move away, and try to gain distance. As you sidestep, if he is really close, you may also be able to push him away to the other side, giving you a chance to gain even more distance. You may get cut, but maybe not. If I had the room I would try to sidestep toward my gun side, keeping my gun arm farthest from him. You now are making him react to you in having to change direction to get you, this gives you an edge (no pun intended). Now where to run for you. Right in the direction the bad guy just came from, and while maybe not through the door, because others may be out in the hallway, you could still run off on a diagnoal toward the other corner of the room. Still you can run fastest in that direction because you are facing that way. Remember to that the bad guy has been sidestepped and momentum should have kept him going a step or two past you; he now has to turn around, and you have gained time and distance because of that. If the bad guy was moving very slowly, I would again prepare myself for hand to knife combat, and if I thought of it I would sidestep to the left and rear, move that chair out, if only because it would create distance between us. He cannot come through a chair, he has to come around it, or over it to get me and that is more distance. Then I would continue trying to make distance between us as fast as I could do so. As he tries to go around it to the left, I would sidestep right and run, and the other way around if he went right. Or if need be I would go backward to the door behind me (least preferable route of escape here in my mind) but better than standing your ground.As you make distance, anything that you can put between the two of you without sacrificing a wound is good. If you can get behind real cover at a good distance from the bad guy, do so. Then draw and fire. Why not draw as you are running, that is okay too if you have gained enough distance but not before. Yu may still need bnoth hands for combat, or to move items between the two of you, or to open a dor, or whatever. Enough distance for a draw would be, in my opinion, equivalent to about 27 feet no cover, and 21 feet with cover. Remember though, it will be hard to tell if you have made that distance or not while under attack so practicing, and measuring after each practice scenario would be of help in preparing you for this.Bear in mind, if you move backwards, and draw as you do so, then fire, chances are he will cut you pretty badly if he knows how to use a knife. If you stand your ground and draw you are most likely going to get hurt really badly. If you go to groud with legs raised in front of you and try to draw and fire, chances are you will be cut badly, and maybe even shoot yourself. Even if you drill this exercise from 21 feet, you are not shooting at a real bad guy when you drill. Pumped up with adrenalin, a bad guy who is intent on hurting or killing you has momentum. Even if you could shoot such an assailant multiple times, chances are that his momentum would carry him to you, and you would be cut badly. Do not believe even for a moment that a cut has to happen. Do not allow yourself to be cut because you foolishly believe it inevitable. Use the bad guys momentum against him if you can. If you can gain distance, do so. Distance is your friend, and maybe even your life saver. Remember that distance is sometimes created without you moving, such as moving an object between you, but that distance is usually quickly covered even though it slows the bad guy a bit, so you have to move as you block his path. Also remember another way to create more distance is to sidestep and make the bad guy have to change direction. Again quickly overcome, so you have to keep moving if practical. You can move faster to the side than you can to the rear, and then you can move even faster straight ahead as he passes you (remember he has momentum too).If you have a friend willing to train with you, try this out. See how it works for you. You may still get cut, but your chances of not being cut, and of surviving probably have been increased. Also bear in mind that each situation will be different. You need to be able to improvise, training regularly and changing it each time will help with this.
