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People With ‘Street Smarts’ Are Sharing Advice That Can Save People In Dangerous Situations (40 Tips)
Growing up downtown as opposed to a quiet suburb is a vastly different experience. We could spend hours debating the pros and cons of urban life but let's leave that discussion for another time and focus on something different instead. 'Street smarts.'
We at Bored Panda discovered a few posts on Reddit (one by u/breadedsnake and another by u/ForcupinePucker) with a very similar angle: both OPs asked users to share tips that can help people stay safe in the city. And since some of the entries are so useful, we thought why not combine them into a compilation? You never know when you might need them!
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Street smarts to give your kids: if you get lost, find the closest adult with kids.
I saw this in action once at Disneyland when a 4 year old kid approached me and my kiddos while we were eating. She joined us very calmly, introduced herself, and said her parents gave her the above advice. I heard her parents shouting her name not long after, and the relief on their faces was a sight.
my brother gave his sons the same advice and he also wrote their names, his name and his phone number on a plastic card which the boys wore on a necklace when we visited an amusement park. if we lost them/they lost us, they should found another parent/other kids with parents and tell them to call us :) it wasn't necessary but we felt more safe that way
If I'm in an unfamiliar city, I'll explore freely every neighbourhood as long as there are women and kids around. Most mums don't hang outside with their kids if the street/area is unsafe.
This worked very well for most throughout Latin America, Europe and Asia.
From the first day of his presidency to his campaign for reelection, Donald Trump has been shouting about crime in the United States. Trump vowed to end “American carnage” in his inaugural address in 2017 and in 2020, he ran for reelection on a platform of “law and order.”
But according to the Pew Research Center, it's difficult to say for certain how much crime is there in the U.S. The two primary sources of government crime data – the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) – both paint an incomplete picture.
Adults DO NOT ask children for help.
This is important and needs to be made common knowledge in schools. However, this should not be a blanket "if an adult shouts for help, ignore them" rule. It is perfectly reasonable to ask kids to go get another adult for help in the case of a medical emergency. No adult should APPROACH a child in any case, but yelling "hey, kid, get your mum to call an ambulance for this guy!" is not an unreasonable or suspicious request.
If the situation doesn't feel right, it's not right. Trust your spidey sense.
u/breadedsnake, the author of one of the above-mentioned Reddit posts, told Bored Panda that, "Before I made the post, I was actually thinking about sneaking out at night to walk to one of my friend's house and then I realized that I would probably get kidnapped considering that I don't really know how to act."
"I guess you could say I made the post so I could get to know some stuff and also get some free Reddit karma."
The main thing that u/breadedsnake took away from all the answers is to stay alert whenever you're in a dangerous area. "[People stressed that it's important] to look around you and focus on more than what's in front of you; someone can run up from behind! And don't try to be a superhero—if you're seeing someone being attacked, just assume they started it and don't get involved with anything you don't have to."
Walk fast and look pissed off.
Or look and behave like you have purpose and determination. No one will bother you
Always survey your surroundings and make it obvious that you are paying attention. An aware person is not an easy target. The one walking with their phone stuck in their eyes is.
Try this trick in a crowded area, like the mall. Look up and exactly where you want to go. The people will part like the tide in front of you. People tend to check eyes for directional cues, if they see you looking where you want to go, they will get out of your way! I've done it in practice many a time, and it works pretty slick!
The best way to make sure nobody will fμ©k with you is to be the kind of person who nobody wants to fμ©k with.
Grab your phone out & call someone or at least pretend to. I had to walk home from work one evening after working late & bus had stopped running. Not bad area so I wasn't concerned. But a guy seemed to be walking fast behind me to seemingly catch up to me. It Was late so I didnt want to freak anyone out so I pretended that the person on phone was on their way to pick me up & I stated exactly where I was. I said this loud & firmly (I'm pretty petite woman). The guy then crossed street & walked away.
If you feel you're being followed, even curse loudly, kick a garbage can. Pretend you've had the worst day in your life. Make muggers reconsider if you're wallet is worth getting their teeth knocked in.
Talk crazy! Muggers are superstitious and won't mug crazy people. Walk in the middle of the road to avoid getting jumped, saying things like, "Why is the peanut butter on the roof of my mouth! It's eating my mouth!" This was from an essay I read in high school, "How to Keep From Getting Mugged." Also never wear a purse!! I dress down and don't wear purses.
Excellent advice! I will add to wear a f***y pack that you can hide under your hoodie which I do.
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I do THIS EVERYDAY in my NEIGHBORHOOD...coz they are all (or at least 95% of them) are demonic evil beings...
Especially for women, look strong, look around, carry a smaller purse, or hide it under a coat, purse snatchers exist, walking alone to, your car, keep alert, and check the back seat, before you get in !!!
So this is what we do in Poland unknowingly which baffles foreigners :D
Walk like your headed somewhere and are unafraid. don't appear to challenge everyone either.
I do this all the time when im in public lmao i fust dont want to be bothered
I can not walk fast. I looked pissed off normally. If you find yourself in a sketchy area, start acting crazy. Yell at nothing, mumble constantly etc..most people (even those with ill intent) don’t mess with crazy street people. This saved my butt twice when I found myself in the inner city on the wrong street. BTW - situational awareness at all times is key. Most marks are not paying attention
If I did that, my boss would be walking with friends just around the corner & see me acting whacko! Ooops!
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Good one! I was walking out of A Walmart one night and this man tried to address me. I quipped a quick no, as I kept walking. No man needs to stop me at night.
I *apparently* have what's called a "don't fück with me" look on my face at all times. So my friends insist. I'm fairly tall, won't pass for ephemeral & dress like a badass. So it's easy peasy for me. I also have the sense not to go where I know not to go...
