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TikTok has become home to many genres of content, and survival is one of them. And we're not just talking about Bear Grylls in some remote corner of the world.
For example, take Dannah Eve, also known as the Street Smart Blonde. After getting a degree in criminology and psychology, she started sharing everyday safety tips online, and her comprehensive informative videos immediately found an audience.
Now, Dannah has over 1.1 million combined social media followers who appreciate her clips on everything from how to prepare for a hurricane to avoiding check fraud and everything in between.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
11 people have died in rip currents in less than two weeks along the Gulf Coast. Let's talk about what to do if, God forbid, you find yourself in this situation.
If you get caught in one, it will pull you out to sea. Now the reason why this ends in a tragedy a lot of the time is because it's a very scary situation to be in. People panic, they hyperventilate, and they swim as hard as they can against the current. And because of this, they exhaust themselves and unfortunately drown.
Now I'm speaking from experience here, because when I was about 15 years old, I myself was actually caught in a rip current. And the only reason I knew what to do is because my dad drilled this into my head when I was very young. It's a lot easier said than done. But the first thing and the most important thing is to not panic, and never try and fight the ocean. Rip current will typically take you out to where the waves start to break. But some can take you out hundreds of yards if the conditions are right. And in the ocean, that's pretty scary.
So let's say, God forbid, you're in a rip current, what do you do? As I mentioned before, the most important thing is to stay calm, you're gonna save your energy and calmly swim parallel to shore. Once you clear the rip currents, you could then swim in a diagonal all the way back to shore. When this happened to me, where I exited the water was extremely far from where I had entered because I was able to remain calm. I was able to keep the friend that was with me calm and she and I made it back to shore safely.
James S 2 years ago
Don't try to swim, float on back instead. It requires far less energy and you can raise one arm and shout for help.
Tracy Wallick 2 years ago
Unfortunately, I have the approximate buoyancy of an anvil
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Karri Berkowitz 2 years ago
Panama City beach will have double red flags (do not enter water) and there will be ppl 30 feet out in the water. Things are posted, idiots don't care.
Bamamom2boys 2 years ago
Also, for the love of all that's holy, pay attention to the flags on the beach! Most beaches (U.S.), have flags posted. Green- all good; Yellow- there is a risk; Red- Dangerous rip current; Double red- stay out of the water.
Upstaged75 2 years ago
The rip current WILL stop at some point though. It's not going to float you over to China. :)
BloodyBun 2 years ago
Bzw. It is basically the same if you fall into a white water river or just a fast river. Do not swim directly to the shore but with the waterflow diagonaly. And keep an eye out for rocks. I once jumped of a bridge (for fun the guides told us it was a save Spot for that kind of thing) an nearly downed because the live jacket came loose. Keep calm, it by far the most important tip.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
I have been caught in a few rips (last one a surfer rescued me and took me back to shore). Despite earning about them in outdoor ed, it kept happening (probably 3 or 4 times). It only dawned on me recently that I couldn't see them because I had to take my glasses off to swim. Now I stick to paddling in the shallows.
ninjaTrashPandaBoom 2 years ago
A couple surfers saved my brother and I from a rip current in San Diego, CA, USA, when we were kids. Nicest dudes ever. Calmly paddled up and asked us if we wanted a ride back to shore. They explained rip currents and how to get out of one while we were heading back.
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Norman Beattie 2 years ago
That is exactly what you do. This happened to me a few years back and my first encounter with the ocean, I was a strong swimmer then. Walking along the beach in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. (long before it was developed and known only to surfers from CA.) all of a sudden the sand just dropped away and i was in the water. Each time I came up for air, the wave would break above me and force me down and out. I could tell I was getting tired and could see I was heading for rocks. Some thing clicked and I swam out away from the shore, everything settled down, I treaded water, evaluated my situation and swam along the shoreline and then back to shore without any effort. Everything happened so quickly and it was the day I actually thought I was going to drown, it i still fresh in my mind and very quickly learned to respect the ocean.
RELATED:
#2
Here's what to do if you get pulled over by an unmarked car. First thing, in the case that it actually is an officer, you want to make sure that they are aware that you know that you're being pulled over. A way to acknowledge them is by putting on your flashers. If you're on the highway, it's also a good idea to pull to the far right lane and drive at the speed limit so they could just follow behind you.
Now that you've acknowledged that they are behind you and you are being pulled over, you're gonna want to call 911. You'll then tell them that you're being pulled over by what looks like an unmarked car, but you want to confirm that it is in fact a police officer. They'll ask you some questions about your location and be able to confirm if it is legit or not. Now in the case that it is not legitimate, you're gonna want to drive straight to the nearest police station, and also keep 911 on the phone. In the world we live in these days, there are so many scary scams that go around. And remember that you can get a flasher and siren from Amazon.
ninjaTrashPandaBoom 2 years ago
"If you’re concerned about the legitimacy of the car pulling you over, it is well within your right to call the police station or 911 to inquire. You should provide your name, location, make and model of your car, and ideally the make and model of the unmarked car attempting to pull you over. The Police Department Dispatch Center will be able to verify if a police officer is making the traffic stop...You do need to pull over for a police car – marked or unmarked. Since it can be difficult to tell if the unmarked car pulling you over is legitimate, you also have the right to look out for your own safety. Generally, it is safest to pull into a public area like a gas station or hospital parking lot while you call dispatch to verify if a police officer is making the traffic stop. Police officials who drive the unmarked vehicles said that they almost never pull people over. The only time they do is when they see a serious traffic violation that puts others in danger."
ninjaTrashPandaBoom 2 years ago (edited)
Source: https://www.shultz-rollins.com/blog/what-should-i-do-if-an-unmarked-police-car-attempts-to-pull-me-over/#:~:text=You%20do%20need%20to%20pull,out%20for%20your%20own%20safety. EDIT: A law firm based in Arizona, USA.
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Bob Brooce 2 years ago
In the days of cops on TV and social media how can so many people be so stupid that they think the average cops is okay letting somebody just keep driving when the cop is trying to pull them over?
#3
Teaching your kids situational awareness at a young age. Something that you can do to help your kids become aware of their surroundings at a young age is play situational awareness games. When you're driving in the car as a family, start to look for a specific type of car and color. Make it fun and exciting and have your kids shout out loud when they see that type of car.
You should also play this game at hotels, restaurants, airports, you name it. But in this situation, you want them to be able to spot all of the nearest exits. You have them get into the habit of looking for them and pointing them out to you as they see them. This creates a habit at a young age and I can bet you that they will find exits for the rest of their life.
Another smart game is 'people watching'. Next time you're sitting down in a restaurant or at a park with your kid, pick somebody out and have them guess their age, their height, their weight, even have them guess their career based off of what they look like. This way, your child starts getting into the habit of observing people around them. Now as a parent myself, this is definitely a scary thought that you want your child to be able to pick out somebody and describe somebody to a T if, God forbid, they're ever in a dangerous situation. And playing games with your kids just like these will help with their situational awareness at a very early age.
2 years ago
Another important thing is to have the kids know what their parents are wearing and look like. Then if they're ever separated they can describe their parents accurately.
ninjaTrashPandaBoom 2 years ago
Also teach your children your full name and your phone number. Friend worked at Disneyland and was amazed that some lost kids did not know these basics.
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Rostit. . 2 years ago
situational awareness is important. It doesnt mean you are looking for the bad guys all the time, its just being aware of what is around you. There are many many benefits.
Phyzzi 2 years ago
To expand on that, I have gotten out of several would be accidental bad situations by just being aware (not just sight but sound) of my surroundings, and gotten into a few by getting in over my head by missing or ignoring things I should have been tracking. Someone or something doesn't need bad intent to be dangerous, or to make you really uncomfortable for a long time. Something as trivial as noticing wet leaves on pavement could be the difference between a broken bone or road accident, and a completely trivial, possibly reasonably pleasant fall day. Plus, it's honestly a shame going through life without actually being aware of it.
