Self defence on rides

[Wyatt Earp]

Radman....if you feed it, it will grow.

Is that why you came back for more scarps, pappa se honger varkie.

[SimpleDom]

What about self defence on a forum about riding?

[Fabian46]

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/138216-self-defense/

[BoerBiker]

Anyways, I mostly ride alone very early in the morning on gravel roads close to town. It's dangerous I know, but what you gonna do.

 

My wife got me combo kit which included a can of mace small enough to fit in my back shirt pocket as well as a telescopic baton (similiar to pic) with a nifty pouch that fits snugly on a bike frame with some straps to go around the seatpost and top frame.

 

Obviously, never take your chances with an armed perp, but for dogs and knife carrying bozo's it would do the job nicely, just flicking that thing out would be enough for the perp to see this is a fight he's going to loose. I can find out where she got it and what it cost if anyone's interested.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p24/Jjmaritz/o_freeship-23in-carbon-extendable-baton-telescopic-stick-c44a_zps3f1bbaa9.jpg

[Skylark]

Those telescopic batons are great, allows you to stay relatively out of harms way and still have enough reach to land a incapacitating blow, they break bones very easily, especially good if the guy has some kind of knife. Only the well made ones are any good though and they cost around R1000, still decent value for money as they could potential last a few decades if looked after.

[BoerBiker]

 

[BoerBiker]

Those telescopic batons are great, allows you to stay relatively out of harms way and still have enough reach to land a incapacitating blow, they break bones very easily, especially good if the guy has some kind of knife. Only the well made ones are any good though and they cost around R1000, still decent value for money as they could potential last a few decades if looked after.

I understand completely that you get what you pay for, some of these telescopic batons are very expensive....but when you're not going to take on a band of ninja's anytime soon a R400 baton should suffice. They are well made and will probably outlast your bike....or atleast 2 sets of tyres ;-)

[Skylark]

I understand completely that you get what you pay for, some of these telescopic batons are very expensive....but when you're not going to take on a band of ninja's anytime soon a R400 baton should suffice. They are well made and will probably outlast your bike....or atleast 2 sets of tyres ;-)

Sorry man those R400 batons are worthless waste of money pieces of chit. Drop them once at the wrong angle and they bend/deform/don't flick out and lock or won't retract etc. They also don't lock consistently, trying to defend yourself in a pressured situation you don't want to be be flicking your baton in and out trying to make it lock.

 

You can get the entry level security guard ASP baton for around R900, anything less than that is a waste of money. They need to be made from hardened steel and the machining needs to of a high quality for them to work correctly.

[Wyatt Earp]

Interesting.

 

So JJ, you commented how this thread turned in to a this versus that.

Now it's about the KeyboardNinjawithBaton versus Bike Thief.

 

What a joke, first you advocate giving up and not acting the hero to now being a vigilante with a lucky packet baton.

 

This is cool, interesting and rather amusing.

 

"Give me your bike"

 

JJ :No Mr. Bike thief, my wife bought me a starter pack and I am going to take you on .

 

"With what"

 

JJ :This baton in this nice pouch, just give me a few seconds to get it out first..............OK, I have it now, you better stand back.

 

"Why"

 

JJ :This baton allows me enough reach to land an incapacitating blow ,it also breaks bones. (I read it somewhere)

 

"No problem, let's see if you can dodge this bullet"

[GlockG4]

Guy if someone is going to take your bike from you he is going to do so or try with some form of weapon, he is not going to ask you nicely. I am not saying that everyone should get a firearm, but if you plan on carrying some form of weapon be it a batton or pepper spray please make damm sure it works properly. If you decide there is no alternative to fighting back you sure as **** dont want your equipment to fail you mid attack, because the the badguy WILL try and take your life and bike and will most probably be successful.

[Nayr]

IMO if you're going to carry a weapon of any sorts you need to have some form of training with how to use it, there are techniques for using a telescopic baton, it's not a 'swing hard and hope for hell' device. If for some reason you get disarmed you have to understand that you're going to be in for a hell of an unpleasant experience and possibly worse off than if you didn't have it in the first place.

 

If you want to really learn how to protect yourself go and do some research on Krav Maga, it's used in many special forces training programs because of the quicker learning time and direct approach and is more of an 'urban' form of combat. The more traditional forms are awesome, but like others have mentioned, take years of muscle memory training to become ingrained. 

[Wyatt Earp]

 

 

If you want to really learn how to protect yourself go and do some research on Krav Maga, it's used in many special forces training programs because of the quicker learning time and direct approach and is more of an 'urban' form of combat. The more traditional forms are awesome, but like others have mentioned, take years of muscle memory training to become ingrained. 

Even this will take many years of training, your perpetrator is not a willing subject out on the field.

[BoerBiker]

I understand that we live in dangerous times and things might happen when you least expect it. There are no guarantees, doesn't matter if you're Bruce Mohammed Alee....you can prepare for a situation as best you can and things can still turn out differently. I'll never advocate trying to kick anyone's ass just cause he wants your bike, give him the bike and hope nothing further happens. The reason I carry a baton is because I ride in areas where dogs own the gravel roads and you get chased by a bunch more than often, some of them are slow and some of them really gets you training your sprints extremely well. It gives good reach and will give you a chance and the handy bike mount pouch makes it easy to take it out fairly quickly. I carry a baton when I walk my dog, because someone might just open their gate when you walk by and their Rottweiler might attack your pet. I carry a baton when I jog, because I'm not sure I can outrun a dog and it adds about 500grams in my hands for a bit more of a workout. i carry a baton, because I have 2 boys at home and wife that always reminds me to do everything possible when I go out to train to come home safely. i carry a baton because I dont want to carry a black belt and a flack jacket with every known weapon I can think of.

 

You do what YOU have to do.

[Wyatt Earp]

http://i.imgur.com/YBjU0gq.jpg

[Nayr]

Even this will take many years of training, your perpetrator is not a willing subject out on the field.

100% agreed, and I think that's exactly the point, if you're not competent in a discipline or even some form of weapons training...hand over the bike and run!

[Fabian46]

If you guys took the time to have a look at the other thread...you would've saved yourselves a ton of pointless commenting. 

 

A couple of self defense classes WILL NOT help you in a serious situation with armed assailants. Carrying a firearm on a group ride can put everyone in danger if you are dispossessed or start firing and the assailants fire back into the group. 

 

Klaar...there is no solution...there is no right answer. Lets move on. 

 

Lets be vigilant, pick our riding  spots wisely...and just enjoy the ride.