That was my mantra in the Army, add a clipboard and every once in a while look at it and get a little madder.
My daughter moved to Europe and this is her strategy. Always stalk the streets looking pissed off 😊🤙we're from Hawaii so that was a stretch.
one of the things that as i'm now getting older and now disabled (lung stuff and nervous system s**t that makes my gait off now) is that I don't feel quite as safe as I did when I could walk fast and deliberate through shitty neighbourhoods....... still got the resting bitch face though. Even when I'm happy I still look like i'm going to kill a couple of people just cause I missed the tube xd
I don't always look mad, but I do keep a "challenging" look in my eyes. Like, a look that says if anyone were to step up to me I'm not the least bit concerned because I'm ready.
Actually when I lived in New York City in the 70s as a young woman this served me well!
Can confirm that this works. I'm a 5'4" curvy woman who walks fast, is aware of her surroundings, and apparently has KILLER "resting b*tch face" and I have never, EVER been cat called, followed, or approached by strange men or in a position where I felt unsafe because of people around me.
always walk with purpose and look as those you know where you are going....
all the time! and avoid looking at maps/directions with a confused face. being a woman with a long history of travelling alone i perfected the skill of hiding headphones and ear-pieces under my long hair so that nobody can notice i am actually listening to google maps app giving me directions on where to go.
Always in any big city. I consistently lived in large cities for many years, and only a few times did suspicious people approach me. I am not a large person either.
hunch your shoulders, slouch, and try your hardest to look like a man if you are not a man.
Did thay when we got lost in downtown Chicago. My husband was freaking out and kept loud whispering to me what a bad neighborhood we were on. I told him to be quiet and look like you belong there are you're mad your buddy didn't show up on time. Then I called a cab (this was pre-Uber) and we were back to our hotel in about 20 minutes
Next level: Walk fast, look pissed off AND mumble to yourself.... occasionally yell out, "No voices in my head, I won't do that".
Having a natural RBF (resting b*tch face) is a wonderful thing. I'm completely unapproachable.
This was my strategy when I lived in a big city. It worked for me, and I’m 5-foot-nothing and not an intimidating presence.
That's my default anyway, it's not something I have thought about it's just how it is, people regularly swerve me when I'm walking and it actually makes me feel kind of bad sometimes.
Omg my husband still laughs because I went through Times Square growling like a zombie with my hands in the air to split the crowds on the sidewalk Saturday night! This was pre pandemic so it only mildly worked. I at least established a straight line so my husband and I weren't split up.
I must admit doing this has kept people at a distance whenever I wanted to be left alone in an unfamiliar city
If you have a random cop come to your house on The night before you leave for Europe with your family, don’t tell him your going away until you call his superior to make sure he’s a cop.
Your welcome you filthy animals
In u/breadedsnake's opinion, everyone should have at least a little bit of street smarts.
That's true. But luckily for our health, property crime in the U.S. is much more common than violent crime. In 2019, the FBI reported a total of 2,109.9 property crimes per 100,000 people, compared with 379.4 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
The most common form of property crime in 2019 was larceny/theft, followed by burglary and motor vehicle theft. Among violent crimes, aggravated assault was the most common offense, followed by robbery, rape, and murder/non-negligent manslaughter.
If a group of people suddenly get down, so do you.
That's how I wound up in a weird flash mob once lol. But seriously, don't literally stand out and make yourself a target.
You might be "correct" when you have the right of way, but you're still the one that's going to be dead when you get whacked by the car if you're walking or on your bike.
If you're walking and someone approaches, don't break stride. You can carry on a conversation while walking, but people who are looking to proselytize, sell you something, or mug you will want you to slow or stop to address them.
If they want to chat, make them keep up with you. You can even tell them that you're in a rush but would love to talk and walk.
They'll likely find someone more stationary, because if you can make a person slow, you can make them stop. If you can make them stop, you've already adjusted their priorities and placed yourself at the top.
It's a subtle power game. Keep going where you're going, and you retain your power. Stop and cat, and you've given it up and opened yourself to possible problems.
Lots of truth here! I'm going nuts to make a joke about stopping to cat, but I'd be kitten myself that it's funny. Anyway,a great entry!
Having good manners, and speaking with respect, will keep you from getting in trouble you didn't know was there.
Just because someone is friendly with you, doesn't mean they have a good heart.
Always ask for only one scoop of ice cream first because they make single scoops bigger, then act like you changed your mind and ask for a second scoop. They will be pressured to match the size of the first scoop, providing you with a massive amount of ice cream.
Never flash your whole wad of cash in a public place while paying for something. Keep a few bucks loose in one pocket for spending. Keep the majority of your cash in a separate pocket. Don’t open a wallet full of all your money where other people can see you.
Carry a fork with you. if someone approaches you, say “lord, thank you for this meal I’m about to have” and charge at them with the fork
If you are walking alone at night and you feel like you’re being watched/followed. Start talking to yourself.. loudly about crazy shit. Make it a conversation even.
Omg did you SEE her dress?
That dress was so crazy long. Like how could she walk? Let alone walk in that grocery store!!
And those cheap plastic shoes!!
I own those cheap plastic shoes!! Are you saying I’m Cheap!!
If the cheap plastic shoe fits honey!
I’ll admit to doing this. I used to work graveyard shifts and you gotta be aware. Most people no matter how bad try to avoid crazy. Crazy will hurt you back.
If you are forced to walk through a bad/dangerous neighborhood, keep your chin up and maintain a confident and comfortable look on your face.
Nothing screams “abuse me!” more than an out-of-place person waking around with their chin down, looking at the sidewalk.
I learned this after visiting a new girlfriend many years ago in a bad section of Philly. I was walking down the street towards her house and a local female walking by my said, “keep that chin up around here, white boy.” The more I considered that advice, the more logical it sounded.
