You are safer without a knife

[Rhyfelwyr]

Why on earth do you start a thread complaining about a study if you agree with said study...?

I am agreeing that if you can trust yourself to be responsible then having a weapon as a last resort would be no bad thing. Because if you are facing a group attacking you for the sake of attacking you, then the situation can develop in a way that leaves you with a few options:

1. Run - if its works, great. If not, then you are stuck with step 2
2. Stand your ground (without weapon in hand) - if it works, both sides can back off, if not, then we will presume the other side in the aggressor. Taking you to step 3
3. Conflict - now, if they just want fisticuffs, there no need to up the odds. But if they pull out a knife and clearly make a move to use it, well then unless you are a lot stronger than them or know some fancy moves then a weapon would be useful. Plus taking out a weapon yourself may act as a deterrent, just like nations with nuclear weapons.

So its good to have something up your sleeve just in case.

[HoreTore]

I am agreeing that if you can trust yourself to be responsible then having a weapon as a last resort would be no bad thing..

But the point of it wasn't about responsible people with perfect judgment, but the general public, wasn't it? And since very few people have been exposed to situations like these, it's likely that very few have the proper judgment, and hence them warning people against carrying knives, as it is false safety.

People in general are likely not to have the judgment required to know what to do, and as such carrying a knife is likely to do more damage than good.

Also, a few pints of scotch tend to seriously ruin your judgment on everything, and carrying a knife with you at such times is a genuinely bad idea.

[Rhyfelwyr]

Well I would rather have a weapon in my pocket and trust my judgement than trust in the reasoning of a group of attackers.

[Fragony]

But the point of it wasn't about responsible people with perfect judgment, but the general public, wasn't it? And since very few people have been exposed to situations like these, it's likely that very few have the proper judgment, and hence them warning people against carrying knives, as it is false safety.

If you live in a bad neighbourhood it's your daily reality having to deal with that, groups of aggresive youths, junkies, annoying drunks. Lived in a really not to bad neighbourhood in Amsterdam and when you go out on the street after dark you are bound to encounter at least one of those above and most of the time all.

[BigTex]

Funny statistics, I carry 3 around with me depending on the occasion. Never been more then scratched.....

Thinking waving a sharp pointy thing around a criminals face is some how going to descalate the situation is rather moronic at best. Nope if you decide to wave a knife around in a situation as those listed you deserver to be stabbed or worse killed. Use the d*** thing and don't let them see it. If you arent prepared to use a knife or kill someone over that 30$'s in your wallet give it to them and back off. If you arent prepared for what the situation demands then don't walk yourself into that situation.

Knife's, guns, bats, daggers, sharp bottles, pointy sticks don't magically solve the situation. They escalate it and if you arent prepared to use them and reap the inevitable consequences then you shouldnt have been carrying a weapon and putting yourself into that position.

I'm going to somewhat agree with Horetore for once, somewhat. If you arent prepared to kill the person with that knife, it's best to run and not start waving it around. Or better yet throw what they want at them and run.

[Oleander Ardens]

Sasaki mentioned what I always do when I'm trekking. Carry some money, and old ID and give them the mugger so that he has the feeling that he won. He walks away with some euros and I unharmed.

I always carry a multitool or a light knife, but it is clearly ment for work. I don't think I would be able to stab somebody, since I never faced physical violence after I became large and quite trained and don't know how I would react to it.

[Samurai Waki]

In my minute experience muggers, no matter the size of the group tend to pick out the weakest looking individuals. If you look like you might be able to harm them, they'll stay away. Mostly because Muggers are cowards by instinct... thats why women, teenagers, and younger get picked out from the lot, the wolves theory, pick the weakest and mostly sickly from the herd.

[Husar]

Heh, I'm not the strongest but I've never been mugged and never been afraid to walk around the city at night either, I'm simply not afraid and perhaps I developed a "leave me alone and I'll leave you alone"- face over the years for different reasons. There were someo people who stopped me in a verbally violent way over the years but for some reason I always got out unharmed without running or dragging a weapon but it all happened when I was younger than 15 and it was never about money. the strangest thing were two littles kids asking me whether I would think I could fight them and subsequently trying to get me to fight them while I was waiting for a bus. That was pretty weird but I thought either they're stupid or they have a plan involving their big brothers' gang.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I'm going to somewhat agree with Horetore for once, somewhat. If you arent prepared to kill the person with that knife, it's best to run and not start waving it around. Or better yet throw what they want at them and run.

For sure, I actually agree. If worst comes to worst, use it. Otherwise, give them what they want. Think about if you want to incapacitate the mugger over what you have in your wallet. If yes, then do so quickly. If not, give them what you have.