from the protection of the group prior to moving in for the kill. This is done to gain advantage, to make the kill as easy and efficient as possible.
This same type of behavior occurs within the human realm as well. Predators stack the deck in order to increase their odds of winning. Cutting from the herd means that the bad guy gains the advantage in numbers, determines the time, chooses the place, has the element of surprise, and is not observed by others. These points are elaborated as follows:
• Gains the advantage in numbers. No intelligent animal will pick a fight unless it believes it will win (or has far more to lose by not fighting). Changing the numbers to create an advantage is, therefore, fundamental. This means either separating the victim from a larger group to battle one-on-one without interference or working with other predators to outnumber the chosen victim before the fight. Similarly, choosing a weak opponent or making him weaker is just as fundamental. A numbers advantage makes even a strong adversary weaker.
• Determines the time. Odds are that you will not be attacked when you’re ready and raring to go. If the time of attack is determined by the aggressor, then it is by definition not chosen by the victim. In choosing the time of the attack, the aggressor is prepared while the victim is not. The predator can wait until his prey is distracted, encumbered, preoccupied, or otherwise ill prepared to fight.
• Chooses the place. When the attacker determines the place, he can take the high ground, spring from ambush, attack when the glare of the sun reduces the victim’s ability to see, or otherwise take tactical advantage of the terrain. Scouting the best site for attack means that the predator knows the environment, anticipates escape routes, identifies sources of impromptu weapons, precludes intervention from bystanders, and otherwise takes best advantage of the optimal place to fight.
• Has the element of surprise. When time and place are chosen by the aggressor, the element of surprise completes the preparation triad for the perfect attack. There is no guarantee, of course, but action being faster than reaction, surprise is a powerful advantage indeed. By the time the victim realizes what has occurred, it is already too late to escape without a fight.
Be extra cautious around banks, pawnshops, check cashing establishments, casinos, and ATM kiosks where predators may be looking to separate you from your money.
• Is not observed by others. As a general rule, the more public the situation the safer you will be insomuch as violent crime is concerned. Certainly, riots run counter to this principle and certain crimes such as pick pocketing are facilitated by the anonymity that crowds provide. Terrorist bombers also target populated areas at peak traffic times. People who are showboating to gain social status also crave attention, as exemplified by all the fight videos you can find posted on
YouTube.com. Nevertheless, the majority of violent acts are perpetrated by one attacker against one victim or among small groups. Relatively few violent acts occur in front of large numbers of witnesses unless the perpetrator is mentally deficient and/or under the influence of drugs that limit his or her inhibitions. If the predator is unobserved by witnesses or surveillance cameras, no one can testify about his actions. Similarly, there is no one hanging around who might choose to intervene. Consequently, he has a better chance of getting away with his crime.
Animals in the wild cut from the herd to single out weaker prey. Violent individuals use the same tactic in the human jungle to waylay their victims. Cutting from the herd means that the predator gains the advantage in numbers, determines the time, chooses the place, has the element of surprise, and is not observed by others. That’s a seriously unfair fight, one you are bound to lose. Don’t let yourself be cut from the herd.
Let’s review an everyday example of how “cutting from the herd” actually works. You have been drinking at the local tavern, and eventually visit the restroom. You are standing at the urinal minding your own business when suddenly a guy comes up behind you, and growls, “That’s my girl, you SOB. You need to stay away from her!”
Let’s evaluate your predicament against the predator checklist:
?Gains advantage in numbers: Check. By waiting for you to go to the men’s room, he is able to isolate you from your friends or anyone who may come to your aid, physically or verbally. This includes the referee of the tavern, the bouncer. If you’re really unlucky, he might have brought his friends in with him.
?Determines the time: Check. He waited for you to go to the men’s room, but it also took him three or four beers and twenty minutes of internal dialogue to screw up the courage to wait for you there. By the time he confronts you, he has worked himself into a frenzy, injected plenty of liquid courage, and is raring to go. You, on the other hand, are literally caught with your pants down, well unzipped anyway. Not exactly your best time to fight.
?Chooses the place: Check. He could have jumped you at your table, waited for you in the parking lot by your car, hung out in the hallway for you to use the phone, or selected any other location, yet the men’s room is the optimal choice. You are less likely to be prepared to fight. Furthermore, it is more confined, has better privacy, and is easier to control. He’s picked the ideal place to do you in.
?Has the element of surprise: Check. You are busy. In order to use the urinal, you must have your back to anybody who decides to approach you. Furthermore, you are unlikely to pay much attention to other people around you. It’s socially unacceptable to look at other guys in the men’s room, right? Similarly, you are equally unlikely to turn around quickly when you hear him come in. He intuitively knows that you expect to be left alone when going to the bathroom so this will catch you off guard.
While it is socially unacceptable to look too closely at those around you in a public restroom, it is an isolated area that can give a bad guy the privacy he needs to attack. If ambushed you may be caught with your pants down, ill prepared to fight.
? Is not observed by others: Check. The restroom has only one way to enter or leave. It is small, constrained by stall walls, and provides little room to maneuver. It is relatively easy to lock the door, block or jam it with something, and assure a moment of complete privacy for the attack.
In this scenario, if a fight ensues you are almost certain to lose. You may still have some tricks up your sleeve like peeing on his foot to distract him, but it’s still awful tough to fight when you’ve been taken by surprise and need to make sense of what’s happening before you can respond effectively. And it’s psychologically tough to fight with your dick hanging out…
Cutting from the herd is an age-old technique. It is instinctual, and it works. Be aware of where and when it might be used on you. Do your best to avoid isolated areas like parks, trails, alleys, elevators, and empty buildings, especially at night, unless you have someone else you trust with you. Even if you are in a group, don’t take any unnecessary chances.
If you are attacked in this type of situation, it makes sense to call attention to your predicament. Even in an isolated location, there may still be people around who can hear what’s going on and might choose to investigate. In order to attract attention, however, you need to yell something that stands apart from a generic cry of “help.”
Many self-defense experts recommend screaming “fire” under the assumption that it will make people pay attention since a fire can affect everyone around you. We’re not sure that’s the best choice, particularly if your assailant has a gun. “Oh my god, don’t kill me with that knife,” on the other hand, is a pretty cogent statement. Not only may this tactic have a better chance of attracting attention of a prospective rescuer than a generic shout for help, but it also demonstrates to potential witnesses that you are in legitimate fear for your life should you have to kill your attacker in self-defense. Further, the mere presence of other attentive individuals may make a bad guy stop trying to hurt you and become more concerned about how to escape successfully before authorities arrive to arrest him.
Don’t let yourself be cut from the herd. In such situations, your adversary gains the advantage in numbers, determines the time, chooses the place, has the element of surprise, and is not observed by others. You may be able to attract attention by shouting for help if you do so creatively, but there is no guarantee that it will arrive in time to do you much good. It is far better, therefore, to be aware of this tactic and avoid locations where it might be used against you.
