Car Crashes and Self-Defense

[mercop]

People who have been to MCS classes know that I relate many of the psychological and physical aspects of violent confrontations to car crashes. Most people have never been involved in a life or death self-defense situation. But almost everyone has been involved in a car accident or at least seen one happen or the immediate aftermath and wondered what happened. This is using the known to teach the unknown. As with self-defense the best thing you have is driving experience under realistic, fluid conditions. Imagine you just drove down a straight road (the range) and there was nobody on the sides, behind, or in front of you besides one other car. Pretty easy huh, but that is not how it is. Here is the example I use for the physical damage one vehicle causes to another and the damage caused to the occupants.

A big truck rear ends a little car, what will the damage be? Here are some questions.

How big was the truck?
How big was the car?
Was the truck in motion?
If so how fast?
Was the driver braking?
Was the car in motion?
If so how fast?
Was the car breaking?
Where was the car hit?
Was the vehicles drivable or did they need to be towed?
Did the car strike another object as a result of the crash?
Did the truck strike another object as a result of the crash?
Was the car moving in the same direction as the truck?
What was the angle of impact?
What were the physical characteristics of the road surface?
What was the lighting and weather at the time of the accident?
Was the driver of the truck injured?
Was he belted?
Did he have any preexisting physical conditions?
Did he subsequently strike or was struck by any objects in the truck?
Was he ambulatory after the crash and exit the truck that may have aggravated injuries received in the crash?
Was the drive of the car injured?
Was he belted?
Did he have any preexisting physical conditions?
Did he subsequently strike or was struck by any objects in the car?
Was he ambulatory after the crash and exit the car that may have aggravated injuries received in the crash?
Were there any protrusions on either vehicle like trailer hitches of bumpers that may have concentration more impact on one area during the crash or dampened impact?
Did there any other accidents as result from the primary accident?
Were any pedestrians injured as a result of the crash?
How many people were in each vehicle and what were their seating positions?
Where there any non involved witnesses?
What did they hear?
What did they see?
Who reported the accident?

Getting kind of exhaustive now huh? These are just some of the questions that could arise from one minor motor vehicle accident. If it is a fatal accident you have no idea what goes into the investigation. Without answering these questions and many, many more how can we accurately predict what the effect will be of a truck hitting a car? Doing so under controlled conditions using fixed speed, angles etc, is not a clear representation of what will happen under unknown dynamic circumstances.

So you can see that believing or being ego invested in a magic gun, knife, bullet, or technique that only works most of time in practice, books and magazines is foolish?

What works is mindset and movement and being willing to discard something that is not working to try something else, and if that does not work, then try something else until the situation is effectively dealt with or you draw your last breath.

[JohnUSCG]

Exceptional post! Very good points you make and something to truly ponder.

[JP8]

Without answering these questions and many, many more how can we accurately predict what the effect will be of a truck hitting a car?

Well, we could start by clearing up what "big" means.

Anybody who's ever been jumped and had their face kicked in,choking on blood and gasping for air... doesn't really need to hear this.

I agree, the mindset and movement are key....but that comes from training. People do tend to think they're tough when they're packing......but they're only one guy. Then again it doesn't really matter whether you have a piece or a knife. Chances are, if someone attacks you out of the blue (someone who knows what they're doing), you'll be lying on the street looking at the sky, bleeding out. Stay away from trouble.....thats what my Dad always told me... I've spent more time with trauma surgeons crying my heart out. Nobody is a tough guy, just keep your eyes open....and stay away from trouble

[Statkowski]

Out here in Westylvania, life is simpler: Coal truck? Car? Coal truck wins!

[mercop]

LOL, I bet.- George