Do You Carry A Weapon?

[Tropicalevo]

Do not talk to drunks. Period.There is absolutely no point.

Crikey - that's going to be a quiet boring night when I go out with my mates! (We do tend to get tiny a bit ratarsed. )

[BigC]

Do not talk to drunks. Period.There is absolutely no point.

Crikey - that's going to be a quiet boring night when I go out with my mates! (We do tend to get tiny a bit ratarsed. )

The only way is to get myself waisted then or all makes sense

[insertmembernamehere]

So I take it that no one carries a weapon.

[Rooo]

So I take it that no one carries a weapon.

Look at this :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/571735-gun-toting-british-doctor-arrested-in-parking-dispute/page__hl__%20guns

[Tanaka]

Do not talk to drunks. Period.There is absolutely no point.

Crikey - that's going to be a quiet boring night when I go out with my mates! (We do tend to get tiny a bit ratarsed. )

I thought it would be clear to everyone that my statement meant when you are sober yourself. Obviously it was not. Anyhow, if you are drunk yourself, my point is of no value as you then have no judgement whatsoever and you cannot see how boring you are. Well, except your also drunk friends think you are hilarious. Figures.

[samuijimmy]

So I take it that no one carries a weapon.

I would say NO!

Perhaps we should have a Poll? but somehow, I think that won't produce much in the "yes" column!

Seeing world news at the latest incident in Colorado and a year since the Norway gun spree, I think the world would be a much better place without guns!

[transam]

So I take it that no one carries a weapon.

I would say NO!

Perhaps we should have a Poll? but somehow, I think that won't produce much in the "yes" column!

Seeing world news at the latest incident in Colorado and a year since the Norway gun spree, I think the world would be a much better place without guns!

Tooooooooo many guns out there. Never fix the problem.

[Tropicalevo]

Do not talk to drunks. Period.There is absolutely no point.

Crikey - that's going to be a quiet boring night when I go out with my mates! (We do tend to get tiny a bit ratarsed. )

I thought it would be clear to everyone that my statement meant when you are sober yourself. Obviously it was not. Anyhow, if you are drunk yourself, my point is of no value as you then have no judgement whatsoever and you cannot see how boring you are. Well, except your also drunk friends think you are hilarious. Figures.

Tanaka - please do not take my comment seriously - it was just meant as a bit of fun . My small attempt to lighten up a thread that was becoming a bit heavy with 'guns,knives and whatever'!

[NoshowJones]

I want to point out a common misconception.

Most Thais are "normal" people and do not have the backing of friends or associates who are either "mafia" or would be willing to possibly go to jail to support the moronic actions of a fellow Thai. There is a romanticized angle that every Thai, man or woman, has "friends" who will come and take revenge if you have any tussle with them. If I am wronged by a Thai, or even if I am in the wrong, most Thais would think at least twice before getting involved in a petty incident to "even the score" for someone else. Thai people know about Thai jails too, you know.

I have always heard this bulllshit about, "I have a friend in the police" or "I know someone who blah blah blah will get you if you don't behave." The vast majority of Thais are working stiffs who have no hit man connections.

Of course, if you screw with some Thai in a bar, you're asking for a dogpile. Likewise, if you get in an accident that does not involve assault or battery, you're likely to see other Thais trying to cash in.

Having said that, you may still have to deal with the perpetrator. The guy who went postal on me knows what I look like and the bike I drive. Samui is not big, particularly as he was coming out of Lamai, which would mean he probably lives in my neck of the woods. I'm not carrying a weapon, at least not now, but there is a decent argument for being prepared for the worst case self defense scenario.

When I lived in the UK, I always carried a hammer in my car and I would have used it if I felt threatened and there was no witnesses. In the 7 years I have lived in Thailand, I have never felt threatened in any way, so no weapons.

[John 1]

I want to point out a common misconception.

