# Pedestrian self-defense?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715>\
**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:** 2\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2024, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/121 "2024-06-21T19:22:32Z")

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I don’t think there is enough space…

[![](https://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIG3.F68sBWfesawPoIO3FRSH&pid=ImgGn) ](https://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIG3.F68sBWfesawPoIO3FRSH&pid=ImgGn)

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2024, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-self-defense/1002715/122 "2024-06-24T17:05:14Z")

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It sounds to me like an automatic reaction to a threat. Like when someone sneaks up on someone, and they punch them. In that small moment, they felt threatened and instinctively responded.

I could argue that the OP wouldn’t have processed it as a car, but just big thing threatening you and reacted without thinking. Is that self-defense?

A lot of people seem to use the phrase that way.

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