Tactical Driving Skills- an often neglected part of the defensive skills matrix

This was written by my friend Gary, who is an experienced traffic division officer in the police, & part of a specialist unit driving high performance cars. Think how much time many of us spend driving, yet most people involved in self defence give no thought to their driving skills.

1) "Watch the wheels, not the car" at junctions. Very much like watching hands in a fight, the wheels of the car will often tell you more about where the car is going than it's indicators. Additionally, you'll notice/see movement of the wheels before you'll notice the actual car moving. Even a second or two earlier. This is especially so with modern alloy spoked wheels.

2) Never get 'Sandwiched' on a dual carriageway or motorway. ie: Don't be alongside a HGV/Articulated lorry for longer than needed. If it's busy and you're in lane 3 with the lorry in lane 2 and there's no gap in front of you to safely move into...hang back, just behind the end of the rear of the lorry. Close enough to dissuade anyone from undertaking you, but far enough back to avoid being crushed between lorry and central armco barrier.

3) Be the first to turn on your vehicle's headlights and the last to turn them off. Be the first car that evening to turn them on, well before dusk. I drive about in my private car 95% of the time with dipped headlights on. It stands you out and could make the difference to your safety.
By the same rule, if you need wipers, you need headlights.

4) A hazard can be attacked as well as avoided. So if you're approaching a junction and there's another vehicle who is going to reach it at the same time, ie from in front of you or a junction to the left/right - then consider accelerating and getting to the junction BEFORE the other car. If they've not yet reached it, they can't pull in front of you!

5) Keep moving - in busy traffic (town/city). Plan ahead and use acceleration sense to avoid coming to a stop. If the lights are on red and there's several cars queuing, as well as choosing the lane with fewest cars in it, aim to slow down sooner than you would normally. Thus giving the lights time to change and the cars in front all to get out of neutral and to get moving. To keep moving not only uses less fuel, but also keeps you and your passengers safer. A stationary car is easy to attack, a moving one not as easy.

6) Stereotype. It works. A foreign registered vehicle is likely to be left hand drive, so watch the blindspots. Your own preconceptions about motorists and vehicles are probably right. Not always so, but don't discount them. If the car is driven by an octogenarian, chances are they're not going to race you away from the lights, so perhaps are a good option to park alongside at red lights, in order to get away first. The car, who's driver is on the phone or isn't wearing his seat belt will generally be the one that makes a turn without indicated or wanders in and out of lanes. A disrespect of one law, usually means a disrespect of many others.

7) Left isn't always best. Whilst the highway code rules you must keep in left lane unless overtaking, there are times when it's best not to. For example, dual carriageway in built up area. Many vehicles in lane 1. Nothing in lane 2. Houses on nearside, junctions on nearside. It might be better to be in lane 2, away from the houses, driveways and junctions and also you'll have much longer breaking distance in front of you than you would have if you'd have been playing "follow me leader" in lane 1. Obviously you'll need to keep an eye on your mirrors and regularly. Just because you're driving at the maximum speed limit, doesn't mean it's right or safe to hog the lane. So if someone is coming behind you at speed, move into lane 1, let them pass and then move back out into lane 2. Additionally, you'll soon get to either a crossroads or a roundabout and all the lane 1 merchants will be queuing or then fighting for spaces in lane 2. So if you're already in that lane, you'll be fine. It's not always the case and each road, time of day and traffic flow needs to be assessed, but it certainly should be considered.

8) Practice roundabout entry. Time and Time again. The speed of approach, must be slow enough for you to correctly and precisely time your entrance. This can only be done when sufficient time is spent on the approach analysing the speed of other vehicles already on the roundabout. Look for slow moving things, especially HGVs, heavies or trailers. Things which you can get out in front of, without causing them any problems. Look for wheel positioning, not just indicators. Use other vehicle to 'block' for you. So if there's a vehicle in lane 2 that sets off, use it to allow you safe entry too. Yes, it's nice to have a clear view onto the roundabout, but if it's safe for him, it'll certainly be safe for you. Even if a vehicle hits him, it's got to get through him to get to you. If you are in the right hand lane and you want to be away faster than the vehicle next to you in the left lane, plan the OUT and acceleration when the vehicle on the roundabout is directly in front of you... by this, you'll be turning your wheels before the guy alongside you (as the car on the roundabout hasn't cleared him yet).. With timing, you can be almost around the back of the vehicle on the roundabout, before the guy alongside you has even set off.

