Whoa. That is scary. But despite what others have said in this thread, you would NOT want to run in this situation. If this guy was intent on harming you, running would be the second worst thing you could have done. The worst thing you could do in this situation would be to turn around and say something like "shit man, back off!". The trick is you do NOT want to let them know that you're aware of their presence and intentions. That'll only make them panic and strike faster 'cuz they're pumped with adrenaline. In order to survive this situation, you have to do something much scarier than just run. You have to wait till they're about 1.5-2 feet away from you. By that time you'll know they're after you and they intend to cause harm. But at that same time, that's your last and only opportunity to defend yourself.
Unless the guy is totally crazy (which most people that commit these crimes aren't), he's gonna be nervous as hell 'cuz he's about to commit a crime. He's pumped full of adrenaline which makes his responses faster, but he's also not thinking clearly. You've gotta be faster than he is in this situation. Just turn around as fast as you can and grab the wrist that has the knife and HOLD ON for dear life 'cuz if he gets that free you're practically dead already. He'll most likely yell or make some other sort of distracting loud noise, but you can't let that make you lose your focus. You've got to grab onto the knife with your other hand and try to get it from him. If you can't get it within 1-2 seconds, punch him and try again. If you still can't get it, punch him till he collapses. By that time he probably won't be able to hold onto the knife anymore and you'll have it. Now what you do next is up to you. Personally I'd push his fatigued form over and stab him a couple of times in non-vital areas (shoulder, arms, etc.) 'cuz you don't want to kill the guy. Of course you could just keep punching him, but that doesn't nearly cause as much pain as stabbing and the more pain he's in, the easier it is to get away.
Of course if he's on some sort of drugs that take pain away you're gonna have to either kill him or knock him out. I'd try not to kill him personally but if he's super crazy and fighting back like hell just stab him where it'll cause the most damage. But the #1 thing to remember is that you shouldn't try to run till he's incapacitated! If he can still pursue, you'll most likely not win the second round.
The worst thing that can happen is to attack an innocent guy, but you won't get in much trouble for it. It was his own damned fault. You don't walk up to a single woman in the middle of the night with a knife in your hand!
i have to disagree with this.
engaging someone in physical combat when they have a weapon is normally a bad idea.
unless you have extensive martial arts training, the guy is most likely gonna be bigger and stronger than you.
if you were, to do as LBTLover says, and grab the hand thats holding the knife, he would most likely use his other, free hand to start hitting you, and after awhile, you would let go due to the pain, or whatever reason.
if this kind of situation comes up, where your life is directly threatened, the best idea is to scream and run. its unlikely someone who is intent on harming you will follow, as the noise you're making and getting away from him at the same, is going to discourage him from following you, out of fear he will be seen doing whatever hes trying to do.
these kind of people look for easy victims. if the guy thinks you will be difficult, he wont bother.
if you have a dog with you, dont stay in the area of the guy just to save the dog. your life is far more important than any animal's. i imagine alot of people do die this way, not leaving their animals behind when they are being attacked.
if you havent ever tried it, its always good to learn a martial art for self defense. it can take time, but it will increase your confidence and ability to defend yourself and be prepared for any situation that may come up. the world is full of psychos right now who will try to kill you for no reason at all.
i took Taekwondo for 4 years and had an excellent instructor.
tips i can give you, if you are directly threatened, is there are no rules in these situations. if the person has a weapon like a knife, always keep your eye on it, as the attacker will most likely only use the knife to inflict harm. if you are unable to get away, defend yourself as best you can until you can run. for example, if you get an opportunity to hit him "down there", do it. it will incapacitate him for several minutes, allowing you time to escape.
theres also something called your "personal space". think of it as a small force field around you, like 2-3 feet on all sides. this is your area, and anyone who enters it is invading your private area. no one has a right to get that close to you, as it severely compromises your ability to react and defend. anyone who enters this space without your permission is free game for retaliation.
and going back to what i said about victims. people like that will target people who dont carry themselves well, due to lack of self esteem or whatever. they see you a someone who wont put up a fight and will be easy to overcome.
the best way to carry yourself is to walk with your head looking forward, being focused and giving a vibe of confidence and strength. this works for men and women. if a potential attacker sees you are ready for anything that can happen, they will choose another target, as you will be too much effort for them.
anyway, i think ive gone on enough about this lol. fortunately nothing bad happened and you're ok.
just be alert, and stay vigilante
peace
