[tubercle]

...I'm not worried about "knife fighting" ... if you come at me with a knife I'll take it away and/or break your arm and/or proceed to punch the f*@% out of you...

 You'll have to break my arm with one hand. The other will be occupied trying to stop the blood from leaking out of that bullet hole. I'm too old to fight anymore.

Thankfully for me I have not found a situation I could not talk my way out of in a long, long time. The last thing I want to do is get into a fight. My face looks really good just the way it is without another broken nose and I'm way too pretty to end up in prison.

  Me too. I had just rather walk away and let it go. This was not pointed to anyone in particular but to illustrate that as the older I get, the less crap I'm inclined to put up with, especially when pushed. I had rather you just let me go home and have a beer; I wish no one any harm.

 As far as prison?  I really, really don't think I'm prison material

[beersk]

Sometimes though you'll be in a bar and there's that guy that goes out that night with the intention of fighting someone.  And that someone could be you.  In this case, you have to know how to control your (in my case) kung fu just enough to get the guy to think, "maybe this wasn't such a good idea".  This is why I train; in the event that some douchebag wants to start s*** and I can't talk my way out of it.  That's where the kung fu comes in.  It's not likely to happen because I'm a pretty easy going guy, but I think it's also important to know how to fight in the event that it is unavoidable.

[bonjour]

There are two rules for fighting


Rule 1.  Never ever fight, talk your way out of it, run or walk away.  Under no circumstances allow yourself to get into a fight!













Rule 2. If, and only if rule one fails (it hasn't yet), I will be the one walking away. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[redbeerman]

I have found the best way to avoid getting into a bar fight, is to avoid bars.

[nicneufeld]

+1 to bonjour.  Studious, some might say even craven avoidance of unnecessary conflict is my modus operandi.  In the gravest extreme, however, when it comes down to protecting human life (the only time I will be willing to fight), there is no fair fighting and I would utilise whatever technology is needed and in hand to ensure I likewise was the one walking away.

But to cap that somewhat somber thought with a cheery one, it's unlikely that I'll ever allow myself into a situation where courtesy (even self-effacing courtesy) can't prevent an altercation as well as there not being an opportunity to escape the situation.  (Some people have "their pride" to think of, not me!)  But that isn't to say that the most extreme situations of senseless violence are not considered and prepared for.

An affable nature and the absence of blustery ego are some of your best self-defence tools, and what's more they are free and profitable in other areas of human interaction too!  RDWHAHB!

[narvin]

In the gravest extreme, however, when it comes down to protecting human life (the only time I will be willing to fight), there is no fair fighting and I would utilise whatever technology is needed and in hand to ensure I likewise was the one walking away.

+1.  The best way to immobilize a drunk asshole at the bar is to distract him and then hit him in the head with a pint glass.

[majorvices]

I have found the best way to avoid getting into a bar fight, is to avoid bars.

I try to avoid being in a hockey game, personally.

[MrNate]

I would strenuously discourage any attempt to disarm anyone attacking with a knife unless your technique involves shooting them first.

[nicneufeld]

I would strenuously discourage any attempt to disarm anyone attacking with a knife unless your technique involves shooting them first.

Or unless your technique involves getting cut pretty badly! 

[majorvices]

This is going to sound like a Lynyrd Skynyrd song but ... Years ago I had a guy pull a knife on me because I was dancing with his girl friend. Which I did not know at the time. I was pretty drunk and I calmly, but apparently quickly, took the knife out of his hand, ran it across my fingers and told him it was so dull he couldn't cut through butter (I know, too cliche) and handed it back to him. He was pretty surprised. So was I the next morning. True story. The same night I also had a chained up "junkyard" type mean-ass dog nearly take my face off as I was trying to pet it. Teeth literally inches from my face as I jerked back. He literally reached the taught end of his cchain, which was the only thing that saved me.

Thankfully I am much, much smarter now, 20 years later.