Most Thais are "normal" people and do not have the backing of friends or associates who are either "mafia" or would be willing to possibly go to jail to support the moronic actions of a fellow Thai. There is a romanticized angle that every Thai, man or woman, has "friends" who will come and take revenge if you have any tussle with them. If I am wronged by a Thai, or even if I am in the wrong, most Thais would think at least twice before getting involved in a petty incident to "even the score" for someone else. Thai people know about Thai jails too, you know.

I have always heard this bulllshit about, "I have a friend in the police" or "I know someone who blah blah blah will get you if you don't behave." The vast majority of Thais are working stiffs who have no hit man connections.

Of course, if you screw with some Thai in a bar, you're asking for a dogpile. Likewise, if you get in an accident that does not involve assault or battery, you're likely to see other Thais trying to cash in.

Having said that, you may still have to deal with the perpetrator. The guy who went postal on me knows what I look like and the bike I drive. Samui is not big, particularly as he was coming out of Lamai, which would mean he probably lives in my neck of the woods. I'm not carrying a weapon, at least not now, but there is a decent argument for being prepared for the worst case self defense scenario.

When I lived in the UK, I always carried a hammer in my car and I would have used it if I felt threatened and there was no witnesses. In the 7 years I have lived in Thailand, I have never felt threatened in any way, so no weapons.

Look's like another nutter on the loose. Did you ever use the hammer.

[transam]

I want to point out a common misconception.

Most Thais are "normal" people and do not have the backing of friends or associates who are either "mafia" or would be willing to possibly go to jail to support the moronic actions of a fellow Thai. There is a romanticized angle that every Thai, man or woman, has "friends" who will come and take revenge if you have any tussle with them. If I am wronged by a Thai, or even if I am in the wrong, most Thais would think at least twice before getting involved in a petty incident to "even the score" for someone else. Thai people know about Thai jails too, you know.

I have always heard this bulllshit about, "I have a friend in the police" or "I know someone who blah blah blah will get you if you don't behave." The vast majority of Thais are working stiffs who have no hit man connections.

Of course, if you screw with some Thai in a bar, you're asking for a dogpile. Likewise, if you get in an accident that does not involve assault or battery, you're likely to see other Thais trying to cash in.

Having said that, you may still have to deal with the perpetrator. The guy who went postal on me knows what I look like and the bike I drive. Samui is not big, particularly as he was coming out of Lamai, which would mean he probably lives in my neck of the woods. I'm not carrying a weapon, at least not now, but there is a decent argument for being prepared for the worst case self defense scenario.

When I lived in the UK, I always carried a hammer in my car and I would have used it if I felt threatened and there was no witnesses. In the 7 years I have lived in Thailand, I have never felt threatened in any way, so no weapons.

If you always had a weapon for your security in UK then you should have one where ever you are in the world. You/we never know whats around the corner eh. He who dares, and all that stuff.

[thelongshoot]

my thoughts: you or an a Yamaha Mio, he is in a big Triton.

I ride motorcycles both in the USA and in Thailand (so I am not anti biker by any means), but in both places motorcycles are deemed as second class citizens. In Thailand this is especially true as the thoughts of the Thai are if you were of any importance whatsoever you would be in a car.

In Thailand, the motorcycle is expected to get the hell out of the way of cars. He probably passed you in the manner that he did because he felt you were driving too slow and blocking him from passing you. That's happened to me because Thai's in cars hate being behind bikes. Before he passed you were you aware that he was behind you? How long was he behind you, and were you impeding him from passing? Like were you in the middle of the lane or did you ride to the left so as to allow others to pass on the right? I surmise that that might have been where the initial problem arose. If you notice, most Thais on scooters on rides towards the left on highways (or any non-city road) almost in the dirt on the side of the road. Let's face it, what you are on is not a real powerful bike, and cannot outrun a Triton and he was moving significantly faster than you are. Thais expect bikes to get out of the way and not block a faster moving car as it tries to pass. I have a 400cc in Thailand and a literbike in the USA. Both of them are capable of keeping up with or outrunning most cars. Unless you are riding faster or are able to keep pace with the speed, stay to the left to avoid problems. If he passed you "within a whisper" he may have been trying to send you the message of "you were in the middle of the lane and I have been stuck behind you and you are not faster than me". I have not had a problem with Thais behind me getting mad at me on a big bike going at speed. If I am on a scooter or little 150cc jobbie, I get honked at. On a mio, someone behind you may get upset. Just my thoughts.