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Yeet_girl360 2 years ago (edited)
When I was around the age of 10-11 (aka long time ago) my family went camping at Beaver's Bend in Oklahoma. Super exciting considering I'm a huge nature lover. I was excited to see the great outdoors, and explore the forest. Unfortunately it was to cold to swim so we had to stick to the hills, and forest. (we were aloud knee deep in the water.) No problem though. Eventually me and one of my younger sisters managed to convice my mother to let us go to the swim beach by ourselves. We told her we just wanted to look at it and that we were not going to swim in it. Instead we ended up skipping stones for about a half hour, and all was good until a sketchy white beat up truck rolled up into the parking lot about 50 feet above/away from us. (The swim beach was down hill) I ignored the truck think that they might just be changing their GPS to their campsite.
Yeet_girl360 2 years ago (edited)
(My dad did the same thing, and besides, the place was HUGE. Anyway, another 15 minutes pass and they are still there. I examine the people in the truck only to realize they were staring at us! Two young girls, a french bulldog, and no adults. Doing the right thing i tell my sister we need to go back to camp. Did not say anything about the people watching us because I didn't want her to let them know that I know they were watching us. For all I know they could have had a gun. She refused saying "Mom knows we are here, plus if she needed us she could send one of the others after us". So I tried again, this time telling her very quietly about the people in the truck, and not to look at them. She agreed, and started making our way to the road(which was uphill). I know I was right that they were bad people when there fricking engine to their car turned on, and they started driving up to us very slowly.
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Bored Trash Panda 2 years ago
Also, teach your kids what to do in an emergency situation every where you go. Like where to meet if you get separated, what to do in a house fire, and sadly nowadays, what to do in a school shooting. I have had long talks with my son about the last one, while holding back tears of anger and fear. It is scary stuff and we shouldn't have to talk about it with our kids, but it is necessary. You always think it will never happen, but so did thousands of parents of kids in school shootings. Always be prepared.
#4
You're in the elevator in the building you live in and somebody that you don't recognize asks if you live here. "No, just visiting some friends I went to college with." "No just dropping off a few things for my brother." An Uber or Lyft driver or a taxi driver drops you off at your home and asks if this is your home, "No, just visiting some family friends." "No, on my way to a surprise party or event." "I wish but no."
You're sitting and having a drink and somebody says, "What's up, girl, what you doing here alone?" "I'm just waiting for my boyfriend." "Waiting on some friends. They should be here any minute." "Waiting on my husband. He's just parking."
You recently moved to a new city and somebody asks if you're new here. "No, I used to live right down the street." "No, I used to go to school here."
And if you ever find yourself in a situation where somebody asks, "Does anybody know you're here?" Your answer 100% of the time is "yes." "Yes. My husband is on his way to meet me right now." "Yes, my friend should be here any minute." "Yes. Just waiting on the rest of my family to arrive."
Never ever tell anybody that you are alone. And as a rule of thumb, regardless of being true or not, somebody always knows where you are, even if nobody really does.
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 2 years ago
If someone asks if anyone knows you’re there, nope the f**k out.
BookFanatic 2 years ago
If you're visiting a new place and hop into a cab/taxi/uber/etc and the driver asks "Are you from out of town?" "Is this your first time here?" No, you've been in the city for a few days. Or you come here every year. Implies you know how much the ride's supposed to cost, and stops them from taking the long way 'round.
Amanda W 2 years ago
Literally just had this happen to me a few nights ago. Guy started in with the questions, had to do the standard "I'm married" dance. Told me that I was too pretty to be walking around without a wedding ring on. He was getting in my personal space when the Uber pulled up, I just jumped in the front seat. So damn aggravating.
SadieCat17 2 years ago
r/whenwomenrefuse. A lot of men don't like being told no.
Load More Replies... #5
If you ever are driving and you find yourself behind one of these vehicles, switch lanes immediately and stop following this truck. My mom had a friend growing up who actually lost a family member because one of those wooden logs came dislodged and went right through her windshield.
Alethea Fletcher 2 years ago
Ever since Final Destination I've always feared these. I'm not risking the wrath of Death...😱😬
Easily Excitable Panda 2 years ago
Most of my best safety tips come from these films!
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Robert Trebor 2 years ago
Any truck with an open back. Any rural pickup with junk in the back. Any construction truck.
ninjaTrashPandaBoom 2 years ago
Especially construction dump trucks hauling road aggregate, gravel or larger rocks.
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Upstaged75 2 years ago
LOL, I wasn't expecting that explanation for this picture. I just assumed it was a reference to Final Destination. :)
Ozymandias73 2 years ago
I'm pretty sure Final Destination taught everyone who watched that movie to move over if they see a truck like this.
ninjaTrashPandaBoom 2 years ago
Rarely, that is a secure load, but it does happen. For a single lane, slow way down and increase your following distance greatly. Wait until another lane opens up or you can safely pass.
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Hellcaste's Wife 2 years ago
Anyone who has watched Final Destination knows not to ride behind one these... Just sayin'.LOL
#6
Never give out any sensitive information on an inbound call. There are a ton of scammers out there these days that are calling pretending to be your credit card company. Only give out your information on an outbound call.
Nick (He/Him) 2 years ago
Don't give your information on any call. Someone could be listening.
Mahayana 2 years ago
: 9-1-1, what’s your emergencies? : I’m not telling you anything!
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Phred 2 years ago
Well, not necessarily always... I once got a call from my "energy company" saying I was owed a $5000 rebate, conveniently upload to my credit card. No, he said, sending me a check wasn't possible. I said, in my best old-guy quavering voice, that I'd have to go upstairs to get the credit card. Well, I eventually found it in my top dresser drawer, but the light was too dim up there so I had to go into the living room to read out the numbers. My eyes aren't what they used to be, so it took me a long time to get all the numbers right. After about twenty minutes I got tired and switched back to my normal voice (I'm old but not quavery). He called me a few things and said something like "I have your credit card information you son of a [contextually vulgar word deleted since I'm not at a dog show commenting on the participants]. I'm not sure why he was so happy to have it--maybe he didn't hear me when I told him it was a credit card I cancelled more than twenty years ago.
ROSESARERED 2 years ago
I just tell them to send me an email...no I don't give out my email address...they should have it if they are legit. If you do get an email, never click on anything in it. Close and go to the verified app or website.
David Phillips 2 years ago
If the caller doesn't answer you immediately, or of you hear a ring tone, hang up. It's a bank or a scammer (same thing, really).
Jrog 2 years ago (edited)
Maybe breath heavily every now and then, so they know you are still there. (or, you know, use the phone two ways as a sane person?)
Load More Replies... #7
Tip number one. If anybody ever asks if you're home alone, the answer is no. Never actually open your door for anybody. Make sure to keep all windows and doors locked at all times. And if you're home alone at night, it's not a bad idea to keep lights on in random rooms throughout your house.
If you want to order food, order food through an app like Uber Eats because this way you can do a contactless delivery. And if the delivery person arrives and ring the doorbell, you just say 'thank you so much, you could leave it right there.' It's also not a bad idea to yell 'dad, food's here.'
And lastly, never feel like you have to be brave. If you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation or you just feel that something's off, call 911. It's always better to have an officer come out for a false alarm than risk being in a dangerous situation with no help on the way. Make sure to give me a follow and, as always, stay safe out there.
GB 2 years ago
"It's always better to have an officer come out for a false alarm"...unless you're a Black person in the U.S.
Yer maw 2 years ago
Here's me sitting in my unlocked house, alone and can't get an Uber eats or whatever delivery even if I wanted as I'm too far away. Granted I live in a tiny town in Scotland, I haven't heard of a worse crime than someone getting their Xmas decoration stolen and them returned by a very hungover embarrassed guy a few hours later. I can't imagine this being your life where you're scared to just exist without being the target constantly. I fully understand bad stuff happens to unsuspecting people all the time, and as a woman I'm more at risk than my male counterparts but I just won't live my life constantly thinking about what worse case scenario could happen. Sure I'm not about to put myself in risky situations but I don't see answering my door or ordering food as one of them. To be fair would be pretty stupid of the local delivery guy from the restaurant a literal 2 min walk away to be gone long enough to do anything to someone when they should be back within 5 mins
smugdruggler 2 years ago
Must be a really scary world they live in. Sad really.
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Tyke 2 years ago
"Never actually open your door for anybody. Make sure to keep all windows and doors locked at all times" - well that's going to make receiving parcels difficult, and letting in my husband when he forgets his keys. Also we may all roast if I can never my open windows, and we'll probably all be ill more regularly due to a lack of fresh air. If I leave my take-away delivery at the front door too, I have to leave my very young child alone while I go down to get it.
