Poll: When do you think you are justified in striking someone?

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King of Asgaard

Vae Victis, Woe to the Conquered
Oct 31, 2011
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Self defence, either in retaliation to a punch already thrown in my direction, or pre-emptively if I see something's about to go down.
Gender is irrelevant; male or female, whoever takes a swing at me is getting one back.
 

Lyiat

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Dec 10, 2008
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At any point where I have reasonable evidence to believe that myself or my loved ones are in immediate danger. I was taught to strike first, and strike hard.
 

Thaluikhain

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Jan 16, 2010
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Defence of self or others. Though, you don't have to wait for them to hit first, and you get to keep hitting them until they stop.
 

bjj hero

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Feb 4, 2009
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Whenever youre dealing with students...

OT, when you or someone near to you is at risk of imminent harm. If you have to resort to violence because someones using words you dont like its time to grow up.

So self defence I guess.
 

Tayh

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Apr 6, 2009
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Never.
Of course, this would only work of both sides had the same, humane mindset.
I have no idea what I'd do if it came to a fist fight between me and another person. I've never actually tried puching someone.
I'd much rather attempt to solve the issue verbally, or, if it comes to physical attacks, attempt to put them in a locked position.
Or maybe get a bit stick and use it to threaten with.
 

CCountZero

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Sep 20, 2008
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AlexWinter said:
A few months back, whilst I was living in university halls, one of my flatmates approached me, started shouting and pushed me. I didn't react so he pushed me again and then I hit him in the face after which he pushed me again and started choking me against a wall before someone could break it up.

He reported me for assault and the university made me change halls, charging me £200 and putting me straight on a final warning.

So now I'm confused. Who's right? I'd like to think I was right and I was acting in self-defence. After all this was a person that had frequently acted in a threatening manner but after getting kicked out of my flat I'm now thinking that I'm wrong...

In my opinion if anyone is being aggressive towards you then you have the right to respond with aggression because what did they think was going to happen?
From the way you describe it, it sounds like you were trying to stand your ground, by ignoring him completely, which only got him even more pissed off.

Had it been me, I'd have been trying to distance myself from the person, keeping myself ready to meet any attack. But throwing the first punch, IMO, is never a good plan unless you're backed into a corner. There's even martial arts built up around only reacting to attack.

EDIT: Although that said, the whole choking deal should have been a clear message that this guy was off his rocker. But the real question is, had you not hit him in the face, would he have kept pushing you, or starting choking you regardless?

Chances are the faculty believed that he was a dick for pushing you around, but that you caused the escalation. Or maybe they just had no idea what actually happened. That could easily be the situation.
 

Flames66

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Aug 22, 2009
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If someone were to attack me I would respond in kind. If they appear to be a threat to my life (or someone I care about) I will not stop until they are neutralized (dead, unconscious, too damaged to be a threat).

I suspect that if someone were to get me angry enough I would hit them. This hasn't happened yet so I don't know how angry I would need to be.
 

Me55enger

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Dec 16, 2008
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Hell, i'll strike a man in a fair fight...

...or if I think he's gonna start a fair fight...

...or if he bothers me...

...or if theres' a woman...

...or if I'm gettin' paid...

...mostly when I'm gettin' paid...
 

Flames66

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Aug 22, 2009
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AlexWinter said:
A few months back, whilst I was living in university halls, one of my flatmates approached me, started shouting and pushed me. I didn't react so he pushed me again and then I hit him in the face after which he pushed me again and started choking me against a wall before someone could break it up.

He reported me for assault and the university made me change halls, charging me £200 and putting me straight on a final warning.

So now I'm confused. Who's right? I'd like to think I was right and I was acting in self-defence. After all this was a person that had frequently acted in a threatening manner but after getting kicked out of my flat I'm now thinking that I'm wrong...

