challenging a job protectors have signed on for.
Protector Positioning
Protectors can't always persuade protectees to take the positions that are safest-but protectors usually do have substantial influence over their own positioning. How they position themselves within a field, and how they reposition when elements change -- these are critical decisions made by each protector, perhaps hundreds of times in a day.
In our favor, we know from TAD and from the Compendium cases that when protectors are positioned close to an attacker (ideally within arm's reach), in effect starting the race at the same place as the attacker, the protector's task is actually easier than the attacker's. The attacker has to perform a precision feat using fine motor skills under the worst possible conditions. The protector, on the other hand, has to perform a fairly imprecise feat (disrupting aim), using gross motor skills.
TAD protectors know in advance that what looks like an attack is an attack, so there's no need to spend time assessing anything. Thus, it comes down to a race, mostly a physical race, between the attacker, who must draw, aim, and fire with some accuracy -- and the protector, who must interfere with the attacker just enough to disrupt aim, which destroys accuracy.
Right vs. Left
TAD research answered some questions most people had never considered. For example, when you assign a protector to a position, does it make any difference whether the protector is posted on the bystanders' right-hand or left-hand side?
We've learned that it is best to position protectors on the bystanders' left side because attackers consistently perform more poorly when they are engaged by a protector who responds from their nondominant side -- and for most people, that's their left. Protectors who engage attackers on the attacker's nondominant side are more likely to prevail than those who engage on the attacker's dominant side.
All other factors being equal, merely moving the protector to the left side of bystanders significantly reduces the attacker's likelihood of success -- and thus enhances the safety of the protectee.
Since the protector positioned to the left of the attacker sees the gun an instant later (because the shooter's body is blocking his gun hand during the draw), it might seem that positioning on the left would help the shooter be more successful, not less. Also, one might assume that if standing on the left, the protector has to travel farther to reach the attacker's gun arm, thus granting the attacker more time to fire. However reasonable these assumptions, the fact remains that attackers are less likely to prevail when protectors are positioned on the left. Why?
It appears that people are less confident when engaged on their non-dominant side. Attacker nervousness might be enhanced when a protector charges from the left as opposed to the right, as knowing an adversary is on one's weaker side causes more anxiety. And why does the shooter do better when engaged from the right? Again, confidence might be part of the reason. A person engaged on his dominant side is less anxious. Also, since the right is also likely the side of the shooter's dominant eye, a clearer view and better depth perception might serve to discourage flinching when a protector advances from the right. Further, it might be relevant that attackers are more able to maintain footing when assaulted on their dominant side, the dominant side being stronger. Finally, there's the physics of moving the attacker's arm (to destroy accuracy): The right-handed attacker can better resist a push from the right than a push from the left. This is because the attacker has more muscular resistance to force that seeks to move his right arm leftward, than to force that seeks to move his weaker arm rightward.
Studies have shown police officers will resist using their weak hand and attempt to fire handguns with their dominant hand even if their dominant arm or hand has
Protector Positioning
Protectors can't always persuade protectees to take the positions that are safest-but protectors usually do have substantial influence over their own positioning. How they position themselves within a field, and how they reposition when elements change -- these are critical decisions made by each protector, perhaps hundreds of times in a day.
In our favor, we know from TAD and from the Compendium cases that when protectors are positioned close to an attacker (ideally within arm's reach), in effect starting the race at the same place as the attacker, the protector's task is actually easier than the attacker's. The attacker has to perform a precision feat using fine motor skills under the worst possible conditions. The protector, on the other hand, has to perform a fairly imprecise feat (disrupting aim), using gross motor skills.
TAD protectors know in advance that what looks like an attack is an attack, so there's no need to spend time assessing anything. Thus, it comes down to a race, mostly a physical race, between the attacker, who must draw, aim, and fire with some accuracy -- and the protector, who must interfere with the attacker just enough to disrupt aim, which destroys accuracy.
Right vs. Left
TAD research answered some questions most people had never considered. For example, when you assign a protector to a position, does it make any difference whether the protector is posted on the bystanders' right-hand or left-hand side?
We've learned that it is best to position protectors on the bystanders' left side because attackers consistently perform more poorly when they are engaged by a protector who responds from their nondominant side -- and for most people, that's their left. Protectors who engage attackers on the attacker's nondominant side are more likely to prevail than those who engage on the attacker's dominant side.
All other factors being equal, merely moving the protector to the left side of bystanders significantly reduces the attacker's likelihood of success -- and thus enhances the safety of the protectee.
Since the protector positioned to the left of the attacker sees the gun an instant later (because the shooter's body is blocking his gun hand during the draw), it might seem that positioning on the left would help the shooter be more successful, not less. Also, one might assume that if standing on the left, the protector has to travel farther to reach the attacker's gun arm, thus granting the attacker more time to fire. However reasonable these assumptions, the fact remains that attackers are less likely to prevail when protectors are positioned on the left. Why?
It appears that people are less confident when engaged on their non-dominant side. Attacker nervousness might be enhanced when a protector charges from the left as opposed to the right, as knowing an adversary is on one's weaker side causes more anxiety. And why does the shooter do better when engaged from the right? Again, confidence might be part of the reason. A person engaged on his dominant side is less anxious. Also, since the right is also likely the side of the shooter's dominant eye, a clearer view and better depth perception might serve to discourage flinching when a protector advances from the right. Further, it might be relevant that attackers are more able to maintain footing when assaulted on their dominant side, the dominant side being stronger. Finally, there's the physics of moving the attacker's arm (to destroy accuracy): The right-handed attacker can better resist a push from the right than a push from the left. This is because the attacker has more muscular resistance to force that seeks to move his right arm leftward, than to force that seeks to move his weaker arm rightward.
Studies have shown police officers will resist using their weak hand and attempt to fire handguns with their dominant hand even if their dominant arm or hand has
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