fight or flight response

[lauraelmore1033]

I've always felt comfortable riding alone because I've always figured I am big enough that I don't look like a vulnerable target, and stronger than your average man, but something happened on my ride yesterday (but not to me)that really makes me doubt that I could even function in a situation of extreme stress.

It started as I was nearly right hooked by a police car, which swooped right into a trailer park after a pickup truck. Lights and sirens started AFTER the swoop and it was clear that he wanted the truck to stop. Truck would not stop and a super slow speed chase ensued through the park which ran parallel to the road I was on. I started feeling fearful that I was about to witness a murder after the driver ignored at least 4-5 commands to stop the car and even more so as the driver began waving his arms about inapproriately. (People have been shot around here for less) I guess there was also a strong concern that bullets could start flying about, willy nilly at any given moment now.

At this point I noticed a change in my breathing; even though the road was nearly flat ,I was gasping as if I were climbing the steepest grade. Then my arms turned to jelly. I felt like I could hardly hold my body up off the handle bars. It took all I had to make it to a trail head about a quarter mile away, where I encountered a long downhill. Breathing and arm strength returned somewhat to normal as I coasted. I had a chance to realize that if that had been a situation in which I had REALLY been in danger, I would have been toast. That was a stretch of road that I ride nearly every day, with the greatest of ease, just to get to the interurban trail, and I just barely made it there yesterday. I thought fear was supposed to give you the strength to get away (fight or flight). Is that just a myth? I was weak as a baby and I wasn't even in real danger!

[Melalvai]

I'm not an expert but I think when you start to notice that kind of thing is when the fight or flight is over and you are experiencing the after effects. When the adrenaline first hits you get super focused on what needs to be done, if anything, and you do it.

[indysteel]

I've had the same thing happen to me after the initial shock of something. In particular, I remember walking out to my garage when I lived in downtown Indy and realizing that someone had broken in, or at least tried to break in, to it. My first thoughts and actions were very calm and I did what I needed to do. But within minutes after that, I started shaking like a leaf. The same thing has happened right after a car accident. So, I tend to agree with Melalvai that what you noted was the after effect of an adrenaline rush.

That said, it couldn't hurt to take a self defense class. That might give you more confidence and teach you some invaluable skills.

[OakLeaf]

My experience is the same as Melalvai's and indysteel's. It sounds to me like the almost-right-hook is what got your adrenaline flowing, and your subconscious decided you were okay after that, in spite of your intellectual feelings about the rest of what was going on.

[Catrin]

I concur - as a survivor of violent crime (several times) I found that while the event was occurring that I was very calm and clear about what I needed to do. It was afterwards that I fell to pieces... Your subconscious decided that the danger was past - regardless of what you were thinking at the time.

[lauraelmore1033]

Oh, ok, that makes sense! Odd how I didn't even recognize almost being right hooked as "real danger" at the time (and was busy analyzing the scene between cop and driver...). It just seemed worrying that by the time I was furiously trying to get away from what I saw as a potentially dangerous scene, my body just wasn't cooperating. It was like one of those dreams where you are furiously running but not getting anywhere. The human mind is a funny thing...