SobyKay 2 years ago
The first statement gave me a visual of someone at my door saying, "Are you home?" and me answering through the door, "........Nooooo." 😆
ninjaTrashPandaBoom 2 years ago
My five large dogs barking like crazy keep all those type of questions to a minimum.
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WalterWhiteSavannah 2 years ago
Its a shame how often cops just don't bother to respond.. I had to go to a friend's house when her ex broke in while drunk as all hell (two years after they broke up he'd kept a key). I asked why she hadn't called the cops and she had. Twice.
Lotte Peisch 2 years ago (edited)
Bad advice. Cops often make matters WORSE and they can be jerks on top of that if they feel you're wasting their time, and don't forget unless you're living in a relatively low population area, it's going to take about 30 minutes for a cop to actually show up. IF they show up. This must've been written and upvoted by people who've never had to deal with actual cops.
Bruce Horton 2 years ago
How do you even live your life: rando unknown caller, are you alone?, sure c'mon over. Order food, don't answer the door maybe someone is scanning pizza places looking for deliveries. There's normal and then there's not.
The Doom Song 2 years ago
I'm never home alone. My dog is always here with me and his bark alone is enough to scare people
#8
Always make sure that your computer cameras are covered.
I don't know who 2 years ago
Mine had too but I don't use it because I didn't removed the paper which came with
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Matthews 2 years ago
I don’t know how it’s like with other manufacturers, but all my MacBooks (since the 2012 era) had an electrical connection between the camera and the indicator light right beside it. So, there’s no way for the camera to be on while the light is off. Not to mention that current versions of the OS always require you to allow camera access, even if you initiated it, which makes it much safer. Also, whenever the laptop is not in use, I just close the lid. And, if the camera is embedded in a full glass laminated panel, many of those camera blockers can crack the screen when closing the lid.
The Idaho Potato 2 years ago
Exactly! And for those of you still using Chrome, maybe switch to Tor or Brave? I know Brave blocks fingerprinting, ads and trackers.
Rostit. . 2 years ago (edited)
Do not use TOR unless you have to. TOR network is for people with actual security concerns, like folks in oppressed countries. If you use it for normal browsing, you are using up resources they need. TOR actually says this in their TOS. Brave is chrome you know. Just redone with different cookie handling. There are many good browser options and you can even config chrome to work like brave. But please do not use TOR unless you have a real reason.
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BookFanatic 2 years ago (edited)
Oh, yes. My best friend was giving me s**t about not having my camera covered. Her hubby is an IT genius. She got him to take over my computer remotely, start talking through my speakers, and describe what I was wearing. Scared me half to death, for which they both profusely apologized but...(shrug) I stuck a sticky-note over the camera.
Sergio Bicerra 2 years ago
What about cellphone cameras? Should we be worried or is way less possible for someone to gain control of that cameras (both front and rear).
Rostit. . 2 years ago
its already being hijacked my tiktok and snap without your permission, *well you gave it permission when you installed the aps.
Load More Replies... David 2 years ago
I have thought about this every time I see one of those 'scary' stories about "Oooh! Malware! They might be watching you through your camera and you'd never know!" Like - OBVIOUS - if you are concerned about that then just tape a small piece of card stock over the camera. Anyone who owns an SLR knows you can't see much if you don't take the lens cap off.
Phyzzi 2 years ago
XD that last point took me a second, not because I was wondering what you see with the lense cap on, but because I had to think about why this would apply more to people who own SLR cameras.
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#9
Let's say somebody rear-ends you but it's pretty minor and you kind of get this gut feeling that something just doesn't seem right - it's late, it's dark, you're on a side street with not a lot of traffic - stay in your car, especially if it's drivable and everybody's safe. Stay in your car with the doors locked, and immediately get on the phone with 911. Keep your car on. Again, if it's safe, then make sure that you are ready to pull out of there if the situation would become dangerous.
And if, God forbid, it would and you do need to peel out of there, drive right to the police station. I've heard of situations where criminals go after their target by getting into a minor car accident with them, and this way, they could lure them out of their vehicle on some side street. So always be very hyper-aware of your surroundings and if you have a gut feeling that something seems off, it most likely is.
C .Hunger 2 years ago
Basically, if you are in ANY accident, call 911 first before leaving the car.
Lyone Fein 2 years ago
This applies to minor accidents, where noone is hurt and nothing is life threatening.
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Nicola Mawson 2 years ago
In South Africa, drive to the petrol station. They have cameras on the forecourt
Lotte Peisch 2 years ago
"I've heard of situations..." doesn't seem like someone who is giving quality advice, FYI.
Christopher Gerlach 2 years ago
When I was like 21, I made a mistake and drove into a street when I wasn't supposed to. I quickly put it in reverse to get back into the alley I was coming from without noticing someone was behind me and I smashed into them. I felt really bad, I moved ahead, put my emergency lights on and parked the car. The person in the other car passed me and drove off. Guess I'm lucky they thought I was a criminal targeting them.
#10
Breaking down some situations when you should absolutely lie.
So let's say you're traveling alone and a male sits next to you and asks if you're traveling alone. "No, my brother is actually sitting a few rows off and we're meeting a bunch of friends when we get to the next airport." "No, I'm actually going to visit my three brothers, they'll be picking me up at the airport."
Let's say you're waiting in the lobby of a hotel, and a man simply asks you if you're staying there. "No, actually just meeting a few friends for a drink." "I was but I'm checking out today." "I'm actually just waiting on the rest of my family to come down here."
You are in college, sitting in a Starbucks, and somebody comes up and asks you if you go to school here or what school you go to, "Actually, I just take online classes." If anybody ever asks you what hotel you're staying at, you can simply reply with the Marriott or the Hilton because those hotels are literally everywhere.
You arrive at a destination and you're waiting on your taxi or Uber but the person behind you, just for whatever reason, asks if you want to share a ride. "No, sorry, I'm actually waiting on some friends. They should be coming out any second." These are all situations where it's very smart to lie.
Upstaged75 2 years ago
We all learned from the movie Taken that you don't share a cab with strangers in a foreign country! Especially because you're screwed if Liam Neeson isn't your dad. :)
MiriPanda 2 years ago
I don't know why I should answer any of those questions from a stranger to begin with, even with a lie (which can be proven a lie rather quickly when that stranger has enough patience). Completly ignoring questions, pretending to be somewhat deranged or pretending to not understand them for whatever reason worked quite well for me in the past.
ColdSteelRonin 2 years ago (edited)
It's not likely to be the opening question but will be inserted into a casual conversation. Evil can wear many faces and is frequently quite amiable at first glance. It is also not unknown for women to work with men to target other women.
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afia kooma 2 years ago
And dont double your wordcount just to sound belivable. Its a tell that you are lying. Short and sweet, make them move on quickly.
Rostit. . 2 years ago
I dont know why you think you need to even answer. I can ignore you right to your face.
Becky Samuel 2 years ago
Yup. I can ignore a man twice my size. Then if I'm lucky he only thinks I'm rude and moves on. If I'm unlucky he decides that I'm a stuck up "fenale dog" and decides to follow me around whining about how I won't pay him attention, asking why I'm not answering as though I owe him anything, and winding himself up to the point where he decides to do something that hurts me - all while blaming *me* for it all. I can't believe that women are still having to point out how often this happens.
Load More Replies... Van 2 years ago
So let's say you're traveling alone and a male sits next to you and asks if you're traveling alone. "No, my brother is actually sitting a few rows off and we're meeting a bunch of friends when we get to the next airport." But I know you are lying. I have been stalking you since Chicago!
Donna Peluda 2 years ago
The other sad thing about this is that you have Starbucks in college.
#11
Here's a safety tip for all my girls. This one is as simple as it gets, but it can potentially save your life. We live in a scary world. And by implementing this simple trick, you're going to make yourself less ideal of a target, and sometimes to deter crime, it's as simple as that.
I'm sure you've heard 'there's safety in numbers' your whole life. But if you have to walk somewhere alone, here's how you're going to do it. So, first thing and arguably the most important thing is to always act like you know where you're going. Even when you don't, you want to have your guard up and be aware of your surroundings at all times. Have good posture and a strong, firm stride. You want to walk with a purpose.
