[Closed] Self defence

I went on a self defence course at college, which was based around karate, but I've never really had to use it. But the way the current law stands, I'd be quite wary of getting in fights, because often the police book anyone in a fight, even if they didn't start it for assault, affray, possession of an offensive weapon etc. And the tariffs for such 'crimes' even if in self-defence can be high. So if you can diffuse the situation or walk away do that. If there's people's homes nearby, knock on the door and ask them to call the police, or to give you safe harbour - or flag down motorists to help you stop them. Use your mobile phone to take pictures of people and ring the police immediately - and to pre-empt trouble before it happens. The law isn't necessarily on your side. But if you've got no choice, pinning people's little fingers back hurts a lot, stamping on feet, grabbing their head and bringing it down in contact with your knee should stun them. Even if you're fighting for your life, you've got to be mindful not to do too much damage - and just enough to give you time to get away. We were told to just poke people in the eyes straight away, and then make a dash for it or knee them where it hurts and then run like hell.

Not a lot you can do when 15 turn up. Been there myself too. Intact it would probaby make it worse

The law is always on your side and you can use "reasonable" force to defend yourself - if the odds are against you like this the bar for what is reasonable would be set high.

However legging it and / or calling the police will always be better than trying to fight your way out if the odds are high like that.

judo, jujitsu or something like that should be available to you locally pop along and have a go. I do karate and jujitsu but if i had tried the latter first i wouldn't have bothered with learning karate. However my son enjoys going to karate and so we still learn it.
Karate is for attacking, Jujitsu is more defence then attack, well that's how i see it.
Judo is apparently very good but its not available near me that i know of.

Hope that helps all imo of course!!

Edit, like above prob better learning to run but sometimes a bit of confidence can go along way. However against 15, No chance! Thankfully ive never been in any situation like that so what do i know!

@TandemJeremy - obviously you've not had a lot of contact with the police or seen many of the examples in the newspapers were people defending themselves got in to trouble more than the perpetrators.

I would imagine if there was cctv footage of 15 lads running after you anything you did as self defence would be taken lightly. You would hope anyway!
So what happened to the hand?? Lets hear more of the story..

Been doing karate most of my life and I wouldn't even think of trying to stand my ground if I was outnumbered 15 to 1. Simply no chance. Even 2 or 3 to 1, I wouldn't give anyone much chance if they were even half aware of how to fight and the only way to find that out is to actually fight them.

That said, I'm a firm believer that everyone should know how to defend themselves. Bear in mind though that taking a self defence course is worse than useless. A little knowledge can get you into serious trouble. Learning to defend yourself is a long term commitment that takes many years of training at least twice a week.

As far as what to do, try a few different ones and see what you enjoy since there's no point in trying to stick with it if you don't enjoy it. Saying that, I don't know if doing something where you are never going to get hit hard in the face is good. Getting hit in the face takes a lot of the fear out of it which will allow you relax (relatively) and to concentrate on defending yourself rather than stiffening up because you're worrying about the unknown sensation of being hit in the face or anywhere else for that matter.

Generally in karate the techniques were controlled but accidents happen so I'm well aware of what a hard hit to the face feels like and I think this lets me keep my cool in aggressive situations.

bruce wee +1

this sort of situation can be extremely dangerous if you haven't got enough street smarts to see you through.. trying to fight your way out is only ever going to make it worse.. life is not like the movies

if you can't front your way out or buy your way out then run..

Saying that, I remember my wee brother laughing at a gang of Leicestershire muggers at a cashpoint one evening before headbutting one and then cheerfully kicking another in the balls.. it was all very Francisco Begbie.. but again.. it was front that saw him through really.. and a very proactive and confident fighting style..

mtb2020 - Member

@TandemJeremy - obviously you've not had a lot of contact with the police or seen many of the examples in the newspapers were people defending themselves got in to trouble more than the perpetrators.

Actually had a fair bit of dealing with the police and I do understand the law.

find one example of this please

were people defending themselves got in to trouble more than the perpetrators.

Yo won't be able to as it never happens unless clearly unreasonable force is used like shooting the person in the back as they ran away or chasing them down the street and beating them unconscious with bats.

Its just utter tabloid rubbish to suggest you are not allowed to defend yourself using reasonable force

Interval training to build up your 400m times would seem more important than self-defence, as unprovoked attacks appear to be rarely one on one.
Hope the finger heals ok.

