Street Fighting

Street fighting is hand-to-hand fighting in public places, between individuals or groups of people.

Unlike sport fighting, a street fight might involve weapons, multiple opponents or revenge and has no rules. The venue is usually a public place (e.g. a street) and the fight often results in a serious injury or even death.

The main difference between street fighting and a self-defense situation is that a street fight is avoidable, whereas a self-defense situation is not. The other characteristic being that the fight is consensual between both parties. A typical situation might involve two men arguing in a bar, then one suggests stepping outside, where the fight commences. Thus, it is often possible to avoid the fight by backing off, while in self-defense, a person is actively trying to escape the situation, using force if necessary to assure his or her own safety.

In some martial arts communities, street fighting and self-defense are often considered synonymous.

Famous quotes containing the words street and/or fighting:

    Baltimore lay very near the immense protein factory of Chesapeake Bay, and out of the bay it ate divinely. I well recall the time when prime hard crabs of the channel species, blue in color, at least eight inches in length along the shell, and with snow-white meat almost as firm as soap, were hawked in Hollins Street of Summer mornings at ten cents a dozen.
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