That’s the thing, if the other guy actually means to harm you and has a knife, and you’re within range, you’re going to get injured or killed. If they just mean to scare you you might get lucky. Telling the two apart in the instant you have isn’t always feasible, but you can usually tell if someone’s impaired enough that you can get away. Yes, I got lucky, but it was an ‘educated’ choice as I’d seen him, rather unstably, coming.

I was taught that if you’re faced with a potential fight you try to talk your way out of it, failing that you run, and only if you can’t do that do you fight. If you have to fight you do so to end the threat as quickly and safely (for yourself) as possible.