I've had direct interaction with the police and was defending myself. Was going to be charged with affray and possession of an offensive weapon, but the charges were eventually dropped. The perpetrators just lied, and were believed. But I proved that some of their stories were totally false by some of my own recce work and spoke directly to the CPS who were far more understanding. Also in custody suites, the police are not all sweetness and light to many others they book and give people a good hiding for resisting arrest - I saw it first hand, and denied people the right to see a solicitor. The tabloid stories are just the tip of a very big iceberg!!

give people a good hiding for resisting arrest

LOL.. it's not the 70s..

Was going to be charged with affray and possession of an offensive weapon

I think you've shot yourself in the foot with that argument..!

😆

so mtb2020 - you used a weapon in self defense but was not charged with anything let alone convicted. My point made.

So you threatened them with a weapon - that a serious offence in its self.

But the police weren't on my side

The fact you admit to waving a weapon around and did not get prosecuted shows my point is correct. Bladed weapon?

Can you find me

many of the examples in the newspapers were people defending themselves got in to trouble more than the perpetrators.

I think that was an awful (but) rare event so no. After all unless you get attacked fairly often - i.e. annually I don't see a point plus would you be able to become super-hard to fight? Pointless. I wouldn't bother with any self-defence. The only self defence that would actually work (and quicker) is boxing.

Hope your finger improves/gets better quick 🙂

Most of the above is good advice (TJ - you're trolling again. Bored?)
. Learning to defend yourself will also make you more aware, possibly to the extent that you don't get into the trouble to start with.
Once you've got to a fairly profficient level, you should be able to defend against one, maybe 2 people (as long as luck's on your side) however against 15? Run. and keep running! Iv'e trained in martial arts (TKD, BJJ, KB) for years and I certainly would run!

The only self defence that would actually work (and quicker) is boxing.

Bollocks. Muay Thai is just as effective. Krav Maga and MMA even more so. You can't box when your on the floor.

Not trolling transapp - fed up with this stupid myth created by the tabloids that you are not allowed to defend yourself.

The law says that you can use reasonable force in self-defence or to protect another person in your property. The definition of ‘reasonable force' depends on what the situation is and it may be decided in court after the event.

However, if you feel in danger and you think that using force might help you, then don't be afraid to do so – always think of your own wellbeing first.

http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/crime-prevention/helping-prevent-crime/-and-property/self-defence

and the law in more detail

http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/self_defence/

Muay Thai is just as effective. Krav Maga and MMA even more so. You can't box when your on the floor.

For those I recommend a running track course.

Otherwise straight forward boxing. Your not doing it to be 'mental hard as nails'. After all, how many fights do you find yourself in over say decades of life?

Lets not forget if you do start fighting back with your 'thai boxing' thing you have a good chance of fighting a nutter. Those rare people who will soak up punches/kicks and will bloody bury you. I went toe to toe outside a nightclub with a nutter and punched him over a low wall (with a 6ft drop to paving the otherside). He landed headfirst, got back up and laughed (with a huge growing lump on his head).

Take it as a life experience (and move on).

I do krav maga and almost had to use at fireworks on saturday as a group of chavs pushed into the queue for the bus and pushed my wife and stuck a sparkler towards my daughters face.

Would have loved to teach them a lesson but thought better of it - i got the police instead who kicked them off the bus and gave them a bollockin!

The best form of defence against 15 would be athletics training. It ain't TV and you won't take on 15 and come away unhurt.

I can't tell you how many discussions I've been dragged into about 'which martial art is best', normally with second year university students who had never trained and never been in any kind of fight. I started off recommending that they tried as many as possible and found what worked well for them based on body type, mentality, what they enjoyed, etc.

After that I found that the best thing to say was 'Yes, Muay Thai/TKD/Karate/Kung Fu/BJJ/Yoga/Capoeira/Feng Shui is obviously the most effective martial art. I'll switch to that on Monday.'

Hora, you have as much chance of fighting a nutter if you take a boxing or a sumo stance. The person in front of you is fairly irrelevant to what you are trying to do. Its a case of do whatever you have to (IF you have to) quickly and run like a bastard, not throw a 9 punch combo and stroll away the victor. Krav Maga would be my recommendation. It's designed to be defensive but robust and isn't choreographed like many Martial arts felt (to me). The training is also nails.

The best form of defence against 15 would be athletics training. It ain't TV and you won't take on 15 and come away unhurt.

Amen. Unless you are a Movie actor.

TJ - the problem, as so often with the law, is not the law in itself, but its application.