Eye contact. A lone assailant will often use the element of surprise to their advantage. If you’re walking alone and someone is following you, make eye contact to let them know that you are aware of them. This will often dissuade them from attacking.
This tactic has worked for me in the past.
And guy, if you're walking behind a woman on an otherwise empty street, please be so kind and cross the street to make her feel less stalked. I know you weren't, but she doesn't know that. Thank you.
This reminds me of a comedian who was saying the best way to stay safe in a rough neighborhood is to fake a Russian accent cause Russians are terrifying.
My husband's Northern Irish accent also works well in a pinch.
Let's say a kidnapper throws you in the back of a trunk. Don't panic! Once you get your bearings, find the carpet that covers the taillight. Peel back the carpet, make a fist, punch the taillight out the back of the car, thus creating a hole in the back of the automobile, then stick your little hand out and wave to oncoming motorists to let them know that something hinky is goin' on.
Never post vacation information on social media until you’re back. You’ll most certainly get robbed at some point if you’re not smart about it.
Also, don’t put expensive product boxes (TV, computer, appliances) outside before trash day. People will see your new toys.
Don't post anything on social media that might be of use for criminals. People got robbed because they announced their wedding on social media. In the Netherlands a woman lost her rare vintage car because she posted a picture of that car on social media. Criminals used the EXIF data from that picture to pinpoint the car and they stole it.
If you're driving and hit black ice just take foot OFF GAS BUT DON'T BREAK until the slide stops.
Don’t ever tell the cab driver you don’t know where you’re going.
two different friends told me of their unpleasant stories. one in Moscow and one in Cuba. both got "kidnapped" by the taxi driver who picked up their friend, took them to a bad neighborhood ATM machine, where they had to get cash at gunpoint. Thankfully both were let go right after, unharmed.
Before using any ATM, tug hard on the plastic card reader. Scammers often put a fake one on top that steals your info.
Carry an extra wallet with $50 in it and throw it if someone tries to rob you. STREET SMARTS!
Don't tell even close friends the amount of money you have on you. I was set up by an 18 year old female coworker this week. She seemed like a sweetheart and was giving me rides to work for a few days. I asked on the Monday if we could go to bank as I needed to cash a check for roughly $4500. Minutes after dropping me near house I was robbed at gunpoint of everything by 2 guys. They knew how much they were looking for. The robber said he watched me leave bank but the police saw on camera near home that they had been waiting for me for an hour. One of the robbers was her ex/current boyfriend it turns out.
Everyone respects true crazy. I once was approached in downtown by a man asking for all my money. I looked him square in the eyes and blurted out something like "blahblubvlahhhhhh". He walked away and I kept my monies.
Or do as the famous Charles Bronson did when someone try to rob him: He looked straight in the eyes of the robber and said: "No, YOU give me YOUR money." The robber ran away without any money.
This is a niche tip, but if you ever suspect something to have an electric current, do not touch it with the palm side of your hand. It can cause your muscles to contract and not let go. Always use the backside of your hand or even better, use a blade of grass or something not too conductive.
Look up and notice if street lights have been shot out or smashed.
If so, avoid those areas at night - there's a reason they've been disabled . . .
This is not true, it has been proven that well lighted areas are more prone to robberies (as criminals can't see in the dark X3).
You won’t get mugged if you look like you’re going to mug someone.
Mental note: invest in a balaclava and a switchblade. Practise scowling in the mirror.
Nobody approaches you on the street because they want to do something for you. It's always because they want something from you.
Not always true, I've been approached by very kind women who wanted to blow up my car tyres, although I didn't even notice that they were flat.
The only people who ever truly "win" fights are those who successfully avoid them.
When it comes to knife fights: The loser dies in the street; the winner dies in the hospital.
The best tactic in a knife fight is to run away. Your pride may get hurt, but that isn't as bad as bleeding out in the middle of the road.
Don't fuck with that dude with cauliflower ears. He can take more and harder hits than you think.
Get those stickers off your car identifying you as a female. ("Girls just wanna have FuNe!"). It makes you a target.
If you live in an urban area with high transient population, regularly check locked gates and rare use access points. Look for things like small pieces of tape on locks. You are being target and tested for for access to your home that you do not regularly use.
Carry two wallets. One is a honeypot, you hand over if getting robbed. The other is you real wallet. (Pro tip: put a little cash and expired credit cards in the honeypot. This will help it look more real.)
I drive a hot pink car, not sure if a bumper sticker makes much of a difference
If you’re going to be away on holiday or somewhere you’re unfamiliar with for any length of time, it’s a good idea to try to always make sure that someone knows roughly where you’re going to be and what you’re going to be doing on a given day. Even if you’re like me and you don’t like to plan out a full itinerary, a rough indication of what your plans might be can help work out your movements if ever there is an issue.
Always know where the exits are in any place that you enter so that you don’t get lost in an emergency.
Also, never place yourself in a “hole” in public where there is only one entrance and exit and no other people around. These are often crime hotspots
Yep. Also, if you notice something is wrong - i.e. beginning of a fire, smoke, unusual smell - don't wait to see what happened. It could be nothing, but it could also be an emergency. Just run out of there. It might seem obvious, but I know people who got severely injured this way.
Note: this post originally had 69 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
If you need to scream for help, don’t yell HELP! Yell FIRE! Instead. Not all people who hear a yell for help will think it’s genuine, or they don’t want to get involved. When you yell fire, everyone wants to get out of the building in case their’s is the one on fire.
Exactly what I was going to write. Sadly, people react to something that affects them or their interests more often than to another person's scream for help.
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The best tip I ever got was "when you're going out with your kid(s), take a picture of them before leaving the house. If they get lost, you have a recent picture and the clothes they're wearing, should you need to call the police." Most of these are rather obvious, or straight up paranoid. Not everyone is targeting you. Most of the time, people who *want* to rob you, will find a way to do it, and the whole "stranger danger" thing is ok for kids, but being a paranoid adult won't do you any good.
