[ghshephard]

Fair enough - I can't disagree with anything you are saying here.

Honestly, one of the more astute things you mentioned was not getting into this situation in the first place, "Assuming my situational awareness was so poor I hadn't started avoiding letting them get so close in the first place," - I take full responsibility for getting mugged - it was after dark, on a deserted sidewalk - and my lack of situational awareness, directly led to the miscreants getting close enough to draw down on me and relieve me of my possessions.

I lived in a much rougher part of Oakland (17th and the lake, in 98-99) for 2 1/2 years, and never once came close to being on the receiving end of a crime, because I was always hyper aware of my environment. But, you get sloppy on the peninsula, and look what happens...