The Knockout Game – getting sucker punched when a person least expects it. Recent reports have claimed that even senior citizens and people with disabilities are being targeted as victims. A few cases have lead to death.
1.Walk With A Group. “Safety in numbers” is always a good theory especially when walking at night or at questionnable neighborhoods.
2.Don’t Text While Walking. Texts or phone calls can always wait. It’s better to be aware of your surroundings for your safety. In addition, smartphone theft has become big business. Hide your tech gadgets while walking on the streets.
3.If You See Anybody Walk Towards You, Maintain Distance. It’s better to look like you are in fear walking far away than risk getting punched. Plus, maintaining space gives you more options for a “fight or flight” response. In addition, do not assume that just because it’s an “older looking person” walking towards you, that you are safe. Pranksters can easily use make up or masks to look older. It’s always better to err on the side of safety.
4.Do Not Assume You Are Safer Because You Have A Tazer. Retrieving a tazer gun, turning it on, and operating it can take some time–which may not be fast enough to respond to a quick sucker punch. In addition, most people freeze in a panic situation before the fight or flight mechanism gets activated.
5.Always Wear Shoes Ready For Running. Having nice shoes for vanity can be useless compared to the practicality of comfortable shoes you can run for your lives with.
6.Be Ready To Use A Backpack Or A Bag For A Shield. Besides being aware of your surroundings, having some type of bag can be used as a shield or a weapon. Yet, as said before, most people freeze during conflicts. It is better to
7.Learn Self Defense Skills As Your Best Weapon. Tazers, guns, and knives can be easily stolen and used against an untrained user. Being trained in martial arts can give you hidden tools that an attacker may not easily detect. In addition, being trained in combat fighting can prepare your mind to surpass the “mental freeze” and go straight to the “fight or flight” response.
Many experienced martial artists have told of stories where they preferred to run (from a conflict) instead of fighting–because they did not want to deal with injuring someone and dealing with a crime scene. Trained fighters know the ugly situation of injuries (either from training or fighting) so many are wise enough to just walk away instead of giving in to the ego showing-off mentality.
However, in the case of the “Knockout Game”, it’s always a good idea to be prepared with martial arts self defense skills and having the option to “fight or flight”, rather than freeze and getting knocked-out.
Brilliant Christians 