There’s nothing paranoid about using common sense and a reasonable amount of caution.
Load More Replies... Alot of these are really super paranoid. Most places are not a constant danger zone. Especially not during the day.
At the risk of being labeled with "toxic masculinity" I never get in the car before my wife is inside and her door locked. I'm not the most intimidating man in the world, but if anyone in the parking lot is looking to run up on someone, I figure my 5'10" 200+ pounds looks like less of a target than my 4'10" wife.
Years ago a stranger asked to use my phone because her phone battery had died. I didn’t want to hand mine over so I suggested swapping the batteries. That didn’t work so I did end up giving her my phone, but she didn’t remember the number she needed to call. So I went with her to find the number… In the end she succeeded in making the call and I didn’t lose my phone in the process, but at this point I probably should have been robbed and possibly murdered according to this article. Instead whenever I saw this girl later on we’d say hi and laugh about the incident and years later we ended up recording a cover song together. So stupid decisions *can* have happy endings. Or I’m just really lucky, because I also survived helping a strange guy look for his puppy when I was around 8 (there turned out to be no puppy, and no pants under his coat, but luckily one very angry mom nearby), AND meeting at a cemetery for a first date (got a life long friend out of that).
I was that scared girl stranger once,I forgot my phone,I panicked then looked around to find a really old granny,she gave me her button phone to call my Mom,she was so nice.Gosh,if everyone on the street said no that day I dunno what would have happened to me.
Load More Replies... I once was on the subway in France, a man was trying to open a zipper on my husbands backpack. I looked him straight in the eyes and told him to back off. He said he was just going by to be with his friend. Next stop they both went out of the train and entered again a couple of doors further. I hope they didn't succeed there either. I always wear my backpack on the front when I'm on the train.
should have told him, "GET THE F**K AWAY FROM ME OR DIE"
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When someone has approached you, don't go away, look them straight in the eyes, don't look back even for second, and say calmly, but strongly "GO AWAY". This works 99% of a time, as you're showing them, that you're not afraid of them, that you're confident. Mostly they are looking for people, that aren't so self aware and are go to to abuse, rob, or ask for money. And yes, if someone third will get into that interaction, you'll have to do it again (that's kinda why I'm not a fan of "heroes", as I'm doing ok on my own). I'm small female, so it happens to me a lot and that's how I was able to get back home safe all the time.
I think that might work if you're near other people as the guy doesn't want to draw attention to himself. I once stopped at a rest stop on a long drive at 2 am to get a few minutes sleep and went inside the building that had bathrooms and vending machines to use the bathroom and get coffee. There were 2 entrances/exits but one was chained shut. A man came in and blocked the exit, watching me. God kept me calm, I'm not a calm person. I stood across the room watching him. I'm sure the look on my face wasn't pleasant as I'd had a rough night and he was standing between me and my children. But I waited, watching and blowing gently on my scalding hot coffee. After a few minutes, he turned and walked out. After that, I was alert enough to keep driving. But I don't think anything that I could have said would have made me less vulnerable. I think I was clearly communicating " Fkin try me!" With my eyes though and he did consider it. I could see it in his face.
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OK, even I find a lot of this going too far, and I was raised to be rather hyper-vigilant. Be aware, be alert, prepare for worst, life is easier, so far so good.
Most of this is common sense. Where I live I was taught a lot of this by my parents. Every child should be taught survival instincts. I has saved me more than once when I was small and as an adult. Trust no one!
And people still don't or may not, commonly sense these things. Educating is helpful, no matter
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Welcome to reality. But it depends where you are.
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Another thing: People For the love of god please do NOT walk with you head down looking at your phone. Firstly it’s bad for your spine. Secondly it makes you a target. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU KNOW THE AREA AMD STOP KIDDING YOURSELF THAT YOU SEE EVERYTHING ON THE GROUND. NO YOU DO NOT.
If you're driving and think you're being followed, navigate to the closest police or fire station. Good chance the followers will not turn in! If they do, honk SOS, call 911, get help, but don't get out!
I had a job that required me to go to some of the roughest neighborhoods in the country & also required me to carry large amounts of cash. When I asked a peer for advice he said “buy a gun & learn how to use it”. I said “but it’s illegal in many places”. Pointing a finger to the sky he said “Would you rather face the judge down here or the judge up there”? Damn good advice.
Unfortunately, if you’re not ready and willing to shoot to kill a fellow human being AND educated, knowledgeable, comfortable, and skilled with your gun, then statistics bear out that your gun is much more likely to be used against you than used to protect you.
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I see a lot of people saying these are paranoid...well paranoia can save your life! And crime isn't just reserved for the US either...
Paranoia can potentially save your life, but it must be straining to live with it.
Load More Replies... Could I add - just have one ear bud in - you need to be able to hear what's going on around you when you're out - particularly if you are on a bike in traffic or jogging in a park.
Know how to say "I don't speak [local language]" in a third language that's different from yours and the local language(s). Works like a charm. I've even used French here in the USA touristy towns. People trying to con me immediately leave me alone because they can't work their con if they can't communicate and gain my trust.
Have your car keys in your hand before you leave the building. Fumbling around for keys while in a parking garage or parking lot is dangerous. Do not use the remote to unlock your car until you are right at your car. Unlocking the car from a distance alerts potential evildoers to your location.