In my opinion if anyone is being aggressive towards you then you have the right to respond with aggression because what did they think was going to happen?
I personally would have responded by telling him firmly the first time not to push me again. If he continued I would have tried to control an arm to restrain him. Once he started choking I would not stop until he could not attack anymore.
 

Nokturos

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Nov 17, 2009
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The few times someone has provoked me persistently in a way that made it seem like they were going to attack, I told them that the moment they touched me I'd break their jaw. Only had to make good on that promise once, since that threat along with being 6'4 and heavily muscled seems like a pretty good repellent.
 

Oly J

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Nov 9, 2009
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basically, if I figure they deserve it, they say everyone's entitled to their opinion, well if my honest opinion happens to be that the person in question deserves punching, I won't feel bad about punching them, (I should stress that I am not easily provoked, most people who know me say if I think they deserve it, they probably do) but of course I would wait until such a time that I could call it self-defense.
 

Sigmund Av Volsung

Hella noided
Dec 11, 2009
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When words fail, and I mean, really FAIL.
1. You tell them to stop, they don't
2. Start shouting at them to stop, they still don't
3. Start shouting and swearing, they still don't
4. Hit them so that they stop.

^That's kind of the thing that I usually go by, though it should be noted that in order for to truly punch someone in the face, I have to be incredibly (& consistently) angry.

Aside, from that, Self-defense.
 
Jul 11, 2008
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While normally only for self defence, it's not exactly safe to wait for someone to hit first. Either explicit threats of violence or heavily implied threats of violence are also pretty good grounds for a violent response for me.

I'll generally let verbal abuse go if there's no chance of violence keeping it up for a prolonged period has provoked me to it in the past and the abusive behaviour pretty quickly stops.
 

Karhukonna

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Nov 3, 2010
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I will only attack someone to defend myself or others. If I feel that someone's wellbeing is being threatened, I will attempt to defuse the situation. Whatever the means. Ideally I won't have to act until someone else takes a silly looking swing at me, seeing as how this will give me the legal right to defend myself.

If someone is just verbally abusing me, it's easy enough to turn the tables. People who initiate insulting are pretty consistently easy to provoke themselves. Then they take the first swing, and...

Also, try some martial arts, people. Having the basic skills will help, since you won't have to cause serious injury to bring someone down. I'd recommend something with lots of grapples and holds, rather than flat out striking.
 

TheRightToArmBears

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Dec 13, 2008
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Queen Michael said:
When they're a criminal and I'm Batman.
Man, I hate it when that happens.


But really, only in self-defence (or, which has actually happened more often, to defend a friend). In all honesty, I'm too lazy to get into fights. I grew up with two older brothers, so verbal abuse really doesn't phase me at all, if I'll respond at all it'll just be giving them the finger and walking on.
 

Echopunk

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Jul 6, 2011
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When I was younger, I used to get into altercations all the time. I was actually offered a gig as a bouncer after one dust up in a club parking lot.

I went with "other" since my threshold was usually the point someone tried to put their hands on me without my permission. If someone shoved me, my response was along the lines of a wrist lock until they changed their mind. I studied martial arts, taught self defense, and was very proficient in Chin Na. All it took to end most fights was my thumb and forefinger and a few pounds of pressure.

I've also acted in self defense of others, where there was no immediate threat to my safety. There are just some things you don't stand still for, even if they aren't happening to you.

There were also a couple of occasions where I struck first, but was not the first one to actually escalate the conflict. I'm kind of glad that so many movies have taught some not so bright people to lift their shirt or flare their jacket to reveal they are carrying a gun as a means of threatening someone. Of course, I royally embarrassed myself after dropping the guy with an airway strike, and taking the gun away. Ejecting the clip was no problem, but I wasn't familiar with the model and couldn't get the slide to release. After fumbling with the thing for a bit, I just threw it at the roof of the apartment building and went about my business. Looking back, putting my prints on the weapon of someone who was willing to act like that wasn't the smartest move I could have made.