Help a one-eyed left-hander....

Keystone · June 7, 2000, 09:41 PM

**Note: I posted this before searching further back and finding the "self defense for people with disabilites" thread-- sorry.

I've got some questions I would like help with.

As my topic title indicates, I'm a southpaw who is totally blind in my right eye from an accident. I was left-eye dominant, all the more so since I became a cyclops.

I worked for a while as a (one-eyed)doorman at a "beer and brawl". Yes, it was a stupid thing to do, but the money was great and so were the females who patronized this particular establishment. I noticed some pretty serious tunnel vision when I would get involved in fights with unruly patrons.

Question 1: What can I do to prevent/minimize tunnel vision, an especially critical problem considering my already limited visual field?

Aside from the wisdom of avoiding fist fights (which I now practice...there is a reason why there are no one-eyed boxers), what modifications to fighting form can you recommend? I have always used a "right foot forward" stance, keeping my left hand back in high guard to protect my one good eye.

Question 2: I'm wondering if I should retrain myself to keep my left foot forward and use my left hand to engage the (statistically likely) dominant right hand of my opponent before it can get to my functional left eye. Thoughts?

I'm a healthy 34 yr. old guy (6'1" 205 lbs, 33" waist, 47" chest) but I wonder what my response should be to an unarmed opponent. Since my doorman days, I've gotten older and a lot wiser. I am now VERY conscientious of being one eyeball away from selling pencils on the corner. Suppose some punk starts taking pokes at me with his fists, and (as usual) I'm equipped w/ my P7M8 or a knife. Do I have a reasonable justification to use deadly force? After all, one punch to my left eye, and I might have to live like Hellen Keller.

Question 3:
While this one may belong on the legal forum, do you think my visual handicap justifies a more agressive response to unarmed assault? Or will my overall physical size make a jury unsympathetic?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[This message has been edited by Keystone (edited June 07, 2000).]

zip · June 8, 2000, 06:03 PM

i cant realy help with many of those questions but you might try useing you parifrial(sp) vision more to avoid fixing in on one point and the tunnel vision problem what ever you do make sure you protect your one good eye i try and stay out of fight due to my limited mobility pluse ive only got one hand i can realy punch with the other is ok for palm strikes ect but no punches due to missing fingers any way back to your prob with you size and physical abilites i dont think the eye will get you any leway (unless mabey you were in fear of it geting gouged out ect.) i say (at least for me ) make the best of what you have in all aspects of life sorry for being so long winded i hope i heleped with atleast some of your questions

Danger Dave · June 9, 2000, 12:19 PM

Keep your right hand high, too, to protect your head. If you can't see it coming, you can't stop it.

Tunnel vision affects us all. The fighter pilots & motorcyclists call it "target fixation". Pilots have been known to fly right into what they were shooting at because of it. Some people get it when speaking in public (surveys have said many people are more afraid of that than death). It's one of those born-in biological responses to life threatening stress that can get you killed, like the adrenaline rush after you've been bit by a snake. As far as how to control/reduce it, the answer isn't easy. It's all mental, so the first thing is, stay as calm as you can (that ain't easy). Don't focus on one thing - keep your vision moving, but don't let them out of your sight. Other than that, I don't have any ideas. Maybe there's an expert out there???

June 7, 2000, 09:41 PM	#1
Keystone Member Join Date: January 30, 2000 Posts: 58	**Note: I posted this before searching further back and finding the "self defense for people with disabilites" thread-- sorry. I've got some questions I would like help with. As my topic title indicates, I'm a southpaw who is totally blind in my right eye from an accident. I was left-eye dominant, all the more so since I became a cyclops. I worked for a while as a (one-eyed)doorman at a "beer and brawl". Yes, it was a stupid thing to do, but the money was great and so were the females who patronized this particular establishment. I noticed some pretty serious tunnel vision when I would get involved in fights with unruly patrons. Question 1: What can I do to prevent/minimize tunnel vision, an especially critical problem considering my already limited visual field? Aside from the wisdom of avoiding fist fights (which I now practice...there is a reason why there are no one-eyed boxers), what modifications to fighting form can you recommend? I have always used a "right foot forward" stance, keeping my left hand back in high guard to protect my one good eye. Question 2: I'm wondering if I should retrain myself to keep my left foot forward and use my left hand to engage the (statistically likely) dominant right hand of my opponent before it can get to my functional left eye. Thoughts? I'm a healthy 34 yr. old guy (6'1" 205 lbs, 33" waist, 47" chest) but I wonder what my response should be to an unarmed opponent. Since my doorman days, I've gotten older and a lot wiser. I am now VERY conscientious of being one eyeball away from selling pencils on the corner. Suppose some punk starts taking pokes at me with his fists, and (as usual) I'm equipped w/ my P7M8 or a knife. Do I have a reasonable justification to use deadly force? After all, one punch to my left eye, and I might have to live like Hellen Keller. Question 3: While this one may belong on the legal forum, do you think my visual handicap justifies a more agressive response to unarmed assault? Or will my overall physical size make a jury unsympathetic? Thanks in advance for your advice. [This message has been edited by Keystone (edited June 07, 2000).]

June 8, 2000, 06:03 PM	#2
zip Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 1999 Posts: 207	i cant realy help with many of those questions but you might try useing you parifrial(sp) vision more to avoid fixing in on one point and the tunnel vision problem what ever you do make sure you protect your one good eye i try and stay out of fight due to my limited mobility pluse ive only got one hand i can realy punch with the other is ok for palm strikes ect but no punches due to missing fingers any way back to your prob with you size and physical abilites i dont think the eye will get you any leway (unless mabey you were in fear of it geting gouged out ect.) i say (at least for me ) make the best of what you have in all aspects of life sorry for being so long winded i hope i heleped with atleast some of your questions

June 9, 2000, 12:19 PM	#3
Danger Dave Senior Member Join Date: April 21, 1999 Location: Dallas, GA, USA Posts: 791	Keep your right hand high, too, to protect your head. If you can't see it coming, you can't stop it. Tunnel vision affects us all. The fighter pilots & motorcyclists call it "target fixation". Pilots have been known to fly right into what they were shooting at because of it. Some people get it when speaking in public (surveys have said many people are more afraid of that than death). It's one of those born-in biological responses to life threatening stress that can get you killed, like the adrenaline rush after you've been bit by a snake. As far as how to control/reduce it, the answer isn't easy. It's all mental, so the first thing is, stay as calm as you can (that ain't easy). Don't focus on one thing - keep your vision moving, but don't let them out of your sight. Other than that, I don't have any ideas. Maybe there's an expert out there???