What to do if your mugged, AIBU to think this advice is crap

[Janefromdowntheroad]

DD had a safety event thing with local police yesterday.

They asked them what they would do if they were mugged (give them phone/wallet).

Police officer said no, you should throw the phone down the path or road away from the mugger

Now if I'm desperate for cash and mug some poor kid I'm not going to be happy if he/she then lobs the phone down the road and breaks it!

AIBU? It seems like bad advice!

That's standard advice. The mugger's attention is diverted to the device/wallet and then you run.

If you hand it to them, you encourage further discourse.

Ive heard that advice before its to distract the mugger who follows the phone, purse so giving you time to get away. Good advice i always thought.

It's great advice. The idea is that the thief goes to the wallet or phone on the floor rather than you, so you have time to run away.

It is 'you're' mugged by the way. I'll take myself off to Pedant's Corner...

Why do you think it's bad advice OP? What would you suggest?

It's standard advice, it's a distraction technique

I'd suggest handing it to them and backing off not trying to piss them off by throwing it down the road.

I can't believe that's standard advice!

Yes thank you Sally, gold star for you

I'm sure the police will be basing their advice on facts and stuff! They won't be just saying it for fun. YABU.

The one and only time I've been mugged, I shouted and swore at the mugger so much he threw me back my purse and ran off. I had no idea what to do and the thought of what could have happened does frighten me a bit.

So you think you know better than the police? Ok then

YES I DO

Instinct tells me I don't want to piss off the kid in the hoodie mugging me. I'd rather just give him the phone than lob it down the road.

I've honestly never heard that before.

I know what you mean, OP.

Throwing the phone on the ground, could be seen as an aggressive act, with could escalate the whole attack.

I've been mugged, twice with a weapon, sometimes compliance, will bring the mugging to a quick end, without injury.

I was mugged from behind and thrown to the ground so I didn't have much opportunity to throw anything anywhere I'm afraid.

I once heard a DJ on the radio describing how he had been mugged. He asked the mugger if he could take out the sim card. The mugger agreed, so DJ gives him his coke can to hold, removes sim and gives the mugger his phone. The mugger hands him back his can and goes on his merry way. The DJ goes to report the mugging and gives the police a coke can complete with muggers prints.

Police also tells you to fight back when a man tries to rape you, as once he succeeded he is more likely to kill you. Your instinct to not piss him off would be wrong in that case.

I suspect it is also wrong in the mugging case. Someone who already attacked you unprovoked is not going to be nicer if you submit to them.

Someone tried to mug me as I got off a train at Stratford. I was quite drunk and I looked at him and said 'Really?'. He said 'Oh, OK then' and walked off.

I realise that's not the best advice.

You have to remember when a mugger/attacker strikes, their adrenalin will be sky-high.

They will not be compos menus.
When adrenalin is high they will repeat actions. See repeat stabbings, police repeatedly firing on someone etc. your brain short circuits.

You need to break the train of thought.

Unless you're a goddamn Chuck Norris you need to RUN.

Just to add, I think there are to many variables, to give out one type of advice.

I can't run, most muggers can, they're also dressed and pumped up, ready to run.

I've been mugged and the lad/kid was pleasant enough (the old excuse me do you know where X is line)

Handed over purse and phone and he was off

Tbh I'd engage with an attacker, but I'm not a kid. I'm a grown woman who has had A LOT of self defence training. And has no fucks to give.

I'd tell my dd to throw the wallet

i kind of get the feeling the advice was more meant as 'toss it a safe distance away from you' than 'lob it as hard as you can down the street and smash it'

I think some of you have a false idea about muggers in your head.

Lots of them are just gangs of street kids looking for easy money. They don't want the hassle of you lobbing your phone or fighting back.

""Police also tells you to fight back when a man tries to rape you, as once he succeeded he is more likely to kill you. Your instinct to not piss him off would be wrong in that case""

I don't agree with that, either. A rapist isn't necessarily a killer, they don't normally think twice about badly beating a woman, though.

A mugger, is looking to take what they can, if they haven't got anything to take, because you've just smashed your phone, then you're going to get knocked out.

These people aren't psychopaths, they just do what they do.

I know and have worked with perpetrators.

I'd act a bit friendly and confused to get him off guard, then kick him in the nuts and call 999.

But I've got one heck of a temper. They'd wish they'd mugged someone else.