9) When stationary at traffic lights, or other junctions - keep your foot on the footbrake, until a vehicle has joined you from behind. By doing this, your illuminated brake light will have alerted him to your presence and allowed him to stop. If you are looking in your mirrors and you're unsure whether or not he's stopping, try tapping your brake pedal a couple of times, thus creating flashing brake lights - waking him up. Once he's joined you, remember to take your foot off the brake pedal. It's impolite and bad practice to be sat on the brakes, burning the retinas of the driver behind. If you're turning at the crossroads or T-junction, remember to signal. However, if you're going to be there for more than 20 seconds, try to cancel the signal if someone is behind you. It avoids flash/flash/flash annoyance behind. Prior to the traffic lights changing or if a gap in traffic is appearing, re-apply your indicator signal. By doing this, you're re-emphasising your intention to turn. Otherwise the driver behind could assume you've simply left your indicator on in error.

10) Remember the plus 1 rule. Where you see one motorcyclist, look for another. Same with emergency vehicles, horses, pedestrians etc. Often people relax upon seeing one and congratulate themselves on their great observation skills, only to move into the path of the second Ambulance, motorcylists, horse or whatever.

11) Use your horn. Not in anger or to remonstrate, but to keep others and you safe. If a pedestrian is approaching the kerb and is looking the other way, give a toot on the horn well in advance of your arrival with him/her. Check their reaction, have they turned to you? If not, are they deaf? Have they an ipod/bluetooth in their ear and are distracted etc. If they turn to you, simply raise your hand in a straight wave. This is to show you're not a knobhead. They'll more than likely wave back, but at least they've not crossed the road in front of you and been hit.

12) Reverse as little as possible. Many accident are caused by excessive reversing. Reverse only as far as is required to turn the car around or complete the maneover. Not an inch more. Too much paintwork and lives have been lost by this dangerous gear. When you do have to reverse, try to do it only after viewing where you're going. So make sure you either look as you're driving forward, or even get out of your car and check. It's not poor driving or Reginald Molehusbandworthy - but good practise that'll pay dividends one day.

13) On narrow streets, where parked cars are present, don't be afraid to straddle the white lines. Be equidistant between dangers. If there's no oncoming cars and the white central line is broken, there's nothing wrong with crossing it. Your dangers are what appears from left or right, be them cars pulling out of pedestrians emerging from in between. The more distance you can make from them the better. If there's no cars parked on the other side, then have more than half your car on that side of the road, away from the parked cars on your side. Too many people hug the left lane, because it feels 'right and proper' only to be a few feet from parked cars, with several free and safe feet to your right not being used. Of course, if oncoming vehicles are present then again you're going to have to be equidistant between them and the parked cars on your side. Once the oncoming car[s] have passed, consider moving over to the right again. Think safety, safety, safety all the time. Anything else is a bonus.

A big thanks to Gary for allowing me to use this piece.

The Garrison Fighting Knife, an interesting combat knife for soldiers & PMC's

Its rare to see something that is unusual in the cutlery world these days, but every now & again something pops up that is a bit ‘different’. The Garrison Fighting Knife is a purpose designed knife which has a very specific use, & that to be a weapon. The GFK really has no utility use, it’s a focussed design that is aimed at the specific task of defeating an attacker.

Craig Garrison- designer of the GFK

The design of the GFK is pretty unique though. At first glance it’s very outlandish, with quite a few people that I’ve shown it to thinking it to be some fantasy knife or prop from Star Trek. The GFK is designed to pull off some very useful techniques however, & it’s unusual looks shouldn’t stop you from looking a bit deeper.

James Loriaga compared the GFK to the gypsy scissors in his review, & I have to admit that when I first saw the GFK (& without having read Loriaga’s review) the first thing that came to my mind wasn’t a Klingon baatleth, but the gypsy scissors.

The GFK’s unique shape makes it very easy to trap an incoming attacking limb. Off the low abdominal thrust/cut, or a high forehand cut/thrust it traps the limb in it’s sharpened jaws as you pallasut, & rip back after the pallasut & you take the opponents weapon right out of their grip. Against a backhand line you can trap the opponents limb in the jaws & just tear back. It's a weapon that allows you the ability to effectively ‘de-fang the snake’. Having two tips it makes for a fearsome thrust, & the ability to cause substantial wounds.

