parking lot kiosk or bank side ATM. Better still, use a credit card and avoid carrying large amounts of cash altogether.
When it comes to awareness and avoidance, the cornerstones of self-defense, it’s the little things that matter. Take nothing for granted.
Little Things Are Often Important
The sight of men whispering together in small knots or speaking in subdued tones points to disaffection amongst the rank and file.
Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things. As if it were a straight road mapped out on the ground.
See the knife clip in the right front pocket of his blue jeans? Right there—you know he has a knife. Turning his right hip slightly away from you is a tiny little motion, yet it is going to get real significant in a moment. Once he turns a bit, you can no longer see that knife. Now you need to watch his right hand, yet he has dropped that back too. Suddenly you see his arm begin a slight upward movement. Is he innocently scratching an itch, or pulling out that knife in order to gut you with it?
It all takes place in a fraction of a second—little time, little movements. Unfortunately, these little things can snowball into a serious crisis in a very short period of time too. What about the quiet guy in the corner? You’re discussing politics, religion, or some other emotional topic with your buddies when you notice movement in your peripheral vision. That guy in the corner suddenly sits up straighter. As he gets up out of his chair, you notice that he has lowered his shoulders and slowed his breathing. He then moves purposefully toward you with a serious look on his face. Does he need to take a pee real bad or is he about to attack?
Little things that become important aren’t limited to threat indicators that help you know when someone’s gunning for you. They also include environmental considerations such as terrain, weather conditions, escape routes, sources of cover or concealment, bystanders, impromptu weapons, and so on; another reason, yet again, why situational awareness is so important. If you want to take best advantage of these factors, it is important to pay attention to the details you’re given before trouble starts. You’ll be far too busy defending yourself afterward.
Terrain, for example, can help or hinder you. If you can take the high ground in an uneven environment such as a hill, stairwell, or pile of debris, it becomes much more difficult for your opponent to reach you or prevent your escape. Spilled blood, oil or foodstuffs, loose gravel, wet grass or leaves, mud, and other hazardous conditions may affect your footing. If you are aware of these surroundings, you can adjust your stance, find a stable place, or maneuver your opponent onto slippery ground to gain an advantage.
When it comes to awareness and avoidance, it’s the little things that matter. Pay attention to the subtle and not-so-subtle clues around you. Watch for people who look out of place or act in an unusual manner. Look for other people’s reactions to things you may have missed that might become important. Pay attention to unusual sounds and smells too, taking nothing for granted.
Similarly, weather conditions may help or hurt. It is hard to fight with the sun in your eyes. Heat, humidity, and dehydration can sap your stamina, increasing the urgency of ending a fight quickly. Conversely, it is tough to grapple in powdery snow, icy conditions, or pouring rain, making it easier to get away if you can control your balance, posture, and speed.
Little things are particularly important when it comes to weapons. Obviously if you do not realize that the other guy is armed until after he attacks you, you are in serious trouble. It’s more than just that, though: Bullets that miss or pass through their target continue to travel down range, potentially striking innocent bystanders. Self- defense sprays such as Mace or pepper spray don’t work very well in windy, rainy, or enclosed areas where they might dissipate or blow back in your face. Grappling with a Mace-covered adversary can be extraordinarily problematic; that stuff is both extremely slick and highly irritating to your eyes, nose, and throat. Impromptu weapons like bottles, bricks, boards, rocks, pool cues, fire extinguishers, flashlights, hammers, and wrenches might be lying around in close proximity for you or your adversary to pick up and use. You need to pay attention to these details.
Be wary of bystanders too. People who oversee a confrontation can be good, bad, or neutral. Unless they are people whose job it is to get involved such as bouncers, security personnel, or law enforcement officers, you really don’t know what they might do. They may be inclined to help you, of course, but they could just as easily ignore your plight in favor of their own safety or for fear of legal repercussions.
Almost anything can be a weapon if you know how to use it properly. Pay attention to little things such as objects lying around that may be utilized as impromptu weapons by you or your attacker during a fight.
The “bystander effect,” a sociological phenomenon where the more witnesses present the less likely it is that any individual person will intervene has been studied extensively since the infamous murder of Catherine “Kitty” Genovese in 1964. In a more recent example, when a 22-year-old college student was attacked and severely beaten near the University of Washington campus on January 8, 2008, the assault was witnessed by at least half a dozen individuals who responded to the police investigation afterward, yet none of them intervened or called for help at the time of the attack. Afterward, the heavily bleeding victim managed to make it to her car and drive several blocks to the north campus entrance where she found a parking lot attendant who dialed 9-1-1. Authorities later reported that she had suffered severe head injuries and a broken jaw, but was expected to make a full recovery.
Little things are often important—little time, little movements. Through good situational awareness and keen observation, you might spot a weapon or discover hostile intent before it is too late to react. During a fight, you might be able to take advantage of terrain, weather conditions, escape routes, sources of cover or concealment, bystanders, or impromptu weapons if you pay attention to those important details ahead of time.
Bystanders may even be inclined to hurt you, especially if they are friends or associates of the other guy. Knowing whether or not people hanging around the scene are part of the same group can be important. Even if bystanders do not get directly involved, witnesses may be called upon to testify to your actions in court, so in addition to fighting off your adversary you need to be cognizant of how witnesses might perceive whatever you choose to do. Once again, details count.
Little things are often important. Good situational awareness and keen observation can help you spot dangerous situations before it is too late to react. During a fight, you might be able to take advantage of terrain, weather conditions, escape routes, sources of cover or concealment, bystanders, or impromptu weapons if you paid attention to those important details ahead of time.
Know Your Territory
The art of war recognizes nine varieties of ground: (1) dispersive ground; (2) facile ground; (3) contentious
