TexasCHLforum.com

MrsFosforos wrote:The other night on the Sarah Conner Chronicles: the bad guy was shooting at her and she used an overturned recliner for cover. You could see the bullets hit the chair, but none went through it.

Liko81 wrote:

People who get shot and fly back or get knocked off of their feet

It's actually a real human response to being shot. A gunshot carries about the same force as a good punch, albeit with far less surface area affected. The natural human reaction to an impact is to move in the same direction in an attempt to absorb the blow and avoid future blows. It doesn't work for gunshots; the bullet's made its hole long before your natural reaction kicks in, but it's still instinct. There's also a psychological element; there are thousands of movies and TV shows that subconsciously educate viewers about what you're supposed to do when shot, perpetuating the cycle; it happens in real life so they show it on TV. And finally, it really does happen. Incapacitate someone by pain, blood loss or nervous system disruption and their knees give way. Knees bend in front of them, pushing center of mass behind, and voila they're on their back. Couple that with the impulse imparted on the body by the bullet, however small, and if the person was standing upright and not moving they'll crumple onto their back.