But how will I find my car??? But seriously I always forget where I park. Like always. It's a terrible habit
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You come a long way with a little awareness, dont burry your nose in the mobile phone and be aware of your soroundings
If you're worried about identity theft, just be so poor that the criminal is better off keeping their own identity. Pow, easy
When you are traveling always know the emergency call number to get police, fire or ambulance. It can be different in any given country. If you don't know it and you need help you could be in some serious trouble. As for kick them in the family jewels, if you're short you won't be able to kick that high. Also, they may be able to get over a kick that wasn't that hard fairly quickly and chase you. If you can grab those jewels and squeeze really hard and twist. Hold it there for even 10-15 seconds he'll be in some pretty bad pain and he won't be chasing you.
You can simply call 112 no matter what country you are in and it will automatically direct your call to the local emergency number.
Load More Replies... Another great thing we do with our kids is if we are a fair and you get lost stand still the moment you realize you're lost. Do not come looking for us. We know where we have been and we will backtrack until we find you. If an adult or police officer approaches you ask them to wait where you're at with you but do not go with them. If they are valid they will stand with them. My brother was lost for 10 minutes in a crowd of 100k and we found him because he stood still. He was a bit tearful but it works like a charm every time! If they're on the Move and your on the move you can miss each other.
Because kids think they are invincible we always show our children how strong an adult is if they're trying to grab you. It's emotional and scary but its necessary. We were telling my seven-year-old to fight when her father grabbed her and we found out that locking onto his leg disabled his Forward Motion he could not run with her and he had to focus on trying to get her off his leg leaving her mouth free to scream. It was incredibly effective no matter how small the child is and was a great tool to learn. We also teach them if someone points a gun and says getting the car you are away if there's two of you you can tell us where they were taken if there's only one we can maybe fix a gunshot room but not if you get in the car. And the Yank on the steering wheel especially entering the highway because they're distracted and you don't want the car up to speed before you flipped the steering wheel. Empowering children might be frightening but its necessary! Be safe out there
We were teaching my seven-year-old how strong an adult is if they wanted to grab her because kids think they're invincible and they can fight to get away. We found out that if she's able to to grab the kidnappers leg and hang on for dear life her father could not walk nor run properly and while trying to do so left her mouth open for screaming. It was a wonderful thing to realize teach your children and no matter how small they can hang on like a monkey and it disabled him completely from running anywhere! Also teach your children to launch themselves at the steering wheel preferably before the car enters the highway if they are put in car and are in the front seat. You can always take him to a hospital you can't get them back! And if a gun is ever leveled at one child and both are told to get the car they're taught to run away and leave their sibling or their friends because they're the only hope to tell us that somebody was taken and how.
Once when I was a teenager someone came up behind me and put me in a choke hold, he was bigger and stronger than me and had a tight grip. However, I was able to get hold of one of his fingers, once I had that I had him, I pulled it back and twisted him off, I ran off while he was doubled over in pain.
I’m a female from a Nordic country but I have lived long periods in Spain. I travel by myself, sometimes with spouse or friends. I don’t avoid certain places but I do know not to go to dark alleys etc where none should never go. I have never in my life been robbed or mugged which probably is also luck but I feel like most of these are insanely paranoid. Usually the basic stuff is enough. Choosing a good bag, not putting your money/cards all in one place with your ID, checking the scenery before using your phone/camera, avoiding sketchy looking places, knowing where to call if having an emergency, checking your route options before going, knowing a few local words, knowing what kind of taxis to take and the ones you should avoid etc. Before travelling to Egypt I checked proper clothing out of respect and also that they have 3 kind of cabs + private drivers. One of the cabs was clearly only for locals and two of them were tourist but you needed to check that the meter was working
The other one was more expensive but both equally good. We used the taxis most of the time without any problems. The hostel staff translated the places where we wanted to go and we paid by the meter plus tip on arrival. Only once the driver insisted on more money so I said to my travel companion that she should open the door and put her leg out so the driver can’t speed off. I paid the right amount and said to the driver if he disagrees he can take that up to the tourist police, which were probably the only words he knew from that sentence and we walked off. He never came back. Most bigger tourist attractions in Egypt have tourist polices for safety. The rest of the trip went smoothly without any issues and none tried to rob us in the bazaar etc. It’s also about the attitude, street smarts and knowing where you are and what customs there might be.
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In parking garages, I always keep my head on a swivel, scan the area slowly without the jerky scared look. Twice they tried in the parking lot behind the bank, years apart but I remebered.
STOP looking at your phone while you're walking. Pay attention. You're making yourself a target by not being aware of who is where, who is following you or dangers that might be around. All someone has to do is run up, grab your phone, push you down and you wouldn't know what happened. Or worse. If you need to talk to someone while you're walking (and only do this as a safety thing) put them on speakerphone, look UP and around and talk to them that way. Dont text, don't get so involved you're gesturing and laughing. This means you're "on the phone" not paying attention.
Less obvious one,if you have a pixel phone or a pixel rom on your phone,there is an app called safety.You can adjust the time until the phone sends a message and the gps location to a trusted person.
Poor Americans living in such a dystopian nightmare where paranoia will save your life
Not really, there are other countries that you need to be careful. Just because it call a safe country doesn't mean there are no crimes. It's rare but you always have to be on guard, even alone.
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When confronted by someone whose begging for money, I face them and yell, NO! GO AWAY! I yell loud enough and with conviction that lots of people can hear me. 3 different times the freeloader was so startled that he ran away. Practice yelling at home if you need to to get over being shy about yelling in public. Lose the whiney voice and take control.
Always look for obstructions in your car (penny in handle, plastic bottle in tire, note on windshield) before getting in your car. These are all tricks people use to car jack their targets.
If you're going to a very crowded place, carry your phone and wallet in your front pockets with your hands on them at ALL times, or even better, in the inside pocket of a closed jacket. This has proven to be useful the three times I've got a Kleenex pack stolen from my back pocket at the subway station.
If you and your friend are being chased by a tiger, trip your friend. That'll buy you some time.
