When do you step in?

[Andy Murray]

I'm sure you have all sat watching TV, watching Jerry Springer, or street fights, whatever, and tried to picture how you would conduct yourselves in similar circumstances.

I bet you have been round the corner when a mugging or a robbery has taken place. if only you had been there sooner!

Do you actually know what would make you click into gear, or do you live in a delusional world of honourable Martial codes of conduct!

Below is a link to some brave people. Is this the future?


http://www.guardianangels.org/

When do you step in?

Andy

[hongkongfuey]

I think it is hard to know where the line is drawn, until you are in the situation itself.

A girl getting attacked by one person - step in.
A girl getting hassled by 5 people - maybe, maybe not. (depends how good looking she is!)

I certainly feel as a Martial Artist, that I have a duty to step in where possible, and inform the authorities where direct action would not be sensible (or beneficial).

Guardian Angels have been around a while in the US, and certainly act as a deterrent in my opinion. I think in the UK they might just get a kicking for being different. (we are such a cynical nation).

[Saz]

A lot of attackers will get simply run off if they see someone running towards them shouting their head off at them, being that they usually pick on weaker looking people/girls and don't like the idea of a 'real' fight so to speak.

Having been hassled by slimey old guys in pubs etc before, I was very glad when someone stepped in and warned them off for me. Shouting at them loudly helps get rid of them sometime too

If I saw someone getting beaten up or something, I'd try and step in, even if it meant getting my own arse kicked (which it probably would). If they had a weapon I'd definatley think twice about it, trying to talk them out of it or get the weapon of them someway would be better in that situation.

The Guardian Angels thing probably wouldn't work too well over here in my opinion.. People would just think they were being filmed for Trigger Happy TV or something :)

[waya]

Personally I immediately get involved. It doesn't take much to make me move into a situation I think is getting hostile, words or gestures can easily do it.

ROb

[Freeform]

We have to remember that we could possibly miss read the situation. Is it right to wade in if you don't know whats going on. If you start to restrain people you can get yourself into all kinds of bother. Once I tried to split up a fight on a bus between 2 guys, restrained the one handing the beating only to have the other get up and start to pummel him whilst I was holding him, so I had to put them both down, then got off the bus quick sharp in case I got into any trouble with the police (or worse).

Thanx

[Silver_no2]

Agree with Freeform (aka MBM Man) on this one with regards knowing what is happening. The members of our club quite often end up having tussles and toy fights which could be mis-interpreted by outsiders. Someone thinks that FluffyDoc is being assaulted when it is actually me and Freeform holding her down and blowing raspberries on her stomach!

I have had to step in on a few occassions and, as Kyokushin_girl points out, it tends to make them run away as they are not looking to fight with someone who is obviously "up for it", as it were.

I suppose that it would also depend on the situation. If two guys want to knock the crap out of each other then that's their business. If somebody is getting a complete kicking then I'd like to think that I'd step in. If it was a woman being harrassed then I would get involved. The amusing thing is that on one occassion where I did intervene because a guy was shoving a girl around, SHE hit me and told me to leave her boyfriend alone!!!

Slightly off the main topic but I know from talking to Andy Murray at the weekend that there are other people on the site who work/have worked on the doors....as a doorman I had to stand on the door and watch a guy get beaten up not fifteen feet from me, as my boss (who was working with me at the time) said that I could not get involved because my area of responsibility ended at the front door of the pub.....have any of the others had similar situations. If so, how did they react?

[LilBunnyRabbit]

Generally I don't get involved as such, usually all that I've had to do is simply get close and say stop clearly, only a couple of times has it gone further.

Of course, this was while I was working as an IT technician at a school, and so bigger than most of the people who'd be involved in a fight there. The couple of times when it did go further were in a shopping centre (when the security guards simply stood around until I was the only one standing and then escorted me from the building, *******s) and at a party.

[Freeform]

Well I have to say that as a Doorman your taking money for protecting a certain group of people (and once the've left you shouldn't care) and as such you have certain responsibilities... aka THEM.

Generaly, I've been in situations at parties where you know its going to kick off and the 'get in between them and look big' approach normally work (it sometimes backfires too :) ).

Thanx

[Cooler]

I have worked the doors for many years in Glasgow. Once a patron is out of the building he or she is no longer your responsobility, I have seen many fights outside the door and we never step in unless the person is getting kicked to death. If you do step in you are liable to be arrested as you are basicaly fighting on the street you can not claim to be doing your job as you are outside your place of work. You are not always thanked either by the person you jump in to help, we had a situation outside the door one evening when two women jumped another woman and started kicking the c**p out of her we jumped in to help and were told by the lone female to f**k off, which we did, bought some popcorn and a large cola and settled back to watch the entertainment.

Cooler

[ladyhawk]

I'm curious because I've never had to break up a serious fight in progress.

You've made your choice to step in. Now, how do you find your opening in all that activity?

[Freeform]

Generally if theres only two of them going at it, you try to approach one from behind (preferably the one handing out the beating) and apply a hold or lock of some kind (or if your chazz or waya you kick their knees in ;) ). Thats if its an asault scenario, cause them the victim will probably not try to hit the assailant (must people don't want to fight) and then you can decide what to do next (call the police, tell him to ---- off, offer to give him a doing for the viction for a tenner ;) ).

If its two blokes going at it just let them get on with it (ala coke and popcorn) unless ones almost killing the other, then 'gently' point out that the guys done the job and he'd better get out of there before the police turn up (although they never do...).

Now if its more than just two people, thats when it gets interesting....

Thanx