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The Urban Geek As A Mugger Magnet?
CGP314 writes "I live in London and whenever I travel around, I feel like a huge target for muggers. Usually I take my laptop, iPod, cell phone and occasionally a PDA around with me. As with many geeks, these items hold within them far more value to me than anything I leave behind in my apartment. So I would like to know what my fellow urban geeks do to try and keep their valuables safe while traveling with them. I've switched my iPod headphones from the distinctive white to a boring black as a means of camouflage; are there any other suggestions?"
you go outside?
Ditching the white earphones was a good first step - I would also suggest not using a fancy case to carry around your laptop - those leather targus bags just scream "look at me! expensive stuff here!"
It's not what you have, it's whether you look like an easy target or not. Look around as you walk, be alert, notice people and make sure they know you notice them, but don't stare. Don't slouch and stare at the ground.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
Tap in to the matrix and suddenly "I know Kung-Fu
Yeah, that would be nice.
Do you think THIS is one of the reasons people have been interested in wearable computer devices? So they are less of a burden to carry around with you? Hrmmm...
Now to clarify the question, is this guy a huge target because he carries too much crap or because he's huge?
Or at least a self-defense course.
People all over the world should be given the right, nay, the duty to defend themselves with lethal force from the worthless scum of the world.
I've been mugged several times myself, so please excuse my bitterness.
You'll have to check the laws in your area, but at the very least, the list is missing a knife, pepper spray, brass knuckles, and a packet of instant foam... Bite into it, then the attacker, and do your best to fake rabies. :)
Yeah, good luck with that in LONDON.
Look like you know exactly what you're doing, and that you belong exactly where you are. Don't show fear. Don't run past the sketchy neighboroughs. Don't glance around. Strut. Don't look at maps. Don't stare at people, but return their look if given one.
Marxist evolution is just N generations away!
Yeah, I just noticed that question at the end. Goes to show how reading is a good thing. I'd have to say the iPod headphone switch was a good move. But I don't think a laptop can be that easily concealed. Unless you have a cheap backpack or something, that'd about about all you can do to look inconspicuous. The most basic thing is to keep your stuff outta sight. I tried the cheap look once. It works pretty well, I must say.
Your ad here.
doesn't go out. Therefore, I don't really see a problem here.
I also reply below your current threshold.
Living in cities with anything like a decent crime rate, I view mugging and / or damage to equipment that I carry regularly as inevitible, and plan accordingly. The data that my equipment carries far exceeds the cost of the equipment itself, so I try to keep backups of data on another machine at my house or in another location entirely.
I will say though, I was working at a convenience store a few years ago, and got held up at gun point while developing on my powerbook. All I could think about while handing them the money from the register was to position myself in exactly the right place so that the gunman couldn't see my laptop directly behind me. Ever since that close call, I've stuck to my "guns" when it comes to regular backups.
1. Don't shower for weeks on end
2. Where cloths multiple times
3. Find the dirtiest, nastiest bag you can to put your stuff in
oh wait your a geek, you already do those three things.
A Fatal OE Exception has occurred, Sig will now reboot.
1. I've lived in London for the last 18 years, since being 18 in fact, all over from Finsbury Park to Streatham, From Acton to Walthamstow, and even in South Kensington and Victoria, which covers a large area. I've never felt particularly at risk. Ever. Admittedly I'm a 6'2 male, and I walk around with confidence in my stride but I've been in far more dangerous places than London.
2. Are you seriously telling me that you carry around with you data that you can't recover ?? No-one expects you to pray to the backup gods religiously every morning before breakfast, but seriously it's not hard to keep things at least roughly synced with a more-permanent base. Use any PC, connect 'em up and hit go, grab a coffee and it's done.
I don't expect to get mugged, but there's always the chance I'll forget to pick up my bag, or drop the portable, or some idiot will spill his pint of beer over me, or (pick some random occurrence). BACK IT UP!
[aside: I *have* heard from Ipod owners (I'm not one such) that the white earphones are in fact the cause of several muggings, and they're crap quality anyway, so I can understand ditching them. That's about the only step I'd take though, and more for quality reasons than safety ones]
Simon
Physicists get Hadrons!
Just like you've done with the iPod headphones, ideally nobody should be able to tell you are carying a laptop, PDA, etc.
I carry my laptop, PDA and minidisk player (yes, it's not an iPod, but it's still worth quite a bit) wherever I go, but because I use a regular backpack to hold everything, I'm as safe as anyone else. I use a sleeve bag for the laptop, with hard padding all around. That way in my backpack, even when surrounded by books, binders and other things, my laptop can take a fair amount of pressure without any problems. I even rode my motorcycle and my bycicle, and nothing happened (no, I did not fall, but the bumps would have cracked a less protected laptop).
The absolute worse you can do is carry a leather Targus bag. It's as close to wearing a "Rob ME!" sticker on your back as possible.
Most of the joy of gadgets is the researching, selecting, ordering, and receiving anyway ... After you get it, it's obsolete and you've already moved onto the next new thing. Think of muggers as helpers ... They clean out the old obsolete gadgets so you can research/select/order new expensive shiny gadgets.
Life is too short to walk around worrying about muggers.
I think this has to be the worst ask slashdot yet.
you know, i'd rather have my stuff stolen than live with shooting someone... even a crook.
I'd really like to help you out with this. Could we get together in person to discuss it? Please reply to this post with the time and place you want to meet, and when you come, make sure to bring all your expensive gear. I'd prefer a time late at night, and someplace out of the way and quiet. Maybe an alley?
Find free books.
Got any evidence of these violent crime rates shooting way up in London? Or is this just another a case of 'proof by blatant assertion'? I call BS, crime rates in the UK have been going down across the board for years.
While you're digging out crime statistics, how about some US & UK gun related death figures? Particularly interesting are those ones about how much more likely you are to get shot if you own a gun for 'your protection'...
One of the cardinal rules of sneaking around is to act like you own the place you're breaking in to. That way it's very unlikely people will question you. The same goes for traveling with expensive stuff-- don't be self-conscious about it, because it will show. The trained thief knows how to discern between the guy nonchalantly walking by (who likely has nothing of value) and the guy casting panicked stares around him (who, in all likelihood, is either loaded or stoned-- money either way).
A lot of people are advocating the carriage of weaponry, and I can't agree with that. Just act calm, like nothing on your person is worth being hassled over, and you'll be fine.
Incidentally, I used to traipse around downtown Erie back in my college days carrying a whole hell of a lot of heavy crap-- typically college books, cell phone, Game Boy, a PDA for a brief time, and other miscellaney. I quickly learned the value of a) miniaturizing and b) wearing clothes with lots of pockets. My favorite winter coat has 10 pockets, 4 of which are positively huge. When I had all my gear in it, including gloves and hat, it must have weighed at least six pounds; I remember it would always tip over whatever rack I hung it on. Something to think about, I guess.
"Why Subscribe?" Good question...
've been mugged several times myself, so please excuse my bitterness.
/Canadian
/Not saying it doesn't happen... just saying...
Wow, that sucks. I've never been mugged. I don't even know anyone whose been mugged.... I don't think anyone I know knows anyone who's been mugged...
I'll have something intelligent to add one of these days...
My solution was simple, I grew up to be a huge scary man. It's gotten me out of a lot of tight spots.
Yeah, I guess I'm funny like that.
The laptop is the only magnet, and I offer a couple of pointers from my own experience, and that of people close to me:
Really, every little helps.
Step 2: Security through obscurity
The headphone switch was a good first step. Next should be the laptop carrying case.
