Road rage turned into a fight recently, and this guy beat me up unprovoked. I feel really bad about being unable to defend myself. Besides the obvious training and stuff, what should I keep in mind to make sure I get away safe?
PS: zero intentions to pick a fight with someone. I’m only interested in saving myself or any of my loved ones with as little harm as possible.
49 comments
Never strike, if u see a way to get out and run, do it. And maybe more mma lessons or something.
Dont feel bad, we all get beaten up, take this as fuel to get stronger.
Be like Baki. Train and work like a madman
if its road rage dont get out of the car? what? if someone is OBVIOUSLY following you either
do like 8 right turns so they know you know theyre following.
if that doesnt shake them off.
drive directly to your nearest police station. if they follow you once they realise that. no they arent. but even if they do you can now run into the station and be like “this guy is tryna hurt me lol” and if youre in america theyll kill the road rager.
Don’t get in the fight. If it’s road rage then you should have kept driving, stay in your car and call the police.
Get the hammer
No shame in running away also don’t get out of your car next time
You win every fight that you can avoid engaging in. That being said, increase your situational awareness, learn to read people’s body language, get your cardio up, learn to strike, learn to roll, learn how to communicate with people who are heated, assert a basic level of command presence, and keep your head on a swivel. Also don’t be nervous to know your limitations and have backups in the event that god forbid things are unable to be deescalated through reason or basic hand to hand combat tactics.
People! Sometimes, people get cornered in traffic and can’t get away. Everyone here is assuming OP got out of his/her car and approached the attacker.
Some good advice here. But also some naive assumptions.
Get some pepper spray, yes if you know you’re being followed keep driving to safety. Call 911.
don’t get involved
Streetfights are inherently *wildly* unpredictable and dangerous. Things can go anywhere from a harmless slapfight all the way up to people going in the ground and lots of crying family members.
Avoid whenever possible. Get training if you ever want to competently defend yourself.
You run. The law is getting very unforgiving on conflict. Its not worth a weekend in jail and $4000 in legal fees to prove ur innocence.
Most people, especially the average thug will square up showing their dominant hand. Circle away from that hand while continually taking steps backward. Keep your hands up, lots of head movement. Get out of there as soon as possible.
If you contributed to the road rage in the scenario look at what you’re doing and how you’re acting, as satisfying as it can be to flip someone off or have a go at them it’s just not worth it in the long run. If you just made an honest mistake and it set them off, obviously this doesn’t apply, but often something as small as a wave or making a reasonably quick effort to get into a slower lane to let them pass or something can be beneficial to de escalate.
Never get out of the car, leave the doors locked and the window up.
Run-fu. I have no desire to get into an altercation with a crazy person
Best way to survive is to not get in one
But if you do you should aim to kill them and assume their trying to kill you
Your best bet is a gun or knife
Can’t get one or to cowardly..
The strong did what they could and the weak suffered what they must
Run. Get out of there. There is no shame of avoiding a fight. Don’t let your proudness get the best of you. A street fight can get you seriously hurt, even disabled. Same goes for the other guy. My friend crushed his skull on a curb after a stupid random brawl. For nothing. Now he is sitting in a wheelchair.
Throat, eyes, genitals.
Flee.
If you dont want to learn mma or self defence.
Grab a kettlebell and do the simple and sinister programme. By Pavel Tsatsouline.
It will make you extremely stronger all over, at least if you have to you’ll be able to man handle someone to the ground!
But of possible, do what most savvy people do and walk away!
Avoid the fight if you can. Run. Drive. Hide. Whatever.
If you can’t, use your hands to protect your head. Try to steady your breathing. Aim for the genitals, eyes and throat. Doesn’t matter how big or tough they are those 3 weaknesses exist in all of us. If you’re going to punch them remember and swing your hips with the punch to get the full weight of your body behind it.
Best thing to do is to run. You have nothing to prove.
Try talking it out yet by saying calm down. That normally makes them feel small and unreasonable based on my experiences. Also be taller then the person but if not taller be stronger.
Run, no winners in a street fight… Just 2 losers of varying degrees.
well… the last time i didnt chose the best option which is RUN i got a big scar. so, run ; if not possible get something as a weapon
I have a “psycho-switch” that had saved me a few times, but also landed me in jail. It could also result in me getting killed instead of just hurt and humiliated so I am not sure I would recommend.
Realistically physical strength and being comfortable and competent with violence is the only way, or being able to run really fast. Often even violent people will back off if you are not afraid and you are somewhat physically imposing, but some people just dont give a fuck.
Once shit hits the fan the goal has to be as much harm as possible in the least amount of time, you have to be ruthless, as little harm as possible is just not an option, dont stop until there is no more danger.
Don’t be there
Learn a martial art.
