Todays SD Situation

Sitting upstairs in McDonalds today waiting for my hot chocolate to cool and I hear shouting from outside.

I take a look out of the window and see 4 guys, the ring leader of which was mouthing off and posturing.

It was all there, splayed arms, neck pecking, extreme language and so on.

It was aimed at one lad, but hadn't gone mono-syllabic, so I figured I had a bit of time.

I wasn't wearing my cape and I didn't fancy breaking the window, so I grabbed my bag and took a stroll outside.

I thought I'll go up to the guy on his own and say something along the lines of "sorry I'm late, let's go", nod him a wink and get him out of there, his fault or not.

As I got outside it was clear that this option wasn't open to me. The guy on his own had started neck pecking and pointing, so no point turning his anger on me.

I took a position close enough to watch and called the police and to step in if needed, but far enough away they couldn't hear me conversation.

I made sure I looked as though I was on a business call. Gesturing with my free hand, turning toward and away from the group - just enough to answer call centre questions - pacing up and down etc.

Once I knew the police were on their way and it had calmed down enough to convince me the physical thread was over I went on my way.

Why the post?

Well it's important to recognise the signs before the fight starts.

The posturing, the neck pecking, splayed arms, the mono-syllabic speech etc.

Even when making the call to the police I made care to use body language to stay on watch, but appear elsewhere.

Learn Cooper's colour code or similar and also if you do make a call to the police, watch your back when walking away.

There were 4 guys (+1), so I walked away, went into a shop, came out and crossed the road just to be sure.

And my hot chocolate went un-drunk.

This event goes completely under the radar in terms of how it made me feel.

There was no adrenaline rush, no threat to me, and it was my choice to go outside to assist if need be.

This decision isn't to be recommended and was in part research on my part.

I could, and you should, have remained in McDonalds.

I've not posted this to be smart, but to highlight how you should learn to recognise situations and how you should act yourself if you end up being close to a situation that could turn nasty.

 

These videos are increasingly being used in court evidence, so this is another thing to consider when deciding on a course of action.

Defending yourself is one thing, but there is a fine line before you become the aggressor and if it's there for the jury to see, then you may have a problem.

 

My first thought was to try and walk through and catch the attention of the single guy, say something to him and we both leave.

As I approached it was really obvious this action wasn't open to me.

He was posturing back and if I'd have intervened at this point his aggression could have turned on me.

I walked between both parties, but only as a pedestrian, not as someone who was going to intervene.

I wasn't particularly on alert at this point, there was no threat to me and I was happy that me being there hadn't drawn any unwanted notice.

I postured as though on a business call and only turned to face the 4 youths when asked a question by the police call centre operative.

Would I have stepped in. Yes, but only if the guy on his own had been under threat.

Was it my intention to step in. No. I was of more use giving a detailed description and I think if my desire had been to break up the situation it could have ended differently.

Not perhaps aggressively, but with aggression shown towards me.

I've tried to reply as objectively as I was yesterday and tried to avoid any, "I would have stepped in", type of stance.

There were slight butterflies in the belly at some point, but I knew that to be an understanding of the situation, rather than fear or nerves.

Edit: Strangely enough in class yesterday and the instructor mentioned how the culture now was to whip out a phone and record such a situation.

I recalled this story and how it may, as Chadderz suggested, be a generational thing.

 

Maybe you could title it differently, it matters not.

The thread is maybe a little less about the actions of the "gang" and more about one's course of action, before, during and after an event, so self defence.

I did deliberately go out to access and intervene if necessary, however, on getting outside it was obvious my verbal or physical intervention wasn't necessary.
I would therefore argue that I wasn't "deliberately in the situation". My actions throughout were unobserved by any party.

I personally don't think this is relevant.

This was in a pedestrian high street used by the young, old, children, parents etc, so I thought I'd go down and maybe stop something I saw building up to a physical coming together.

It wasn't about taking sides and finding out who was in the right or wrong. That is maybe a police matter.

As I've said, I wasn't interested in taking sides. My decision not to intervene took less than two seconds. I was best served by all in the area by calling this in to the police.

 

I should add that this thread isn't about me, but more about actions taken and what could and should be done in similar situations.

That said I am more than happy to have my actions called to task.

Alansmurf, I've been on jury service for the last two weeks and I know I don't need to tell you this, but without going into details, courts don't like knives, even if they're not used.

 

None at all, because I wasn't seen as even as an onlooker.

Body language hopefully made it look like I was on the phone to either work, or an acquaintance, rather than someone watching the event while on the phone to the police.

I'd go outside again.