And sadly there have been cases where kids were used to lure other kids to pedophiles... my children will not go with any stranger adult or child
Most pictures in this post suggest this only happens in Europe and/or Asia. From experience I know you have to be aware of these situations when going to big cities in the USA as well.
In the very beginning, these were quite good. Then they teetered off. And I didn’t bother after like 15. Paranoia .
It's the safest time to be alive and so many of y'all are living in fear.
If you come back to your car after shopping and it suddenly makes noises, do not get out. Drive to a brightly lit, populated area to check it out. If your car wasn't broken before, it shouldn't have become so while sitting there. Therefore, it could be a ploy by a wannabe assailant.
This is poor advice that will make small car problems into huge car problems. The majority of problems will first come to light when starting the car rather than whilst you're driving.
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When you are returning to your car and it is night or you have parked in an isolated place, check under the car from a distance of at least 5 meters. Then check the rear seats and only then enter the car and close yourself immediately inside. But most importantly, start the engine and go, right away. The same advice applies to underground (and not) parking lots and any other place where there are no other people and you have to get to your car alone. Plus, don't always make the same way when walking home from work or gym on a daily basis. Never reveal on social media that you're gonna attend an event, cause you never know who's keeping an eye on you and planning to find a way to get to you. Never talk to strangers or allegedly fake accounts online. You have stalkers and they are never the guy you like and might just be shy. No, they are always crappy creeps to whom you would not respond. Be paranoid, be safe.
A lot of this is information that AFAB people are taught from childhood.
Park in a well lit area of the parking lot if you know it will be dark by the time you get back. If you feel someone is following you Make 3 left/right turns. If they are still behind you drive to the nearest police/fire department or flag down a police cruiser. This is for people in high populated cities like New York and Chicago who drive high dollar cars, before you even unlock your car check the undercarriage and rear bumper for trackers as your car might have been made a target of a local chop shop.
At least 4 of these are John Muleany jokes straight from his stand up. Bad on BP to steal someone's content and not even give the artist credit. I'm not mad, I'm just very disappointed.
While some of these are decent tips, a lot of this article is “How to be paranoid 101”.
Basically this is all b******t. If you have these “fears” then stay at home, order fast food, and eat until you are 400 or more pounds in weight. Then you witness safe because you can’t even get out of your house
It's really quite sad so many people are so paranoid and scared on a daily basis. I can't imagine living like that
Who ever said this was a list of a suggested lifestyle?? They're mostly common sense tips that some people may not be privileged enough to know. Doesn't hurt to be aware of your surroundings. It saves.
Load More Replies... If you need to scream for help, don’t yell HELP! Yell FIRE! Instead. Not all people who hear a yell for help will think it’s genuine, or they don’t want to get involved. When you yell fire, everyone wants to get out of the building in case their’s is the one on fire.
Exactly what I was going to write. Sadly, people react to something that affects them or their interests more often than to another person's scream for help.
Load More Replies... The best tip I ever got was "when you're going out with your kid(s), take a picture of them before leaving the house. If they get lost, you have a recent picture and the clothes they're wearing, should you need to call the police." Most of these are rather obvious, or straight up paranoid. Not everyone is targeting you. Most of the time, people who *want* to rob you, will find a way to do it, and the whole "stranger danger" thing is ok for kids, but being a paranoid adult won't do you any good.
There’s nothing paranoid about using common sense and a reasonable amount of caution.
Load More Replies... Alot of these are really super paranoid. Most places are not a constant danger zone. Especially not during the day.
At the risk of being labeled with "toxic masculinity" I never get in the car before my wife is inside and her door locked. I'm not the most intimidating man in the world, but if anyone in the parking lot is looking to run up on someone, I figure my 5'10" 200+ pounds looks like less of a target than my 4'10" wife.
Years ago a stranger asked to use my phone because her phone battery had died. I didn’t want to hand mine over so I suggested swapping the batteries. That didn’t work so I did end up giving her my phone, but she didn’t remember the number she needed to call. So I went with her to find the number… In the end she succeeded in making the call and I didn’t lose my phone in the process, but at this point I probably should have been robbed and possibly murdered according to this article. Instead whenever I saw this girl later on we’d say hi and laugh about the incident and years later we ended up recording a cover song together. So stupid decisions *can* have happy endings. Or I’m just really lucky, because I also survived helping a strange guy look for his puppy when I was around 8 (there turned out to be no puppy, and no pants under his coat, but luckily one very angry mom nearby), AND meeting at a cemetery for a first date (got a life long friend out of that).
I was that scared girl stranger once,I forgot my phone,I panicked then looked around to find a really old granny,she gave me her button phone to call my Mom,she was so nice.Gosh,if everyone on the street said no that day I dunno what would have happened to me.
Load More Replies... I once was on the subway in France, a man was trying to open a zipper on my husbands backpack. I looked him straight in the eyes and told him to back off. He said he was just going by to be with his friend. Next stop they both went out of the train and entered again a couple of doors further. I hope they didn't succeed there either. I always wear my backpack on the front when I'm on the train.
should have told him, "GET THE F**K AWAY FROM ME OR DIE"
Load More Replies... When someone has approached you, don't go away, look them straight in the eyes, don't look back even for second, and say calmly, but strongly "GO AWAY". This works 99% of a time, as you're showing them, that you're not afraid of them, that you're confident. Mostly they are looking for people, that aren't so self aware and are go to to abuse, rob, or ask for money. And yes, if someone third will get into that interaction, you'll have to do it again (that's kinda why I'm not a fan of "heroes", as I'm doing ok on my own). I'm small female, so it happens to me a lot and that's how I was able to get back home safe all the time.