Now, this knife design isn’t without a couple of caveats. As a knife for civilians to carry is IS a very aggressive design that will raise a few eyebrows if seen, & I would hazard a guess that if you were searched by law enforcement- even in a place where you could lawfully carry a defensive weapons- you may find a negative attitude towards the knife. Using a knife in self defence in places where you can lawfully carry & use a firearm in self defence very often sees you getting a harder time in court defending your actions than if you’d defended yourself with a firearm. I recall Dennis Martin in his column in Fighting Arts International back in the early 90's making a comment that you’ll have less hassle in court explaining a knife called a ‘mariner’ than one called a ‘ninja fang of death’- the moral of the story being that in the battle of perception v’s reality, perception very often wins. The GFK is a very aggressive & unusual looking knife, & that could work against you. The strange thing about this is, that because the GFK is so effective at stripping an attackers weapon you are actually less likely to need to use lethal force! If you’re attacking me with a weapon & I have the opportunity to draw & engage you, (with enough training) I have a pretty good chance of disarming you & getting you into a ‘position of negotiation’ where-upon it’s up to you if I need to go further. It’s fearsome appearance could also be a strength, as I think a normal mugger might find it quite a psychological blow to see the GFK drawn & displayed.

If you’re a PMC or a member of the military that doesn’t have to worry about issues like this (or the previous points don’t phase you), then the GFK would be an excellent close combat weapon. It is very rugged in its build, & I really think you’d have to be doing something stupid with it to break it- & remember, it really is a purpose driven fighting knife so it isn’t really at home doing fieldwork. The model that Craig kindly sent me to play with was a black coated model, with a cord wrapped grip. My only criticism of its fit & finish is that I would have liked to have seen a better edge on it. As a purpose built fighting knife as opposed to a working knife I wouldn’t draw it to open boxes or do any field tasks. The edge on the knife is what I would consider more of a tough ‘working edge’, & on a purpose driven fighting knife I like it to be screaming sharp. I don’t think it would take a great deal of work for someone to touch the edge up & get it really sharp, I just happen to be pretty cack handed when it comes to sharpening.

The model Craig sent me didn’t come with a sheath, but I understand that Craig now has a specially designed sheath system for the GFK made in kydex; though I can’t comment on it as I haven’t actually used it.

So if you’re looking for a purpose driven fighting knife that is genuinely ‘a bit different’ & provides some interesting capabilities that also make for interesting training; then the GFK might just be for you. You can get the GFK from Craig Garrison via www.garrisonfightingknives.com, where training drones are also available.

Why train in Asian Blade systems in the UK?

The reasoning behind my study of edged weapons & skill-at-arms

I would like to make it VERY clear that I do not condone illegal carrying of a weapon in any way- & I do a great deal of work discouraging young people from carrying weapons & becoming involved in violence. I am a strong supporter of the Police, & offer free training to serving police officers in all of my classes; obey the law & don't make their jobs any harder than they already are!

I interact with practitioners of traditional martial arts all the time. My ‘mother art’ is ITF TaeKwon-Do. I still love it, but just as you love your mother but don’t want to stay with her for the rest of your life, I love TKD but feel I have gotten everything from it that I personally can & I need to move on. I respect that different people look for different things from martial arts. Some people want an ‘Art’ & love practising forms & trying to perfect their body movement & technique, & look to inner development to make themselves a better person. Some people are looking for a competitive sport, & they love pushing themselves & excelling as they pit themselves physically & mentally against other people. Some people are just wanting a hobby, & want a bit of both. Personally I’m looking for the ‘method’ not the ‘Art’, I’m interested in combatives! I find the study of actual combat fascinating. It’s a chess game on a grand scale, its life on the edge where a mistake means the grave.

The one thing I find puzzles most of my friends who are practitioners of TKD & other traditional martial arts is why I spend so much of my time studying the use of weapons. I know several high ranking martial artists who actually find it quite uncomfortable. I had a conversation with an Instructor who I hold in the highest regard (& who I consider a friend) & admire greatly for his ability in his art, where he said that he wasn’t interested in learning any skill-at-arms, or some of the other things that I have added into my own interpretation of TKD from my cross training in other arts. Some people just can’t understand why I study edged weapons. Some people say things like “Why bother? You’re not allowed to carry a knife in the UK”, or “I’m only interested in unarmed martial arts, why do I need to learn weapons skills?” I’m writing this to try to explain why I study the edged weapons arts.

First off, I have absolutely no ghoulish wish to carve someone up with a blade. Both Jim Keating & I find a great deal of the edged weapons material we’re seeing on DVD these days very distasteful. I think this is because both Jim & I are unusual in that we have both ‘been there & done that’ & understand how terrible the scene is when a weapon has to be used, & what it actually does in the real world. The reason I train in bladearts has to do with something I keep harping on about constantly- conceptual thinking. The reason I train in knife methods is….EVERYTHING IS TO BE FOUND IN THE BLADEARTS!