And again, act like you know exactly what you're doing and exactly where you're going. If, by chance, you do need to look down at your phone for directions, or to answer a text message, you're gonna want to back yourself up against a car or a wall. That way when you do look down at your phone, nobody can approach you from behind, and you're gonna want to do this as quick and efficiently as you can.
And also if you do have to do this, make sure you're looking up every couple of seconds and don't leave your head buried in your phone for too long. In my opinion, it's really sad that I feel the need to make these videos, but unfortunately, in the world we live in, you just cannot be too cautious. Stay safe out there.
The Idaho Potato 2 years ago
The only reason things like this have to be publicised is because of idiot men. Maybe if law enforcement started locking people up for this, our streets would be way safer. 🫤
Easily Excitable Panda 2 years ago
But then you get women like Sarah Everard. You can't trust the police anymore, either.
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Upstaged75 2 years ago
My personal strategy for not getting kidnapped is to be too fat to carry away. :)
Pink Princess 2 years ago
I do this because it just looks better. I’ve fortunately never had any scary stuff happen to me
Donna Peluda 2 years ago
I saw the girl that works at my local pub walking to catch the last bus a 3 in the morning with big over ear headphones. Next day I told her that it wasn't a good idea to walk at night without being aware of your surroundings, I joked that the music she listens to isn't worth it. She brushed me off as condescending, I told her the even I would never do that , 183 and 100+ kg and I know how to fight. Before anyone askes why I didn't offer her a lift it's because I had been drinking and was walking home. To take her home I would have had to drive.
Megalodon Meg 2 years ago
To my ladies (and everyone else who feels unsafe) there's a great app called Noonlight and there's a button that you hold down and if you release that button and don't verify via code that it was intentional there's only a handful of seconds before you get a call from them and if that goes unanswered they dispatch police to your location. It definitely works as my son accidentally pressed and let it go while I was napping and they came lol
BookFanatic 2 years ago
If you're walking alone and someone's following you, or it's late and dark out, or it just doesn't feel safe, pretend--or actually have--someone on the phone. Say stuff like "Yeah, I'm just at the corner of so-and-so" or "I'll be home in ten minutes." Yes, it could be termed a "distraction" but it'll make the bad guys think twice.
Becky Samuel 2 years ago
I doubt you were using your time for anything useful sweaty.
Load More Replies... #12
Always enable a remote wipe of your smartphone. This way, if you lose it, you could delete all sensitive material.
WalterWhiteSavannah 2 years ago
Ok but how though? I'm reasonably technologically competent and I have no idea how to set that up...
Phyzzi 2 years ago
Apple and Google's "find..." apps have a setting to enable remote wipe of your phone, it may also be elsewhere in settings.
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David 2 years ago
Or you could do what I do - Just don't put sensitive information on your phone. I do not use my phone for banking, POS payments or anything like that. I don't have sensitive text conversations. It's too easy to drop a phone in a parking lot or maybe get pick pocketed. I realize for folks in some countries their phone might be their only computer. My PC has a bit more personal info but in both cases I do not save passwords except for basic sites I don't care about. Never for financial / medical etc.
Jennifer Clark 2 years ago
What about saved payment methods, personal information, accounts you saved the password for so it logs in automatically.
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#13
If your Uber/Lyft taxi driver seems sketchy, end the ride and get out of the car as soon as possible, make up any excuse that you have to. "I think I'm going to be sick, I'm about to throw up. It's an emergency, I have a stomach ache, you need to pull over right now." Or if need be, if you're at a stoplight, just unlock that door and get the hell out.
Also, it's never a bad idea to carry some form of self-defense tool with you. Now this could be something like a tactical pen, pepper spray, or mace. Another thing that I've personally done is hop on the phone with my husband and put him on speaker and tell him exactly where I am, the name of my driver, and when he can expect me to arrive. He's also been trained for years to know that if I call and say anything, that he just is supposed to go along with it.
Lastly, if you do find yourself in this situation, then make sure that you're reporting this driver, there should be no situation where a driver should make you feel uncomfortable, ever.
SadieCat17 2 years ago
Before you get in a car, try to look for childlock on the doors. Get the hell out of that situation if they're on.
Nick (He/Him) 2 years ago
What is a tactical pen? TBH sounds like something for 40 year old men who wish they had gone into the military and now make everything tactical to ease the pain and cope with the mid-life crisis.
Definitely a Human 2 years ago
It's a pen, or pen shaped object, made of something hard like aluminium or steel. You can use it to cause blunt force trauma to an attacker. Also called a kubotan
Load More Replies... BookFanatic 2 years ago
I snap a picture of the car as it pulls up, and send it to my friends. I also make sure to touch hard surfaces in the car, or drop a loose hair. I've read too many murder mysteries, I think...
Peyton 2 years ago
Lol I do the hair thing too. I also like to put a fingerprint on the window
Load More Replies... Lotte Peisch 2 years ago
Firstly, don't use Uber or Lyft. If something DOES happen, they'll tell you you're SOL.
Rostit. . 2 years ago
be careful with picking those self defense weapons (they are not tools, its a weapon just like a gun, don't lie to yourself). Make damn sure they are legal still. Like in New Mexico where you are now not allowed to protect yourself with a legally owned firearm if you are in the city of Albuquerque.
ColdSteelRonin 2 years ago
You're wrong, they are tools in your self defense toolbox. The weapon is the paper towels that get shoved down a throat or the pencil that goes in an ear or the hammer that goes upside a head.
Load More Replies... JPen 2 years ago
Race was never mentioned in the post. You're making a big assumption that race is the default difference that would make someone uncomfortable. For me, if any driver comments on my looks or starts asking about my living situation (roommates, boyfriend, etc.) that's what makes a driver "uncomfortable." The stakes are so different.
Load More Replies... #14
If you're ever at an ATM machine or you're about to swipe your credit card, always give the machine a little jiggle. Unfortunately, there is a lot of technology out there that can be used to steal your information. So it's definitely a good idea to take a good look at the machine before you use it.
David 2 years ago
Modern gear is too good for a 'jiggle' to likely do you much good. You can find you tube videos of surprisingly small / sophisticated gear. However covering the keys with one hand as you punch in the pin is easy enough on most machines which should protect from the camera. Not an ATM - but I've noticed Costco gas pumps encourage you to pay by tap now instead of inserting. That way you are not inserting your card at all.
Phyzzi 2 years ago
Not that I recommend BofA to anyone (sometimes the scammers aren't petty thieves) but their ATM's have had tap for a while now.
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Doodles1983 2 years ago
Only use bank machines. They are checked daily for dodgy things happening
Rostit. . 2 years ago
I would not seriously count on that. Most are not checked and criminals have every incentive to be smarter about it.
Load More Replies... Bruce Horton 2 years ago
Here's an idea, don't use them at all. The fees are very high and who needs cash anyway. Most businesses accept credit or debit cards.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 2 years ago
Depends where you are. In the UK the vast majority of ATMs are free to use.
Load More Replies... Becky Samuel 2 years ago
But apparently manners and empathy are beyond your comprehension. Ah well.
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#15
What to do if there's an active shooter in your school? If that announcement ever comes on and you're in the hallway or the bathroom, the first thing you're gonna want to do is run to the nearest classroom, or if possible, out of the school. Now, with an active shooter, all doors are gonna lock almost immediately. So don't even worry about trying to get back to your specific classroom. Again, head to the nearest room. Now, if you're caught in the bathroom, and getting to a classroom isn't a possibility, here are some things you can do.
So every bathroom setup is going to be completely different. So you're going to look around and see what you have to work with. Is there a janitor's closet that locks? Is there a window that you could safely get out of? Is there an oversized trashcan that you can climb into and cover yourself with trash and hide? One of the schools that I went to had a bathroom that had a window that led to the roof and I, one day, actually tried to see if that was a possibility for me. The window did in fact open and I would have been able to climb out and hide on that roof if need be.
Remember that you're in survival mode here. So do anything and everything that you have to do to survive. Focus on what you're wearing, what's in your backpack? Is there anything that you can use that could be a doorstop? Can you add a shoe under the door to make it harder to open? Can you use your shoe strings or belt to somehow tie the door closed? Teachers, maybe it's not a bad idea to have your bathroom pass be a doorstop that works with your bathroom doors. This way, you can jam it in there and kick it in. So it makes the door almost impossible to open. If you have the ability to turn off the lights in the bathroom, always do so. But a lot of the time, they are on a sensor. So in that case, what you can do is go to one of the last stalls, open the door and don't even close it, but climb up on the toilet seat and make sure that your feet and backpack are not visible. Once in this position, stay completely still so that the lights turn off. If the shooter would open the bathroom door, you'd want the lights to then turn on and it'll look like nobody was in there. Again, it's so important to use what you have to your advantage.