Really well summed up. I agree with every word. I have a car and a bike and when i am riding the bike I always hug the left side of the road. If I ever switch off and find myself moping along in the middle of the road it wouldnt suprise me if a car driver skimmed just past me.

To be totaly honest with ya, I do the same. If I am driving my car and someone is pissing along on a bike holding me up, I make a point of overtaking them quite closely. As submaniac said, its my way of saying "get out of the middle, you are too slow".

Of course I am not saying the OP did this but if he was in the middle, thats why it happened.

As for carrying weapons, no xxxxxx way. You are asking for trouble. If the worst come to the worst and you have absolutley no choice then go ahead and get stuck in with your fists - though I definatley would not advise this. One of the rules I live by here is never, ever, ever get into aggro with a Thai.

Edited July 24, 2012 by Rooo

[NoshowJones]

I want to point out a common misconception.

Most Thais are "normal" people and do not have the backing of friends or associates who are either "mafia" or would be willing to possibly go to jail to support the moronic actions of a fellow Thai. There is a romanticized angle that every Thai, man or woman, has "friends" who will come and take revenge if you have any tussle with them. If I am wronged by a Thai, or even if I am in the wrong, most Thais would think at least twice before getting involved in a petty incident to "even the score" for someone else. Thai people know about Thai jails too, you know.

I have always heard this bulllshit about, "I have a friend in the police" or "I know someone who blah blah blah will get you if you don't behave." The vast majority of Thais are working stiffs who have no hit man connections.

Of course, if you screw with some Thai in a bar, you're asking for a dogpile. Likewise, if you get in an accident that does not involve assault or battery, you're likely to see other Thais trying to cash in.

Having said that, you may still have to deal with the perpetrator. The guy who went postal on me knows what I look like and the bike I drive. Samui is not big, particularly as he was coming out of Lamai, which would mean he probably lives in my neck of the woods. I'm not carrying a weapon, at least not now, but there is a decent argument for being prepared for the worst case self defense scenario.

When I lived in the UK, I always carried a hammer in my car and I would have used it if I felt threatened and there was no witnesses. In the 7 years I have lived in Thailand, I have never felt threatened in any way, so no weapons.

Look's like another nutter on the loose. Did you ever use the hammer.

I'd rather be a nutter than dead.

[Moouan]

Kind of bored with this as it seems whatever anyone writes the other party does not accept it.

I know of two farangs who own licensed guns on Samui. I have even used one of them at the range. FACT.

I believe the application/registration process was a little long winded and possible required a high ranking sponsor but they both have guns. FACT.

Argue all you like, it can be done. But I am pretty sure it is not a licens to tuck it in your belt and walk around like John Wayne.

[PattayaPhom]

Kind of bored with this as it seems whatever anyone writes the other party does not accept it.

I know of two farangs who own licensed guns on Samui. I have even used one of them at the range. FACT.

I believe the application/registration process was a little long winded and possible required a high ranking sponsor but they both have guns. FACT.

Argue all you like, it can be done. But I am pretty sure it is not a licens to tuck it in your belt and walk around like John Wayne.

Yes a foreigner can own legally a licenced weapon in their name. Approx 2 months from initial interview to receiving valid licence for registered weapon.

Joe Blogs who rents 'up to me' bar' on a lease swaggering around in his Chang singlet and shorts would not be deemed suitable, apart from the fact the cheapest 9mm comes in at almost 100k and Sig etc considerably more would not be able to afford one.

[BigC]

Kind of bored with this as it seems whatever anyone writes the other party does not accept it.

I know of two farangs who own licensed guns on Samui. I have even used one of them at the range. FACT.

I believe the application/registration process was a little long winded and possible required a high ranking sponsor but they both have guns. FACT.

