Good posts from all. As you can see, its an individual decision on the course of action. OP, no disrespect, but mature professionals or experienced adults, don’t worry about being call a “pussy”. If I decide to walk away from a situation, its because, I have determined that I don’t need the legal problems, whoever I was with could get killed or injured, I was outnumbered to the point that weapons or skill would not help, etc. and guess what? I would not feel like a “pussy”, I would have survived with no injuries, no arrest, and no lawsuit.
You walked away with no injuries. IMHO, you were very lucky. Mocking someone, especially in front of witnesses, is an amateur move, one that could have got you killed. Once you started the taunts, you backed him into a embarrassing corner and the only way to salvage his “manhood” was to start another fight and this time his friends would have been with him. Let me give you a quote that will go a long way in avoiding future trouble:
“Humiliation is a thing never forgotten”–Rebec of Ginaz.
I would take this situation, evaluate what you did or didn’t do, and start mentally and physically preparing for the next time. Examples: You stated knives were very common in Scotland, well, do you train in knife defense? counter moves? blade based martial arts? The chances of you encountering one again are high. What are the self defense laws in Scotland? Can you defend yourself from both the perpetrator or the courts? How is your physical training? Do you train both both your mind and your body? I am going to post a link to a excellent thread on situational awareness. take some time and study the advice given. Stay sharp.