Fight like a .... coward?

[BiscuitTrouser]

So today i was robbed. Yay. In fact less than 30 mins ago i was robbed. Just made it home. In all fairness i only lost 10 pounds, I kept my very visible bike and phone, hell i wasnt even threatened with a weapon or even with threats of harm. But somehow he walked off with my 10 quid... it didnt go ANYTHING like i imagined being robbed would be like. Even everything he did (yep robbed by a single guy while on a bike, he stepped out and made me swerve off to stop me) was really odd and caught me off guard. All those casual daydreams in which you fight them off or leg it and tell a heroic tale were pretty much worth jack shit.

And it made me think. Ive seen this websites responses a few times "Id fight 40 men with krav maga and live to tell the tale as a true ninja" in regard to pretty much any scenario such as mine.

I want this guy punished, but i have no details other than "black, a bit taller than me, black jacket". The injustice makes me feel... that horrible feeling when something jarring and suddenly crap happens to you. You know the feeling.

Have you ever been robbed? And honestly. HONESTLY. In any situation like mine, without even a visible weapon, any threats and no number advantage would you fight a man slightly taller than you one on one for 10 pounds? Was what i did cowardly? I honestly dont know what to think here. Im not angry at all about the 10 pounds, more about the outrage of what happened. Im 17. I guess hes about 20-25.

EDIT: Running not really an option, on the bike i can go forward into him pretty lightly or backward slowly as hell. Or make an awkward turn. And i was not gonna leave my bike.

EDIT2: I know ill fight damn hard to protect things i love. I know it, scroll down if you really want an example. It isnt pretty. But i know that because of that, im not a coward. I wont fight for 10 quid. But ill fight to save things i know to be worthwhile. Like people. Im proud of my decision. I stand by it. I let that guy have ten quid and i walked home with bike, phone, and life all in hand. I couldnt give less of a shit about 10 quid if im honest. Im fine with what i did now the initial shock is gone. I dont care what you call a coward.

TLDR: A coward is someone who is scared, but knows to face is fear is the right thing to do, and flees anyway. Keeping 10 quid isnt important. It doesnt really matter, i know id face my fear if it was for something truly worth fighting for. Id risk my life for the people i love. But not for 10 quid. Anything else is just idiotic.

Please note NO VISIBLE WEAPON doesnt equate to NO WEAPON nor does NO MENTIONED WEAPON equate to NO WEAPON.

 

[Colour Scientist]

You did the right thing. It's probably not the most valiant or brave response in the world but it's not stupid either.
It's terrible that he got away with it and I know it's not right to say it was just 10 pounds because it was still your money but it could have been a whole lot worse.

You must have been pretty shaken.

 

[somersetsaxon]

Where were you? Was there any chance you might have been on camera, or that the guy may have immediately come from, or gone into an area where he might have been picked up?
I wouldn't say you were cowardly, there's no telling what he might have done. Would a tenner really have been worth what he may have done to you?

 

[MorsePacific]

Not going to lie, if I was being robbed I'd do the same damn thing. No point in fighting over ten bucks.

Fighting just isn't a great idea in general.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

Where were you? Was there any chance you might have been on camera, or that the guy may have immediately come from, or gone into an area where he might have been picked up?
I wouldn't say you were cowardly, there's no telling what he might have done. Would a tenner really have been worth what he may have done to you?

This is cemetery junction UK, its pretty much rife with drug dens and crime. If i told the police i was robbed there i think they would laugh at me.

 

[FalloutJack]

No, I haven't been robbed.

And I am...very confused. How were you robbed without coersion? You see, people sometimes ask me for money - for whatever reason - but that's not robbery. I can say no. You...can't have been robbed if the guy didn't do anything akin to a robbery. There's a line between that and donation, and I think you more or less donated.

 

[PatrickXD]

General rule of thumb, I find, is that you have no way of telling whether or not the other guy on the street is capable of kicking the shit out of you.
So if he's gonna rob you, you're life is worth more than a thousand mobile phones or wallets etc.

 

[Grabbin Keelz]

Kinda, I remember walking through a city neighborhood. These two guys said something to me from across the street, but I just kept walking faster and they laughed when I did. I think they were actually trying to spook me for giggles. Maybe this guy was so used to people being afraid of him that he knew he didn't even need to draw a weapon.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

No, I haven't been robbed.

And I am...very confused. How were you robbed without coersion? You see, people sometimes ask me for money - for whatever reason - but that's not robbery. I can say no. You...can't have been robbed if the guy didn't do anything akin to a robbery. There's a line between that and donation, and I think you more or less donated.

He got irate, and blocking my path, demanded money, he asked me to turn out my pockets also. When he saw my phone and money he said to give him the money. I didnt want him to just take em both so i handed the money over over. He also wouldnt let me go for a bit after, literally standing so my bike couldnt go anywhere but backwards slowly until i convinced him a tissue wasnt another note.

This is also a very bad place to be at night. I honestly dont think somewhere so rife with drug crime someone would do that unless they had the desperation to fight for it. He even wanted small change and 5p's. I figured if i didnt do it he might flip out and then start threatening. I was a bit shocked. Kinda crap not being sure if a crime was even commited lol. But no.

 

[Lord Beautiful]

I've never been robbed before. However, being very critical of myself and therefore capable of making this judgement, I'd probably fight him, assuming he threw the first punch/stab and, in the case of a punch, landed it (I'd have to let it land if I wanted any hope of winning against him in a lawsuit). If he had a gun, however, he'd have to be close enough for me to get within arm's length after a single step. Otherwise, robbed I would be.