Argue all you like, it can be done. But I am pretty sure it is not a licens to tuck it in your belt and walk around like John Wayne.

Yes a foreigner can own legally a licenced weapon in their name. Approx 2 months from initial interview to receiving valid licence for registered weapon.

Joe Blogs who rents 'up to me' bar' on a lease swaggering around in his Chang singlet and shorts would not be deemed suitable, apart from the fact the cheapest 9mm comes in at almost 100k and Sig etc considerably more would not be able to afford one.

So do you have 1 and who signed the paper

[Rooo]

Kind of bored with this as it seems whatever anyone writes the other party does not accept it.

I know of two farangs who own licensed guns on Samui. I have even used one of them at the range. FACT.

I believe the application/registration process was a little long winded and possible required a high ranking sponsor but they both have guns. FACT.

Argue all you like, it can be done. But I am pretty sure it is not a licens to tuck it in your belt and walk around like John Wayne.

Yes a foreigner can own legally a licenced weapon in their name. Approx 2 months from initial interview to receiving valid licence for registered weapon.

Joe Blogs who rents 'up to me' bar' on a lease swaggering around in his Chang singlet and shorts would not be deemed suitable, apart from the fact the cheapest 9mm comes in at almost 100k and Sig etc considerably more would not be able to afford one.

So do you have 1 and who signed the paper

Big C, I have attached the link in a previous post. Have a read through please.

Here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/523099-bangkok-gun-shops-whats-inside-and-why-tourists-cant-buy/page__hl__%20gun%20%20shops%20%20bangkok

[BigC]

Kind of bored with this as it seems whatever anyone writes the other party does not accept it.

I know of two farangs who own licensed guns on Samui. I have even used one of them at the range. FACT.

I believe the application/registration process was a little long winded and possible required a high ranking sponsor but they both have guns. FACT.

Argue all you like, it can be done. But I am pretty sure it is not a licens to tuck it in your belt and walk around like John Wayne.

Yes a foreigner can own legally a licenced weapon in their name. Approx 2 months from initial interview to receiving valid licence for registered weapon.

Joe Blogs who rents 'up to me' bar' on a lease swaggering around in his Chang singlet and shorts would not be deemed suitable, apart from the fact the cheapest 9mm comes in at almost 100k and Sig etc considerably more would not be able to afford one.

So do you have 1 and who signed the paper

Big C, I have attached the link in a previous post. Have a read through please.

Here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/523099-bangkok-gun-shops-whats-inside-and-why-tourists-cant-buy/page__hl__%20gun%20%20shops%20%20bangkok

I have read that thanks but from what I gather that only applies to Bangkok residents

Owning a gun in Samui is not so easy

[Bpraim1]

Took a couple months for all my paperwork to go through.

Pretty easy , but I did have a couple nice signatures on my papers.

[insertmembernamehere]

To be totaly honest with ya, I do the same. If I am driving my car and someone is pissing along on a bike holding me up, I make a point of overtaking them quite closely. As submaniac said, its my way of saying "get out of the middle, you are too slow".

Of course I am not saying the OP did this but if he was in the middle, thats why it happened.

If you'd bothered to read what I posted, you'd know where I was in the lane....

So you are saying that to make a point, you will endanger a motorist because they are "pissing along on a bike holding (you) up"? So you clip him "accidentally on purpose" and witnesses come forward pointing to your obvious aggressive and dangerous behavior; you are charged with vehicular manslaughter and probably deported after being found guilty in a civil case, in which you have to pay handsomely.

Nothing personal, but this attitude and behavior seems utterly moronic. Why risk the very real possibly of losing everything you have here (not to mention injuring or killing someone for no reason)? Playing one-sided chicken with a scooter driver because they are not exactly in the part of the road where you think he ought to be? Insane.

[ydraw]

I have read that thanks but from what I gather that only applies to Bangkok residents

Owning a gun in Samui is not so easy

Why would it only apply to Bangkok residents?

Why can't you just accept that you're wrong?

