Situational Awareness

[Kung Fu Wang]

Is avoiding a snake bite considered by you guys to be self defense? If that's the case, what isn't self defense?

When people talk about "situational awareness", are they talking about:

- Avoid trouble, or
- Afraid of facing trouble?

I just killed a snake in my bath tub the other day. To avoid trouble, I could let that snake to move freely inside my house. To face the problem, I have to kill it so it won't hurt my 2 lb Yorkie.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

When people talk about "situational awareness", are they talking about:

- Avoid trouble, or
- Afraid of facing trouble?

I just killed a snake in my bath tub the other day. To avoid trouble, I could let that snake to move freely inside my house. To face the problem, I have to kill it so it won't hurt my 2 lb Yorkie.

That second one sounds like avoiding trouble.

 

[drop bear]

I don't think it's paranoia to sit with your back to the wall. It should just be a habit you have. I agree that you shouldn't be in a place that doing so is absolutely necessary. However, you are missing one of the important reasons we study martial arts... to be prepared.

You see, even a man at church could benefit from setting up like this, for even there snakes can come.

Situational awareness is a habit we should take everywhere. Even those who typically rest at the blind level exercise some level of awareness around dangerous places.

If we are aware even in the peaceful places, then we have the ability to help keep those places peaceful.

Back to the wall is about the least likely method of situational awareness to actually work?

 

[Taipan]

Back to the wall is about the least likely method of situational awareness to actually work?

It just a habit that helps you see what's going on around you. No one thing is the golden key to situational awareness. They just help.

You know what's even better?

Keep your face out of your freak'n phone in public.

As for everyone having their backs to the wall being awkward...

It'll never happen. It is simply an advantage when the treat comes, and so is knowing martial arts but not everyone takes them up.

 

[hoshin1600]

I think most chat about situational awareness is lip service. I dont think there are many people who even know what they are looking for..if they are looking at all.
I would guess someone like @drop bear in a bar setting can see the situation developing long before,, while everyone else is completely unaware.

 

[Balrog]

Can situational awareness be taught? How?
I know mine is mostly fear of the other shoe dropping, paranoia, so to speak.
Not the best reason to know who is around me and what is happening in the vicinity, but, it has worked so far...

Seriously, how do you teach someone to be aware of their environment (Put, your hand down, Gore, we weren't talking about that!) without just instilling a sense of impending doom?

I used to teach it by telling the students to play a game. Get a partner and go to the mall. Sit and watch the people. Point out to each other who potential victims were if you were going to mug someone.

That simple act of observation grows and you find yourself watching everyone and identifying them as victim, neutral or threat. It's nothing overt like giving them an eagle glare, it's just actually seeing what you look at.

And put the phone away!!! You can't see the world if you're staring at that damn phone!

 

[Urban Trekker]

I think most chat about situational awareness is lip service. I dont think there are many people who even know what they are looking for..if they are looking at all.

Some of it requires training. Sometimes, people will come up with things on their own based on certain observations. As a matter of fact, I recently did so myself. About two weeks ago, I was at the gas station filling up. I normally lock the grip so that it can pump hands free. That particular day, I was standing behind the hose as it was pumping.

As the gas was pumping, I noticed a few guys in front of the store getting loud and belligerent.

What if something happened, and I needed jump in the car and speed off? In that situation, I would have to remove the hose or step over it. And either the the gas will keep pumping after I'm gone (costing me serious money and causing a major fire hazzard), or spend the valuable one or two seconds that could make the difference, and click off the handle and put it back. Or, I could walk around the car to avoid the hose, but this would give up the cover that the vehicle provides. And probably take longer than removing or stepping over the hose.

Luckily, nothing happened.

But from then on, I will never pump gas hands-free again. And I will always stand in
front of the hose, so that I have clear and obstacle-free access to the door to get in.

 

[jobo]

Some of it requires training. Sometimes, people will come up with things on their own based on certain observations. As a matter of fact, I recently did so myself. About two weeks ago, I was at the gas station filling up. I normally lock the grip so that it can pump hands free. That particular day, I was standing behind the hose as it was pumping.

