Today we are going to talk about personal security.
Most crimes against a person occurs either in the home or in a parking lot somewhere.
I’m going to try to offer you some tips on how to avoid being a victim.
1 The first tip is don’t act like a victim. By that I mean don’t walk around looking down at the ground acting like you are afraid of everything. The individuals I talked with looked for people that wouldn’t look them in the eye, because they said that showed fear and that is what they preyed on.
2 Don’t act like a tourist. When you are in the city somewhere act like it is your home as well. Criminals are less likely to attack someone if they think that person knows their surroundings as well as they do. One other thing some of the guys I talked to said “When people are looking at the buildings and are awe struck that means they are tourists and since tourists don’t know what is going on they are ripe for the pickings.
3 Go in groups, you are far less likely to get mugged, raped or robbed if there is more than one of you. Just like the lions get one buffalo away from the herd, predators would rather prey on a single individual than two or more.
4 Carry protection, pepper spray is pretty good but it has been shown that it doesn’t always work and in high winds it is liable to end up in your own face. A small firearm is better, get something concealable and easy to carry, learn how to use it, clean it, and make sure that you can hit with it.
5 PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS. This is the most important one.
When you pull into a parking lot, look around.
See what is around you, check out what kind of people there are. See if anyone is loitering in the area.
Never park near a van or large truck, always make sure that you have good visibility between your parking spot and the shop you are going into. Look for a landmark of sorts. Light Pole, Sign, Fire hydrant anything that you can use for a landmark to get you back to your vehicle.
6 Be prepared. Always hope for the best but prepare for the worst. If you have a distance to walk to get to your vehicle always have a plan for what to do in the event of an attempted mugging. If you are carrying a firearm, keep one hand on it.
I carry one in my pocket all the time and if I am in a strange area, I will have one hand in my pocket on the butt of the gun at all times.
7 Don’t take unnecessary chances. If you don’t have to be in a high crime area, don’t be there. Avoid doing things that are going to have you out late at night by yourself.
8 Check your lifestyle. If you have friends that are criminals chances are they will try to victimize you at some time or another. Straighten out your life and choose your friends wisely. If you allow crackheads into your home and then find out they have stolen your silverware or what ever, then it is just as much your fault as it is theirs. If you do drugs chances are you will be a victim to crime other than being stupid.
9 Don’t be flashy. If you go out showing off with lots of gold or diamonds flashing on you, or waving around large amounts of cash, it’s only a matter of time before some one tries to take it.
10 Don’t count on the police to protect you. The police cannot baby sit everyone, and even if they could they wouldn’t. The truth is the police are only good after the fact, meaning that if no crime has yet been committed there is nothing they can do about the strange guy following you around.
No one wants to be a victim and no one has to be. Remember to always be prepared and pay attention to what goes on around you, even around people you know, because you never really know a person until (To quote a scene from Firefly) you hang them over the edge of a volcano.
Thanks for reading
Gary.