When they spit on You

[sasquatch]

That poor man in the video...

I really feel for him being assaulted when he's trying to go about his business intimidating someone on their doorstep.

 

[ex-member Raikey]

That poor man in the video...

I really feel for him being assaulted when he's trying to go about his business intimidating someone on their doorstep.

i know!

the guy whos property he was on should compensate him ...

he should make a claim and buy an inch thick gold chain with the money

 

[Andy BB]

.... Discipline was harsh but it had to be, it was the only way to control a motley crew of arsonists, muggers, robbers etc - and that was just the bandsmen.

Now that's just....poetic

 

[blacktimberwolf]

This clip has done the rounds but is still one of the best examples I've seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pjYGqPPMmA

Ahhhhhhh.....poor little lamb, his illusions shattered........he thought he was such a tough guy & there he is, given up after the first punch was thrown then crawling on the floor & whimpering for mercy. He'll have to stick to kicking dogs & bullying junior school kids in the future.
Forget the chest beating windbags.......it's the strong silent types you have to watch out for

 

[santaman2000]

....It was my own peer group that were the problem. It was quite vicious in fact and to get by meant you had to be able to hold your own. I enjoyed the fact that scrapping earned me respect and got me a bit of peace and quiet. Unfortunately my wild streak meant that I thrived on it and took it too far.

I was unaware of the fact that I was a big fish in a wee pond. That all changed when I joined up. In those days there was no ADHD, bi-polar, or such "issue" labels. I thought I'd walked into a lunatic asylum; the recruiters had lied!!!

Early days in basic was like herding cats and had it been up to me, my oppos wouldn't have been issued with a banana, never mind an SLR and ammo! But, they were exactly the blokes you needed in a tight spot. Discipline was harsh but it had to be, it was the only way to control a motley crew of arsonists, muggers, robbers etc - and that was just the bandsmen. It was exactly what I needed at the time to be honest.

Would I change anything? No, as its made me the easy going fella I am now. I've two grown up kids that I've never had to whack and who have a very switched on view of life and a wicked sense of humour.

I'm very fortunate and can count my blessings.

Liam

I wish this still worked. Sadly now the gangs are sending their members to do a hitch in the Army or Marines; Just to get the combat training and experience to come back and teach the rest of the gang.

And the gangs recruiting those still in the military (all branches) is at a higher level than it's ever been.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

I wish this still worked. Sadly now the gangs are sending their members to do a hitch in the Army or Marines; Just to get the combat training and experience to come back and teach the rest of the gang.

Now that's what you call dedication

 

[santaman2000]

Now that's what you call dedication

Yeah there's that. And if they don't enlist like they're told they'll be killed.

Remember we're talking about gangs here. They will "confiscate" your gang tattoo with a hot iron if they think you no longer belong.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

They will "confiscate" your gang tattoo with a hot iron if they think you no longer belong.

Cheaper than laser treatment.......& far fewer sessions required.

 

[Elines]

A few years ago I was walking through the centre of Leicester when a young bloke ran into me. Instinctively I swore and he then started squaring up for a fight. Fortunately nothing came of it but I have often thought that I should maybe get some kind of training - not in fighting as such but in how to deal with that kind situation.

More generally, one thing that gets me is the amount of swearing you hear just walking about in the street. But just like most people I have never challenged anyone about it.

I did like the ending sequence in the video posted above.

 

[boatman]

Any actual evidence of gangs sending recruits to the army in the UK? Makes a good story. Wouldn't they be a bit old for gangs when they came out? And, had that much wider experience of the world which is one of the problem with city gangs in that they feel threatened within in their own tiny area.

 

[boatman]

A few years ago I was walking through the centre of Leicester when a young bloke ran into me. Instinctively I swore and he then started squaring up for a fight. Fortunately nothing came of it but I have often thought that I should maybe get some kind of training - not in fighting as such but in how to deal with that kind situation.

More generally, one thing that gets me is the amount of swearing you hear just walking about in the street. But just like most people I have never challenged anyone about it.

I did like the ending sequence in the video posted above.

When someone barges into me I normally respond with the English "sorry" and normally get the same in reply. To immediately swear seems likely to lead to confrontation and perhaps this should be thought about rather than to seek training. Politeness isn't weakness.