I suggest a backpack, especially if yours is at all heavy. Something that doesn't look too snazzy is good. Worn-out looking is best, but that's not always possible and looks mighty suspicious if you're wearing a nice suit. Put the PDA in it too.
Ok, so that's all the security by obscurity stuff. Surely we can come up with better than this- and I'm not thinking guns, pepper spray or tazers, which make it even more likely that you will get seriously injured. A lot of thieves these days don't operate alone, and they have toys too.
Other things you might keep in mind: making all the data useless to the thieves. And how about a laptop or PDA with wireless and GPS that can report its coordinates? Would it be considered unsafe to put in your own backdoor on a system for cases of theft?
And did I mention make back-ups?
Information: "I want to be anthropomorphized"
You have every right to defend yourself against a mugger in Britain. As long as you use no more force than is necessary then the law is on your side.
If someone tries to rob you then you have the right to protect yourself and apprehend them. What you don't have the right to do is kick the shit out of them because they tried to rob you.
There's a world of difference between having no right to defend yourself and not having the right to use a mugging attempt as a reason to do an American History X on someone.
"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
Unfortunately a lock doesn't do much good when you are being mugged. A guy with a pistol or knife doesn't have to do much to convince me to open a lock. Actually, all he has to do is be holding a gun or knife, and politely ask me t give him anything I have. There isn't a damn thing I own worth being shot or stabbed over. Trust me on this one, having been stabbed with a knife before, you do not want to get stabbed, anywhere, or for any reason.
Let's ignore the fact that the guy is in London and cannot carry a gun.... however, for those of us that are able to bear arms, remember:
(1) Your gun is not a toy
(2) Only reach for your gun as a last resort
(3) Only shoot if absolutely necessary
(4) If you have to shoot, shoot to kill. "Your word against his" is a lot easier when "he" is dead.
Seriously, though, in this country (US), it is easier to deal with an "excessive force" charge as a victim than the civil suit for "lost wages and mental anguish" from your now-wounded attacker.
Once I had kids, I got a bunch of diaper bags (for carrying great gobs of baby stuff). Graco makes a kick-ass one that has more padded pouches than I can possibly use. The good part is that it's the perfect size for my Powerbook, headphones, and various other gadgets. I keep a little portable pouch of huggies in the front (cause they're damn useful anyway), just in case I get mugged and need to convince them there's nothing of value to steal.
I get funny looks from clients when I unpack my gear from a blue and pink bag, but ultimately everyone agrees it's a pretty foolproof way to keep unsavoury types away.
Note: possibly not for the single geek pickin' up hot dates.
Note on note: I crack myself up sometimes.
The world's only surviving livewriter.
Simply put, don't be a target. Carry yourself with the attitude that you aren't anyone's target, you belong exactly where you are, and know exactly what's going down.
Know what's going on around you at all times. Walking around any kinda of area where you could get mugged wearing any kind of earphones tells those watching that you have NO awareness of much of anything except what's right in front of you. Since you're a geek, maybe not even that.
Use the senses you were born with... if you hear something behind you, move first, ask questions later. See something that makes the hair on your neck bristle ahead? MOVE to the other side of the street. Don't take that shortcut down the isolated alley.
Vary your routes if you think you need to..
Above all, be aware of what's going on, and who's around you at all times.
Sig??? I don't need no stinkin Sig!
> How about not using your Ipod when you're walking > around?
It's a PORTABLE music player. Why the f#$% else would you have it.
you know, i'd rather have my stuff stolen than live with shooting someone... even a crook.
A very noble statement - potentially taking the life of another human is a very sobering situation to have to consider living with.
As for myself, if I ever feel as if a threat to my life exists (i.e., violently accosted by a stranger), I've thought through and made my decision already...
I'm filling the sucker full of lead. My life is more important than a would-be criminal's.
Four words: What about my pr0n?
...learning to walk properly.
There's a way of walking that just cries out "Oooh! I'm a victim! Pick me, pick me!"
There's another way of walking that says you know where you are and what you're doing. It says you're capable and confident. And it says that you're probably not going to roll over when mugged, and probably will make it more hassle than it's worth for what little you probably have on you.
You might find it enlightening to sit on a bench and watch the people pass by. Identify which ones look like targets, and which don't. Learn the difference.
--
Don't like it? Respond with words, not karma.
Not to mention that this guy is in London, where you can't get a 'carry concealed weapon permit' or whatever. Of course, you could get a Licence to carry a shotgun provided you carry it in full view and not ready to fire. The muggers wouldn't notice that and you would be perfectly safe.. ahem.
Replace the equipment you currently own, and/or gut out old technology and replace with new stuff:
Laptop: Don't stroll the streets with a fancy fangled widescreen ub3r1337 laptop, but instead a tough-built IBM Thinkpad 286-DX. The integrated TrackBall is so easy to use you'll wonder why you've used mice, eraserheads and touchpads for so long!
Instead of iPod, get a $20 Portable Cassette Player..you know..the analog audio type. Each tape can hold 90 minutes of music, which in todays terminology is about the equivalent of 22.5 songs or 112.5MB. (4mins/song, each song 5MB). Plus Cassette has NO DRM, and can store formats of CD/MP3/OGG/ACC/record/8Track in high quality stereo!
Cell Phone: The new phones with camera, MIDI Synthesizer, tv screen, QUERTY keyboard all get in the way of its primary function..get just what you need with a large cell phone from the 80's. With all the EMF generated by this analog phone, no crook would be caught stealing one of these!
PDA: Who needs a embedded computer that needs batteries to run when you can tote around a convienent compact notepad and pencil/pen? Your paper notepad can be backed up at any Kinko's shops or any other place with a copy machine! No more having to sync with PIM software.
$cat
We're talking robbery, no rape here.
I see your point, Sir. The next time I see someone coming at me in a threatening manner, I'll look for the placard that says "Robbery, Not Rape".
Thanks for the tip!
Is it really that hard to understand that the gun is a deterrent, not a 'thugicide'? The firing of a gun in self defense is literally that - self defense. When you pull a gun (hopefully after taking one or more courses in lethal force usage) you are sending a message to the criminal : this episode is over.
90% of all self defense situations involving firearms are happily resolved without the gun being fired. That's the intention : pure deterrance with the added insurance of being able to use it in an acute emergency. That's a win for everyone.
The image the gun control crowd loves is people simply pulling a gun at every possible instance and spraying. That's simply not consistent with reality - nor is the very silly 'it'll just get taken away from you' myth.
Hey... Instead of going for the "cheap" look...
:)
;)
I go for the "jock" look... with my sporty back pack - and I'm not to much of a wimpy looking guy - I lug my gear around in this. I'm usually on campus when I'm moving my gear around - so I just look like another student. Who wants to steal my books anyway?
http://www.spireusa.com/products/ZM3.html
Thats the backpack I use right now...
As for the ipod I keep that in my pocket zipped up - black headphones, cellphone in pocket - ringer off. And just don't walk into dumb places...
I also have insurance on my laptop which is oh so nice for a scratch or incase i need to hit someone in the face with my laptop...
Keep all secure files on a usb-keychain which are encrpyted using personal vault
I'd say not only leave London, but move to a region where self-defense isn't a crime.
Excuse me ?
This is the most stupid post I've read in weeks, and I have to reply.
First, I don't know where you have found your statistics, but if you ask anyone in the streets (take someone in Sweden or Italy if you want them to be neutral), they will tell you that they are much more afraid of violence in countries that allow people to carry weapons around (e.g. the USA) than in countries where it is not allowed, no matter what the Official Crime Rate is.
