How To Deal With Gangs!
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I’m currently working in a high-crime area where I frequently come upon gangs of older teens and young twenty-something’s hanging out in a crowd on the street corner having a good time.
Sometimes that “good time” involves one of them stroking their own ego by hassling someone walking by that “doesn’t belong there”. Someone like me!
This can be a pretty scary situation when you’re in an unfamiliar area and are faced with the very real possibility of becoming an easy target for street crime.
The best advice is always to be smarter than me and don’t walk around in high crime areas. But the time may come, no matter where you are, that you find yourself in a situation where you’re going to be walking past a gang, whether real or “wannabe”, and need to know how to react.
While dealing with how to physically defend yourself in a “multiple attacker” situation is too large of a topic to deal with in the same article, here are some tips to dealing with your BEST defense…avoiding the conflict altogether:Do A Quick “Recon”
As soon as you notice a gang from a distance, don’t immediately look away in an attempt to avoid being noticed. Just as you would conduct a reconnaissance of a military target, you want to size the group up to know who and what you’re dealing with.
For example, are there any stores nearby that you can duck into if needed? What “environmental weapons” are around them that could possibly be used as weapons or obstacles if needed? Can you safely turn around and walk the other way or cross the street to avoid them?
And if there’s no other alternative but to walk past them, the most important thing I look for is whether any of them have noticed me and is motioning the others to check me out. That immediately changes the scenario!
Are You A Target?
If a gang is preoccupied with each other and don’t notice you, act preoccupied with something as well: dialing on your cell phone, fumbling through your pockets, or just look straight ahead without looking like a victim – chin up, shoulders back, stand tall – without looking like you’re auditioning for the next Superman movie.
Your goal is to exude confidence without being confrontational. Regardless of how big a gang may be, it will always be one individual that has to make the first move. That person must first decide whether you’re worth the risk of them being embarrassed in front of their friends and if you look like someone who may be a problem, they’ll most likely leave you alone.
But when you’ve been noticed and it looks like they may have sized you up as a target, this is your time to establish your ground game quick.
Eye Contact
Contrary to popular belief, it’s actually ok to make eye contact with a gang…if it’s done the right way. Looking briefly to show you recognize their presence and even giving a quick nod to one of the members should they make eye contact with you shows you’re not some “easy target” who’s so afraid of them that you’re just hoping they’ll leave you alone.
The main thing is to understand that the LAST thing a gang will put up with is disrespect. If you look at them in any way that communicates contempt, disgust, conflict, or that you’re “better than them”, then YOU’VE practically put them in a “must act” position.
Many gangs have members who’ve been arrested at one point have spent time in jail or prison. In lock up, they’ve been programmed that the very LAST thing they’ll stand for being taken from them is their RESPECT.
“R-E-S-P-E-C-T”
If the gang feels you’re disrespecting them in any way, then their most likely to feel that there’s no other option than to gain it back. And for you, that typically means the “hard way”.
Even if confronted, you want to make sure you convey respect for their status…by telling them so with something like, “Hey, I mean no disrespect at all. I’m just on my way to work and was looking your way. No problems here.” and then keep walking.
This shows them that you recognize their superiority and gives them a graceful exit that they can brag about later. Walking away after making such a definitive statement also forces them to make the next move.
99% of the time, they’ll take the “out” and feel good about themselves that they got the best of you. But if they don’t and continue to walk after you or take the confrontation to the next level, then you at least know that the danger has increased and can plan your next steps.
Beware Your Own Ego
Remember…your goal is to simply get past a gang WITHOUT confrontation. Even when they’re seeking it!
If you’re walking past a gang and they start to taunt you by making fun of you or even making sexual comments toward you or someone you’re with…IGNORE IT!
For example, if you’re a guy, you may feel the need to “defend your woman’s honor” and turn back to speak up. DON’T! You only risk your own life and the safety of your companion by taking on perhaps insurmountable odds of going up against a larger number of attackers who could possibly be armed.
This happened to me once, when I had to take my employer’s truck to Cincinnati for some specialized service. It was in the middle of one of the worst neighborhoods, and when lunch time came, I wanted something to eat. Finding that there was a Popeye’s about 3 blocks away, I decided to walk down there, since the truck was still being serviced. As I turned the corner, there stood more than a dozen gangstas about 20 feet in front of me, hanging out and doing whatever it is they do. As my skin color made it REAL obvious I didn’t belong there in the hood, every last one of them went silent and turned to look at me.
Instinctively, I decided to do what I usually do, and just brazen it out by simply acting like I knew what I was doing. I walked up with a big smile and said, “Excuse me; which way is Popeye’s?”
This brought looks of total shock, and one of them said, “It’s right up there around the corner, man.”
