Have you ever taken a self-defense class and/or have you ever had to defend yourself

[amberpi]

I'm convinced to this day that detective dude helped saved my life. He's the one who always said go with your gut right? I've told the story of being stabbed when closing up the bookstore years ago. I've always felt it was a semi stalker situation by the things he said that evening before it happened. He kept trying to draw me toward the back of the store but my gut kept telling me not to. This is a guy who'd been a customer for awhile and I really didn't have a solid reason to be wary of him but that night I was. I KNOW if I'd gone towards the back I wouldn't be here today. I can't explain it, I just know it. Anyway, the blade nicked a nerve in my spine and I went down like a ton of bricks taking him with me (he had an arm wrapped around my neck). That was fortunate because going down threw him off guard I think. He jumped up and was standing over me looking kind of shocked and I just started screaming and kicking. He took off, I jumped up, locked the door and dialed 911. There was a helicopter, police and ambulance there in minutes.

That's so incredibly scary. I'm glad you made it out, but I'm sorry it happened at all.

 

[wenrob]

That's so incredibly scary. I'm glad you made it out, but I'm sorry it happened at all.

Thank you. It will be 17 years ago come September. A lot of valuable life lessons came from that night. I went back to work at that store amid strong opposition from my family but I just wasn't going to let him take that away from me.

 

[amberpi]

Thank you. It will be 17 years ago come September. A lot of valuable life lessons came from that night. I went back to work at that store amid strong opposition from my family but I just wasn't going to let him take that away from me.

That's amazing that you did. Very, very admirable.

 

[wenrob]

That's amazing that you did. Very, very admirable.

Hard to give up the perks of free books, lol.

 

[amberpi]

Hard to give up the perks of free books, lol.

What? I've been in the wrong profession! With Kindle Unlimited that's less true these days.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm not sure if it was the same guy but I remember watching Oprah and it was featuring self defence and he said 'never let them take you to a second location'. That's always stuck with me.

Yes! That's the guy! "Don't get in the car!"; "The time to fight for your life is before you get in the car!"

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My stepfather taught me various self defense moves and against my younger but much stronger and bigger brothers they were quite effective. But even if it wasn't a conscious thought I always knew I was safe with them that they would never actually hurt me. At least not purposely anyway. As I found out years later, in the thick of things those move went right out the window. The instinct to use them never kicked in. Or it just happened so fast I just didn't have the presence of mind to utilize them. It's one of many reasons why I'm always saying you just don't know what you'll do in a situation until you're faced with it.


I'm convinced to this day that detective dude helped saved my life. He's the one who always said go with your gut right? I've told the story of being stabbed when closing up the bookstore years ago. I've always felt it was a semi stalker situation by the things he said that evening before it happened. He kept trying to draw me toward the back of the store but my gut kept telling me not to. This is a guy who'd been a customer for awhile and I really didn't have a solid reason to be wary of him but that night I was. I KNOW if I'd gone towards the back I wouldn't be here today. I can't explain it, I just know it. Anyway, the blade nicked a nerve in my spine and I went down like a ton of bricks taking him with me (he had an arm wrapped around my neck). That was fortunate because going down threw him off guard I think. He jumped up and was standing over me looking kind of shocked and I just started screaming and kicking. He took off, I jumped up, locked the door and dialed 911. There was a helicopter, police and ambulance there in minutes. I would say the whole thing from beginning to them arriving was less than ten minutes. I can remember people saying, "If you had a *insert weapon here*" or "If you had done this or that..." No, none of that would have worked, it happened way too fast.

Ironically I had a guy try to get me into his car and expose himself to me in middle school. I turned around and ran the other way. I never told my parents until many years later when I was grown. I was NOT supposed to be walking that way to school. I was more worried about my stepmother's wrath than anything.

Wow! Twice this week you've taken the wind out of my sails! That's just gut-wrenching!

 

[DisneylandDarling]

That was drilled into my head as well - "Never let someone get you into their car or take you to a separate place. Even if they say they'll shoot you." The thinking is, even if they do shoot you, at least you're in a place that you'll be found and can get help. Once you get into that car, you're chances decrease significantly.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Growing up I had a paper route for many many years, and I cannot tell you how many creepy guys used to expose themselves to me through their windows/sliding glass doors while I was delivering papers, especially on Sunday morning deliveries .

 

[Pea-n-Me]

That was drilled into my head as well - "Never let someone get you into their car or take you to a separate place. Even if they say they'll shoot you." The thinking is, even if they do shoot you, at least you're in a place that you'll be found and can get help. Once you get into that car, you're chances decrease significantly.

Yes, and also that even *if* there's a gun, if you run, they may not shoot, or may not hit you, or may not hit you fatally, etc. Whereas if you get in the car, you're virtually a goner.

 

[DisneylandDarling]

Yes, and also that even *if* there's a gun, if you run, they may not shoot, or may not hit you, or may not hit you fatally, etc. Whereas if you get in the car, you're virtually a goner.

I also always heard that if you run in a not-so-straight line, they'll be less likely to hit you unless they're aim is *exact*, which most don't have. Always good tips/info to remember!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I'm not sure if it was the same guy but I remember watching Oprah and it was featuring self defence and he said 'never let them take you to a second location'. That's always stuck with me.

Yes! That's the guy! "Don't get in the car!"; "The time to fight for your life is before you get in the car!"

I remember that show too.

I've shared that piece of information with so many people.

I also remember, if you are on your bike, hold on for dear life. Because someone is going to have a hard time picking up a person and a bike.

I learned a bunch of stuff from my father; he was military and taught us how to handle ourselves.

Well, one afternoon, I didn't know he was home. I was standing, watching TV and Dad came up behind me and grabbed me. I flipped him, flat on his back, screamed and ran, going out the door. Just what he taught me to do. Dad ended up on bed rest while his back healed.

 

[wenrob]

Wow! Twice this week you've taken the wind out of my sails! That's just gut-wrenching!

Awe, I'm sorry!

Something else about that night, when 911 asked for the address I gave them the street number but the name of the bookstore as the street. Then when the police asked who they could call I told them my husband but for some inexplicable reason gave them my MIL's number so by the time I got to the trauma unit I had messages from her, my parents, my sister, best friend etc. but DH was the last to be notified. She had NO idea how to get ahold of him at work, no idea if DD was with me at the time so called all of them. But. I could recite my birthday, the year, my age, the president over and over every time they asked. So weird how the brain works. I couldn't spit out the very important details but the stuff that didn't matter (I know they ask to make sure you're not in shock) I could recite all day long.

 

[Mirielle]

Just wondering - have you ever been in a situation where you've had to defend yourself from physical attack? And if so, how did it go?

I lost.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I lost.