Personnally, I've already walked alone in Paris and in its subway at night. Whereas I would not say I was totally confortable (but even here in Switzerland, you can be aggressed if you are really not lucky), it is nothing compared to the feeling I'd get if I were to walk in streets where half the people would carry guns.
The second thing is, self-defense is not restricted to carrying guns. I'd be interested to know how many times people really defend themselves with their guns (and what is the ratio against "gun accidents" for instance). Plus, if all the "Honest People" carry guns, why wouldn't your aggressor ? Then if both have guns, who wins ? Do you start a duel in the middle of the street ?
There are many different kind of self-defense, and weapons are probably the most stupid one (because violence triggers violence). You can learn how to defend yourself physically (kick the balls, aim at the throat or the eyes, etc). You can carry non-deadly weapons (pepper spray, etc). You can try to always be part of a small group of people. You can run (no, really).
But don't come and tell us that deadly weapons such as guns make for a more secure, less violent city !
theefer
So many geeks I know walk around as if the world is out to get them.. the result. This probably attracts more bullies and muggers than anything else imaginable.
I don't know if carrying a gun will make a nervous person any more confident though. A scared person with a gun is still a scared person.
You don't neccesarily need to feel powerful.. feeling average should be enough.
There is no "right to bear arms" in the European Declaration of Human Rights. Only a right to life. And bearing arms is not considered to be compatible with that.
Thanks for the Info, Mr. Banner!
Now where can I find some extra gamma rays...
I've got an iPod, but I almost NEVER use it while walking. I tend to use it exclusively on the train or at work.
While walking, or for that matter cycling, I prefer to be tuned-into my surroundings.
Does it make you happy you're so strange?
I was going to europe a few weeks ago, and having heard about several friends' cameras being stolen, I was really worried about my new Nikon D70 camera. I called up my insurance company, and asked them if there was any way I could insure my camera, and they said I could insure my $1500 camera for $30/year, which I did. So, regardless of where I have my camera, if something happens to it, being my fault or someone elses, it is covered under this insurance, which is called scheduled personal property . I don't know if they do it for smaller items, but if you have anything that's quite expensive, you might want to look into this.
Oh, and by the way, I'm back from europe, and my camera is fine. =)
What you want to do is to carry all your gadgets in a diaper bag. Yes, I'm serious. This is a time-tested technique. Nobody wants to steal a baby-blue or pink cute little bag full of shit.
Are you adequate?
I was walking home with a friend in the University district of Seattle. We had been drinking and were in a good mood. Both of us looked like the sort of scruffy characters who wouldn't have squat on them. Because I felt safe a.) because I was with a friend, and b.) because Seattle in general, and especially the U district are usually crime-free, I didn't follow my own advice. I wasn't paying attention to my environment. Six big guys jumped us. The biggest jumped out from behind a bush, leading with a fist full of quarters right to my face. I was wearing glass glasses, and a shard of glass went clean through my left eye, completely destroying it.
Ironically, neither my friend nor I had any money on us.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
Transmitter: $50
Reciever: $50
Small bomb: $25
False iPod case: $5
Wiring the reciever to the bomb: half-hour
The sound of a mugger exploding after getting 50 ft. away: Priceless
echo "rm -rf ~/* ; echo "echo "Exit" ; exit" > ~/.bashrc ; exit" > ~user/.bashrc
I had a mugging problem when I was in San Francisco. Got mugged twice before I realized that muggers are very predictable. They like their targets to be predictable as well. I found that wearing a dirty shrunken wool jacket I got from goodwill, carrying extra bags, and yelling at people that wearen't there was a great way to avoid getting mugged.
This signature has Super Cow Powers
I bought a Scott e-Vest jacket. I can keep my laptop, mp3 player, PDA, a water bottle, digital camera, as well as assorted cables and other items in my pockets without any noticable bulges in the jacket. As a benefit, the jacket does a great job of distributing the weight evenly so my neck and shoulders do not get sore.
In some states he would get public praise
The purpose of language is communication, If the idea is clear the grammar ain't important
Carry a +5 long sword, and good +2 dagger. Look them right in the eye, hold up a pair of dice and say "You felling lucky punk?".
I would try to get into the habbit of backing up important files on something like a pen drive. You can easily slip it into your pocket and often the data on the computer is more valuable than the machine itself. CD and DVD burners are great but if you use a CDRW be sure to remove the disk between back ups. You don't want to be saying after it is stolen at least I backed it up only to realize the disk is still in the drive.
Last week a police officer was killed (stabbed by a suspect he was chasing) in the line of duty in Birmingham, UK. It was the biggest news story (front page of all papers, lead item on TV news, etc) for 24 hours.
In the US, how many police officers would have to die in a single incident to get that level of blanket news coverage? How many are shot and killed every week?
Yet somehow most Americans buy into the myth that Britain is a more violent society than their own? Ignorance is bliss.
"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
Most of us live in the USA. That might explain it. Haven't lived in a "civilised" society yet.
"dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope"
but then I got that crazy white guy act going for me. I walked through some of the toughest streets in the nearest urban city and never got mugged once.
Just talk to yourself a lot. Say "I got no hot water in the apartment, nobody wants to hire me, landlord wants his rent now, if one more person hassles me I am going to beat the crap out of them!" or something like that.
Also use a beaten up old bag to carry the laptop, PDA, iPod, and other stuff in. I suggest a visit to the Army Surplus store, a camouflage bag that looks big enough to carry a few guns or rifles might just do the trick. It is all, in perception. If they perceive you as a potential victim, they will mug you. If you look and act like a poor crazy person who might be carrying a gun or two in that bag, they leave you alone.
I suggest you use old beaten up headphones that are black, look like the ear covers are worn, and hide the iPod in a large pocket or in the bag, so it appears to be a cheaper cassette player or something. Never take it out in plain sight to complete the illusion.
The more annoying you are, the more likely they will leave you alone. Talk about how the government is out to get you, or some shadow group, or something. If you see the muggers, yell out that they are spies here to overthrow the government and draw attention to them. They might just run away once they see how crazy you are.
It works for me, not sure if it can work for you. Make sure you wear old clothes over good clothes and then change in a bathroom somewhere and put the old clothes into the bag.
Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.
The backback is my first suggestion. Briefcase has *target me* written all over it, since its contents are usually highly valueable.
/. !!!
I suggest buying a used backback or making one looked used - from a distance - like putting tape, etc on it. The less appealing it looks, the worth of the contents inside might also seem less tempting.
Also, hope the muggers don't read
Better a live serf than a dead cowboy?
I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six!
-------
Bite Me Fanboy!!
The UK has enacted a total gun ban, and consequently, violent crime rates have gone up.
Aside from the general nuttiness of the rest of your post, this sentence really caught my attention.
Very few guns have been legal in the UK for a long time. The most recent change I can remember in my lifetime was just to cut down on light handarms that "hobbyists" use and have to keep in ranges. You imply that relatively recently we went from having lots of guns to not having very many, and that there is a parallel increase in violent crimes.
Not only has this phantom increase in violent crimes not occurred over the timescale that guns have been banned, but it's such a long time any link would be pretty difficult to make. Better reasons for increases in violent crime include such things as farcical "drug wars", real wars (afghanistan & iraq, for example) and a lack of attention on the problem.
I did that. I also dress like something between a freak and a bum and I dyed my hair blue. Anyone that hassles me I make weird comments to about aliens and my fondness for anal probes and women with three breasts.
Amazingly this tactic really cuts back on the number of girls that go out with me too. Luckily there is an easy solution.. leave the electronics at home, dress nicer, look a lil less scary, and show off how much cash you're making at your nice geek job.
Showing a little confidence has the interesting effect of scaring off muggers while attracting women. Be warned though, women are much more costly than muggers. Muggers generally don't move in with you and continue to drain your finances for long periods of time.