Like it or not - the majority of fair minded folk don't believe that being arrested, DNA swabbed, interviewed, released on bail and held in limbo for a period of weeks, recalled, charged and left with the threat of prosecution hanging over them for several months before the CPS drop charges (because no offence was committed in the first place) is the correct or fair way for the law to process a self defence case.

What people object to is being treated [u]as an offender[/u] where the law is supposed to be on their side, regardless of the fact that they are eventually cleared.

Just as an ugly mate will always make you look better so a slower mate will always be useful when you need to run away.

You're not bruce lee or chuck norris - you need to take up RLF it's the only way to survive those odds.

Zulu - you actually have examples or is it just made up tabloid tosh?

"Self defense" is bullcrap.

Take up something like Muay Thai, you spar and learn what its like to actually be hit, and your whole body is a weapon. It is also amazing for fitness and conditioning.

http://www.ukwarriorsgym.com/

This is where I used to go, coach is a top bloke, also trains the ISKA England squad.

They have a gyms in Herne Bay, Eltham and Swinley.

I will be back when I am better, I loved it.

Boxing is fine in the ring fighting another boxer, but way to restrictive in a real fight.

Well in a real fight you go straight for the throat and throttle the **** 😆

Or Thai clinch, 4 or 5 knees to the face, game over needing reconstructive surgery.

Or a rolled up newspaper 😯

Two of my mates were both bouncers, kick boxers and serious bodybuilders. Huge, nasty and capable. They got jumped by a similar number of lads - all skinny youths. One ended up in a coma, the other looked like he'd been hit by a bus.

Not much you can do when you're outnumbered 7:1.

If they got jumped by a similar number of skinny youths, they obviously weren't as nasty, or capable as you or they thought they were.

Just out of interest, flow, do you mind me asking how long you trained for?

If they got jumped by a similar number of skinny youths, they obviously weren't as nasty, or capable as you or they thought they were.

I did Wing Chun for about 2 years altogether on and off, that was alright, a few of the guys there fight MMA now using it, and doing really well.

Then I did Muay Thai at Warriors for 18 months 3 days a week. In that time I learnt so much it was unbelievable, Lee is one of the best coaches in the country (obviously being the British coach).

I wouldn't hesitate to go back, by far the best thing I have ever done. Not only did I learn Muay Thai, it gave me more confidence in general everyday situations, I was stupendously fit - the training is brutal, and I met some really decent genuine people.

That or you've never encountered nasty skinny youths

So the key here folks is you can train for years yet someone with a screwdriver can stop you dead in your tracks.

Two of my mates were both bouncers, kick boxers and serious bodybuilders. Huge, nasty and capable. They got jumped by a similar number of lads - all skinny youths. One ended up in a coma, the other looked like he'd been hit by a bus.

If you can take on 7 skinny youths armed with assorted blunt instruments you are truly a very nasty man indeed. That or you've never encountered nasty skinny youths.

So what you forgot to mention in your first post is that they were armed, and there wasn't a similar number at all.

Bit different then.

I'm a reasonably well built smidge-under-6' and I've never found myself in a situation that required throwing a punch, though I have been involved in a few 'fights' (other people were so drunk that they were ineffective.)

When I was 16 I did do some boxing (not competitive, just training/sparring), so I do know both that I can take a punch, as well as how to give one back and avoid taking one. Also done some judo when I was 9/10.

Regardless, I thought I'd still like to be well prepared should I ever be put in that situation, so I started doing Krav Maga (had to stop for a bit due to logistical issues, hope to start again soon).
Krav Maga is a 'self defense system' that was originally worked out in the second world war to teach to Jewish Resistance people - so it was made simple to teach and effective, with none of the worries of 'good form' to get the most points in competition, as competitive martial arts tend to be.
They do try and teach how to avoid a fight and always make it clear that the physical techniques learnt are as a last resort - if they want your wallet or for you to say sorry that you sat on their seat, just do it! But for when it's going to turn to violence anyway, it should give you a reasonable idea of what to do.

5 to 1 odds aren't great and while they do teach about multiple attackers, you'll have to wait sometime until you're more 'advanced' to get indepth training on that sort of thing I expect as need to get the basic skills sorted first.

Krav tends to be, ah, 'direct' - so it's a case of generally getting them in a hold of some kind to 'control' them, then repeatedly striking the head and groin with knees, elbows, feet and fists until they are 'subdued'.
However, back to the little knowledge being dangerous - if you've managed to get a few of them like this, then you may end up getting paid-back worse.