There was one specific drill that I remember doing in middle school that was for a coder and or a lockdown. And after that, I took out a piece of paper and I wrote 'out of order'. I kept this in the front of my backpack with some tape. And that was to be used specifically in the case of an active shooter. You can either stick this on the outside of the bathroom door or outside of a stall, lock the door to that stall and then once again climb up and get your feet and backpack off the ground. Now a lot of things are also automatic, but in the situation that yours isn't, figure out a way to plug the sink and leave it running so that it hopefully overflows. If the shooter did come into that bathroom, it might make them think that somebody left in a hurry. But not just that. Remember, floors are slippery when wet.
Another thing that I personally did in one of my schools was see if the ceiling was a potential hiding place. Some ceilings have panels that can be removed, and then you can climb up in there. Now again, it's going to be different for every single building and every bathroom depending on how thick the ceiling material is and if it can hold your weight. But I actually did once attempt it and I was able to pancake myself, and if need be, that's where I was gonna go. Because once up there, you then replace the panel and nobody can see you. Lastly, silently call 911 and give them any helpful information. Especially if you do hear gunshots. That way, you can direct law enforcement to where the shooter might be. Remember that shots echo indoors, and it can make it very hard to pinpoint where the shooter is. As a new mom, it truly just breaks my heart to even have to think about things like this. No parent should have to.
Yer maw 2 years ago
Why can't folk see that having to know this s**t is utterly twisted? There was a school shooting in Scotland in 1996, one by some old guy with a grudge and took it out on little kids, kids just starting school. It was enough for everyone to voluntarily hand in any guns they owned when they were banned - we didn't want that to happen again and put our kids in that kind of situation. How many kids deaths will be enough to make these kids lives more important than some antiquated right that has no relevance in todays world?
Chris Ulm 2 years ago
A sizable minority believes it’s more important for them to own guns than for children to survive until adulthood.
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Thee8thsense 2 years ago
Also important to mute the ringer and vibration on your phone, if hiding and need to be silent.
actaeon cross 2 years ago
I did the ALICE training before the one year I taught school. IF there is a chance you're going to run into the shooter, grab and wad paper, books, and anything you can throw. Most shooters in these cases are not trained professionals and throwing items at them will help you. It might only be a few seconds but those few seconds could save you. We had to run drills with local PD and those school shooting scenarios they did were 100% controlled but beyond terrifying for me
Lucy Reeves 2 years ago
After the shooting of primary school children in Dunblaine, there were much stricter gun laws. We chose children's lives over firearms. If the UK can do this after one shooting, why can't the USA at least stop selling automatic weapons to minors? Or ammunition at supermarkets?
BookFanatic 2 years ago
I hate that this is a reality. And I hate that kids (or anyone) need to think out and plan stuff like this. I am, however, impressed by a lot of OP's suggestions here.
#16
Never overshare on social media. This means don't post in real-time and never share too much information about yourself that could potentially put you in a dangerous situation.
David 2 years ago
Is this a joke / troll post? You posted on a social media site to tell us not to use social media.
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General Stukov 2 years ago
Just don't be on social media, it's toxic and destroying people mentally, how bout living in your own social circles and don't seek validation from strangers?
SadieCat17 2 years ago
Planet earth. With all the dangerous people. Call it paranoia, but being paranoid is better than being dead or worse.
Load More Replies... #17
Reasons to lie:
You're staying at a hotel and order room service and the person that delivers the room service asks if you're staying alone. "No, my husband's in the shower."
And a little tip here, before you answer the door, turn the shower on, turn the light on, and close the door. This way, it's totally believable. "No, my boyfriend just went to grab something from the lobby. He will be back any second now." "No, my parents and brother are in the adjoining room." You are in the grocery store and somebody asks if you live in the area. "No, I'm here with my husband." "No, just in town visiting some friends."
You are sitting in a coffee shop and somebody creepy asks to sit with you. "The table's all yours. I was just leaving." "You can have the table. My husband's outside waiting for me in the parking lot. I was just leaving."
You are at the gym and somebody creepy asks for your number. "I'm flattered but I'm married. My husband's over in the weight section." "I have a boyfriend, he's right over there." And literally point to anybody.
SadieCat17 2 years ago
A decent man will sense that something's wrong and will go along with it if your bluff's called. If this happens to you, please ask questions later because her safety could be in jeopardy.
BookFanatic 2 years ago
Men can be amazing in this respect. I was being hassled at a bar and the bouncers weren't doing much. I picked out a reasonably kind-looking guy and slipped my hand in his arm. "Please pretend you know me." He didn't even blink. Just draped his arm around my shoulder, leaned down, and asked what I needed him to do. His mom raised him right.
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Monique Miller 2 years ago
The gym bit actually happened to me, and my husband, 6’ tall, 260lbs, was there. I pointed him out, and this guy actually went to apologize to him for asking me out for a coffee. 😂😂😂
Donna Peluda 2 years ago
So if I see a lady I find attractive I can't initiate conversation? I would never ask someone I just met, in the gym, bar hotel or any social situation for her telephone number. If I find someone interesting I will try to start a conversation, generally based on what's going on, it it's a festival, talk about the bands, for example. Great band I hadn't seen them before, if she answers and is willing to have a conversation then just play it by ear. I've meet many woman like this. I travel a lot for work and go out alone a lot. Places I go regularly I know the staff at some of the bars, in the hotel or outside so that helps if there is a group of girls because they see you are familiar with the staff the are not so apprehensive. Often we end up playing darts or pool and just having a laugh. When it's time to go the lady will make sure you get her number if she is interested.
#18
10 safety tips for my girls going back to college:
1. Always practice situational awareness and be aware of your surroundings. Remember that a distracted person is a very easy target.
2. Always lock your doors and windows. This includes your car doors, your dorm door, you name it, and get in the habit of doing this because it's something that's very small, takes up a very short amount of time, and it could very well save your life.
3. Avoid walking alone at night, utilize campus shuttle services, and implement the buddy system. Also, always have a check-in person, this could be a friend, your mom, or a family member. Regardless of who this is, this person should hear from you every single night when you're home safe.
4. Keep your personal information private. This is especially important for social media and make sure that you're never posting in real time. This also means making sure that you never leave any packages facing label up in your car or have a lanyard with your full name on it facing up as well. Bottom line, no personal information is out in the open.
5. Invest in some personal safety gadgets, upper jaw and mace are great options as well as a personal keychain alarm.
6. Keep all your emergency contacts as well as campus security stored in your phone.
7. Never leave your drink unattended. And if that drink ever leaves your line of vision, get a new one. Also, as tempting as it might be, don't go accepting random drinks from random guys.
8. As always, be cautious and thorough when using apps like Uber and Lyft. And make damn sure that you're getting in the car that you're supposed to be getting in. Make sure that the license plate matches what it says on the app.
9. Pay attention and take note of where you could find those emergency call boxes located around campus. For whatever reason you find yourself in a situation where you no longer have a cell phone, it dies, you drop it, you break it, you want to know where these are.
10. Create a trusted community of friends. Get in the habit of communicating your whereabouts with this group of friends so that you guys can watch each other's backs and look out for one another.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 2 years ago
Or, you know, we could create a society where women are safe and predators are caught and sentenced appropriately….
RedMarbles 2 years ago
In the near term, we have to work with the society we have, though. Catching and appropriately sentencing predators means there have already been victims, and unfortunately catching and incarcerating alone aren't going to eliminate the problem. There needs to be a multi-prong approach to reduce the problem, but few have any interest in any of the prongs that cost money outside of incarceration and more police expense, which doesn't do much to keep the problems from occurring, given the fact that threat of prison hasn't been shown to be much of a deterrent to crime.
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Binky Melnik 2 years ago
“upper jaw and mace are great options”: I googled “upper jaw” and found only pages about the maxilla. Was this a typo? Can anyone help what with what was meant here? Thanks!