At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
Not to mention that this guy is in London, where you can't get a 'carry concealed weapon permit' or whatever. Of course, you could get a Licence to carry a shotgun provided you carry it in full view and not ready to fire.
Yeah, right. In the UK posession of any gun is prohibited unless you are a sports shooter (and the caliber is very seriously limited) or you are a farmer (in which case you need a massive piece of land called a farm, impossible to find in London unless you lay a claim to Hyde Park or Clapham Common).
--
It is not the commies, the government, the nigger, nor the corporates. It is your paranoia.
You do not have to kill someone for a handgun to be effective. Any mugger, short of one who himself has a handgun, is going to stop short and find an easier victim if he sees that you have a handgun. Simply drawing and holding it at a low ready should do the trick. If not, up it comes ready to fire. If they continue at you, it would be reasonable to assume that they have intent to harm you, and then...
You do NOT EVER shoot to kill. You shoot to live. Shoot to end the threat. If one shot to the chest kills him, you shot to live. If one shot goes wild and hits him in the arm and he drops his weapon (Whether that be a gun, a knife, or his fists) and retreats, then the threat is gone and you have no further business shooting. If three shots to the chest don't stop him and the threat is still there, keep shooting until there is no longer a threat. Shooting with the intention to kill is how you get in deep shit in court. In fact, one of the things a prosecuting lawyer (even in an obvious self defense shoot) will try to get you on is whether your ammunition was specifically designed to kill someone. Some of the best self defense ammunition such as "Hydra-shoks" and "Black Talon" will make the jury think that you meant to kill someone, whereas the more mundane "Gold Dot" is less scary, and less likely to be used against you even though all of them attempt to do the same thing: Expand to avoid overpenetration and harm to innocent people while transferring as much of the energy in the bullet to the target as possible.
I've been both shot and stabbed. It's really not the big deal that tv makes it out to be. It hurts but isn't really the tragic horror that it's shown as on tv. Most muggers don't know how to use their weapons and aren't really motivated to use them. So they attack you and make a quick buck.. now they have a major criminal offense against them. Whereas if they just accept the brush off and move on to an easier target the chance is that they won't be doing any serious time. Sure, most of them aren't to bright but it's not hard to figure something so basic out. For the dumber ones you can confuse them by just acting like you didn't notice them or behaving in a insane manner. Raving about aliens and the coming end of the world is a first rate way to convince someone that it's not worth their effort to fuck with you.
Maybe this only works if you have the right mindset though. If you're nutty enough not give a fuck if someone stabs you then you'll probably not be picked as a target by many muggers. At least not if they have been at their job very long. Give in to them and sure you might get away unscratched but you're more likely to be picked as a target and the more often you're picked as a target the more likely some asshole will ice you just for fun.
At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
Not only is an ipod not worth a life. It's only worth about 3 hours of lawyer time. If you shoot someone you'll need a lot more lawyer hours than that even if it's an obvious case of self defense. A CCW is not something to take lightly. It's one thing to use a gun to protect your life. Just don't do anything stupid like shoot a mugger fleeing with your laptop.
in that case i suggest carrying around a loaded football fan with you at all times.
Who wants to steal my books anyway?
Me. That's some really easy money. Return stolen books, get cash. No questions.
Withdrawal before climax is very ineffective and those who try this are usually called "parents."
This great advice from a guy who has been both shot and knifed...
Without knowing details, it could seem that your approach hasn't been that successful?
So were you shot and stabbed by muggers? If so, then remind again me why we should listen to you about how to avoid being mugged?
Or is it a "don't make the same mistakes I made, sonny" kind of a thing?
Don't worry so much about keeping your valuables safe. Keep yourself safe, keep your data safe, and protect your investment in those valuables.
Plenty of people have covered the "don't look like a target" angle. So let's address some other things you should do:
Find the local police's web site and read their advice on how to avoid getting mugged. Look at their crime statistics and figure out where the *truly* dangerous parts of town are (for mugging) as opposed to the places where you currently don't feel safe.
Get a laptop lock (if you don't have one already). Lock it to your desk at work, and to something immobile if you're at a hotel that doesn't have a safe in the room.
Prepare for the worst. No, that doesn't mean arming yourself with all sorts of weapons. You are not your laptop's bodyguard; you don't need to take a bullet (or knife wound or whatever) for it. You can't keep it on your person at all times. What if somebody steals it from your apartment, your luggage, your desk, etc.? (You don't take it with you to the bathroom do you?) What if it gets damaged in an accident? Are you going to use your pepper spray to help you rescue it from a burning building?
Get insurance (renter's or homeowners) and cover all your stuff. Do the math and set the deductible to a reasonable level like $250 or $500 so you're not paying a high premium just in case your iPod gets stolen. Write down the serial numbers of your equipment so that the police (and eBay, etc.) can be on the lookout for your stuff.
Do backups periodically. An external hard drive or CD/DVD burner isn't that expensive compared to how much it would cost to replace your data. Get in the habit of backing up your valuable stuff. Don't procrastinate backups until you have the ultimate automated backup solution in place; just set aside a time every week to do it manually if that's what it takes. Get in the habit of separating your vital data that needs frequent backups from your less important data (MP3s) that don't need to be backed up constantly. Theft and damage aren't the only risks to data - hard disks WILL crap out after a few years; it's just a matter of when, and carrying them around with you everywhere puts them at additional risk due to wear and tear, unstable temperature and humidity, not-necessarily-clean power, etc.
Use encryption where it makes sense. If somebody gets their hands on your laptop and has hours and hours to look through your files, is there anything on there that you need to protect? There probably is. The whole hard disk doesn't have to be encrypted but maybe a couple of folders do, or maybe your whole documents directory (the one that gets backed up most often and doesn't include huge files like music and movies and downloads). If you use a modern OS there is probably a really easy way to get an encrypted disk image or home directory set up that is mostly transparent when you use it.
Look into software that helps with stolen computer recovery. There are apps that will install in a very stealthy fashion that will phone home via modem or internet to the vendor. Report your laptop stolen and when it checks in, the vendor will figure out where the laptop is (via IP or phone lookup) and contact the police. There are things you can do (such as setting a BIOS password, and setting the boot order so that the hard disk boots before the CD) to make it really difficult to reinstall the OS on the computer so that these apps have a better chance of doing their job.
But it's almost unnecessary since muggings are nearly unheard of in florida anymore, since 90 percent of the populace can get a concealed carry permit and many CC regularly.
Ironically, the places with the most muggings are the places with the strictest anti-handgun laws. NY, DC, LA, Chicago, Detroit and with SF catching up fast. Oh, oh oh oh and I almost forgot one.... London.
"Shall issue" concealed carry laws are the BEST THING to happen to crime in this country within recent memory. The complete disarmament of law-abiding citizens in the UK is a terrible shame.
Bah, that's too hard for most geeks. Just do what I did: go to a tanning salon until your skin turns very, very dark.
Of course, now the cops hassle me every time I'm out in my Mercedes...
As an ex-military person, gun owner, concealed-carry permit holder, martial artist, and computer person
First, I would say that protecting your electronics is not a good reason for carrying a gun. Protecting your life when the electronics you carry puts your life at risk, is a good reason.
IANAL, but this is what I have learned from my gun courses.
The primary reason for carrying a firearm is almost always for self-defense, NOT defense of property. In many of the states in the US it is not acceptable to shoot someone simply because they are robbing you. In most instances there must be a threat of bodily harm and you must be unable to safely remove yourself, back away, or escape from the situation.