“Hey, thanks a lot.” I walked on by with no trouble at all, and ate a good meal. On the way back, they were still there, so I smiled again, rubbed my belly, and said, “Thanks a lot, man! That was some seriously good food!” and went on my way.
Now that was some of the best advice I’ve seen in a while about dealing with gangs. I wish I could spoon feed it to a few egomaniac martial arts instructors and suburban cops. Thanks a lot.
hi all
i have worked as a niteclub door man in london england for the last 17 years and
have had many fights with multiple opponents But more often than not you can talk your way out of it if you show respect
most important but you also need to be brazen but not to cocky or your get taken to a challenge just to see what your made of the above poster was right
and showed that he was not afraid
i have seen so many guys get beaten up when some gang member shuts out that his girlfriend is an old slag or tart .they feel compelled to cross the street and prove there honour and get a bottle smashed over there heads
no matter how humiltating it is having your girlfriend insulted its allways better to live to fight another day
cheers
peter mcgrath
Bravo Greg……..
You changed the energy with your boldness. Good move and smart. The element of suprise.
You’re right about the ego. It can cause lots of problems.
Rick
I agree with the element of surprise like bravo said. I take Ninjitsu,that is what it is. I agree with rick too!,and others here.
You mentioned companion. I have to admit I have been with and seen some loudmouth “companions” to be politically correct, who caused more trouble or invented trouble where there was none.
“Aren’t you going to do anything about that?”
“Hey my boyfriend’s not afraid of you guys!”
“Watch it! My boyfriend knows karate!”
Telling you’re “companion” to shut the h* up in a low voice may get you into to trouble later, but it could save your life and your companion’s.
Rick
Some very sound advice above, both from Jeff and all the contributors. As mentioned above I have seen considerable trouble caused when a guy is out with a drunken loudmouth girl, the girl knows most guys won’t hit them, so they behave overconfident and the poor guy gets it instead.
I live in a tricky neighbourhood and tend to do the same as most people have said above, and for the most part it works and I get by. But I don’t know about the rest of you, there are days when you are not in the mood for it and you find you do react, so if I have one of those days on me I keep a low profile even in my own neighbourhood. One of the favourite things the gangstas do around here is to accuse strangers of being plain clothes cops,the ‘feds.’ as they call them. Some world we live in eh?
This is interesting. Last night I was taking my nightly walk (in twilight) and passed by a group of seven people. They saw the mp3 player I had and started toward me, I rounded the corner with the chin up and shoulders back and stopped when they called to me. Three of them closed in fast and two more tried to go around the shed to cut me off. I didn’t have much time to go through all these steps you mentioned so I decided to stay and fight the two small ones (5′4”) in front of me. Problem is, as soon as I moved toward them to make the first move (when they reached for my pocket) the BIG guy (6′4” and easily 300) stepped out behind them. I still had a chance to take off and run and took the chance. The big guy couldn’t keep up, but the two smaller ones did. When I slowed down one of the smaller ones left and the other one stayed. From that point I got away, made sure not to go directly to my house, but they were looking for me. I got home and my mom decided to call the cops, who couldn’t do anything. I thought it was interesting and wish this had come out two days ago (one day before the attempted mugging) so I could have read it then lol. I’m nowhere near as buff as the guy in the picture, so I don’t give off as threatening an appearance in the day or night lol.
Very interesting comments. In addition to other statements, it’s important to understand some of the underlying reasons individuals choose the lifestyles of becoming gangsters or “wannabes”. Psychologically, these guys actually lack self-confidence, inner strength, self-worth, and personal security. It’s very important to render respect in a confident but relaxed manner. You have to project an energy of power while acknowledging their presense and worthiness. While rendering respect, these young men need to sense that you are not afraid but could be quite a problem for them if they chose to confront you physically. Man, and all other animals possessing the potential or desire to be predators, prefer attacking weak and fearful victims. The predatory mentality dictates attacking a seemingly weak target. Be a very “hard” target by staying alert, avoiding dangerous areas, projecting confidence, and having a strong mental attitude about self-protection and preservation. If you are ever attacked, for some foolish reason, you must be totally vicious and absolutely unyielding in battle.
me and a couple of my mates were confronted by a street gang once and they tried to pick a fight i could see my mate about to do something stupid so i was like “hey man we don’t want no trouble were just on our way to a bar please just let us go and no one will get hurt” then they just left us alone the reason i said that is because my mate is a black belt in ninjitsu and he would have beaten them the fuck up coz he like knows how to fight multiple people me i don’t do any crap like ninjitsu i just know how to fight im EX sas so it was a hot situation but i keept my cool and just passed through with ease
Jeff, your common sense approach makes a lot of sense, and I like the comments – suck up your ego and walk away. That’s perfect, I’m too old to worry about words from some punk.