If it’s serious and you need to fight dirty. Spit in the eyes. Kick in the groin. Kick in the shins. If you’re grabbed from behind stamp down their shins. Pull hair. Aim punches to the nose. The inside of the bicep and
If they have a weapon or you’re otherwise genuinely in fear of your life and feel you can justify any injuries or death you cause to a jury of your peers (and I’m not responsible if you use one of these and end up in legal trouble):
Am a side kick (in karate it’s called Mawashi Geri) to the inside of the knee, with enough force you can blow outsomeones anterior cruciate ligament or even the entire knee joint.
A well aimed knife hand (“Karate chop”) to the neck can put someone to sleep, and I’d assume as it interupts blood and oxygen flow to/from the brain (targets the the jugular, carotid and vagus nerve) theres a risk of bad shit happening.
A leopard paw strike to the front of the throat can cause significant breathing issues due to the trachea.
Specifically for cars. Carry an improvised weapon in your vehicle, but you might need justification as to why you posessed the “weapon” if you use it (in england and least). For example a lorry driver who carries a baseball bat should also carry some baseballs for the reasonable defense of “When I’m resting on a journy I like to find somewhere I can go and his baseballs”. A lot of women I know have tools for undoing a cars wheel nuts under their seat, just in case anything like this happens.
Again, know your countries laws and act within them, and get training in a martial art.
sometimes the best response to those situations is a calm and gentle voice. Try to speak to them softly.
If you meet force with force, the stronger force will win. If you meet force with flexibility (the opposite of the force) you will be able to deescalate more than likely.
Apologize, use open hand body language (palms up facing the attacker) and don’t be afraid to lower that ego.
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If he attacks you, and you’ve tried everything either run away, ball up, or kick him in the nuts and scream “I DONT KNOW YOU THATS MY PURSE”
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All bs aside, carry pepper spray. I do, have had to use it once which almost resulted in me getting arrested, and don’t try to be a tough guy and 99% of the time you’ll be okay.
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E: and while I ended up with a fractured foot, was a little battered, and had a nasty bruise for about 2 weeks, I sprayed the guy and he cried like a baby. It shuts those clowns down.
If someone challenges you to a fight and you’re in your car just run them over, duh.
Don’t engage. If you aren’t trained, don’t engage unless you are forced to. Keep your windows up and your door locked. Most people don’t know a windshield’s weak spots well enough to shatter them bare handed, and some newer makes have eliminated those. (Near the upper corners, in case you were wondering.) Most people calm down after breaking their hand on something harder than a human hand.
If they have a weapon, drive away, if possible. If not, wait until the are on one side of the vehicle, then go out the other door. If they have a gun, you pray for the best. If you have a weapon, brandish it to show them you will use it, then don’t use it unless you must. Once you’ve committed violence against them, a peaceful resolution is nearly impossible.
Best of luck!
Usually a few hadoukens or a stiff shoryuken will do the trick.
I think too many people have a hero complex and think they can’t be beat (not saying you, but maybe other people commenting). The best thing to do is **de-escalate** the situation before it turns to violence, but also be prepared if the violent situation comes.
You should definitely learn how to defend yourself and you should always be prepared to use anything as a weapon, but always try to de-escalate the situation first. There is no fool proof method to win every fight. No matter how prepared and how well trained you are, there will always be someone who is more of a badass and violent than you are.
Even if you have a weapon like a knife or a baseball bat, the other person can use it against you if they are stronger and more used to violence than you are. Even a gun won’t save your life if the other person also has one and pulls the trigger first.
Even if you are the type of person who is capable of extreme violence, you also don’t want an assault, murder or manslaughter charge if you go too far, so de-escalation should always come first.
Simple…carry a gun in your car for road rage incidents like all the other well adjusted people out there.
>I’m only interested in saving myself or any of my loved ones with as little harm as possible.
This is 10% being physically capable of a fight and 90% being able to see the situation coming and avoiding it.
I’m 6’1″ 200lbs and have boxed my whole life. I still avoid any situation that could end in a fight. You just never know what the other person is capable of.
I am glad you got out of it alive, considering how these things can escalate. Always remember; capability, proximity and intent make a threat. The most important thing is to make sure there is distance between you and the other person. If they keep trying to get closer to you, that is a tell tale sign. I always drive with my car doors locked, again they can’t get in or they have to break my window. Can you de-escalate? Could they be willing to talk but again you keeping a safe distance and NEVER taking your eyes off of them or turning your back. If you are attacked, run. Make the attempt to escape, if you can’t; you fight to escape, you kill to escape.
