Gimme Five Feet!!!!

[Dropkick]

I'd take anything MacYoung says and file it under "fantasyland".

Yup. ^

Heck, I'm "white and nerdy." No hardened street thug is going to change his mind because I knew some magic password or secret handshake.

[Byron]

Like many other "tricks" in the self-defense world, this one seems to be built on a series of unverifiable assumptions:

1. That your potential attacker has spent time in prison. (Not a bad assumption, actually)
2. That "Gimme Five Feet!" was a common phrase in his prison of residence. (Can anyone actually verify that this is a common phrase still used in all U.S. prisons, or more likely, was it common to a particular region or period of time?)
3. That your potential attacker was so thoroughly institutionalized, not only does he fear/respect prison guards, but through some magical transitive property he would fear/respect you just for talking like one. (If the first two assumptions weren't already dangerous enough, here's where the wheels really start falling off)

While I think that all three are problematic assumptions, I think the third is the most dangerous. Why? Because even if we were to stipulate that this phrase would be understood by the potential attacker, and even if we stipulate that the phrase would activate some deep association in his brain, why would we ever assume that is a beneficial association?

Or put another way: who says that an ex-con wouldn't want to hurt you more after he heard you using 'screw' lingo? What if rather than activating fear and submission in his mind, you activate rage and violence? What if the effort of trying to sound like a guard succeeds, but that only makes you a more appealing target? After all, a prison guard being attacked on the outside is not unheard of.

[SouthNarc]

This is the second stupid piece of advice (IMO) from someone purporting to teach "street smarts" that I've seen mentioned recently. Not that I'm surprised.....

[Kyle Reese]

I thought this was a promotion for a Subway 5 foot sandwich or something.

[Mitchell, Esq.]

The only time I could ever see this working would be if the person demanding 5 feet was so utterly menacing that the attack would never have taken place with enough warning to demand the 5 feet.

[SouthNarc]

Here's a question! Why would a thug listen to someone who purported to be a correctional officer when he's not in jail?

[Mitchell, Esq.]

From what I can call out of my own memory of this video, the theory was that this 5 feet statement was the immediate precursor to a major ass whooping if not instantly complied with.

Of course, this did not take into account criminal realizing he should then attack immediately before the purported ass whoopIng commenced.

It may have something to do with assuming your attacker will be a complete moron and anticipating "best case scenario of worst case scenario" - the same thing that many people who say " well sure you may need a gun for self defense, but a little 38 will do just fine. You don't need one of those assault pistols with a 17 round magazine to defend yourself when a little revolver will do just as well!"

[Dagga Boy]

This is right up there with "using language of the street". I wish people would stop with this crap. Non-hardened decent citizens look ridiculous when trying to act hard. You aren't. Its generally why you have been chosen as a victim. Don't try to play police no matter how many times you have watched cops. If you aren't an illiterate ghetto rat, don't talk like one. If you are not a correctional officer, don't talk like one. If you aren't a hardened metropolitan street cop, don't talk like one. You will sound like an idiot, and you may invoke a response you don't want. "Stay in your lane" applies on the street. Clear, short, concise, commands like "stop", "don't move" "get away from me" are far better than trying to speak a language you don't really speak. For those not daily tasked with dealing with animals, trying to gauge when and where to use what terms is adding complexity into a situation where you need to be running on simple.

[JDM]

This is right up there with "using language of the street". I wish people would stop with this crap. Non-hardened decent citizens look ridiculous when trying to act hard. You aren't. Its generally why you have been chosen as a victim. Don't try to play police no matter how many times you have watched cops. If you aren't an illiterate ghetto rat, don't talk like one. If you are not a correctional officer, don't talk like one. If you aren't a hardened metropolitan street cop, don't talk like one. You will sound like an idiot, and you may invoke a response you don't want. "Stay in your lane" applies on the street. Clear, short, concise, commands like "stop", "don't move" "get away from me" are far better than trying to speak a language you don't really speak. For those not daily tasked with dealing with animals, trying to gauge when and where to use what terms is adding complexity into a situation where you need to be running on simple.

This is an incredibly good post.

Thank you!

[ezthumper]

Spoke with my ex-wife who is a Sgt. for the DOC in California, and she said she has never used that term or heard of it except in a song.

Basically when they do a challenge, extraction, contraband search or whatever they say a few things that I cannot relay here, and the proceed to do whatever they need to get it done. Normally it involves big dudes, shields, head gear, sticks and medical attention.

She did mention the only thing that it may relate to, is to tell them to back away from the cell door when you have to take them out of the cell for some reason.