I thought you were great on the Myth of The 20th Century podcast.
We've been having a rash of muggings in our sleepy little town lately. Something like 15 in the last 2 weeks when we usually have zero. In the last one yesterday they abducted and sexually assaulted a guy.
[article link deleted]
Pretty creepy stuff. I actually sort of fit the description of the suspect in that one. I have noticed the cops eyeing me as I bike to work.
Anyways it made me think of you. I work on campus at night. Do you have any advice? I will read your books too, thanks for the PDF.
-Jersey James
“…a 19-year-old student told [deleted] police that he was near [deleted]’s Market, at East [deleted]th Avenue and [deleted] Street, about 10:30 p.m., when a man grabbed him from behind. The student said he was restrained and dragged to a car. Another person then drove the victim and the assailant to an unknown location, where the victim said he was taken from the car and sexually assaulted. The suspect fled on foot, and the driver left the area in the car.
“The sexual assault suspect was described as a white male, 6 feet 2 inches to 6 feet 4 inches tall with a thin but muscular build. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants, black Ray-Ban sunglasses, a black beanie-style hat and a black bandana over the lower half of his face.”
Jersey James, if you fit the description of this rapist mugger, then congrats, the only dudes with the confidence to try and rape you will probably be Samoan offensive linemen!
On that note, usually, when there is a two person abduction of a man, the abductor will, at some point stop the vehicle and turn their gun on the captive man and make him have sex with the female driver.
So, if Super Fly Jimmy Snuka’s grandson and his Polynesian girlfriend abduct your tall, fit ass and pull over on the side of the road, she is probably going to blow you before they release you—it’s like fishing at a state park…
But seriously, my young outlaw friend, that 6-2 to 6-4 inch thin athletic frame you have makes you potentially the Thomas Hearnes of muggers, so you might want to live up to that and start molesting investment bankers that get lost in Jersey after a night of drinking…
My friend Stick, who was 6’ 4” and 160 pounds was a former boxer who collected illegal debts in Highlandtown in East Baltimore and was a really bad dude. Just being this kind of guy, if you’ve got some swagger and are aware and don’t run your mouth, will keep the human dogs at bay.
As far as the attack described, it only happened because the victim was well qualified for his role and did not even know he was being considered for abduction until some big goon was already on him from behind. Awareness is of utmost importance in avoiding the consummation of an attempt to target you. Even if they are professional assassins your attacker is not certain he will strike until he is certain you are unaware.
As far as riding a bike, never ride a 10-speed. A tall guy like you should drive a mountain bike and a little twerp like me should ride a BMX bike. The reason for this is three-fold:
1. A fall from a 10-speed is more damaging and it makes a fragile shield and awkward weapon.
2. The 10-speed is not good off road—good luck peddling that thing away through the woods.
3. A bike that is about the level of your waist can be used as a weapon, as a shield and even as a ram or a two-handed flail. Hold it by the handlebars and whip that rear tire across their face. Stepping off behind your bike and shielding with it is sound against knives and extension weapons. Also, having the bike gives you a reason to carry a U-lock or chain to beat your attacker with. Make sure your locking mechanism is with you not fixed to your bike.
The books that can help you with different aspects that apply to this string of muggings, as the aggressors seem to be mostly doing strong-arm robberies and stickups, are as follows:
1. Taboo You to help establish an effective loner mindset. Like it or not, when we go to work and school we are effectively alone.
2. Thriving In Bad Places is a primer on threat assessment.
3. When You’re Food: Raw, essentially a book of real scenarios from the 1990s, has an additional chapter on self-defense advice.
4. Waking Up in Indian Country is the best Harm City book for operational avoidance advice.
5. Let the Weak Fall combines urban survival stories with combative methods.
Thriving in Bad Places
Kindle Edition
When You're Food: Raw:
A Fighter’s View of Predatory Aggression: The Forever Autumn Press Edition
Waking Up in Indian Country: Harm City: 2015