While you can't improve your height, getting bulked up a bit at the gym etc may help too. A while ago I was taking the dog for a walk and returning through a dodgy bit of town - was slightly concerned, then realised that being of reasonable size, wearing both a military jacket AND a hoody, having a skin head and walking a large Japanese Akita, actually I was probably pretty unlikely to be the sort of person people targeted :).

I have trained in Ju Jitsu for a few years. I enjoy it a lot, think it can be very effective and would recommend trying it.

I haven't had to use but it does give me comfort that I may know some tricks if the shit does hit the fan, though if you're looking for something to combat 15 people then I don't think I can recommend anything thats legal!

Despite my training though, I have always had a fear of unprovoked extreme violence, something I don't think will go away until I have experienced first hand. That's where I hope the hours of trainig will take over and my body will just do without thinking about it. Plus, my first technique of martial arts is not to be there, second negotiation.

So what you forgot to mention in your first post is that they were armed, and there wasn't a similar number at all.

Bit different then.

I didn't mention they were armed. They tended to be when I was a lad.

But, whatever... a large group of nasty lads, armed or otherwise are likely to fill in the nastiest of ninjas, meat heads or keyboard warriors.

But, whatever... a large group of nasty lads, armed or otherwise are likely to fill in the nastiest of ninjas, meat heads or keyboard warriors.

Yes definitely, but not a similar number of skinny youths vs huge, nasty, kickboxers.

I'm not saying this to brag, just to give background.
I teach Judo and have a background of 15 years of Karate and Muay Thai.
Judo is a sport, as is Muay Thai.
They are fun, will get you fit, make you mentally and physically tougher and have lots of techniques you can carry over into street brawling.
It's not just about techniques though. Your mentality, the other guys mentality, weapons, numbers and sheer bloody luck all factor in just as much.
Take a martial art if you want, just don't kid yourself on that it's turning you into the ultimate street warrior.

In the 15 to 1 scenario the OP posted, theres no way I'd be hanging around trying to face any of that lot down. How did the event develop anyway? Did 15 guys just decide they were having you or had there been a bit of verbal going on?

franciscobegbie where do you teach or any recommendations in the Manchester area?

I was thinking of taking up Judo (originally was thinking of Aikido).

flow, hope you don't mind me saying this but you seem very very confident in yourself and your club which is great. It just sounds like you might be in the '200th hour' stage. I think the term comes from flying where pilots are most likely to make a fatal mistake after they have 200 flight hours. There's a similar thing in most dangerous activities.

I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing or that you are cocky but you just seem to be the most confident in your abilities compared to others on this thread. Hope this doesn't sound patronising.

I did a lot of muay thai and MMA when I was younger. They are both great participation sports, it is fairly easy to grasp the basics but there is also a lot of room for progression or developing an interest in other martial arts. They're also good cross training. I have a friend who is doing Krav Maga at the minute who is very impressed with it.

The biggest benefit that I got out of it was self-control. Before I started I was was always panicked by confrontation or intimidation. Once I got used to training and sparring I started to think a lot more clearly about how a situation could develop, and how to react and avoid it. It doesn't take long to learn basic stuff like how to defend yourself against a push or punch, how to stop yourself being put on the ground, or how to move somebody out of the way when you need to leg it.

No idea Hora, I'm from Glasgow.
Have a look at the club finder bit of the BJA website for the north west.
Theres quite a few clubs in there.
http://www.britishjudo.org.uk/thesport/findclubresults.php
Judo is a tough old game. Prepare to hurt. Good fun though.

Theres a ton of really good Muay Thai camps around the north west of England, any quick google search for Muay Thai in the Manchester area will turn up loads.

Muay Thai is a sport, but Muay Boran isn't.

Traditional Muay Thai uses a lot of Muay Boran techniques (the direct ancestor of Muay Thai) and is a hell of a lot closer to street fighting than most other forms of Martial Art, as I'm sure you know.

MMA would be even closer still, as you are pretty much getting hit without gloves, fight on the ground etc.

Like you said, its not going to make you ultimate street fighter, but it will give you a hell of a better chance.

flow, hope you don't mind me saying this but you seem very very confident in yourself and your club which is great. It just sounds like you might be in the '200th hour' stage. I think the term comes from flying where pilots are most likely to make a fatal mistake after they have 200 flight hours. There's a similar thing in most dangerous activities.

I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing or that you are cocky but you just seem to be the most confident in your abilities compared to others on this thread. Hope this doesn't sound patronising.

I haven't been for getting on for a year now, I would get my ass handed to me if/when I go back.