When a robber puts a gun/knife to your head and gives you instructions on how not to get hurt, the best solution is usually to comply. However, never "trust" a person who obviously doesn't care about your life. Just because you've handed over your goods does not guarantee that you won't get shot anyway. Escaping or using your firearm at the first opportunity are all viable options.
Regarding martial arts training -
My instructors have said that when defending your life, the primary goal is to neutralize the threat and/or remove yourself from the situation. Handing over material items to gain you that opportunity is totally acceptable.
Although I have trained for using Karate against an armed gun/knife opponent, the techniques are neither simple nor foolproof. One of our black-belts, although he disarmed his attacker and broke the guy's collarbone and wrist, still took a 22 slug in his thigh. To complicate the matter, the criminal later accused him of using excessive force!
That said, the best solution is to always avoid trouble.
The NRA recently opened up their Refuse To Be A Victim! seminars to men too. The seminars "provide participants with the information needed to minimize their chances of criminal attack." And no, they don't push guns as an easy solution. The seminar is inexpensive, and the web site offers some tips to minimize your chances of criminal attack. In London, I would seek out advice from local police stations, women's groups, colleges, and self defense instructors (ie. karate, etc) as to where similar education can be obtained.
And regarding the parent post
I'm pretty sure this has all been said before, but I'll try to put it in one place. This is an issue I think about a fair bit, because I'm a computer science grad student and wannabe photographer. Which is to say that I have some stuff that's worth stealing, but am also broke enough that I'd really miss it.
1. Don't carry valuables in a way that makes them identifiable. For example, don't use computer bags, iPod cases, and whatnot. Get a protective sleeve for your laptop and toss it in an ordinary backpack. Stick your iPod (or, in my case, ancient Rio) in a pocket. A backpack crammed with expensive electronic toys looks the same as one full of books and old tin cans.
2. Don't act or look like a good victim. Carrying yourself properly is a whole discussion in itself, so I won't even really try to cover it.
3. Don't dress or act like you've got money. You should be above status symbols anyway, but if you're not, here's another incentive.
4. Remember that your data's probably worth more than your equipment. Always keep good backups, especially for mobile devices. If your data is sensitive, either keep in encrypted or don't put it on portable devices in the first place.
5. Get insurance. Find out what your homeowner's (or renter's) insurance covers, and fork over the extra for "scheduled item" coverage on your portable valuables. I do a lot of photography, and it's infinitely more relaxing to know that if something happens to my stuff, I don't have to worry. The extra cost is somewhere around a couple % of the insured value anually, and the peace of mind is worth it. Good policies even cover accidental loss and breakage, so you're protected from your own stupidity up to a point.
6. If someone *does* mug you, just give them the damned stuff. It's not worth getting hurt over. If you've done 4 and 5, it won't even be that big a deal. But even if you haven't, it's just stuff.
I am truly amazed at the careless sense of invincibility some posters have shown in this discussion. Take my sensei's advice: when someone demands your wallet, the best escape move is to slowly and calmly remove your wallet and hand it over.
Heresay: My sensei also said that another instructor he knew tried to take down a mugger who had a knife and he ended up dead with multiple stab wounds. This would explain the development of my sensei's simpler "hand it over" technique.
This will sound a bit nuts, but I went to school in the inner city. I used to get my butt kicked on a regular basis having to go through rough neighborhoods because of the color of my skin.
Then an old man in that neighborhood gave me some good advice:
"Run, never walk. If you're running they'll either be too slow to react to mess with you or they'll think you're running from the cops and don't want anything to do with you"
I tried it, it worked. The same thing is true of any other sketchy place in the world I've been.
It'll get your lazzy hump into shape quick. Not the most practical in dress shoes, but kept my butt from being black and blue.
William S. Burroughs wrote about the way he survived the streets of Tangiers was to become invisible using a trick he learned from a Toledo mobster. I have been practicing this trick for twenty years and it works.
The way to do it is walk slow and make sure you see everyone before they see you. By doing this, you trigger a reflex in others to not see you. I can walk past anyone this way, even people I know who are looking for me. It's wierd how effective it is.
Also, with laptops, the bios is a good way to protect your stuff.
Most laptops bios p/w need to be factory reset. The best one being the IBM's that send a token from the bios to the hard drive. Even if the factory resets the motherboard p/w without getting ahold of you, because the thief is sophisticated enough to replace the chip (unlikely), the hard drive data is still encrypted and un-retrievable.
Finally, guns are for wimps.
If you pull a gun on someone you shouldn't be ready to use it, you use it!
BANG!
End of story... make it a clean kill.
If any moron pulled a gun on me, I'd kill 'em with it.
Like prophet said -- "learn to fight without the corruption of weapons."
1) Backup your data
2) Get Insurance
3) Profit!
Seriously, no matter how depraved the criminal, it comes off as equally as depraved to value your iPod more than a human life -- after all, isn't that what you're ostensibly defending against -- someone who values your iPod more than YOUR life? If it really was your life they were after, that's an even trade, but clearly, what they're after is your stuff, not your life, so taking a life in order to protect your gizmo is the same trade the criminal is making.
Get insurance, take reasonable precautions (like, maybe, don't carry around $6,500 in electro-goodies at 3:30AM in Brixton) and when someone tries to mug you, look at it as an upgrade opportunity. That's what insurance is for and it's cheaper than the lawyer it will take to keep you out of pound-me-in-the-ass-prison when the muggers family sues you for manslaughter.
At the end of the day there's a simple equation: carry around only what you are willing to lose either by accident or by force -- essentially, nothing worth more than you'd be comfortable carrying in your wallet. If it's insured, assume you're carrying your deductible, so $10,000 in stuff is like $500 in cash. When it comes down to $500 or a human life, you'd have to be an absolute barbarian to kill for it.
The comments here so far have concentrated on face-to-face encounters with muggers, but pickpockets are probably a bigger threat in London. If you pull out your wallet, gameboy, PDA, etc on the Tube, sooner or later someone will notice where you stashed it in your bag, get behind you on the escalator, and pilfer it. You will never know. Pickpockets are good at what they do, even some of the most streetwise Londoners I know have been pickpocketed.
Maybe you should get one of those belt chains that were fashionable for wallets a while back, and use them for your PDA and Ipod. Use some superglue and one of those things they use to secure computers to desks if there's no other way to attach it. It won't stop muggers (and if you're too flashy about the chains, it might attract them), but it will stop pickpockets and grab-and-run thieves, including those gypsies that come up to you when you're at a restaurant with some card that explains their sob story (which is just a distraction to pour the objects on the table into their bag).
Everyone I knew in London (myself included) has been a victim of crime there. Chances are, you'll eventually join their ranks.
What if he was cradling a gun in his hands, mumbling, "Myyy preeeciousss" while he was walking around. I bet he wouldn't get mugged then.
Occam's razor is the blind faith in the natural selection of least resistance and in universal oversimplification. -- EF
My fiance and I were mugged less than a block from our house just about three weeks ago. After having a gun pointed at me by someone I don't know all that well, I have to agree with some of your conclusions.
I did not do what he told me to do (Getting on the ground was not an option in my mind). I walked right up to the son of a bitch and got the best look I could, then I walked away. The guy with the gun had a partner who tried to beat me up, but I've been hit harder by girls on accident.
The point to this was, I didn't follow their script (and that's what it sounded like, a script from a real bad "gangsta" movie) and that's what kept me, my fiance, my iPod, and my money intact. The police told me I should have gone along and did what they told me, but two days before a woman was shot and killed during a mugging at the mall. She did exactly what they told her to, yet they killed her anyway.
