Very very very bad idea

[ArmorOfGod]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbmarathoner20120sbjan20,0,5476516.story

small exerpt here:

Margo Foster, a marathon runner who holds a black belt in karate, surprised an intruder in her house. The burglar tried to escape out this back door, but Foster chased the man down over seven blocks and held him until police arrived.

This was a competely idiotic move. This headline could have been so much different if the kid had a knife, gun, friends, or if the lady did something like twisted her ankle in mid-fight (or any other unpredictable thing).

AoG

 

[CoryKS]

Very, very, very, very bad idea... but I understand. Glad she's safe.

 

[Ceicei]

I don't blame her for feeling angry about this. While chasing him down may not be a bright idea, she evidently wanted to be sure this person doesn't break into her home (or any one else's) ever again.

- Ceicei

 

[TheOriginalName]

It's amazing what a bit of adrenalin will have you doing....but that said, the true idiot in this case was the kid - that'll teach him!!

 

[Xue Sheng]

It is amazing what we do when angry and it is amazing how stupid some of those things are... I am glad she is safe

 

[MA-Caver]

First off, it was stupid. Because of (how I see it) running out of the house after an burglar who was brazen enough to break in whilst someone was home, it's been agreed that these types are the most dangerous, then leaving the house unlocked and unguarded (?) ... the burglar could've had an accomplice outside (watching for cops) who could've just as easily walked into the house and pilfered while she's trying to play hero. Possible accomplice could've chased down after her and gotten her right there.
Brave but stupid.
It's one thing to fight crime and one thing to try and retrieve the things stolen, which she had done... that should've ended it, there in the back yard when she peeled him off the fence and he got away but without the loot.
Interesting to note the police didn't endorse her "gutsy move".

 

[grydth]

I'm not sure there is a safe course of action here,

There is no denying the serious potential risks as listed by the thread originator. One could add several more, to include possible legal consequences.

On the other hand, I have seen any number of cases where the same premises are hit over and over again by the same criminal. Who's to say the criminal doesn't get emboldened by the easy pickings and getaway - - - "The place is easy, and the woman is very hot" - - - and the guy doesn't return with friends thinking rape/murder in addition to robbery? A face full of pavement and an intro to chin na can spell deterrence to the local thugs.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Most of us were NOT there? ...Her instincts kick in and I believe she knew she could over power the thief.....

She knew that she handle this person. Yes there is always a chance the bad guy could have had a weapon.

When we face someone who broke into our house? ....when the time comes...you will have to make a decision...do I fight back or run? The police will say...run and call 911. This is the smartest thing to do!

But if the thief was a kid? ....depends on the situtions..each will be different?

Every police officer will need to make a decision? ..do I call for back up or tackle the guy? ...the bad guy could be bigger...more train...and maybe carrying weapons?

Someone grabs you laptop/ or your wife purse? ...do you call 911 or will chase the person who is running away? ....here it depends on the situtions....? don't you think?

If everyone did nothing? ....why train in martial arts...if the answer is to run.....LEARN RUNNING INSTEAD!

One day you too will have to make a decision like this? ....bullies? ...do you fight back? ...or let them have their way? ...bullies could have weapons too? ...

Aloha, When is the right time to fight back? ....when is the right time to protect one self or family? ....

PS: Home intrusion? ....what would you do? .....

 

[SensibleManiac]

Yeah it's difficult to say what you'll do.
My father in law recently came back to his truck and surprised someone trying to steal it. His first reaction was to grab him by the neck and throw him out. So the guy preceded to fight back, they got into a little scuffle then the guy backed off and pulled out a crowbar out from a bag he had during their scuffle a drill had fallen on the ground that my father in law had in his truck (he's a contractor and had tools in the truck) so he jumped back in the truck and pulled out a metal bar. They were stalemated on the street while the guy who attempted to steal the truck was yelling threats finally my Father in law took out his phone (from a safe distance and called the police.) The guy just ran off and hailed a cab down the road. There were witnesses the whole time who did nothing.
In the end he realises he acted without thinking but that's what happens when you're caught off guard. He's lucky that all he lost was a drill.
He should have called the police before confronting the guy and even then confronting the guy could still have been a bad idea.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

I'm glad she's alright, I'm glad the punk got served, I only hope she's not charged.

 

[tellner]

On the other hand she played to her strengths and his weaknesses.

 

[IcemanSK]

Good to hear it worked out for her.

 

[MA-Caver]

Well okay then... here's food for thought and something for each of us to contemplate.
She is a BB... maybe I got the wrong idea about exactly what a BB is... but as a martial artist and (former) street-fighter/survivor, I believe one should always think... think... THINK before acting. Control. Control of self, one's emotions and one's actions. A good warrior knows when and how to choose their battles. True she felt that she could've taken the guy and did... okay... but did she stop to think? No, she stated that she reacted WITHOUT thinking. This... as we've agreed is stupid and dangerous to the point of being deadly.
My own personal expectations of a BB is that they can rein in their initial feelings to assess the situation clearly then react and all of it in a hot minute.
I walk up to a BB and brazenly just haul off and smack the crap out of them. Are they going to quickly strike back or are they going to just look at you and ask, "what, may I ask was that for?"
Control.
Learning the arts to defend one's self is a very good thing, but it should also teach us how to control ourselves better, the higher the level of our training gets. We are increasing the level of our ability to hurt others (for defensive purposes) with that comes the increasing of our responsibility to control ourselves to know the right thing/technique to use. Going off gut reactions isn't thinking and could have dire consequences. As Martial Artists we should know better. Training in the arts is supposed to make us better human beings... inside as well as out.
:asian:

 

[Brian S]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbmarathoner20120sbjan20,0,5476516.story

small exerpt here:


This was a competely idiotic move. This headline could have been so much different if the kid had a knife, gun, friends, or if the lady did something like twisted her ankle in mid-fight (or any other unpredictable thing).

AoG

It's nice to sit back in a forum and call people idiots when THEY were the ones whose house was broken into.
I'm glad she did what she did. Things turned out good. I think the idiots are the ones who do nothing.

 

[arnisador]

I don't blame her for feeling angry about this. While chasing him down may not be a bright idea, she evidently wanted to be sure this person doesn't break into her home (or any one else's) ever again.

Yeah, I agree--this is to be discouraged for all the reasons already given, but how can one help but admire it?

 

[SensibleManiac]

I believe one should always think... think... THINK before acting. Control. Control of self, one's emotions and one's actions. A good warrior knows when and how to choose their battles. True she felt that she could've taken the guy and did... okay... but did she stop to think? No, she stated that she reacted WITHOUT thinking.

This is a good point. However let's not forget it's easy for us to judge sitting back at our computers. You never know what you'll do when surprised that's why it's so important to think of these things and come up with strategies in advance. But it's always possible that it might not be enough.

 

[dart68]

It is easy to sit there if front of you computer and say she's an idiot - you weren't there. I think there was a better course of action for her own safety but it was her decision to make at that time, not yours.

How's the saying go, "For evil to triumph, all good men must do is nothing." I'm glad she's ok and I'm glad she caught the perp.

 

[pstarr]

Gotta give her credit for guts...!

 

[MA-Caver]

Gotta give her credit for guts...!

I'll indeed give her high credit for guts...

But guts and using your brain in the heat of the moment are two different things.

 

[terryl965]

I'll indeed give her high credit for guts...

But guts and using your brain in the heat of the moment are two different things.

This I agree with but like other have said we was not there and who knows what the true story is and how it could have been blown out of place by the reporter.