I am very confident in the club and coach though, they have just got back from the ICO world cup in Frankfurt, 7 golds, 4 silvers and 2 bronze medals. He has also produced some of the best fighters in the country.

If anyone is thinking about training Muay Thai, I would recommend him.

franciscobegbie -thanks. Will look up those links. Muay Thai - Its not something that I need or want tbh. I don't have disputes with neighbours and when I go out I don't get into trouble. Plus as I get 'older' it'd be suicidal to go toe to toe with someone.

IF I did get into a fight I wouldn't fight normal anyway. I'd fight to win which I imagine the other person would as well. Horrible, nasty stuff. 🙁

I'd rather run away than take a chance that a some super power martial art would even the odds and that the police and then a jury would look kindly on my use of that art to maim the badies.

What Bruce wee said but he forgot the filipino martial arts 😉
15:1 and unarmed the only thing to do is run and dont stop.
15:1 and no where to run invloves getting your head kicked in even if you take some with you..no matter what art you do.

Any martial art that pushes you hard and has you spar or fight with hard contact is going to increase your chances, but they are all sports, practiced in controlled environments, usually 1v1.

Want to know the best way to increase your chances 100%?
Don't put yourself in the position where you are going to get into fights.

Theres always someone harder and meaner than you out there.

BTW you know what SAS operatives have been told to do if they get into a situation whilst under cover in Northern Ireland?

Don't go toe to toe and get out of there asap.

Even 15:1 if the 15 aren't particularly competent and the 1 is, may still have a cahnce.

Ie, possibly similar odds - I pulled some little bloke off as he was going to head butt my friend. A large group of his mates came out to 'help' and I had 5/6 all trying to drag me off him (as I had said initially, I would let go when he calmed down) - no punches thrown, but were when I let go. Had about 5 separate people attack me, but it was pub chucking out time and the only bloke I even bothered to block punches from was 6'4" or so and well built - but even then he was far to slow.
Of course if they hadn't been near falling down themselves or had some sort of coordinated attack, things would have no doubt been different. This was a small town where, while fights were regular, there was very little skill or thought in the fighting thankfully.

uff, stay on topic guys. I'm looking for a way to defend myself should the opportunity arise where i may need it again. In part, it's simply a way to gain confidence again, this has not improved my nerves.

So the people who are bickering about the state of the law, well that's not helping my situation and it deserves to be on another thread. I'm living in Finland, so the fine details of UK law do not apply to me anyway.

What I'm looking for is a way to..
-improve my ability to block hits, stop hits, disarm an attacker if knives were used
-stay calm in an attack
-be aware of how to manage a group attack

Yes I legged it that time and i was lucky to do so. I don't fancy my odds again, especially when the snow and ice comes in a couple of months.

Thank you to those who have contributed positively, it really does help.

Rich

To the Op. Learning to "defend" yourself is'nt entirely about having the physical skills to parry an attack. The warning signs were probably there before you realised what was about to happen. Learning to anticipate why & how things like this develop would serve you well. The physical skills are useless without nous to use them & also take a lifetime to learn properly. Also the fear of getting hurt can cause panic & from then on it's a downward spiral

If you get bounced by a group you have don't have a lot of options & IMO the best one at any point is to escape. If you're cornered & fail to charm your way out a 2nd prize is on the horizon. I think in a situation like you've described, if escape is impossible, is to ensure that one of the opposition goes to hospital in the same ambulance as you.

I'd concentrate on the escaping bit & run away. Sorry to hear about your finger 😥

D.

secondly, the lads were junkies and bored teenagers/low twenties. There was no verbal or anything. They simply wanted to batter us (1 peruvian, 1 basque and 1 brit in Helsinki...).

I have wondered in the past about carrying and using a walking stick? sort of quarterstaff style. reasonable excuse for carrying a walking stick and reasonable defensive weapon I guess

I have wondered in the past about carrying and using a walking stick? sort of quarterstaff style. reasonable excuse for carrying a walking stick and reasonable defensive weapon I guess

All fine and dandy until you swing it at someone and they take it off you.

Run away, the best and only solution in mnay situations.

Actually, you are thinking about this all wrong. You got away. You sucessfully defended yourself.
Very well done!

You do have an altogether unrealistic view of what self defence is.
For example, if you think you will have trouble running away from trouble once it's snowy or icy, what makes you think you'll be able to keep to your feet in a fight in the same circumstances?

Keep your ego and pride in check and you'll be fine. There may have been no verbal warning that those 15 guys were going to go for you, but I bet it didn't come out of the blue.