[BigC]

I have read that thanks but from what I gather that only applies to Bangkok residents

Owning a gun in Samui is not so easy

Why would it only apply to Bangkok residents?

Why can't you just accept that you're wrong?

look i am not going to argue any more. if you want a gun lisence then go and get one. if not then do not. Doesn't matter what i say. i would not stop someone from trying if they get one then good for them.

I do not know everything in Thailand i am learning. I have asked laywers and high government officlas and tried to get one " in my name" but i have been warned by governm,ent officals the pros and cons. Thailand is an unpradicable place where you may think everything you are doing is legal because you get away with it infornt of the pllice many times and then sudenly you get arrested and you feel shocked.

in some small example is helmet checks once a week.

all i can say if you plkay with guns and gun laws then please be careful. i mgith be wrong the only way to find out is to try and hipe you do not get arrested cause iof ypou do then u have a head ache

good luck i am sighning out of this topic cheers

[ydraw]

I have asked laywers and high government officlas and tried to get one " in my name" but i have been warned by governm,ent officals the pros and cons.

Earlier in this thread you said it was impossible for a Farang to get a gun license. You also said it's a terrible idea to have a gun. Now you've apparently spoken to "high government officials" about getting a gun for yourself and after weighing up the pros and cons, decided it wasn't worth it.

Why you think anyone would believe a single thing you say after this performance is beyond me.

Thailand is an unpradicable place where you may think everything you are doing is legal because you get away with it infornt of the pllice many times and then sudenly you get arrested and you feel shocked.

in some small example is helmet checks once a week.

I think it's legal because I read the law that says it is. Just like I read the law that says you need to wear a helmet when riding a bike.

It's no big mystery BigC. Thailand does have laws, even if they are enforced on an irregular basis. They are written down and available to read. The fact that you like to just make things up and type them in this forum does not alter that reality.

Edited July 25, 2012 by ydraw

[Moouan]

I have read that thanks but from what I gather that only applies to Bangkok residents

Owning a gun in Samui is not so easy

Why would it only apply to Bangkok residents?

Why can't you just accept that you're wrong?

look i am not going to argue any more. if you want a gun lisence then go and get one. if not then do not. Doesn't matter what i say. i would not stop someone from trying if they get one then good for them.

I do not know everything in Thailand i am learning. I have asked laywers and high government officlas and tried to get one " in my name" but i have been warned by governm,ent officals the pros and cons. Thailand is an unpradicable place where you may think everything you are doing is legal because you get away with it infornt of the pllice many times and then sudenly you get arrested and you feel shocked.

in some small example is helmet checks once a week.

all i can say if you plkay with guns and gun laws then please be careful. i mgith be wrong the only way to find out is to try and hipe you do not get arrested cause iof ypou do then u have a head ache

good luck i am sighning out of this topic cheers

You're signing out... that's a result!

[BigC]

I have read that thanks but from what I gather that only applies to Bangkok residents

Owning a gun in Samui is not so easy

Why would it only apply to Bangkok residents?

Why can't you just accept that you're wrong?

look i am not going to argue any more. if you want a gun lisence then go and get one. if not then do not. Doesn't matter what i say. i would not stop someone from trying if they get one then good for them.

I do not know everything in Thailand i am learning. I have asked laywers and high government officlas and tried to get one " in my name" but i have been warned by governm,ent officals the pros and cons. Thailand is an unpradicable place where you may think everything you are doing is legal because you get away with it infornt of the pllice many times and then sudenly you get arrested and you feel shocked.

in some small example is helmet checks once a week.

all i can say if you plkay with guns and gun laws then please be careful. i mgith be wrong the only way to find out is to try and hipe you do not get arrested cause iof ypou do then u have a head ache

good luck i am sighning out of this topic cheers

You're signing out... that's a result!

who the hell r u what hole have u krept out of???