So, what do I mean by that I hear you ask? Ok, when I learn bladearts almost anything I pick up can be used as a defensive tool if I use the concepts I’ve been taught. I can pick up a bottle & use it as an impact tool by using front grip knife methods. If I pick up a plastic Coke bottle & hold it just like I would if I was drinking from it I can use it as an impact tool in the same way that I would use a knife doing ‘Drawpoint’ reverse grip knife. Now, Jim Keating’s Drawpoint system can be used in many ways. Drawpoint as I’ve already said is a system based around the use of the knife in a reverse grip. The wonderful thing about Drawpoint is that is is meant to be conceptual, & used with anything from empty hands upwards. In Tactical Edge we use the Drawpoint ‘Rotary Pick’ as a very effective unarmed technique that will shut down your ability in ‘cognitive thought’ in a blink! If I put a simple pen in my hand it becomes even more effective, as the pen becomes a ‘force multiplier’ & focuses the impact down more efficiently. Because Drawpoint is a thrust oriented system it is perfect for objects that can be used as impact tools. Now, if I take my ComTech Stinger & hold it in a hammerfist grip I can do my Drawpoint drills & techniques to

great effect with it. I gave a Stinger to a very high ranking traditional martial artist a little while back. I was surprised when he turned around & made a ‘middle knuckle fist’ & said “here’s mine” (meaning the Stinger). Now I would like so see most people make a ‘middle knuckle fist’ & then slam it into someone’s skull. It’s not going to be much fun. Yet I could do it all day with a Stinger. One of the things that makes human beings what we are is our ability to make & use tools. Using a tool makes things easier. This is where we need to remember we’re talking about defensive COMBAT here, we’re trying to defeat an opponent who is genuinely trying to harm us, & using a tool makes this much easier, & is less likely to result in us harming ourselves! Armed self defence beats unarmed self defence every day of the week. If you look down your nose at defensive tools then I suggest you go back to running around naked, eating raw food that you catch with your bare hands, & generally acting like an animal! I'm not talking about carrying an illegal weapon here, or even utilising an improvised weapon if the situation doesn't warrant it, but if the attack is serious enough & your safety is seriously threatened then having the ability to pick something up & use it as a force multiplier could save your life.

Lets take our ‘basic defensive defensive flow drill’, also known as ‘Banda Banda’. This is a simple bladearts drill where your partner feeds a sequence of high forehand, high backhand, mid forehand, mid backhand, mid thrust & downward attack. You defend by ‘defanging the snake’ with a series of opening & closing actions; so your fist defence sees you ‘closing’ your arms so you catch the back of the opponents hand with your active (or live) hand & push it against the blade so it cuts deeper into their inner wrist. On the backhand feed you do the opposite. On the mid lines you do the same except it’s ‘tips down’ rather than the ‘tips up’ you were doing on the high line. The final action on the downward attack is a ‘roofing action’ where you use an ‘opening action’ so your active hand/arm pressures against their arm as you cut up against their brachial artery. The sequence goes close – open (high) – close – open –(mid cuts) close – open (mid thrust into roof). Now if I put my training knife down & pick up a plastic bottle each of the cuts becomes an impact weapon attack to a bone, a pretty sure disarm of a weapon & a good entry! If I take out my flashlight it will similarly effect a good disarm, or will be a very effective limb destruction & entry against an unarmed attack along these ‘universal lines’.

Take Punyo Sumbrada. The first movement is beautiful, the attacker feed a high forehand attack which the defender ‘chases’ with their live hand & uses to snatch them violently forward as they bring the attackers hand across their knife which is being concealed at belt level. Imagine I substituted the knife for my Flashlight. If I did the same movement it would take the attacker off balance & rip his weapons hand across the sharp bezel of my flashlight; considerably weakening his grip making him easier to disarm, & re-setting his ooda loop allowing me an entry to counter attack. The same thing could be done with me driving my Stinger into his hand. The same movement can lead me into an opportunity to perform a strip of returning blade if unarmed.

