easy_rider911:
Nick, personally, I have not found this to be the best way.
If you simply avoid all confrontation then all that ends up happening is that for some time after the event, it eats away at you. You think to yourself, I wish I had said this or done that.
I happens to me all the time but you get used to it. Just think about the possible legal implications if you do not hold back and something really bad happens. One of our Krav Maga trainers in Munich told us about a guy who had extensive training for years with them. At the Oktoberfest, a drunk American tourist grabbed under the traditional skirt of his wife, so he hit that tourist with one single blow to the windpipe. The tourist was in hospital almost a month, the first couple of days were critical, he was in intensive care. Despite the fact that he was able to prove that he defended his wife, many witnesses around the action, including friends of the drunk American, the court tried the whole thing as an attempted manslaughter with horrible consequences for that guy (he lost his job at a security firm and went to prison for 18 months, with 6 months probation ("only" 12 months in prison). Our trainer told this story over and over again to remind us of possible consequences. Unfortunately the fact that Krav Maga isn't considered a real fighting sport but more of an aggressive fighting technique (according to the court and a specialist in martial arts), made things even worse. Just saying...I don't want to risk my future for an idiot and a couple of stupid words. So not worth it.
I would however have no problem at all to attack somebody without any restraints, who seriously puts my family in danger.
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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche Panamera Turbo S (at Porsche right now), BMW X5M, Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe PP/DP, Mini Cooper S Countryman All4