How many INGOers carry a flashlight with them regularly? Of those, how many carry one that is bright enough and large enough to use as a self defense tool?
There are two common ways to use a flashlight defensively-- by disrupting an attacker's vision to the point where you can move/escape/strike, or by using the flashlight body to physically strike or manipulate an attacker (think kubaton).
While recently visiting my photographer Mother I decided to see if I could photographically illustrate that first way. It took several attempts and many manual changes, but we were finally able to capture it.
Let's say that you have pulled over to the side of a dimly lit road in a bad part of town to change a flat tire. As you are finishing up you hear footsteps approaching to your left. As you stand up you move your flashlight and point it at the knees of the approaching stranger, who slows their pace and says "Hi there, need some help?"
"No thanks, I've got it all taken care of" you reply.
The stranger continues to inch toward you. You then bring your light further up to the stranger's chest. He starts to raise his hands to shield his eyes and he stops his advance. "Hey that's kinda bright, are you sure you don't need a hand?"
"Back up" you say firmly.
"Now wait just a minute here. . . . " You now raise the light directly into his eyes, making them slam shut as you move around to the other side of your car. The stranger's night vision is now wrecked and he takes a moment to reorient.
"I said BACK UP!" you now shout.
"Ok ok! Geez!" the stranger grumbles as he turns and walks back toward a parking lot.
The point here was not to get into an altercation or a gunfight, but to avoid one by a simple show of force using only light. If the stranger's intentions had been violent he would've been way behind the curve as your light and commands would have reset his OODA loop several times. You would've had the opportunity to step off the line of attack and draw a pistol or strike the attacker with a blow he never would've seen coming.
To see them again in sequence:
Shay covers this "veiling light" concept extensively in Mindset Laboratory's Flashlight Combatives course. I learned a great deal in this class covering what most would consider a very 'basic' tool. If you'd like to read my AAR of that course you can find it here: https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...boratory_flashlight_combatives_12_4_11_a.html
If you don't currently EDC a quality flashlight I would recommend you do. And if you already do, I would recommend some quality training to supplement your gear. Besides the many utilitarian uses for a light, it might one day save your bacon.
There are two common ways to use a flashlight defensively-- by disrupting an attacker's vision to the point where you can move/escape/strike, or by using the flashlight body to physically strike or manipulate an attacker (think kubaton).
While recently visiting my photographer Mother I decided to see if I could photographically illustrate that first way. It took several attempts and many manual changes, but we were finally able to capture it.
Let's say that you have pulled over to the side of a dimly lit road in a bad part of town to change a flat tire. As you are finishing up you hear footsteps approaching to your left. As you stand up you move your flashlight and point it at the knees of the approaching stranger, who slows their pace and says "Hi there, need some help?"
"No thanks, I've got it all taken care of" you reply.
The stranger continues to inch toward you. You then bring your light further up to the stranger's chest. He starts to raise his hands to shield his eyes and he stops his advance. "Hey that's kinda bright, are you sure you don't need a hand?"
"Back up" you say firmly.
"Now wait just a minute here. . . . " You now raise the light directly into his eyes, making them slam shut as you move around to the other side of your car. The stranger's night vision is now wrecked and he takes a moment to reorient.
"I said BACK UP!" you now shout.
"Ok ok! Geez!" the stranger grumbles as he turns and walks back toward a parking lot.
The point here was not to get into an altercation or a gunfight, but to avoid one by a simple show of force using only light. If the stranger's intentions had been violent he would've been way behind the curve as your light and commands would have reset his OODA loop several times. You would've had the opportunity to step off the line of attack and draw a pistol or strike the attacker with a blow he never would've seen coming.
To see them again in sequence:
Shay covers this "veiling light" concept extensively in Mindset Laboratory's Flashlight Combatives course. I learned a great deal in this class covering what most would consider a very 'basic' tool. If you'd like to read my AAR of that course you can find it here: https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...boratory_flashlight_combatives_12_4_11_a.html
If you don't currently EDC a quality flashlight I would recommend you do. And if you already do, I would recommend some quality training to supplement your gear. Besides the many utilitarian uses for a light, it might one day save your bacon.
I had Raven make one for my TK11/TK12's. I'm sure I'd use it if I was out a lot more after dark, but most of my after dark activities are running between lighted places. When I'm doing this, my light is lanyard-ed to my hand, ready for lighting up and striking if necessary. Re-holstering the light behind me is awkward and inconvenient at best, let alone giving away that there is reason to look at my belt.
