# Pedestrian self-defense? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 11, 2024, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715 "2024-06-11T00:22:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/41 "2024-06-11T20:57:15Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > What you need is the Pedestrian Crossing Brick. Terrible, horrible idea IRL, almost as bad as the Ops (which would get him killed).- > **[Woman seen smashing car windshields with bricks in L.A. arrested](https://ktla.com/news/local-news/woman-smashing-car-windshields-with-bricks-in-l-a-arrested/)** > > A woman who was caught on camera violently smashing the windshields of parked cars with bricks in Los Angeles has been arrested. The suspect, identified as Lisa Jones, 30, was taken into custody We… _A woman who was caught on camera violently smashing the windshields of parked cars with bricks in Los Angeles has been arrested._ _The suspect, identified as Lisa Jones, 30, was taken into custody Wednesday in connection with a series of unprovoked attacks targeting vehicles across L.A. County._ _[Security video](https://ktla.com/news/local-news/brick-throwing-vandal-caught-on-camera-smashing-windshields/) captured a March 28 incident where the woman was seen stepping out of her car and approaching a parked Porsche SUV in Venice at around 5 p.m._ _She lifted a large brick over her head and smashed it into the windshield at full force before_ Because that is exactly what would happen. > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I am also 66. I’ve learned that there is wisdom in learning to let things go and going on happily with your day. Excellent advice. > [@Chronos](#): > > The whole point of self-defense is that you’re taking actions with the intent of stopping the threat to you. How will whacking the car stop the threat? It wouldnt. It would just make the driver angry- and he has a car, you have a stick. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > You should add “He brought a stick to a car fight” to your ‘last will and testament” as your desired epithet on your headstone. Lol- 🤣 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/42 "2024-06-11T21:01:05Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > But would it be _legal_, if there were witnesses to corroborate that the vehicle advanced on me while I was legally crossing the street? Sure. As long as you were alerting a driver who didn’t seem to see you and your witnesses confirm that. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/43 "2024-06-11T21:11:12Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Sure. As long as you were alerting a driver who didn’t seem to see you and your witnesses confirm that. So, although the idea is incredibly foolish, it _could_ be legal. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/44 "2024-06-11T21:13:24Z")
I’ll watch for it on the news. Please be wearing a SDMB T-shirt. So I can notify the board. ☺ Seriously, if you’re using your hand what if you injured yourself or the driver speeds up to gun by you and you catch the side mirror on your body. Big Ouchy!! ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/45 "2024-06-11T21:25:28Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > These days I’d be worried that the driver was packing. Never forget the ol’ Briny Deep 10/10/10 rule (I made this up:) 10% of people are insane; 10% of people are enraged; 10% of people are armed right now. Multiply together for odds of how a random encounter with a stranger might go. For people who are already enraged, the math is simplified. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/46 "2024-06-11T21:33:42Z")
> [@Briny\_Deep](#): > > Never forget the ol’ Briny Deep 10/10/10 rule (I made this up:) 10% of people are insane; 10% of people are enraged; 10% of people are armed right now. Multiply together for odds of how a random encounter with a stranger might go. For people who are already enraged, the math is simplified. Those odds seem not to far from actuality. But 100% of drivers are armed with a big steel weapon. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/47 "2024-06-11T21:36:25Z")
Some decades ago I was crossing the street, in the crosswalk, with the light, when a car almost hit me. I yelled at the driver, pointed to the crosswalk line and the red light. The driver got out, told me that he was a cop (he was not in a police car) and that I shouldn’t yell at drivers because they might attack or shoot me. His attitude seemed to be that pedestrians had no right to complain if a driver illegally hits them. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/48 "2024-06-11T21:51:09Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Seriously, if you’re using your hand what if you injured yourself or the driver speeds up to gun by you and you catch the side mirror on your body. Big Ouchy!! I don’t rush forward to strike vehicles, so if the driver hits me with their mirror its because they got close to me not because I got close to them. As for injuring my hand, it’s not like I hit the car with my full force. I’m just trying to let the driver know I’m dissatisfied and a good solid thump will relay that information. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/49 "2024-06-11T22:07:00Z")
He’s already been advised it’s a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/50 "2024-06-12T09:47:50Z")
If I’m on the jury for your trial, you can count on my “not guilty.” Please be safe and wary of lunatics. Signed, A fellow 60-something dude ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/51 "2024-06-12T10:56:38Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > So, although the idea is incredibly foolish, it _could_ be legal. 🙄 There are people who assume that doing something dangerous must be illegal. Before I sold my previous home, my neighbor came running out to my yard to warn me. Her husband’s friend, who was a cop, was coming over to visit and she didn’t want to see me get arrested or ticketed. My crime? The grass was wet and I was mowing it barefoot. I told her I didn’t think mowing barefoot was illegal, but she insisted it surely was because it was dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/52 "2024-06-12T11:20:53Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > My crime? The grass was wet and I was mowing it barefoot. I told her I didn’t think mowing barefoot was illegal, but she insisted it surely was because it was dangerous. Seriously? Who mows the lawn barefoot? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/53 "2024-06-12T11:25:06Z")
The grass was wet and I had few options. More rain was expected. I felt I had to get the grass cut, but didn’t want my shoes to be wet. It worked just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/54 "2024-06-13T02:23:31Z")
Whatever you say, O kayaker of the Seven Toes. 😜 ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/55 "2024-06-13T02:38:02Z")
People just don’t realize that most pedestrian injuries and deaths occur at crosswalks. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/56 "2024-06-13T03:15:23Z")
You don’t need feet to paddle a kayak. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/57 "2024-06-13T05:50:27Z")
You are either very brave or very foolish. Either way, you get my respect for just doing it. But, please buy some Rubber boots. (btw. Riding or pushing?) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/58 "2024-06-13T10:09:15Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > pushing In my defense, it was a one time thing. I mow in slides pretty often now, but I do the tractor mowing while my gf touches up with the push mower. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/59 "2024-06-13T12:24:08Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > As long as you were alerting a driver who didn’t seem to see you and your witnesses confirm that. This is the crux. Self defense is the minimum amount of force necessary to make yourself safe, and “getting out of the way” is considered minimum force in states without stand your ground laws. So if the driver hasn’t seen you, a light thwack to the hood seems justifiable. Putting out a headlight or applying enough force to otherwise damage the car, not so much. But in your scenario the driver knows you’re there, and no amount of thwacking is going to make you safer. Either the guy intends to hit you and there’s nothing you can do about it or the guy has no intention of hitting you and you aren’t in danger. Damaging the car isn’t self defense by any metric. On the other hand, a guy inching towards you as an implicit “get out of my way” threat is definitely committing assault. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/60 "2024-06-13T13:00:22Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > On the other hand, a guy inching towards you as an implicit “get out of my way” threat is definitely committing assault. Okay I’m confused by the response here. States without Stand Your Ground - someone assaults me, say takes a swing at me … my legally allowable self defense is just to get out of the way or, legally can I hit them to deter another swing that connects? (Not what one should do, what is allowable.) If being vehicularly assaulted does it differ? In any case if this was occurring in the real world I would in no way believe or trust a “light thwack” as sufficient to make a, minimally negligent, driver aware of my presence. I am slamming on the hood with full force available to me to make _sure_ they are aware of me. Sincerely that would with no intent of revenge or to cause harm but with no shits given if harm is caused. I would swing a cane hard if I had it to make sure they were aware they were in process of running me down, and be prepared to use said cane as a defensive weapon against someone getting out of the car. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715.md?page=4)