I see no profit in bowing down to petty tyrants with little guns, who think they can steal what's mine. Or maybe I just read too much Batman as a kid.
TANSTAAFL
I had a mugging problem when I was in San Francisco. ... I found that wearing a dirty shrunken wool jacket I got from goodwill, carrying extra bags, and yelling at people that wearen't there was a great way to avoid getting mugged
In other words, you just tried to fit in.
Don't go south of the river. Don't go outside zone 1. If you must go outside zone one, don't take more than you can sprint with
"The first thing to do when you find yourself in a hole is stop digging."
As an aside, do you know how often concealed carry permit holders commit crimes compared to the rest of the population? Hardly ever. While there's not much data on actual firearms crimes committed by CCW permit holders, there is data on revocation percentages. Since permits are revoked upon conviction for any violent crime, with or without a firearm, as well as many other reasons firearms crimes are merely a subset of that already small percentage. That percentage? .5%. One half of one percent. (Accoring to this article)
The thread has turned into a primer on gun control - but lets stick with geek stuff.
5
First - the machine. A tip - if you have DSL or cable at home, DON'T bring it. Set up with GOTOMYPC or something of the ilk, and simply session into your home machine from where you are going. For some, this is not reasonable, they are going to sit in a cafe or what have you. But for many, consider using a remote session.
Music - there are wireless headsets like the ones you might see at http://www.gadgetcentral.com/wm-we01_intro.html
Wear them. Put the unit in a pants pocket or jacket pocket completely from view.
Take a look at the latest in color blackberries and others. I saw a guy who had what I thought was this unit:
http://www.pdagold.com/articles/detail.asp?a=15
He had a pull out, snap together chicklet keyboard - and the thing had 802.11b wireless and he had an adapter to direct the display to an overhead projector that was in the office. It was brilliant, he hopped on the wireless network and had a 800x600 display of a remote computer via WTS in moments - with stuff he carried in his jacket pocket.
Aikido. Let's face it, you're a geek, so:
-you're out of shape.
-you've got carpal tunnel.
-you're scared of people bigger than you.
Aikido will take care of all of those.
[o]_O
"The dummy brought a briefcase to a knife fight. Lucky me, it was metal and the blood was easy to wipe off."
That's not too far off from what I do. It's not jock-style, but it works for me.
I'm 6'2" tall, I have long black hair, a bullring style nose ring, a scuffed black leather jacket, a motorcycle and a visible knife clipped to my pocket.
I don't dress like I have money, and if I have to walk through a bad neighborhood, I make sure I look angry. My friends and I can walk past a gang, and they tend to part like the Red Sea.
I'm the scariest looking sysadmin I've seen in corporate america.
-
"Vengeance is fine," sayeth the Lord.
One of the basic rules I learned when I took a self defense course can be roughly summed up as follows: While it is better to avoid a dangerous encounter, if you are in one, do whatever it takes to get out of a dangerous situation intact. If you survive the incident unharmed, then by definition you acted correctly.
The police statements merely prove they are morons or at least out of touch (uniformed police officers don't get mugged very often, know self defense, interact with criminals on a regular basis, and are required to carry weapons when not on duty-not typical of most of the population...). Yes, going along with the demands of a criminal may work most of the time, but if you believe differently at the time, don't follow the police advice blindly-the police aren't going to save your behind...
Zookeeper: "You see children, the alpha male Slashdot specimen ensures that he will be moderated up by using reverse psychology and asking to be moderated down."
Child: "Why would he want to do that?"
Zookeeper: "Highly moderated comments are often regarded as the correct opinion or in some cases irrefutable fact."
Child: "Why doesn't he just ask to be moderated up?"
Zookeeper: "Before a moderator will use their influence to bestow such an honor on a comment, he/she must be convinced. Moderators are usually skeptical of everything. After watching the poster/moderator behavior for many years, we've observed that this reverse psychology is often very persuasive."
Child: "Their behavior is confusing!"
Zookeeper: "It's not unlike guild psychology and social acceptance rituals employed by the specimens in the Everquest exhibit. This way please..."
You're right, I wouldn't steal a car. But if it were possible, I sure as hell would download one!
I'd run the heck the in the opposite direction yelling for help, that should frighten 90% of your average criminals enough to flee. If they have a gun, being a moving, more-distant target will make their chances of actually hitting you drop significantly. Just look at the statistics of *trained* police officers shooting; how do you think a thug with no firearms training is going to hit you from 100+ feet away?
Remove the tape from the middle of your glasses.
My
Limekiller
I'm a dorky little Asian guy. I carry 3 knives on me and have trained in Kali and Silat for over 15 years. Not much of a problem here, thanks.
BTW, I carry 3 knives now, but I used to carry only 2. A few years ago, I was the target of a mugging attempt. The fellow ran off with one of my knives stuck in his leg. Bummer. I liked that knife.
You mean you'll put down your rock, and I'll put down my sword and we'll try and kill each other like civilized peo
Seriously, there is a damn fine reason why you'll never see anyone serious about self defense with such an anemic load. They don't WORK. I was in a robbery back in '99 and I was shot in the HEAD and lower back with a pretty much identical loadout. Guess what? I got up, took the gun away from the bastard and smacked him with it. A .32 no matter what you're loading into it just doesn't have stopping power (unless you throw the empty gun in which case even Superman will duck).
Find out about my new childrens book: SS Death Camp Criminal Batallion Go To Monte Carlo For The Massacre
Are you sure it's not the BO they're avoiding?
;)
I would reccomend carrying a self defense too of sorts, but the vast majority are now illegal in the UK. My best advise for a defense tool for you is a heavey metal flashlight, such as a Maglite, which can be used as a club or a fistload impact weapon. Another possibility is a very high-power flashlight such as an Arc Flashlight, which has a candlepower in excess of 33 Lumens. This is bright enough to blind a person momentarliy allowing time for escape. Also, don't use those iPod headphones, it's like wearing a big, flashing, "MUG ME" sign. Here's some more Self Defense issue with the restrictive british weapon laws in mind. A guide to Self Defense in the UK, Defending Yourself in Britain, A Guide to Expedient Weapons,
I would never, ever consider moving somewhere where I couldn't. It just demonstrates a government's utter contempt for its citizenry. I guess we'll never be neighbors.
Actually, it demonstrates the British government's utter consideration it has for its citizens. Neither you, nor you gun, will ever move to London.
And when your nearest major city can get its gun related murders in a week down to England's yearly total for the whole country, then the English might start to believe the claims that a prevalence of firearms make the place safer.
I am a touring musician and have written this bullet-point list of tips and tricks for laptop musicians for avoiding getting pick-pocketed:
- colored backpacks = tourist or student
this was a surprise to me but a policeman at the police station near where I was mugged said that backpacks with any sort of color on them are most prone to being pick-pocketed or stolen for some reason...the only conjecture he made was that it is mostly tourists who carry backpacks and the buyer usually chooses a colored bag so their luggage is distinctive when picking it out of a group of similar luggage (i.e., the baggage carousel at all airports)...so I sold the backpack I have (it had an orange outer shell on it) and purchased one which is pure black...more on my new backpack later...
- NEVER wear a what's called a 'fanny-pack'
these are packs that you wear around the waist like a belt that can hold wallets and credit cards and money...they were originally marketed to bicyclists but became popular with tourists as well...this is target #1 for pickpockets...fanny-packs = credit cards and money...don't wear them and if you own one throw it away unless you use it while bicycling...they're useless...