JK 2 years ago (edited)
Addendum to point 7 - even if you KNOW the person, do NOT accept a drink you have not seen made in front of you. It's a sad truth, but more often than not, girls are attacked by men (and occasionally women) that they think they know/trust, and then because they "know" the person they often don't report the crime, believing it to somehow be their fault for "leading them on" - this happened to me, please girls, as horrible as it sounds, some people are VERY good at pretending to be your friend 💜
SadieCat17 2 years ago
Weapons make people think guns or knives, which aren't always options. It also comes with the connotation that they are attacking, which they are not.
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#19
Never save your home address in any GPS. A good option is to put in the address of a local CVS or gas station that's nearby.
ColdSteelRonin 2 years ago
My brother told me he didn't program his home address into his cars navigation system in case it got stolen they wouldn't know where he lived. I asked him if he kept his car registration in his glove box. He replied yes. I then queried; what's the difference? Him: forehead smack.
#20
Let's say somebody rings your doorbell or knocks on your door in the middle of the night, is it best to address a situation or act like nobody's home? Always address the situation, you never want it to seem like nobody's home, it very well might be a test to see if the home is vacant. Now with that said, never open the door either. Ever, ever, ever.
The best thing that you can do is either talk through the door or a ring camera if you have one, and immediately trust your gut. If you feel that that person is there with nefarious intentions, make it known that you've already called 911. Don't threaten to call 911, say that you've already called 911 and they should be there momentarily. Something else you could do is try and scare them off. If you're upstairs talking through a ring camera, and you do have an alarm system and this alarm is set, you want to trigger the alarm. You can do this by simply opening an upstairs window and closing it immediately. This is also a very easy way to get in touch with the authorities and let them know that you need assistance immediately.
Something else you could do is set up your car alarm. My husband and I always keep our car keys with us in our bedroom so that we can hit 'panic' if need be. And everybody knows how annoying car alarms are in the middle of the night. Noise is your friend. Now let's say you're not home but you're able to talk through your ring camera. Again, you always want to make it like somebody is there. Something else you could also do is invest in smart plugs and be able to turn on random lights throughout your house from your cell phone. And again, the most important thing you could do is call 911. You can have officers dispatched to your house even if you're not there.
Lastly, another way that you can protect your home is having motion sensor floodlights. This way, if anybody ever enters your property, you light them up quite literally. Multiple visible security cameras and home security lawn signs and window stickers are also a wonderful way to deter crime. I have some good options for everything that I've talked about linked in my Amazon store. One more thing to remember if you are planning on going out of town is always have a neighbor grab your packages and mail. A lot of the times, bad guys will do some surveillance of the home they plan on breaking into and if you have packages sitting out for multiple days at a time, they know that nobody's there.
BookFanatic 2 years ago
I sleep with my car keys and purse next to my bed. If s**t goes down, I can get out immediately without going back through the house.
Rostit. . 2 years ago
"Have officers dispatched to your house". the level if disconnect with reality here is off the charts. It would take at least 30-35min for any cop to get to my house. My car alarm could go off for an hour, no one will hear it but me.
#21
When to lie - Kids Edition
If anybody ever asks if your parents are home, the answer is always yes. And if need be, you could follow that with "my mom's in the shower." "My dad's on a business call." "Oh, my parents are on Zoom right now." No matter what, you never want anybody to know that you're home alone.
If you're ever across the street at a park with friends, and somebody would approach you and ask if you're alone, "No, my parents are right over there" and point to anybody. This actually happened to me once when growing up, I was with a friend and her parents, we were at a park playing and her parents had run into a couple of friends. So they were standing and talking, not far from where we were playing. And this guy came over to us and said, "Are you guys alone?" And my friend's like 'uh-huh' and I was like, "No, we're not, our parents are right over there. See?" And I, like, pointed. I don't know how old I was. But I just remember thinking like, do you mean yes, like, no, we're not alone ever. So I guess it's safe to say that this is something that you should practice with your kids. Because not every kid will answer in the way that you would hope that they would answer.
Also, there are days in high school where I would, like, have to stay late for sports or for whatever reason. And I would always wait outside for one of my parents to pick me up. And now that I think about it, that probably wasn't the smartest thing. High school, you're 14-17 years old and that's still pretty young. So in that situation, don't walk outside until you see your parents, because there's just no reason to be waiting outside alone anywhere. Ever.
Something else that I used to do growing up was go walk around the mall with friends and then we would always wait outside when we were done for one of our parents to pick us up. Now these days, that's another no no. Stay in the mall where it's populated and have your parents call you once they're there and then go outside. And if you are walking around the mall and somebody would approach you and ask if you're alone, "Nope, my mom's in the store right across the way, she'll be meeting us any minute." "No, my parents are over there." And again, teach your kids situational awareness and to be aware of their surroundings at all times.
#22
Bad guys typically assess a potential opportunity or victim in three ways. Number one - is their target distracted? Or will they be able to carry out this crime relatively easily? Two is - their risk of injury, or how likely they are to be harmed. This is why in my 'When To Lie' series, I always mention a male figure. The sad truth is that a female becomes less ideal of a target if she is accompanied by a male presence. That's why I'm always saying things like 'your father, your brother, your boyfriend, your husband,' etc. And lastly is - the likelihood that they're to get away with this crime. My goal is to arm you guys with tools and knowledge so that you can make yourself as unappealing of a target as possible.
Wendy Herman 2 years ago
Ron Man below would rather our families mourn our untimely brutal deaths at the hands of a Psycho than have any of us tarnish our souls by lying to perverts who have bad intentions. I DO hope the gals in your family manage to stay safe, Ronnie. Be sure you're protecting every single one of them on a daily basis, b/c this world IS full of bad people who probably outweigh each of those ladies by 50 lbs or so. Which means that lying to a potential mugger/rapist/pedo/slasher just might have been their Only form of protection w/o you physically being present every moment of their lives in public spaces. Please be as concerned w/ their ability to Keep Breathing as you are w/ how God might judge them harshly for fibbing to someone who wants to destroy them just for fun or profit. I know it's tough, but try to imagine your life as if you were a gal yourself. Practice holding your keys as an eye-gouging weapon, as most of us are taught to do as soon as we have a set of keys to hold. SMH.
#23
Here's a safety tip to always keep in mind when you're getting in your vehicle. Now, the odds of this happening are slim. But it's always better to be safe than sorry. If you ever get in your car and something is lodged in your windshield wipers, don't turn your windshield wipers on to free the object. There have been some scary cases in the past where a girl will get in her car and think nothing about turning her windshield wipers on and she'll actually end up smearing a substance over her windshield so that she can no longer see or drive anywhere.
So if you would ever get in your car and you see something, lock those doors immediately and get out of there, drive to a very well-populated area. And if you have a gut feeling that something feels off, remember to always trust your gut, because most of the time it's right. And never try and be a hero. If you feel that something's off, hop on the phone, call 911 and drive to the nearest police station. Remember to never ever drive home. I never ever make these videos to try and scare anybody. Like I always say, 'It's not about living in fear. It's about living aware.' And unfortunately, it is a scary world these days. So practice situational awareness and trust your gut.
Becky Samuel 2 years ago (edited)
Was my nonna's friend being paranoid enough when getting back into her car after filling it with gas and a man with a large knife got into the back seat and told her to drive? Was my friend being paranoid enough when she answered the door to her boyfriend's best friend and let him wait inside (he raped her, then told her that now she wasn't a virgin any more that she didn't have any reason not to sleep with her boyfriend)? Was I being paranoid enough when a man got on the bus at the same time as me in the city centre and then I got off a stop early because it was near some stores that I knew I could go into and wait for him to leave - probably. It seems that you justify your own paranoia (house full of guns) but not womens'.
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#24
Here are some safety tips for public transportation: First thing - if you can travel in a group or with a friend, always do so. But I also understand that a lot of people don't have that option. Always sit in a position where you can see everybody on that bus or form of transportation. This way, you're positioning yourself to always be aware of your surroundings and you will see something if it looks off. Always tell somebody where you are. And always have a check-in person who is expecting to hear from you when you get home. Never be distracted or have your head buried in your phone. Unfortunately, a distracted person makes a very easy target. It's also a good idea to have mace or pepper spray on you. And last but not least, never wear flashy or expensive jewelry or designer bags. You never want to draw unwanted attention to yourself.
