Defending against a Knife Attack, 6

Continued from "Defending against a Knife Attack, 5"

I no longer take my cane along on my walks. I found that if I have it with me, I tend to use it, which (for some odd reason) results in lower back discomfort.

Now I carry my batons. NOT typical police issue batons, mind you.

My batons hark from my days of training in Goshin Ryu Jujitsu. They are 26" wooden dowels about 1&1/8" in diameter.

They also differ from police batons in that you hold them in the middle rather than at one end. This gives the ability strike with either end. In addition, you can thrust with either end.

It may be difficult to picture how this is done, but once you see it, it is very easy to learn the basics. Also, the moves are all gross motor skills, which is a plus when you're under adrenaline stress.

My plan is to paint a pair of batons day-glo orange , mount a small reflector on each tip & wrap each end with reflective tape. Thus I will have a couple of sticks that help make pedestrians like me more visible to motorists.

They are not only safety sticks because they increase my visibility, they are also exercise sticks because I perform aerobic movements with them as I walk. The fact that one might use them as weapons is entirely incidental to their main function. (right?)

I could carry them in my car, because they would also serve to direct traffic at the scene of collisions, road hazards, etc.

Finally, if someone should accost me with a knife while I have my safety/exercise sticks in my hands, I could use them to exercise my right to safety from attack.

P.S. I am available to teach baton safety/exercise classes. gravelbelly@gmail.com

To be continued.