Height and weight doesn't affect the equation. Hell, it may very well be easier to take on someone of fairly greater weight and height seeing as my fighting methods are based around redirecting momentum.

As for the issue of cowardice, I don't think you're a coward for letting him take your ten pounds. If you don't know your limits as a fighter, or you know that you aren't one at all, it's entirely intelligent to let him rob you and call the cops afterwards. Even if you are a figther, there's still no shame in it. It's smart. I'm just too bullheaded to take that sort of treatment.

 

[bjj hero]

Ive not been robbed but you did the right thing. Whether I would have done the right thing I'm not so sure. I hope you are ok.

What I would say is report it to the police. Even if they cannot find the guy they use stats to decide where they need police presence and next time it could be a 14 year old girl whos robbed.

I'm glad you were not hurt.

The closest I ever got was when I was waiting for a bus and I saw a group of 5 men approach a young girl on a bench. They seemed drunk. They made a few comments about her then asked her her name and she was visibly scared. She said she didnt want to tell them and one of the men sat next to her really close.

I shit myself, much as I've been training for over a decade 5 men, some with glass bottles, can kill you. I went over and cleared my throat loudly, stood over the guy and girls shoulder on the bench. He looked up and I got ready for a good hiding. At which point he said "Sorry mate" and they all left. I must look lore intimidating in a hoody.

I was scared to death but I couldn't live with myself if I'd later heard that something had happened to her. For £10 though? Thats not worth a trip to hospital.

 

[JWRosser]

A tenner isn't anything to potentially risk an injury...maybe even your life, for.

There's no shame in running or succumbing in a situation like that. As for me, I don't know what I would do - I guess you don't really know until (if) it happens.

 

[John the Gamer]

You took the smart option. Life is worth more then 10 pounds (for most people anyways, as many nations have national debts so high they almost have to start selling citizens into slavery (looking at the US and the republican inability to cut on the budget and care for their voters))

But yeah, you chose certain survival over possible injury which is the natural option as an injury can cripple your ability to survive and hunt and all that. So you've shown yourself to be wise enough to respect your gut and get to live another day.

Yay for you.

Just realize how lucky you were to meet a 'nice' highwayman.

 

[otakon17]

Came close to it once. Had to work late, didn't have a car so I used the bus service to get there and back home. Friend was supposed to come and get me, he didn't show up until 1 am or so. Skin head looking bugger carrying a pack of beer gets right up into my face, not even a inch away and says "Gimme your fucking money!". I froze, locking my gaze with his trying not to show any emotion. Then, about 5 seconds later he walked off. I immediately went to the best lit place in the area, and found myself a big damn stick in case he came back with friends to further fuck with me as it were. My ride showed up soon afterwards without another incident like that to note. I'll be first to admit, I am not a fighter in any sense of the word. I can take a licking, I'm built for it. Though, if I saw someone else in physical danger like that, I'd probably jump in despite rational thought. After calling the cops of course.

 

[TonyVonTonyus]

I was robbed once. Six men with knives jumped me and I still fought...i got my ass kicked but I still fought, why? Because I'd rather go through life knowing I fought and failed than wondering if I could have won. Also I'd rather die than run ( and yes, I know someone is eventually going to say "your an idiot because so and so" or something to that effect, well...good for you for believing that, I believe there is a special circle of hell reserved for cowards.(there's a difference between being scared and being a coward. Being scared is when someone holds a gun to you and asks to give him your money. Being a coward is that same guy without a gun who asks you to give him all your money, prompting you to comply and run))

 

[Tonythion]

Never been robbed face to face. I've come home to find all my appliances missing though...horrible day.

But you did the right thing. If he only wanted the ten pounds (when I first read this I was confused because I'm American haha) then I would have give it to him. No use in him getting angry taking everything I had and possibly risk him beating me up, especially if he is bigger.

Ahh wait I have been taunted and followed though. I was like 14 and walking home with my cello when some guys around 16 years old started harassing me and following me. I just kept walking not saying anything.

Then some guy I know from the Deli saw me--he's pretty big around 5'9 or 6 foot stepped out from the deli wiping blood onto his apron and asked who my friends where. They left and I got a chocolate bar.

 

[otakon17]

Came close to it once. Had to work late, didn't have a car so I used the bus service to get there and back home. Friend was supposed to come and get me, he didn't show up until 1 am or so. Skin head looking bugger carrying a pack of beer gets right up into my face, not even a inch away and says "Gimme your fucking money!". I froze, locking my gaze with his trying not to show any emotion. Then, about 5 seconds later he walked off. I immediately went to the best lit place in the area, and found myself a big damn stick in case he came back with friends to further fuck with me as it were. My ride showed up soon afterwards without another incident like that to note. I'll be first to admit, I am not a fighter in any sense of the word. I can take a licking, I'm built for it. Though, if I saw someone else in physical danger like that, I'd probably jump in despite rational thought. After calling the cops of course.

EDIT: Damn computer, didn't mean to double post.

 

[Frankie Villanueva]

I don't wanna sound like a dick but, you bitched out. You gave a slightly taller, black man, with no visible weapon, your money because you were afraid of him. You kinda had it coming if you don't have the guts to stand up for yourself.

 

[Craorach]

It sounds horrible, but you did the right thing.

There is only one item I own which I might fight for, and that's my wedding ring.

Stuff is, generally, utterly unimportant.