Just when i thought i was out they pulled me back in

i need to call the God farther to shut this nonsense down. this argument is going no where. i am trying to end it. so the answer to the arigional question is no i do not carry a weapon but for hear say if i did carry one then i would not be showing it off neither would i tell anyone so if anyone wants to try and pick afight with a random motorist maybe they have a weapon on themmaybe not but if you are in a car then at least you have some chance of driving off.

Edited July 25, 2012 by BigC

[insertmembernamehere]

You need to call the God farther than you have already called him? How far do you need to go? You mean Zao Jun, the kitchen god? Or maybe you mean goddess, as in Yifan Zhang, the cat goddess?

......You don't carry a weapon, but if you did, you would not tell anyone...so there is no way of knowing if you actually do carry a weapon or not without opening you up as in Schrödinger's BigC...

Deep, very deep....BigC has the quality of both carrying a weapon and not carrying a weapon at the same time.

[Rooo]

Carrying a concealed weapon of any kind is illegal

I have known people here in Thailand get in trouble for carrying a machete in the car under driver's seat. The car was stopped at a regular checkpoint for a search.

As to the legality of owning guns, it is all good & fine on paper, that a foreigner can own one,subject to him fulfilling all the requirements.

The worrying point is the law interpretation by other officials & what they perceive as allowed.

Same as the interpretation of visa requirements by different immigration offices / officers

I would not like to be in a possession of a firearm at a random police check , IMHO you are only asking for trouble & opening the door to an opprtunistic situation that can be exploited to the max.

If you need one, hire a security guard.

As to the OP's original question, no don't carry a weapon, it is against the law & as such the discussion in this topic about the pros & cons of carrying an illegal weapon ,is a discussion of an illegal act which is against forum rules.

So perhaps we can veer the discussion towards how to deal with people in such a situation.

[insertmembernamehere]

Try this:

Can you take care of yourself in a fist fight?

I saw a man I know a few month ago in a fist fight (meaning only using one's body as a "weapon"). He is a big man, well muscled and clearly works out. He looks like the kind of fellow you would least like to be in a fight with. The man was a foreigner, taller and thinner than him and not as physically robust.

I was very surprised to see the big, "tough-looking" guy fight with no skill or real effectiveness whatsoever (and he was stone cold sober-- he is not a drinker). The simple fact is that he had clearly had no training on how to fight. It was a startling demonstration of not judging a book by its cover.

My question is, former training or not, how do you honestly think you would fare in a fight with no other weapons besides your body and your wits?

For me, stamina would be the real problem. I am not in shape (although I am not corpulent either) and anyone who has taken on a heavy bag in the Thailand heat and humidity will attest to the sapping power of the environment. A minute or so of vigorous pugilism and I am out of breath and knackered.

Having said that, I was a sparring partner in university for kenpo karate students (I could generally hold my own up to brown belts) and have some muscle memory and technical knowledge of moves, and using my legs and feet would be second nature. I would not want to fight me, but then I also think anyone in reasonably good shape with similar or more recent training would do me in.

Other questions in the same vein are:

How dirty can you fight? What's wrong with immediately getting in close and biting off a nose? An ear? A street fight has no Queensbury Rules, does it?

If you are in a street fight, is it legal to poke someone's eye(s) out? (Or severely damage another's eye(s); it's apparently not that easy to dig out an eye barehanded.) Is this a line you cannot cross?

When do you quit if you are winning? If the other guy is on the ground and reeling, when do you stop your offensive? Break his nose, crumple his windpipe, break as many bones as you can in the rib cage, stomp and kick, rupture his gonads...do you just keep inflicting damage until you drop of exhaustion or others pull you off?

By the way, I forgot the "Personal Protection (sic) Equipment" photo:

Edited July 26, 2012 by insertmembernamehere

[necronx99]

Try this:

Can you take care of yourself in a fist fight?

I saw a man I know a few month ago in a fist fight (meaning only using one's body as a "weapon"). He is a big man, well muscled and clearly works out. He looks like the kind of fellow you would least like to be in a fight with. The man was a foreigner, taller and thinner than him and not as physically robust.

