They tell you it won't hurt, they tell you, you won't get burnt and they tell you just to keep walking, but something in your head is telling you that continuing to move towards the man with the petrol bomb in his hand is not going to be good for you.

But with flame retardant overalls, balaclava and gloves, some words of warning, and the knowledge that everyone in PSU has already done this, you do walk on.

And when the bottle smashes at your feet, releasing an expanding ball of flame between your legs it is not, rather surprisingly, that uncomfortable a feeling.

With this equipment and, more importantly, knowledge that this equipment will work, these petrol bombs are nothing to fear.

Having a petrol bomb hurled at you is very much akin to walking on the glass floor atop Toronto's CN Tower ? you can see the source of your fear, perhaps even smell it a little the first time, but ultimately you escaped unscathed with an enormous sense of pride and achievement realising that there was perhaps, nothing to be afraid of to start with.

Throwing one at the Police, however, and realising that they are still coming at you with night-sticks drawn and powers of arrest in place ? now is scary.