The most important thing underlying this is being mindfully aware of what is going on around you and staying calm. That is how you find ways of egress, weapons of opportunity, asses vulnerabilities, identify opportunities to exploit etc
Find some classes(it doesn’t matter what) this is about training your mind so your body does what it needs to.
leave yourself and a escape route, travel with someone of equal or greater size when possible. Speak with confidence but not cocky, you want to have the air about you that trouble tends to avoid you, some can do that by their sheer presence, others have to put effort in but that’s hit or miss. if the guy is enraged, speak calmly, deferentially where possible without giving up legal standing. call the cops if you think shit’s about to go sideways
I mean, everyone trying to be helpful but… avoiding the stuff is kinda default.
The best advice here I saw is to lower your window only enough to hear the other person. And to have pepper spray ready.
Not sure how it is in India with pepper spray but if you can’t own one easily, put your tire iron in the front of the car. Nobody can question it’s existence in a goddam car. If you know there is going to be fight, pick it up and get out. It’s all about power projection. Most people will become a lot more cautious with such event. But do not engage by yourself – you do not want to be aggresor or escalator, if they go for you aim for knees/elbows/solar plexus. With this you won’t kill aggresor while still discouraging him.
And then, at first ocassion, GTFO. Because as much of comments said, running is your best option. What I wrote is pretty much only meant for situation where you can’t simply run.
I have been in half a dozen street fights in my life; got mugged twice.
The absolute best thing is to avoid the situation entirely. Don’t engage, don’t let them get close, leave as safely as possible. Don’t try to talk or explain yourself. Leave your ego at home, find a way to get out of there asap.
A street fight can be unpredictable, and no matter how well trained, you can be dropped with a lucky shot or a weapon is pulled or their friends pop out the woodwork (very likely).
Your general fitness and endurance matters most in a fight. Work on those.
Taking up boxing or muay thai or mma will give you the best basic toolset if you have to duke it out.
The simplest things you need to keep in mind are:
1. Physical fitness matters a lot.
2. Basic knowledge of how to strike/punch matters.
3. Out- aggression your opponent, and put constant pressure on him.
4. Protect you chin.
5. Learn basic grappling.
You only need to know the most basic things. Once you know those and get fit, learn how to avoid dangerous encounters.
Id never roll my window down enough for them to get in. the moment they get aggressive, I drive away. If there is no way out but through them, I go through them. If someone as much as touches me and means har,. Im going for eyes, gentials, breaking fingers, etc until they are completely disabled.
I do not fight. Threaten me and I will 100% prioritize my safety over yours.
This is also a reason to carry a gun or a knife.
Go for the legs. Kick their knees or take them down from below. I practiced MMA and when i used it for self defense and kicked someone in their knee they did not get up after
1. Don’t get in one
2. As soon as you get in one, get out of it
3. If you can’t get out, do whatever you can to make him give you enough time and space to do so
Immediately remove all clothes. No guy wants to fight a naked man.
Remember there is no honor in fighting so fight to win, fight dirty, go for the balls, the eyes, the throat, go as crazy as you can and don’t stop until the other person has zero fight left in them.
ive never been in a physical fight where ive really really needed to defend myself but ive always prepared my thought process to be, act crazy and just go into blind rage. crazy beats strong and honestly if you are thinking too much about your attacks i feel like theres more room for error/injury.
I carry a 2 lbs hand held sledgehammer and a cold chisel. If you just have the hammer, they can get you for carrying a weapon. If you have the chisel you can say you were doing come rock work and haven’t had a chance to get home yet.
Or carry a bat but make sure you have a baseball and a mitt.
Just make sure whatever you carry, you can justify having it for a logical reason other than self defense. Pepper spray is ok for self defense in most places though.
I had a guy get out of his car once so I stepped out with the sledgehammer and he immediately got back in his car and left. I wouldn’t hit in the head but it would demolish any bone it contacts. Ribs, arms, shoulders, legs etc.
Run
I’ve been training in martial arts and mixed martial arts for 18 years. I’ve been in a few street fights. You never know what they have so your #1 priority is avoiding it in the first place.
If you can’t. Learn how to throw a punch and kick. Always aim for the chin, kidney, or groin. Learn how to sprawl and the very basics of grappling. The vast majority of street fights will end up grappling after the first few seconds because people gas out.
Never grapple with someone who has friends. Stay on your feet and keep your distance. Depending on the gravity of the situation don’t be afraid to aim for the eyes, tear off their ears, or rape their nose.
Your elbows are bigger and often stronger than your knuckles. Learn to use them and you’ll be amazed how much damage you can do with them. This will also save you from hurting your hands.
Avoid, deflect, run away, but when it goes down, attack 1,000% with everything you’ve got, if they go down, don’t let them get up. Keep going till they are no longer a threat, or you are no longer able to continue.
Verbal judo. Apologize.
Run.
C Arry pepper spray or taser or other form of non-leathal self defense item if legal in your area.
But the best form Of self defense is to not get involved in an altercation in the first place. Let road rage go. Avoid trouble.
Kick them in the balls as fast and efficiently as you can
The best type of self-defense is never getting into the fight in the first place.