Leadcounsel said:
Said it before, I'll say it again. A hands up stance means that your hands are just that much further from your weapon, which is known as the "great equalizer." And that's not a position my dominant hand will be in - if I perceive a threat that gives me reason to put hands up, then my dominant hand is going to my holster and I'm backing out of the situation while giving verbal commands.
And a hands up stance gives you options to protect yourself that are absent when one hand is hovering around your gun. When you are backing out, given verbal commands, what happens when the opponent that you didn't see suddenly closes distance, striking you in the face on the unprotected side while you scramble for the gun?
You put your hands up and the guy tackles you with a shank. Then what? Three stabs to the lungs in a second and the fight is over. What did your "fence" do? Nothing, but remove your hand from your holster, which is where it ought to be if you perceive a threat.
Drop weight and jam his forward movement either using a SPEAR type jam or Default Cover working off of the Fence. This stops his forward movement and puts you in a position to manipulate him to allow successful access to your gun. If you simply try and draw your gun as a reaction to his movement and pressure, all you will do is get bowled over and shanked with fewer defensive wounds on your gun hand.
And it's possible for a person to grab your arm, thereby keeping you from being able to draw your weapon, which is your lifeline.
You seem to have made an idol of your gun. It doesn't solve the problem. It doesn't stop the bad guys momentum. It doesn't work like a TV remote control. It is an important tool but it will not fix all of the problems inherent in dealing with bad guys. If you go for your gun at the wrong time, it won't make the situation better. In fact, it'll only make it much worse for you.
I cannot conceptualize a situation where I, as a private citizen, am in a situation where I feel that I am 'sorta' threatened to the point of implementing the "fence," knowing that it could in a split second turn into a lethal confrontation.
Umm, OK. How's about every time you are interacting with someone whose intent is not immediately know to you. For instance:
Some hypothetical scenarios -
1) Upon exiting my vehicle in the parking lot of a big box store, a person approaches me asking for a jump. He has jumper cables in his hands and is coming from a car with the hood up. Hands go up. 'Hey, can you hold up, man?' 'What's going on?' as I continue moving. He stops. Explains his situation. I'm able to access his demeanor and the environment. Now, having not exposed myself unnecessarily to a potential problem by allowing him to get too close and/or maneuver me into an ambush initiated by his associate, I may decide that this Unknown Contact does not pose a threat and may choose to render aid.
However, if he had failed to respond to my verbal request and had closed the distance, my hands would be in a position to strike preemptively and/or protect myself if he did launch a sucker punch.
2) Discussion with friendly neighbor over the change in the garbage pickup schedule. NO
apparentthreat. Talking with my hands in a relaxed fence. No issues. All is right with the world.
Neighbor decides he has had enough with my leaving trashcans out for two days after pickup. He just got laid off from his well paying job and he just loses it. He's fed up and throws a big looping haymaker at my head. Hands moving in a Fence allows me to Default, minimizing damage to me, and allowing me to move into a position of control, such as an Underhook & Pike or striking or accessing a weapon.
3) Argument with store manager regarding poor service, returned item, etc. Again, No perceived threat.
Again, if nothing happens, no problem working from a fence. If something happens, I can escalate verbiage along with posture and am in a better position to deal with aggression.
You get the idea. I see this "Fence" as you being drawn deeper into a conversation that is zero gain and a lot of risk. If you suspect trouble, your strong hand needs to be heading to your holstered weapon. Not up and vulnerable to attack or being grabbed. Create distance. Verbal commands.
And you do not. OK, I get it.