Now, looking at western bladecraft lets take the ‘in quartata’ movement from our Bowie curriculum. For those not familiar with it in your minds eye visualise two people faced off with a knife or sword in their lead hand, both in a right lead with left leg at the rear- got it, yes? Ok, now imagine the attacker lunges forwards with the thrust, the defender steps the REAR foot past their front foot rotating them counter clockwise. At the same time they twist their shoulders blade-ing themselves side on. This means that the thrust has entered the space where they were a moment before, but they are no longer occupying that space & the attackers thrust has gone past them. The defender has at the same time performed a thrust of their own in a palm down descending line to the attackers neck. This a beautiful & effective classical counter to a thrusting attack. It uses distance deceptively, along with effective & efficient body movement. Now this can be used just as effectively in an unarmed mode. In the majority of eastern martial arts when you watch people sparring you’ll see them evade to the side by pushing off the rear foot & zoning at 45 degree’s (that’s if they’re doing it properly & not backing off blocking as their opponent attacks). This isn’t wrong, & we use this movement in bladecraft too. But the in quartata is so much more efficient than that, with a slight shift of a single foot & body angling the attacker has missed & you’ve caught them with the beginning of a vicious counter attack. We can use this concept & movement with impact tools, improvised tools & unarmed. Picture the bad guy throwing a straight right, I in quartata so his punch misses & I end up on an inside line with an eye spear re-setting his ooda loop at the same time as his punching wrist is seized. If he throws a secondary punch with the left I can use a pass through to easily & now he’s trapped. Throw in a foot pin & a straight thrust into the pelvis & he’s dumped. Where does this unarmed sequence come from? Knife! The blade version is almost identical, he thrusts for me, I in quartata & thrust to his vision area & cut across his brow which will bleed heavily into the eyes denying vision. I then pass his knife hand down & defang the snake then thrust for the hip joint which along with my footpin drives the attacker to the ground.

I’ve not even gone anywhere near the skills & applications that can be developed from studying ‘heaven six’. This particular drill is absolute conceptual gold dust. Jim Keating always says “everything is heaven six”!

Have a look around the room you’re in. I can almost guarantee that there are at least a dozen objects around you that would make effective improvised defensive tools. The mug next to me can be used as an effective impact weapon using knife methods. The TV remote control can be an effective thrusting & butting weapon. The table lamp next to me could be utilised to deliver Bowie style snap cuts & would make for a very unpleasant experience if I thrust it with it’s bulb into your vision area! The list could go on, but you get the idea. Remember, self defence ISN’T a duel, it’s NOT meant to be fair! If you have to use unarmed combatives then there is always a chance you’ll break knuckles, fingers, hand bones, wrists etc; any of which may slow you down enough that you lose the encounter. I'm DEFINITELY not suggesting that you should use an improvised tool in some silly push me-shove you altercation, & I am NOT condoning picking up a bottle in the pub & smacking someone with it- I spent many years trying prevent that sort of thing. What I'm saying is that if you are facing a situation which is truely life threatening having the ability to use an improvised defensive tool could save your life. Think of something like a home invasion, or an armed attacker. If you have some sort of physical imparement an improvised defensive tool could also save your hide. I have psioritic arthritis, & at times this flares up very badly & my hands are very swollen & painful; to the point where I wouldn't be able to strike someone effectively. Under those circumstances I would consider using some sort of tool.

Now, lets leave the combative side of things alone & look at the MAIN reason I explore bladecraft & weapons training & teach it to my students. There is NOTHING that I have found in the years I have spent exploring the martial arts that comes even close to weapons drills for attribute building. Weapons training quite simply turbo-charges your normal unarmed martial arts! First off almost every practitioner of traditional martial arts I have met has got left/right bias to a fairly substantial degree. Training in double weapons reduces this left/right bias & makes you far more able with your weaker side. This is vital for good close quarter self defence skills. How many times have you done self defence with someone & they are great when you do the attack with one hand, but when you do it the other way around they’re rubbish?

The weapons drills from the South East Asian martial arts build co-ordination in a manner superior to anything found in the normal unarmed martial arts, & the training method is hugely time efficient; you’re improving timing, co-ordination, distancing & spatial awareness, body control & sensitivity- ALL AT THE SAME TIME! All of this is a massive advantage, & makes for a better & more skilful martial artist. You may have absolutely no interest in the actual defensive application of the knife or stick, but the training will honestly improve your normal game no end!

So if you’re a martial artist who doesn’t practice any skill-at-arms I hope I’ve explained in a way you can relate to why I personally look towards the bladearts for my personal exploration & development these days; & why I encourage others to as well. If you’re a practitioner of RBSD you MUST explore some good skill-at-arms material. If you are looking to be truly proficient at weapons defence beyond a very basic level then you MUST truly understand how weapons are used & the lines they travel & what they are capable of doing. You must have some skill-at-arms skills, as there are some situations where an unarmed approach will be near to suicide regardless of how many stripes you have on your belt. If you are a ‘general’ martial artist then weapons skills & the drills from the SE Asian arts will improve your skill levels massively, & as well as that they’re really good fun too!

Page Updated on: 16/09/2010