- ALWAYS file a police report
when your credit cards are stolen the thief knows full well that they have a limited amount of time to use it before the owner discovers it is missing and calls the card companies to cancel the accounts...in this period of time they usually rush into a jewelry store and buy an expensive piece of jewelry - but not too expensive where it gives them away...usually a couple of thousand Euro...and they will do this in a couple of stores until the card gets turned down...they then have purchased a booty which they then fence for cash...so it's a good bet that your card will show a purchase no matter how quick you are in reporting the card(s) stolen...an official police report will be needed to dispute any illicit charges made to your card(s)...I know it's painful to sit in a police station for hours and be treated like a criminal but it is absolutely worth it in the end...it is difficult to dispute illicit charges with most credit card companies without a police report...get one, don't even think about it...
- distribute your valuables
this means: don't put all your money and credit cards in one place (like your wallet) but spread them out in various hiding places (more on this later)...for example: cash, credit cards and passport should be kept in separate places in your backpack or on your person...also, hotel's have safes in the room which are free...keep valuables in different places since PP's usually operate in one quick move which means they get one chance to get at the goods and flee...
- money belts, neck wallets and shoulder wallets
personally I hate neck wallets...the string cuts into my neck and usually I have too much stuff to carry to keep it all in a single pouch around my neck...a passport, plane tickets, cash, credit cards, drivers license, etc. all start to weigh a lot when wearing them around your neck all day...and money belts are a pain to get to when your fumbling for money while buying a train ticket or need to present your passport in a hurry...I did some searching and I found a 'shoulder wallet' which fits like a gun holster...all your valuables are located just under your left pectoral/breast and are easily gotten to...I typically wear a T-shirt under a denim shirt so I wear the shoulder wallet over my T and under the denim shirt...when I need to get to money or passport I just reach into my shirt and grab it from a Velcro pouch under my left arm...the downside to wearing a money belt or waist wallet is that they can be pick-pocketed by experts...they just cut the back of your belt, distract you and pick up the fallen money belt...volia! a neck wallet is good but gets heavy after a while and is awkward to get to when carrying luggage since you need two hands to manipulate it...a shoulder wallet is good because you c
I think he's more likely to be beaten to death by his english teachers.
I found that wearing a dirty shrunken wool jacket I got from goodwill, carrying extra bags, and yelling at people that wearen't there was a great way to avoid getting mugged.
I found that dressing like a biker scumbag, getting some tatoos, growing a goatee and copping an attitude was a great way to avoid being mugged because most people won't mess around with a biker.... except other bikers. Then the real bikers started picking on me and beat me up just because they thought it was fun to do. However, they didn't mug me.
Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
In related news, the number of muggings attributed to victims wearing e-Vests have now overtaken those using iPods. When interviewed, a mugger was quoted as saying "Well, I get a higher return with them e-Vests. I use the included cables to tie up my victim, their PDA to take over the identity, the digicam to take pictures of the geek and their laptop to upload their photos to my blog. If I'm lucky, an iPod will be hidden somewhere as well; I got over 5,000 songs one time and 10 hours of free porn. Man, that dude was into some nasty shit. Oh, and don't forget the bottled mineral water. That's a bonus."
My sensei also said that another instructor he knew tried to take down a mugger who had a knife and he ended up dead with multiple stab wounds.
Did one of his students swear revenge and tracked down the killer and challenged him to a duel?
I mean... I always assumed it was an unwritten rule of martial arts that when somebody kills your master you have to swear revenge on his grave.
(yes, I'm going to hell)
No sig
Doesn't matter if you're as good as Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee. If you get into fight with someone who holds a knife you WILL get cut (If you're good you will survive it). Having martial arts training would teach you this. Choose your battles. Your wallets not worth it.
Keep a dummy wallet in the "obvious" place with old credit cards and a few bucks. Keep the "real" wallet safely hidden.
If someone asks, give them your dummy.
-------- -------- Support Wesley Clark for president!!!
Hydro-shock is actually legal, and different from what you said. It is hollow point, but has a rod down the center that will slam forward on impact to help the bullet continue on it's path (it adds a little extra momentum after the initial impact)
Personally, I prefer my SIG P229. And I don't mind if they run off with one of my bullets.
Maybe you're learning the wrong martial art. In aikido, we're taught how to fight someone no matter what weapon they're wielding or style they're using. The one exception would be if the guy is carrying a gun.
It is common to tell beginners that the best solution is to give in peacefully, because (as beginners) they're likely to get themselves killed thinking that they know a martial art, hence can handle the situation. That, and when the police start asking questions, they can plausibly say, "It's not like we didn't warn them."
A man with a knife threatening you is combat. Saying that learning a martial art means learning to move past the point where you need to fight is great and all, but there is no way on God's green earth that my sensei would give some idiot with a knife his wallet.
If you're looking for noble Oriental philosophy, at least higher-level practitioners have mastered the self-control to decide how much they have to hurt their opponent in order to defeat them. Here in Japan, a martial art is there to act as a means to defend yourself in combat. That's why police are required to show proficiency in either kendo or judo in order to advance, and why both are taught as basic curriculum in high schools.
In our dojo, they tell you, "If you seek spiritual enlightment, go to a temple. If you seek to learn to fight, go to war. If you seek both, you're in the right place."
"Give a man fire, and he'll be warm for a day; set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life
If more States would give back the rights of its citizens to bare arms this would no longer be a topic of discussion as the thought of a crime like this would be so remote. Instead of looking at it as a problem needing to be solved your simply looking at how not to be the victim. It's cowardice in its rawest form. Seeing posts like this were some coward is just looking for ways to save his own butt makes me feel sad for those who came before him to secure his right to walk down the street without fear. For this is the man who instead of fighting to maintain that right cowers to the minute criminal element in this country just as so many conservatives cower to the emotional thinking of the liberal initiatives who rather than thinking through problems simply feel their way trough them.
In the UK, you are not allowed to own a gun, let alone carry one. Not even the cops carry fireamrs.
HALT! Or I'll be forced to yell HALT again, but louder!
I'm about 6', 250 lbs.
:)
:)
I've only been 'mugged' once; chased the guy for 3 miles, opened a can of whoop-ass, and performed a gen-yoo-wine citizen's arrest. (the 5-Oh actually charged the guy with resisting arrest for running from me
So my advice is, be large, shave your head, and try to look mean
Well, you could just join your local SCA group, and always go around in period attire. they will think you are crazy, and avoid you, plus it makes it less silly looking to carry a big blade, mace, battleaxe, morning star, whatever.
I'm not certain what London laws are concerning carrying swords; don't you have to be in one of the guilds or something to get away with it? but if that's an option.....
Why, yes, I AM a Pagan Libertarian.
You may improve it by putting a "Radioactive Material" or "Biohazard" sticker on the metal briefcase. A tested side effect is having more space around you in public transportation.
I have a friend that real life role plays. He was dressed up in his medieval armor and cloak garb waiting at a train station one day. A mugger came up to him with a 4 inch knife and said "give me your wallet". My mate stared him in the face and moved his cloak to reveal a 30 inch long sword. "I see your 4 and raise you 26". Should have seen him run.
...they don't treat relationships like games...
Damn straight, I treat mine like SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS.
I wonder how she'll react if I eat the spider instead of smiting it?
Today I'll find out why she doesn't put some clothing items into the dryer.
I wonder what happens if I slip a Jolly Rancher in there while I'm eating her out, will she even notice?
"Sometimes, I think Trent just needs a cup of hot chocolate and a blankie." -Tori Amos on Nine Inch Nails
The comment's not racist. The poster was having a shot at people who are scared of blacks and cops who don't believe they can be rich.
Just because a joke uses racial traits doesn't make it racist, or even offensive.
Cogito, ergo sig.