Kristiina Männiste 2 years ago
I can add a tip here- do not sit in a seat where you can be easily boxed in. Learned it the hard way. Luckily I always had strong kicking legs and the personality of a angry feral cat. :)
#25
Real-life situational awareness to teach your child:
You're in the garage while your child is riding their bike on the driveway, a car pulls up on the street and asks your child if they live on the block. First thing, make sure that your child always knows to keep their distance and reply with, "No, I don't. But my mommy can tell you. MOM! DAD!" And then have them actually yell for you. Or let's say your child's a little bit older, and they're out riding their bikes by themselves, a car pulls to the side of the road and asks if your child would come help them with something. Again, teach your child to always keep their distance and reply, "No, I'll get my dad." It's also not a bad idea to teach your child to yell for you, even if you're not close by. Because if that person has malicious intentions, and they think that you're right around the bush or something, they will probably get spooked and leave.
Let's say your child is on a playground at school and somebody creepy comes over and asks them something. Teach them that no adult should ever be asking them questions and that it's very important to always keep their distance and go get their teacher, no matter what is offered to them. Your child's in summer camp and their camp decides to take them to a public pool. While at the public pool, a creepy adult approaches your child and asks if they can go buy them ice cream, tell them again, "Always keep your distance and point to any adult and say my mom's right there, go ask her." And make sure that your child knows that if this ever happens or any situation similar to this happens, they need to go tell their camp counselor immediately.
It's also very important to teach your child at a young age that no adult should ever be asking a child for help. If an adult needs help, they will ask another adult. You're not teaching them to be scared and live in fear, you're teaching them to be aware. And it's important that they know at a very young age that there are bad people in the world that might try and hurt them. So arming your child with the tools and knowledge so they know how to handle themselves in a situation especially when you're not there is crucial. Distance and noise is always their friend. And, most important of all, is establishing an open line of communication where your child feels that they could come to you for anything.
arthbach 2 years ago
I am horrified by this. Where does this person live that this is what they teach children? It's very important to understand the greatest dangers children are exposed are via the people they know. The people most likely to kidnap them - an estranged parent. The people most likely to abuse them - a member of the extended family, a family friend, priest/minister, or youth group leader.
SadieCat17 2 years ago
Where do you live where there is no random crime, I want to move there.
Load More Replies... David 2 years ago
"Teach them that no adult should ever be asking them questions " (rolls eyes) Context matters. I will ask a child the same sorts of things I might ask an adult stranger. "That's a pretty dog. What kind is it?" Stuff like that. If they ask for your home address or personal stuff then yeah. But ANY question?
#26
You're working alone in a gym that opens very early and stays open late and a creepy guy asks if you're working out alone. "No, my boss is here. He's just in his office right now doing paperwork." "No, my boyfriend's here with me. He always hates when I work out alone, so he hangs out in the break room until I get off." "No, my boss called a really early meeting this morning and everybody's in his office right now."
You are a broker and a new creepy client asks if you always go to showings alone. "No, I have a very protective husband who hates when I go anywhere alone. So he's actually sitting out front in the car right now." "Sometimes, but I always make sure to install a ton of hidden cameras just for my own safety."
You are a nanny and a delivery person asks if you're home alone with the kids. "No, luckily, both parents work from home." "No, my boyfriend is super protective and always tags along."
You are on vacation on the beach and some creepy guy asks what hotel you're staying in. "No hotel. I'm here staying with friends." "Nowhere now, I'm leaving for the airport in a few hours."
Veronica Jean 2 years ago
Repetitive advice, but does help. Also if you are going someplace, rehearse the lies. I once went to visit my ex boyfriend at his house to get a few things. A much older, very drunk/out of it man stumbled towards me as I got out of my car. He was trying to talk to me but he /would not let me pass/. I'm amazed at how quickly the lies came. "My husband is inside. It's our anniversary, we will be late for our reservations." And then when my ex walked out 'Hey babe! That's my husband." It was terrifying.
#27
Elevator safety tips. So let's say you are on the elevator and somebody sketchy gets on with you. First and foremost, always make eye contact and address that individual. If you feel that you're in a scary situation, never get off at your floor.
Now, if you're ever waiting for an elevator and somebody creepy comes up and then starts waiting for the elevator with you, something that you can do is pretend like you're waiting for somebody. So if that elevator arrives and the door opens, and that person is standing there and waiting for you to get on, you could just look at them and say, go ahead, I'm waiting for somebody. And then obviously do not get on the elevator.
Oh, a scary situation that happened to me once was in Las Vegas, I had gotten on the elevator and went up a couple of floors, and it stopped. So I was alone, I had already pressed my button, a man walked on that was very, very drunk and gave me a very creepy vibe. He looked at what floor was pressed and didn't do anything. Now, he very well could have just needed to go to that floor too. But I wasn't taking that chance. I looked at the button said 'oh, oops' and then pressed a floor above it.
Now, luckily, that guy did in fact get off on the floor that I had pressed originally, but had he not then I would have had to handle that situation much differently. Had he not gotten off, before the elevator doors closed, I probably would have stuck my arm out and tried to get out and then run to the nearest stairwell and run to the lobby as fast as I could. Another option is to hop on the phone or pretend you're getting a phone call and say 'hey, I'm on the sixth floor. I'll be there in a second.' When looking at your phone, pick it up and say 'hey, I'm literally getting out of the elevator. You guys alright there?' And hopefully nobody ever finds themselves in a scary situation like this. But if it came down to it, remember that noise is your friend.
It's never a bad idea to always have some form of self defense tool with you. My favorite would be a pepper spray or a pepper gel. If somebody would ever physically grab you or try to pull you into a room that's not your own or force you into your own room, make as much noise and commotion as you possibly can. Kick, scream, fight. Your goal is to do whatever you have to do to survive and get away.
Khall Khall 2 years ago
I hate almost everything about this person's self-defense advice. If you mace someone in an elevator or when they've "grabbed you" you're getting maced too. 3-7% of people are immune to mace. In a worst case scenario you just maced yourself so they can do whatever they want. Be aware, kick, scream, make noise. But don't depend on pepper spray in a closed environment. And if you're going to use or rely on something get some training or at least practice with it. So you know what you're doing and how it sprays or works.
Rostit. . 2 years ago
Their advice is truly terrible. I looked and they just graduated college. So they have plenty of book smarts but zero real world experience. Real world experience basically goes against everything they say.
Load More Replies... Rostit. . 2 years ago
farting helps. Pepper spray in an elevator is a great way to spray yourself. this advice gets worse and worse. But it is from Tiktok so here is my surprised face.
Sooploosh MacSchnibble 2 years ago
That's why I plan on wearing a big trench coat and keeping a blow torch inside. If anyone tries any b******t on me they'll look like Red Skull from Captain America.
Load More Replies... #28
Here's a safety tip you should incorporate into your life right now. Create an alias and use it for all deliveries coming to your house. This means all packages and also food deliveries like Uber Eats. You should then even take it a step further and use it whenever you're ordering food in a restaurant. A perfect example is your Starbucks order. You don't want anybody yelling out your name. Also, it's a good idea to use a name like Blake or Chandler that could be a guy or girl. This way, you never put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation where somebody has your name and then can hop online and find out who you are, and be as generic as possible like a Blake Smith. No, that is not the alias I use. This is something that I have done for years and something that every single one of you should do as well.
the_avenging_knight 2 years ago
Amanda Smith.(I know, it's feminine, but my boyfriend and I have a running joke involving me being called Amanda Smith. It's actually how we met.)
Moosy Girl 2 years ago
Let’s just do away with names altogether, it’s just not safe having a name.
#29
Let's talk about what to do if, God forbid, you're at an event and a mass shooting breaks out. These videos are always extremely hard for me to make. And the reason I'm making this one is because today marks the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting that happened in my hometown. I was born and raised in Highland Park, Illinois. And most of you now know exactly where that is because of the mass shooting that happened at our Fourth of July parade. Many people that I love and care about attended the parade that day. And the sad truth is that we all see this on the news all the time, it's become a social norm, and we sit on the edge of our seats, and we watch the shooting play out only for it to happen again. And again and again. Now I pray that nobody ever has to use these tips.