If all you genuinely want to do is fight off 15 kids then my advice would be to grab one of their ears and rip it off. Ears come off surprisingly easily. Try to burst their noses. If you get stuck in a clinch then try to bite them, not just a love bite but actually rip the flesh off. Basically what you want to do is create as much blood as possible to make the others think twice. If you can, grab one by the balls, twist, and pull as hard as you can. With luck you will detach them.

If you don't want to put in the hours of training then that's the best way of defending yourself I can recommend since there's no point in learning to block attacks or punch without constantly training.

Alternatively, do what someone suggested on the thread about confrontations with car drivers a while ago. Get your knob out, start swinging it in a circle while screaming "BUDGIE THE HELIICOPTEEEER!!!!" If that doesn't scare them off I don't know what will.

Good luck 🙂

I did a "self defence for women" course a few years ago, and the key message was centred around what some of the guys mentioned above:

- develop an awareness for your surroundings at all times
- learn a few 'techniques' how to just momentarily incapacitate your attacker long enough to get away and RUN

Interestingly our instructor recommended not to go for the kick-in-the-nuts approach first, but kick shins, punch the bit between the nose and the upper lip, gouge the eyes, bite their hand if grabbed - it's actually surprisingly easy for guys to protect their crotch 😳

I'd happily be verbally abused and/or pushed around. Happily if it meant it de-escalated.

right I think there has been a major misunderstanding here as ever on STW. I'm not expecting to fend off 15 people, that's ridiculous and likely impossible. However should it be, say, 1-3 people it is most certainly possible. Now, I'm not sure which of judo, karate, muay thai, etc are best for this.

Running is not always an option, but I know it is the first to try. If however I'm not quick enough and negotiation doesn't work, then what should I do? I'd like some training to focus, apply the necessary force to stop an attack and then flee. I don't want to cause serious harm to anyone, but I want to prevent or delay harm to myself.

Muay thai sounds interesting, and so does maga grav. I'll see if there are any groups around here.

I don't want to cause serious harm to anyone

Why not?

HansRey, if you are close to Swinley, Herne Bay, or Eltham, get to a Warriors Gym and try Muay Thai, you will be hooked after the first session.

If you do, make sure you let us know how you got on.

I always remember at school getting a briefing on self defence ( I think because we were a public school so there were always a few class war tw@s who fancied a go when they saw us out and about) and being told that you could put your keys between your fingers and use them as a knuckle duster... 😯 I'm still shocked that that was suggested even 20 years later...

So am I, you would probably break your fingers doing that.

Probably...

disarm an attacker if knives were used

I don't want to cause serious harm to anyone, but I want to prevent or delay harm to myself.

Now, I'm not sure which of judo, karate, muay thai, etc are best for this.

As above - I would and did go for Krav Maga because it's specifically focused on this sort of situation.

I'd be tempted to throw some Muay Thai in so you get more experience of 'real' combat. Obviously you won't be practising the eye gouging or kicks to the groin you'll find in Krav, but will get a 'feel' for combat.

Interestingly our instructor recommended not to go for the kick-in-the-nuts approach first, but kick shins, punch the bit between the nose and the upper lip, gouge the eyes, bite their hand if grabbed - it's actually surprisingly easy for guys to protect their crotch

Now, I'm not sure which of judo, karate, muay thai, etc are best for this.

Its almost inevitable that this will start another argument but a decent MMA club is your best option because they will start you from scratch with a range of practical techniques for both striking and grappling and fighting on the ground. The last place you want to end up is on the ground so it is very valuable to learn how to avoid ending up there, and how to react if you do.

It can be difficult to find a decent club and if you find somewhere you like that does muay-thai, krav maga of BJJ then all of them are good sports and help with self-defence.

I'd just take up running.

If someone attacked me in the street I would probably have to assume that they are the type of person who gets involved in lots of fights so has a lot more experience in a fight then me. I'd also assume they are criminally minded in that they won't be fighting fair and won't be thinking of the consequences of their actions and how the law might view them. As they came out with the intent of fighting then chances are they have a weapon or backup. So they have the element of suprise, experience and are better armed... I'd leg it every time.

Just learn Judo - as it is a defensive sport the use of it won't be held against you by anyone, whereas something like boxing or karate could be as these are primarily offensive sports.

You will be able to use the skills of judo into later like, whereas you are unlikely to maintain your karate fitness and flexibility into old age.

Plus the the fall training in Judo will be useful.

A self defence course might also be useful - learning a few disabling manouvres before legging it - for example a punch in the adams apple is a major shock to the system.