2021-040 | SITUATIONAL AWARENESS & A FREE HAND

OUTSMARTING THE STREET SMART: Not all people react quickly to a very fluid situation, especially of a direct threat harboring on life and death, but if your hands are empty, you have a better chance than of someone holding something that has nothing to offer for self-defense. Keep your hands free or, at least, one of your hands, especially the strong hand or the ones you trained to hold a weapon.

 

First seen in Facebook

December 12, 2019

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An attacker studies his target carefully before he proceeds with his purpose and the first thing he would like know is the individual’s favored hand. It would be easy for him to know judging by the location of a wristwatch or a bracelet and the preference of a hand that hold or use things. In short, the body language of a person will tell him. 

To avoid being profiled, deception is very important in your everyday life. The body language you project could change a situation quickly in your favor, if you are always alert, aware and prepared; or to them, if you are beholden to your smartphone forever. Some people are smart enough to use deception as part of their defense mechanism.

 

The idea really is to keep your attacker overly guessing the wrong avenue of attack with yourself having a free hand or hands that could react quickly to a sudden threat. While it may be empty, it could grab something for defense or for a counterattack. It could also immediately parry an attack or use it to offset the aggressor’s weight and force.

For a law-abiding citizen, it is not possible nor do we enjoy that privilege of carrying a weapon in public on foot. Not here in the Philippines. Maybe inside your car and that is it. The most you could do is carry an umbrella or hold a glass bottle which could already be comforting. Carrying a folding knife in stealth may have its good use but it also limits your freedom of movement.

 

Learn to drink then in public with the weak hand holding a bottle or a glass. Learn to eat in public with the weak hand holding the spoon while leaving the fork unused. Learn to sing in public with the microphone in your weak hand. Learn to open doors in full view with the weak hand. Make an observer believe you are left-handed or otherwise. 

That goes so too where you would wear a wristwatch or place things that say you are either a lefty or an orthodox. These are small things that do not need a big overhaul of your appearance nor entail a big expense. But these small practices may well give you a few seconds of thought processing, if this is now part of your mindset, to react to an attack.

To a law enforcement officer, an empty strong hand is one sure way of keeping himself alive day after day. When I was with the force, I made it sure that my gunhand is free all the time. I make it sure that I am seen using the other hand, to include eating, while the strong hand ever so close to my weapon for a very short trip to a quick draw.

Presently, as an aging civilian, I do not have the privilege of owning nor the carrying of a firearm, but this mindset of outward deception developed through the years, is now more useful than ever. That is my only advantage – a few seconds – but it is enough for me. Should the element of surprise fail because of the deception, at least, I have another chance of staving off the next stage.    

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WARRIOR PILGRIMAGE BLOG is not just about the Outdoors and Bushcraft. It also encompasses Urban Survival, because providing information on Safety and Security is its paramount obligation to an individual living and travelling in a constantly-changing world. Situational Awareness is its bedrock value to yank an individual out from depending too much on technology.   

Through tutorship, experience, folk knowledge and good old common sense, this writer was able to collect useful information which he is currently documenting in a training syllabus titled, URBAN SUBURBAN SURVIVAL BASICS. He shares some of this information and knowledge in his training sessions; in his social-media account; and in this blog.

Photo Nr 1 credits Cultivated Culture.

Photos Nr 2 and 3 credits Town & Country Magazine.