But here are some things to keep in mind. If, God forbid, you ever find yourself in this horrific situation, the first thing that you'll most likely hear is a 'pop, pop, pop'. And a lot of times, that could be mistaken for a car backfiring or, in the Fourth of July parade instance, fireworks. It's important to be able to distinguish the sound immediately so that you can react quickly. And if you're unfamiliar with what the sound of gunfire sounds like, it's not a bad idea to go online and just listen. Now trust me, I get it. That's a very scary thing to even think about having to do. But the world we live in these days, it's important that we all know what gunfire can sound like, both indoors and outdoors. Now the second you hear gunfire, you have to be able to think on your feet. And you want to seek cover or concealment immediately. Now, cover and concealment are two different things. Concrete or cinderblock walls, a very thick tree or even the front of a car where the engine is, that's cover. Cover is something that a bullet cannot pass through. And this is what you want to find for you and your family. Now, if you can't find cover, you can't run away immediately and escape, or if you're in an indoor setting and you're trying to hide, that's when you want to find concealment. And this is any hiding place. And if this is the only option you have, you want to hide and you want to be as quiet as you can. Make sure you turn your phone on silent because you don't want anything ringing and giving away your position.
Now if you're outdoors and this happens, never follow the crowd. A lot of the times, very loud noises echo and gunfire can actually sound like it's coming in the opposite direction of where it's actually coming from. And because of this, the crowd of people might actually be running towards the gunfire. Now, about cover and concealment, regardless of the method or choice that you have at your hands at that time, you want to stay low, you want to move quickly, and you want to stay quiet. If you're in an area or indoors and escaping is not an option, the next thing to do is look for a weapon. Now if it were me, I would immediately grab pepper spray because I always have that on me. But if that wasn't an option, I would look for a fire extinguisher. Both of these items can be used to disorient a shooter from a distance.
And if you're hidden and you have a fire extinguisher or something like pepper spray, you can momentarily blind the shooter and hopefully get the weapon away. Now, the thing that I like most about a fire extinguisher is that it can also be used as a blunt force object. And should the shooter ever get close enough to you, you know exactly what to do. Remember, if concealment or hiding is your only option, you want to put yourself in a position where you would have the vantage point if, God forbid, the shooter would come in your direction. You want to be in a position where you can completely stay concealed and quiet and hope that the shooter moves on or you're in a position where if, God forbid, it came down to it and you had no choice but to ambush the shooter, you came from a position where they weren't expecting.
Rostit. . 2 years ago
LOL no. dont do anything other than get away. Life is not the movies. Even if you near a barrel of the rifle and the gas blast is the only thing that hits you, it can really do some damage. Unless you have training, just be small and hide. do not try and touch the shooter.
SadieCat17 2 years ago
For once you have a useful comment. Yeah is the shooter really going to stand still while you spray the fire extinguisher? Just run and keep running until you can't hear any commotion anymore. And then run some more. Essentially the advice is get the hell out of there as quickly as possible.
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charles folger 2 years ago
Pull your piece. find a corner and just quietly sit in animal stillness. It will come to you.
#30
Here's a safety tip to always keep in mind whenever you are out walking. And this is especially important if you're alone or walking with a stroller. Never walk right next to any cars. Make sure you always check traffic and look behind you first, but then you're gonna want to make your way to the other side of the street, put as much distance between you and vehicle as possible. Remember that a distracted person is a very easy target, have good posture, a strong stride, and always be aware of your surroundings.
Rianne Berdick 2 years ago
Words of Wisdom, Especially for my Grand daughter Prayer who is now living on her own !
What do you think ?
Donkeywheel 2 years ago (edited)
Downvotes incoming but I have to say it : these are completely paranoid advices. Preparing for the worse in every single innocuous life situations is not normal. Having your everyday behavior being heavily influenced by anxiety or suspicion to the point of delusion and irrationality is the very definition of paranoia and you might need help - no judgment. Or else the place you live in is extremely dangerous and it’s a matter of life and death to move away asap. I know the us is a shithole but not to that point.
Rostit. . 2 years ago
That was terrible. None of that advice was remotely useful. Half of it only applies to a certain group of people and the rest is just wrong or missguided. Whoever this person is should not be acting as a security adviser.
Yugan Talovich 2 years ago
Carrying your keys in your hand isn't going to help. If pepper spray is illegal, get a good hard comb. Listen to your intuition. If you think something is amiss, get out your comb and hold it in your hand. If you are wrong, comb your hair. If someone attacks you, scratch up his face as much as you can. It hurts like hello, he'll bleed all over the place, and the police will be able to find someone with a marked up face. Also, don't use earphones on the street, listen to your environment.
Nikki Sevven 2 years ago
(1) No one is going to remember a bloody dissertation of information, especially in an urgent situation. (2) If I thought all this was remotely necessary, I'd never leave my house again. (3) In general, being aware of your surroundings and of the behavior of others, not giving out personal information, and noping TF out of a situation will suffice in most cases. (And, yes, I have had violence perpetrated on me more than once. In only one case was I helpless to prevent or stop it, because I was cornered and outnumbered by men who had planned the assault and directly targeted me.)
Hellcaste's Wife 2 years ago
I'm reading a lot of comments on here downplaying a lot of the advice. Granted some of it is just wrong, but most of it is actually pretty good and I follow it. Europeans/Asians may not get it, but America is rough. We have to be vigilant at all times, especially with our children. Paranoia? - it isn't being paranoid when you see all of this on the news every single day. So, say what you will, but at least I know myself, my husband and my children will be situationally aware, know how to react and my girls especially are able to handle themselves at any time. ...and this is coming from someone with both Criminology and Forensic Psychology degrees.
Douglas Tucker 2 years ago
Bottomline here is your safety. Regardless of what information you have read here, the message is "Be prepared for crazy-azz situations that affect folks like yourself every damn day." You don't need to freak out if you have a practuced safety game plan. Believe in yourself, learn some solid sensible self (family included) protection plans that will give you that needed advantage when stuff goes down.
Donkeywheel 2 years ago (edited)
Downvotes incoming but I have to say it : these are completely paranoid advices. Preparing for the worse in every single innocuous life situations is not normal. Having your everyday behavior being heavily influenced by anxiety or suspicion to the point of delusion and irrationality is the very definition of paranoia and you might need help - no judgment. Or else the place you live in is extremely dangerous and it’s a matter of life and death to move away asap. I know the us is a shithole but not to that point.
Rostit. . 2 years ago
That was terrible. None of that advice was remotely useful. Half of it only applies to a certain group of people and the rest is just wrong or missguided. Whoever this person is should not be acting as a security adviser.
Yugan Talovich 2 years ago
Carrying your keys in your hand isn't going to help. If pepper spray is illegal, get a good hard comb. Listen to your intuition. If you think something is amiss, get out your comb and hold it in your hand. If you are wrong, comb your hair. If someone attacks you, scratch up his face as much as you can. It hurts like hello, he'll bleed all over the place, and the police will be able to find someone with a marked up face. Also, don't use earphones on the street, listen to your environment.
Nikki Sevven 2 years ago
(1) No one is going to remember a bloody dissertation of information, especially in an urgent situation. (2) If I thought all this was remotely necessary, I'd never leave my house again. (3) In general, being aware of your surroundings and of the behavior of others, not giving out personal information, and noping TF out of a situation will suffice in most cases. (And, yes, I have had violence perpetrated on me more than once. In only one case was I helpless to prevent or stop it, because I was cornered and outnumbered by men who had planned the assault and directly targeted me.)
Hellcaste's Wife 2 years ago
I'm reading a lot of comments on here downplaying a lot of the advice. Granted some of it is just wrong, but most of it is actually pretty good and I follow it. Europeans/Asians may not get it, but America is rough. We have to be vigilant at all times, especially with our children. Paranoia? - it isn't being paranoid when you see all of this on the news every single day. So, say what you will, but at least I know myself, my husband and my children will be situationally aware, know how to react and my girls especially are able to handle themselves at any time. ...and this is coming from someone with both Criminology and Forensic Psychology degrees.
Douglas Tucker 2 years ago
Bottomline here is your safety. Regardless of what information you have read here, the message is "Be prepared for crazy-azz situations that affect folks like yourself every damn day." You don't need to freak out if you have a practuced safety game plan. Believe in yourself, learn some solid sensible self (family included) protection plans that will give you that needed advantage when stuff goes down.
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