 

[shaggystu]

Any actual evidence of gangs sending recruits to the army in the UK? Makes a good story. Wouldn't they be a bit old for gangs when they came out? And, had that much wider experience of the world which is one of the problem with city gangs in that they feel threatened within in their own tiny area.

the UK doesn't have anything like the gang culture of the US at the moment, this week it made the national press that two wpc's were shots dead in greater manchester, it's caused outrage (and quite rightly so). if this month is anything at a like average then somewhere round about 15 police officers will be shot to death in the line of duty in the US, and that's just shot, and just this month. we really don't have a gang problem over here yet.

edit; just to add, i've just found some figures for the US, they're having a quiet time of it this year, only 8 officers shot to death so far this month

no they wouldn't "be too old", these street gangs are like the mafia, you swear a blood oath/get a tattoo and that's it, you're a gang member 'til you die, there's no getting too old, no retiring, there's just death.

cheers

stuart

 

[Retired Member southey]

When someone barges into me I normally respond with the English "sorry" and normally get the same in reply. To immediately swear seems likely to lead to confrontation and perhaps this should be thought about rather than to seek training. Politeness isn't weakness.

This is an absolute truth,

 

[Bluebs4]

Hmmmm I know this feeling I can't let things go , the ******** do need a week at boot camp I'd run them into the ground and break them , national service or something as they lack any guidance

All The Best , Stewart

 

[Retired Member southey]

Hmmmm I know this feeling I can't let things go , the ******** do need a week at boot camp I'd run them into the ground and break them , national service or something as they lack any guidance

All The Best , Stewart

No you wouldn't, because unfortunately there is no longer any stick you can use, you can only try the carrot, and you have nothing to offer them that they want

 

[blacktimberwolf]

these street gangs are like the mafia, you swear a blood oath/get a tattoo and that's it, you're a gang member

And a FREE 9mm & Amstaff with every subscription.

 

[shaggystu]

And a FREE 9mm & Amstaff with every subscription.

had to google amstaff, but yes, exactly. they'll even give you your first bag of crank on credit if you ask really nicely!

 

[santaman2000]

....no they wouldn't "be too old", these street gangs are like the mafia, you swear a blood oath/get a tattoo and that's it, you're a gang member 'til you die, there's no getting too old, no retiring, there's just death.

cheers

stuart

You're very, very close. Don't think of them as "street" gangs; those are just wanna bes. The real gangs are patterened after the old Hell's Angels and the other motorcycle gangs (which by the way were originally founded by GIs returning from WWII) And they're also still around. others are ethnic

The members ages range from 13 at the younger end to the upper 60s at the older end, with the upper leadership being near the older end..

"Getting in" isn't quite as simple as "getting a tattoo" though. The motorcycle gangs can take up to 2 years for a "prospect" to progress to "associate" and then to full member with many boxes to be ticked along the way. The other gangs also have their own requirements and rituals. But ALL have some requirement for "blood in, blood out."

Whether that "blood" means killing an enemy of the gang (or an innocent) or whether it means being beaten into the gang. Bllod-out generally means the death of the member leaving the gang but not always. In the case of the motorcycle gangs it might well mean a "tax" of several thousand dollars and having any tattoos that infer membership foreably removed.

The gangs today are large and have chapters in virtually every area. As you pointed out they operate more like the mafia. Many are still motorcycle gangs and others are ethnic (such as MS13, the Bloods, The Crypts, the Latin Kings, the Aryan Nation, etc.) while still others are motivated purely by easy money. Regardless of their make-up, their "turf" wars are usually motivated on controling drug trade.

You don't have the overt gang culture yet but rest assured, if you have illicit drugs, you have the gangs. Not at the local supplier level (somebody buys a bag of pot from his brother) but up the chain, they're there. Particularly with regards to cocaine and it's derivitives.

 

[santaman2000]

Any actual evidence of gangs sending recruits to the army in the UK? Makes a good story. Wouldn't they be a bit old for gangs when they came out? And, had that much wider experience of the world which is one of the problem with city gangs in that they feel threatened within in their own tiny area.

As has been poited out about modern gangs, no, they wouldn't be too old. As pointed out the original mototcycle gangs were founded by returinin GIs (mostly mechanicaly minded ones in either aviation or maintenence) Those were originally just looking for the same comeraderie they had experienced during the war. At least one of the modern ethnic ones (MS13) began from soldiers in El Salvador that had been originally trained by the US Green Beret. Their aim was economic (drug trade) from the start.

As to whether there is any evidence of it happening in the UK yet, I don't know.

As to the idea of the city street gangs having a small view of the world; well, maybe. But as I said in an earlier post, those aren't true gangs, they're only little wanna bes. If they're not there yet, they will be.

 

[shaggystu]

....."Getting in" isn't quite as simple as "getting a tattoo" though. The motorcycle gangs can take up to 2 years for a "prospect" to progress to "associate" and then to full member with many boxes to be ticked along the way. The other gangs also have their own requirements and rituals. But ALL have some requirement for "blood in, blood out."......

i should've been clearer, i didn't intend to imply that it was a "simple" case of "just" getting a tattoo, more that once you had got to the bloodoath/tatto stage then that's it, you're "in" for life.

we do have an overt gang culture in the UK, it's just not quite so "hardcore" as it is in the states at the moment, i'm sure we'll catch up, we generally do

cheers

stuart