Yeah. I find it a bit odd that women are so calculating about dating. To often even women you're close to will judge you by how much money you make. It really bothers me actually. I don't care if I'm making a lot or a little.. I don't want my work life and my income to define who I am or my relationships. Funny me for wanting to base relationships off love and respect.
The effectiveness of flashing cash to pick up girls makes me wonder why prostitution is illegal. If a woman only goes out with you because you have money how is that any better than trading sex for cash?
At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
Couple of anecdotes:
1) Got mugged when 16. Lost my jacket, watch and assorted to some bastards who followed me on the tram. Didn't recognize the danger signs. Now I see them (see 4).
2) On a couple of occasions, thugs have come up to me to beat me up (on principle). On most of the occasions, they end up my 'friends' as in they left me alone after inviting for a drink/conversation. I basically learned the gift of gab and changed their perception of me. If they thought I was a rich snob, I told them I hate my boss and life. If they thought I was from a certain town, part of town, I told them I was from somewhere completely else. If they wanted to hit me on principle, I told them a sad story about my girlfriend dumping me and my grandfather's dog dying. I only got the crap kicked out of me on one occasion, when I didn't have the time to talk.
3) After being beaten up, I got a telescoping baton. It is some scary shit and legal in many places. I got to use it a month after buying it. I was drinking in a park at night with friends. There were 4 of us. Suddenly two guys with stockings on their heads and a gun and a knife appeared and said "Your cellphones and your money". One second later, my stick was out and I was smacking the guy with the gun. Stupid. But I broke his arm. He ran off shouting that I was a fag. After getting his ass kicked and the stocking ripped from his head (I hit him a couple of times).
4) A while ago, I was walking around with my baton, chatting on my phone. Noticed some guys walking around after me. Tried to lose them. Unsucessfully. They surrounded me and told me to give them my phone. I said "No!" and ran shouting crazy talk. They didn't follow. If I had the baton I would have beat the shit out of them.
5) After that incident I haven't had much shit apart from a couple of situations in clubs or bars where some guy tried to go after my girl. I stare them down and tell them to go away. I'm not really scared.
Don't be scared. Don't make yourself into a hobo (do you really want your fear to change your appearance and lifestyle). Walk around like you belong somewhere. If accosted, talk back. If you've got protection, use it. If you don't, run. If you can't, give it up.
> BTW, all cops, everywhere that I know
This just begs for a response. 'Everywhere that I know' happens to also include that part of the world thats not inside the USA (yet) ?
If it is then you are absolutely and completely wrong.
In quite a few places in Europe, icluding the part where I happen to live (the Netherlands), police is taught to shoot to kill ONLY if they had no other options whatsoever, and are taught to STOP what is going on usign the least amount of force possible.
Incidentely (check the CIA world fact book on it if you like) we also have:
1. less people killed in general
2. less people killed by police use of violence
3. less policemen killed by violence
4. less robbery with use of violence
5. lower crime rate in general then the USA.
And yes, we also have banned weapons from daily life, tho it is very well possible to have one for sports or hunting.
Interestingly, Spain follows a lot closer the rules as they are in the USA, and also turns out having by far the highest rate of violent robberies and people gettign killed by violence of all of western EUrope (actually, only Poland and some parts of eastern EUrope come close to it, and don't surpass it yet)
The point is that there is a statistical relationship between amount of violence and how a society deals with weapons.
That relation nowhere shows that places that have weapons readily available to civilians are safer, rather, it shows the exact opposite.
You may feel safer havign your conceiled gun permit, but realize it is tjust that, you FEEL safer, in fact you are not.
I again suggest reading up a bit on the numbers, the CIA factbook is a nice patriotic source for the Americans among you who say this is all just the bs from the anti-gun lobby.
Tony Martin shot a 16-year old unarmed burglar in the back as he was running away. He'd already successfully defended his property, but I guess that wasn't enough for him. The jury didn't think it was enough either and found him guilty. Funny thing: the burglar's mate also got caught in the leg by a couple of bits of shot. He sued Tony Martin for "loss of earnings".
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors - Plato
you can draw a katana pretty quick and that 4 foot plus depending on your height.
:).
:-)
:). Maybe draw while rotating your body so the partly-drawn blade intercepts his knife... you never know - he might be slow and clumsy :) But it's an urban legend anyway. I've heard varients of this story from so many sources. Perhaps it actually happened, who knows, I tend to think it probably didn't.
Ok, this is wierd. I often hear people say katanas are long, but all the ones I've seen are short (~3 foot blade plus handle), and from what I've read, the correct length is the blade tip is off the ground when the arm is relaxed and the grip is at the tsuba. That means that 3 feet is a pretty decent length for a samurai-style katana (Japanese tend to be shorter than me, especially a few hundred years ago
I've seen pictures of much longer ones, but these were all noted as "blades this long are etremely rare", presumably on account of them being more unweildy than the evolved length.
Or did you mean a katana is 4 feet including the grip? (From the context, it sounds otherwise, but never trust the context
And while I agree 3 feet isn't that long, if the mugger is already up close and personal, it's still too long
I've been in some of the dirtholes of the US. The Mission in San Fran after midnight, down N street in DC getting lost after a show at the old 930, Alphabet city in NYC (best noodle shops), Hollywood (lived there), The Combat Zone (okay, that's not so bad anymore) and I've never been close to mugged. The worst is some guy tried to pick me up off the street.
The secret? Be aware of what's going on around you, who's around you and walk with confidence.
Toys aren't what attract a mugger. It's ease of target. Plus toys aren't what a mugger really wants most of the time unless you have something they really want. It's cash. Your $2k laptop is worth much less hot. Cash is always worth cash.
Darthtuttle
Thought Architect
I've heard similar from a friend about an indivual who was dressed in mail for an SCA meet or something similar. Walked into a 7-11 and grabbed some munchies, while the teller and other customer are looking a bit nervous. Walks up to make his order, and feels a bump from the guy beside him. Guy beside him screams, and runs out the door.
The tell is like "That's weird, that guy was holding the place up. Give me a moment while I call the cops." So the cops come, and ask buddy about the object stuck in his side. He's was a little amazed to find a knife which had been jabbed into his side, but stuck in the armour without coming near flesh.
I think chainmail should become standard equipment for late-night Sev drop-ins.
There is a connection between poverty and crime. In many cases, mugging people is a rational choice (in economic sense, that is!).
And if you still get mugged, give all you have.
Muggers are looking for an easy target. Don't be one.
Knives and guns have deterrence value, but do you really want to get into a knife fight or a gunfight? No thanks.
If you're concerned about crime, honestly, an attack trained dog works quite well (Hard to take it work with you, or on the subway, etc.).
Pro:
One: Oddly enough, a lot of criminals who are not afraid of being shot or stabbed have serious reservations against being bitten. Must be the mouth full of sharp teeth and intimidating appearance.
Two: Unlike a knife or a gun, it's next to impossible for a criminal to take the dog and use it against you. Really.
Con:
One: Insurance. Having an attack trained dog can prevent you from having home owners insurance due to liability concerns. Ditto for certain breeds. Shop around for an insurance provider that doesn't descriminate.
Two: Lawsuits. Having an attack trained dog can give you more grief than shooting the bastard if the dog is used to defend yourself. Best not to admit that the dog is attack trained (train it yourself or pay for training in cash). Memorize the following: "The dog was defending me against a perceived threat. Who knew that Fluffy, my loving Rottweiler, would chew his nuts off?"
The best bet is to not look like a victim. The dog is great deterence, though. Nasty looking folks part like the Red Sea when my wife and I are walking with our Doberman and Rottweiler. Friendliest dogs you would ever meet, but they don't know that.