I was very surprised to see the big, "tough-looking" guy fight with no skill or real effectiveness whatsoever (and he was stone cold sober-- he is not a drinker). The simple fact is that he had clearly had no training on how to fight. It was a startling demonstration of not judging a book by its cover.

My question is, former training or not, how do you honestly think you would fare in a fight with no other weapons besides your body and your wits?

For me, stamina would be the real problem. I am not in shape (although I am not corpulent either) and anyone who has taken on a heavy bag in the Thailand heat and humidity will attest to the sapping power of the environment. A minute or so of vigorous pugilism and I am out of breath and knackered.

Having said that, I was a sparring partner in university for kenpo karate students (I could generally hold my own up to brown belts) and have some muscle memory and technical knowledge of moves, and using my legs and feet would be second nature. I would not want to fight me, but then I also think anyone in reasonably good shape with similar or more recent training would do me in.

Other questions in the same vein are:

How dirty can you fight? What's wrong with immediately getting in close and biting off a nose? An ear? A street fight has no Queensbury Rules, does it?

If you are in a street fight, is it legal to poke someone's eye(s) out? (Or severely damage another's eye(s); it's apparently not that easy to dig out an eye barehanded.) Is this a line you cannot cross?

When do you quit if you are winning? If the other guy is on the ground and reeling, when do you stop your offensive? Break his nose, crumple his windpipe, break as many bones as you can in the rib cage, stomp and kick, rupture his gonads...do you just keep inflicting damage until you drop of exhaustion or others pull you off?

By the way, I forgot the "Personal Protection (sic) Equipment" photo:

If you are fighting you should always assume you are fighting g for your life. If you are not willing to make this assumption you should be running.

If the fight goes more than 5 seconds you are doing something terribly wrong, stamina should not really be an issue. If you are not a competent striker then slip their first punch, close to body contact and use thumbs to eyes strikes to the nose bone or throat.

There are no rules when you are fighting outside of a ring and if the consequences of winning outweigh the consequences of losing you should not be fighting at all.

[Rooo]

Try this:

Can you take care of yourself in a fist fight?

I saw a man I know a few month ago in a fist fight (meaning only using one's body as a "weapon"). He is a big man, well muscled and clearly works out. He looks like the kind of fellow you would least like to be in a fight with. The man was a foreigner, taller and thinner than him and not as physically robust.

I was very surprised to see the big, "tough-looking" guy fight with no skill or real effectiveness whatsoever (and he was stone cold sober-- he is not a drinker). The simple fact is that he had clearly had no training on how to fight. It was a startling demonstration of not judging a book by its cover.

My question is, former training or not, how do you honestly think you would fare in a fight with no other weapons besides your body and your wits?

For me, stamina would be the real problem. I am not in shape (although I am not corpulent either) and anyone who has taken on a heavy bag in the Thailand heat and humidity will attest to the sapping power of the environment. A minute or so of vigorous pugilism and I am out of breath and knackered.

Having said that, I was a sparring partner in university for kenpo karate students (I could generally hold my own up to brown belts) and have some muscle memory and technical knowledge of moves, and using my legs and feet would be second nature. I would not want to fight me, but then I also think anyone in reasonably good shape with similar or more recent training would do me in.

Other questions in the same vein are:

How dirty can you fight? What's wrong with immediately getting in close and biting off a nose? An ear? A street fight has no Queensbury Rules, does it?

If you are in a street fight, is it legal to poke someone's eye(s) out? (Or severely damage another's eye(s); it's apparently not that easy to dig out an eye barehanded.) Is this a line you cannot cross?

When do you quit if you are winning? If the other guy is on the ground and reeling, when do you stop your offensive? Break his nose, crumple his windpipe, break as many bones as you can in the rib cage, stomp and kick, rupture his gonads...do you just keep inflicting damage until you drop of exhaustion or others pull you off?

By the way, I forgot the "Personal Protection (sic) Equipment" photo:

Of all the people, I can't envisage you being in a fight. But if you are , you will win. You will show them that the pen is mightier then the sword or talk them to death