I think that might work if you're near other people as the guy doesn't want to draw attention to himself. I once stopped at a rest stop on a long drive at 2 am to get a few minutes sleep and went inside the building that had bathrooms and vending machines to use the bathroom and get coffee. There were 2 entrances/exits but one was chained shut. A man came in and blocked the exit, watching me. God kept me calm, I'm not a calm person. I stood across the room watching him. I'm sure the look on my face wasn't pleasant as I'd had a rough night and he was standing between me and my children. But I waited, watching and blowing gently on my scalding hot coffee. After a few minutes, he turned and walked out. After that, I was alert enough to keep driving. But I don't think anything that I could have said would have made me less vulnerable. I think I was clearly communicating " Fkin try me!" With my eyes though and he did consider it. I could see it in his face.
Load More Replies... OK, even I find a lot of this going too far, and I was raised to be rather hyper-vigilant. Be aware, be alert, prepare for worst, life is easier, so far so good.
Most of this is common sense. Where I live I was taught a lot of this by my parents. Every child should be taught survival instincts. I has saved me more than once when I was small and as an adult. Trust no one!
And people still don't or may not, commonly sense these things. Educating is helpful, no matter
Load More Replies... Welcome to reality. But it depends where you are.
Load More Replies... Another thing: People For the love of god please do NOT walk with you head down looking at your phone. Firstly it’s bad for your spine. Secondly it makes you a target. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU KNOW THE AREA AMD STOP KIDDING YOURSELF THAT YOU SEE EVERYTHING ON THE GROUND. NO YOU DO NOT.
If you're driving and think you're being followed, navigate to the closest police or fire station. Good chance the followers will not turn in! If they do, honk SOS, call 911, get help, but don't get out!
I had a job that required me to go to some of the roughest neighborhoods in the country & also required me to carry large amounts of cash. When I asked a peer for advice he said “buy a gun & learn how to use it”. I said “but it’s illegal in many places”. Pointing a finger to the sky he said “Would you rather face the judge down here or the judge up there”? Damn good advice.
Unfortunately, if you’re not ready and willing to shoot to kill a fellow human being AND educated, knowledgeable, comfortable, and skilled with your gun, then statistics bear out that your gun is much more likely to be used against you than used to protect you.
Load More Replies... I see a lot of people saying these are paranoid...well paranoia can save your life! And crime isn't just reserved for the US either...
Paranoia can potentially save your life, but it must be straining to live with it.
Load More Replies... Could I add - just have one ear bud in - you need to be able to hear what's going on around you when you're out - particularly if you are on a bike in traffic or jogging in a park.
Know how to say "I don't speak [local language]" in a third language that's different from yours and the local language(s). Works like a charm. I've even used French here in the USA touristy towns. People trying to con me immediately leave me alone because they can't work their con if they can't communicate and gain my trust.
Have your car keys in your hand before you leave the building. Fumbling around for keys while in a parking garage or parking lot is dangerous. Do not use the remote to unlock your car until you are right at your car. Unlocking the car from a distance alerts potential evildoers to your location.
But how will I find my car??? But seriously I always forget where I park. Like always. It's a terrible habit
Load More Replies... You come a long way with a little awareness, dont burry your nose in the mobile phone and be aware of your soroundings
If you're worried about identity theft, just be so poor that the criminal is better off keeping their own identity. Pow, easy
When you are traveling always know the emergency call number to get police, fire or ambulance. It can be different in any given country. If you don't know it and you need help you could be in some serious trouble. As for kick them in the family jewels, if you're short you won't be able to kick that high. Also, they may be able to get over a kick that wasn't that hard fairly quickly and chase you. If you can grab those jewels and squeeze really hard and twist. Hold it there for even 10-15 seconds he'll be in some pretty bad pain and he won't be chasing you.
You can simply call 112 no matter what country you are in and it will automatically direct your call to the local emergency number.
Load More Replies... Another great thing we do with our kids is if we are a fair and you get lost stand still the moment you realize you're lost. Do not come looking for us. We know where we have been and we will backtrack until we find you. If an adult or police officer approaches you ask them to wait where you're at with you but do not go with them. If they are valid they will stand with them. My brother was lost for 10 minutes in a crowd of 100k and we found him because he stood still. He was a bit tearful but it works like a charm every time! If they're on the Move and your on the move you can miss each other.
Because kids think they are invincible we always show our children how strong an adult is if they're trying to grab you. It's emotional and scary but its necessary. We were telling my seven-year-old to fight when her father grabbed her and we found out that locking onto his leg disabled his Forward Motion he could not run with her and he had to focus on trying to get her off his leg leaving her mouth free to scream. It was incredibly effective no matter how small the child is and was a great tool to learn. We also teach them if someone points a gun and says getting the car you are away if there's two of you you can tell us where they were taken if there's only one we can maybe fix a gunshot room but not if you get in the car. And the Yank on the steering wheel especially entering the highway because they're distracted and you don't want the car up to speed before you flipped the steering wheel. Empowering children might be frightening but its necessary! Be safe out there
We were teaching my seven-year-old how strong an adult is if they wanted to grab her because kids think they're invincible and they can fight to get away. We found out that if she's able to to grab the kidnappers leg and hang on for dear life her father could not walk nor run properly and while trying to do so left her mouth open for screaming. It was a wonderful thing to realize teach your children and no matter how small they can hang on like a monkey and it disabled him completely from running anywhere! Also teach your children to launch themselves at the steering wheel preferably before the car enters the highway if they are put in car and are in the front seat. You can always take him to a hospital you can't get them back! And if a gun is ever leveled at one child and both are told to get the car they're taught to run away and leave their sibling or their friends because they're the only hope to tell us that somebody was taken and how.
Once when I was a teenager someone came up behind me and put me in a choke hold, he was bigger and stronger than me and had a tight grip. However, I was able to get hold of one of his fingers, once I had that I had him, I pulled it back and twisted him off, I ran off while he was doubled over in pain.
