Video of gang attack on NYC Subway

[Raijin]

I've been in situations like this and I usually play crazy. I can play it very well too.

I usually start with screaming. Loudly. Then I grab my head and start screaming "SHUT UP SHUT UP I DON'T WANNA KILL ANYMORE! I'M NOT GOING BACK TO THE HOSPITAL!" and then fall to the ground in the fetal position still screaming. By that time, anyone with half a brain steps away. Usually apologizing.

I am by no means a confrontational person at all and would rather avoid the majority of society if I can do so. I do not have a license to carry yet, but until then, I have exercised my crazy defense in more than one situation and it has yet to fail.

You'd be surprised how quickly a potentially violent situation will dissolve at the hands of a "psychotic break".

 

[flatdog]

The young man was asked why he didn't defend himself and replied " He was raised right." That having been said, he lost the fight when he walked out his door that morning. His mindset left him unprepared to take the action appropriate for the situation in which he found himself.

I couldn't make out how the whole thing started but, several things stood out in the video. First off the girls especially the loudmouth were "selling wolf tickets", all mouth and no action up to that point. They were probing for weakness and having fun by publicly humiliating him.

Once he showed weakness it was too late to avoid eye contact. Instead he should have "locked eyes" and gone totally quiet. No verbal response whatsoever. Now they are uncertain as to what to expect from their formally easy prey. Will the lamb turn lion?

They want to hurt him not be hurt themselves. That might have ended it there after a few more taunts on their part. And he could attempt to put distance between himself and them while moving to the exit.

But once he let her lay that bottle ever so slowly and gently on his head all hope of a peaceful ending was gone. She had established dominance over him and everyone in that car knew it, on one level or another.

If on the other hand at the moment she leaned in, he had incapacitated her by the most efficient means available while standing up and keeping her between himself and the rest of the gang. He would have gained control of the situation and might have even made it to the next stop.

 

[jabotinsky]

1. Don't start anything by 'butting-in' and purposely sliding into a couple of strangers on the subway.
2. Don't engage strangers in verbal discussions/arguements, especially by starting it.
3. Get up and walk to a new train section.

Good advice.

Grab the top end of the ear and pinch hard to maintain grip and torque. Next, snap the wrist down like you were snapping an old mercury thermometer down below the "normal" mark. Do this hard and fast enough, and the sound will be similar to velcro coming apart.

Valuable info. How many of us have wondered for years about what the sound of tearing ear cartilage is like? Apparently more of ripping/tearing noise rather than a wet snapping sound. This why I read these threads, thanks OP, you knew it would eventually go here.

 

[Isildur]

Well I think this is a very ugly form of crime, because its so common and because you're left with view good alternatives. Basically I would probably have reacted like the guy did, staying calm, deescalating trying to get away. I've successfully solved a similar situation(when I was about 14 or so) like this but its not a really great option from what I see.
Would you really go for a weapon and attack the girls? I personally find it difficult to judge such a situation - any ideas on how to do that correctly?

 

[LKB3rd]

I don't think i'd use a weapon vs 4 girls, but i would definitely hit them full force to the chin, elbow them, etc., if they inititated an attack on me. A guy i know once said something, that stuck with me. "If a girl thinks she's a guy, and tries to fight me like she's one, she loses her 'don't hit a girl' priveleges". Obviously initiating a violent attack on a girl is a completely different story, but if they are dumb enough to start a fight they are going to lose, I can oblige, especially if it is several of them. I'd still be inclined to just fend off one girl if she wasn't doing any damage.
If it was 4 guys, i would use a weapon if i had one.

 

[Working Man]

I have not read all the posts but it looks as if he might have been able to talk
his way out if not simply STHU and be done with it. Do not act like strangers
are your friend and "slide up" to them.

Otherwise...... and this sure aint HighRoad.... when out numbered be as
vicious and brutal as possible. Even though they are female they can still kill
yah. Poke the eyes (gouge) that's a lot of pain right there, bite and I mean take
pieces with you... go for the face and neck if they are on top of you and sink your
teeth in, a knife (small) used for slashing not stabbing.... the bloodier it is the
more likely they are to break off the attack.

He covered up early and they saw weakness.

"If a girl thinks she's a guy, and tries to fight me like she's one, she loses her 'don't hit a girl' priveleges".

Yup.... was told somthing along that a long time ago by an old friend. "If she can stand like a man she can fall like a woman".