As the gas was pumping, I noticed a few guys in front of the store getting loud and belligerent.

What if something happened, and I needed jump in the car and speed off? In that situation, I would have to remove the hose or step over it. And either the the gas will keep pumping after I'm gone (costing me serious money and causing a major fire hazzard), or spend the valuable one or two seconds that could make the difference, and click off the handle and put it back. Or, I could walk around the car to avoid the hose, but this would give up the cover that the vehicle provides. And probably take longer than removing or stepping over the hose.

Luckily, nothing happened.

But from then on, I will never pump gas hands-free again. And I will always stand in
front of the hose, so that I have clear and obstacle-free access to the door to get in.

why didnt you just stop pumping gas and leave before anything happened, that's real situation awareness

 

[Urban Trekker]

why didnt you just stop pumping gas and leave before anything happened, that's real situation awareness

That's what I was trying to do. However, I was stuck deciding how I should get to the driver car door. Things actually died down rather quickly (or maybe I quickly realized that I was misjudging what was actually going on), before I could decide what to do.

I now know what I would do in the future. It's a learning experience.

 

[drop bear]

Some of it requires training. Sometimes, people will come up with things on their own based on certain observations. As a matter of fact, I recently did so myself. About two weeks ago, I was at the gas station filling up. I normally lock the grip so that it can pump hands free. That particular day, I was standing behind the hose as it was pumping.

As the gas was pumping, I noticed a few guys in front of the store getting loud and belligerent.

What if something happened, and I needed jump in the car and speed off? In that situation, I would have to remove the hose or step over it. And either the the gas will keep pumping after I'm gone (costing me serious money and causing a major fire hazzard), or spend the valuable one or two seconds that could make the difference, and click off the handle and put it back. Or, I could walk around the car to avoid the hose, but this would give up the cover that the vehicle provides. And probably take longer than removing or stepping over the hose.

Luckily, nothing happened.

But from then on, I will never pump gas hands-free again. And I will always stand in
front of the hose, so that I have clear and obstacle-free access to the door to get in.

We literally don't have the option to leave it running.

More to do with an explosive liquid left unattended that situational awareness.

 

[Urban Trekker]

We literally don't have the option to leave it running.

More to do with an explosive liquid left unattended that situational awareness.

Right, I know that I would be held fully liable for it. And even if that wasn't the case, it's still the wrong thing to do because of the other innocent bystanders. That's why all of those thoughts were running through my head.

This is also why I will now pump gas in a manner that will allow me to quickly stop pumping and get in the car.

 

[drop bear]

Right, I know that I would be held fully liable for it. And even if that wasn't the case, it's still the wrong thing to do because of the other innocent bystanders. That's why all of those thoughts were running through my head.

This is also why I will now pump gas in a manner that will allow me to quickly stop pumping and get in the car.

You should also stop the car, roll down the windows a crack and have a good look before you commit yourself to getting out of the car.

People do get bashed and robbed at servos.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

You should also stop the car, roll down the windows a crack and have a good look before you commit yourself to getting out of the car.

People do get bashed and robbed at servos.

A: My dear! It's dangerous to jog in the Central Park. People get robbed all the time there.
B: Sweetheart! I'm a big short on cash today.

 

[drop bear]

A: My dear! It's dangerous to jog in the Central Park. People get robbed all the time there.
B: Sweetheart! I'm a big short on cash today.

 

[Urban Trekker]

You should also stop the car, roll down the windows a crack and have a good look before you commit yourself to getting out of the car.

People do get bashed and robbed at servos.

That part goes without saying. I already do this to check for panhandlers in front of the store, and I try to go gas stations where the cashier is paid through a small booth when possible.

Another thing that I learned last night is that the more spacious the lot, the better. Particular if the entrances and exits are wider. That way people entering the lot will be less likely to stop you from being able to get out.