I’m a female from a Nordic country but I have lived long periods in Spain. I travel by myself, sometimes with spouse or friends. I don’t avoid certain places but I do know not to go to dark alleys etc where none should never go. I have never in my life been robbed or mugged which probably is also luck but I feel like most of these are insanely paranoid. Usually the basic stuff is enough. Choosing a good bag, not putting your money/cards all in one place with your ID, checking the scenery before using your phone/camera, avoiding sketchy looking places, knowing where to call if having an emergency, checking your route options before going, knowing a few local words, knowing what kind of taxis to take and the ones you should avoid etc. Before travelling to Egypt I checked proper clothing out of respect and also that they have 3 kind of cabs + private drivers. One of the cabs was clearly only for locals and two of them were tourist but you needed to check that the meter was working
The other one was more expensive but both equally good. We used the taxis most of the time without any problems. The hostel staff translated the places where we wanted to go and we paid by the meter plus tip on arrival. Only once the driver insisted on more money so I said to my travel companion that she should open the door and put her leg out so the driver can’t speed off. I paid the right amount and said to the driver if he disagrees he can take that up to the tourist police, which were probably the only words he knew from that sentence and we walked off. He never came back. Most bigger tourist attractions in Egypt have tourist polices for safety. The rest of the trip went smoothly without any issues and none tried to rob us in the bazaar etc. It’s also about the attitude, street smarts and knowing where you are and what customs there might be.
Load More Replies... In parking garages, I always keep my head on a swivel, scan the area slowly without the jerky scared look. Twice they tried in the parking lot behind the bank, years apart but I remebered.
STOP looking at your phone while you're walking. Pay attention. You're making yourself a target by not being aware of who is where, who is following you or dangers that might be around. All someone has to do is run up, grab your phone, push you down and you wouldn't know what happened. Or worse. If you need to talk to someone while you're walking (and only do this as a safety thing) put them on speakerphone, look UP and around and talk to them that way. Dont text, don't get so involved you're gesturing and laughing. This means you're "on the phone" not paying attention.
Less obvious one,if you have a pixel phone or a pixel rom on your phone,there is an app called safety.You can adjust the time until the phone sends a message and the gps location to a trusted person.
Poor Americans living in such a dystopian nightmare where paranoia will save your life
Not really, there are other countries that you need to be careful. Just because it call a safe country doesn't mean there are no crimes. It's rare but you always have to be on guard, even alone.
Load More Replies... When confronted by someone whose begging for money, I face them and yell, NO! GO AWAY! I yell loud enough and with conviction that lots of people can hear me. 3 different times the freeloader was so startled that he ran away. Practice yelling at home if you need to to get over being shy about yelling in public. Lose the whiney voice and take control.
Always look for obstructions in your car (penny in handle, plastic bottle in tire, note on windshield) before getting in your car. These are all tricks people use to car jack their targets.
If you're going to a very crowded place, carry your phone and wallet in your front pockets with your hands on them at ALL times, or even better, in the inside pocket of a closed jacket. This has proven to be useful the three times I've got a Kleenex pack stolen from my back pocket at the subway station.
If you and your friend are being chased by a tiger, trip your friend. That'll buy you some time.
And sadly there have been cases where kids were used to lure other kids to pedophiles... my children will not go with any stranger adult or child
Most pictures in this post suggest this only happens in Europe and/or Asia. From experience I know you have to be aware of these situations when going to big cities in the USA as well.
In the very beginning, these were quite good. Then they teetered off. And I didn’t bother after like 15. Paranoia .
It's the safest time to be alive and so many of y'all are living in fear.
If you come back to your car after shopping and it suddenly makes noises, do not get out. Drive to a brightly lit, populated area to check it out. If your car wasn't broken before, it shouldn't have become so while sitting there. Therefore, it could be a ploy by a wannabe assailant.
This is poor advice that will make small car problems into huge car problems. The majority of problems will first come to light when starting the car rather than whilst you're driving.
Load More Replies... When you are returning to your car and it is night or you have parked in an isolated place, check under the car from a distance of at least 5 meters. Then check the rear seats and only then enter the car and close yourself immediately inside. But most importantly, start the engine and go, right away. The same advice applies to underground (and not) parking lots and any other place where there are no other people and you have to get to your car alone. Plus, don't always make the same way when walking home from work or gym on a daily basis. Never reveal on social media that you're gonna attend an event, cause you never know who's keeping an eye on you and planning to find a way to get to you. Never talk to strangers or allegedly fake accounts online. You have stalkers and they are never the guy you like and might just be shy. No, they are always crappy creeps to whom you would not respond. Be paranoid, be safe.
A lot of this is information that AFAB people are taught from childhood.
Park in a well lit area of the parking lot if you know it will be dark by the time you get back. If you feel someone is following you Make 3 left/right turns. If they are still behind you drive to the nearest police/fire department or flag down a police cruiser. This is for people in high populated cities like New York and Chicago who drive high dollar cars, before you even unlock your car check the undercarriage and rear bumper for trackers as your car might have been made a target of a local chop shop.
At least 4 of these are John Muleany jokes straight from his stand up. Bad on BP to steal someone's content and not even give the artist credit. I'm not mad, I'm just very disappointed.
While some of these are decent tips, a lot of this article is “How to be paranoid 101”.
Basically this is all b******t. If you have these “fears” then stay at home, order fast food, and eat until you are 400 or more pounds in weight. Then you witness safe because you can’t even get out of your house
It's really quite sad so many people are so paranoid and scared on a daily basis. I can't imagine living like that
Who ever said this was a list of a suggested lifestyle?? They're mostly common sense tips that some people may not be privileged enough to know. Doesn't hurt to be aware of your surroundings. It saves.
Load More Replies...