If you do decide to fight, then it’s got to be with total commitment and as nasty as possible, with no hesitation. Stabbing fingers into eyes, kicking knee caps and groins, straight punching – and don’t stop. If they go down, kick them, but not in the head as that can hurt your feet and you need to start running as soon as possible… The face, groin, lower back and neck are better kick targets, and although these sorts of people rather like stamping on people heads when they’re on the floor, that does put you off-balance. Better to kick using your heel, especially if wearing stout shoes or boots.
But once there’s no more threat, start running and don’t stop until you are well out of the neighbourhood. Take a cab to somewhere else, then travel home by underground train or something as anonymous as possible – and stay there. If in a strange city, leave as soon as you can. Who knows what the local police are going to make of what they’re told, and whether they’re going to believe your version, especially if you don’t speak the local language. And don’t tell anybody of your little adventure until well afterwards….