Security
on the StreetMore crimes against people are committed on the streets than anywhere else. The first rule is to never carry a lot of cash. If you carry enough to satisfy a robber, but not so much that you will suffer an enormous loss, you are likely to walk away safe. Don’t carry excess cash in your purse or wallet. Keep it in an inside coat pocket or some other hidden place. If you are robbed, do what the robber tells you to do. Do not resist, especially if the robber is armed. Even if you comply with his wishes, the robber may still try to attack you. Do two things--scream and run.
Many people think they should carry defensive weapons, such as small handguns or tear gas guns or mace. First, they are usually in your pocket or purse when you need them. Second, the bad guys may grab them and use them against you. If you are going to use a self-defense spray, the best kind is pepper spray combined with mace…especially those that also contain a dye that can mark an attacker for up to a week. Another alternative is a stun gun, which transmits a high-voltage electric shock. There is far too much risk in using those, however, since you must be close and must contact the skin for the best effect. Other possibilities include a whistle, but if you carry one, don’t wear it on a chain around your neck. A bad guy can grab it and choke you with it. Personal alarms are becoming more popular. A quick push of a button sends out an ear-piecing siren and can be turned off by a code known only to you. These can be useful in that they may distract the bad guy long enough for you to run away. Your keys can be another weapon. If you are walking alone at night, carry your keys with one key protruding through each knuckle. If someone tries to assault you, punch him in the eye with that fist. A key in the eye is a definite deterrent.
Try to never carry more than you need. Keep credit cards to a minimum. Keep cash to a minimum. Carry a purse so that it cannot be ripped off you, especially if someone jumps out of a car and tries to grab it and hop back into the car and get away. But if you carry it crossways over your shoulder, you may get injured when someone tries to pull your purse until the strap breaks. Common sense should prevail. At night be careful when you are walking, and stay away from parked cars. It is possible for the bad guy to crouch between parked cars and wait for someone to walk by. If you are a jogger, also be very careful. But remember that your legs are your best weapon. Wearing headphones is NOT a good idea; it distracts you from your surroundings and makes you far more vulnerable.
Other tips: If you are using public transportation, sit near a companion, the driver or conductor. But try to avoid the seat nearest an exit door. If seated near an open window, protect your belongings from being stolen by a thief reaching through the window. Prepare your fare before you leave home to avoid opening your purse or wallet. If you are walking on the street and encounter an arrest, fire, brawl or other incident, don’t be a spectator. Get away from the area immediately. If you witness a crime or accident while walking, send for help; don’t try to help.
Use plain old common sense. Don’t carry more credit cards or cash than you need. Try to avoid ATM machines at night or when there is no one around. Those kinds of very normal behaviors will protect you tremendously. One last warning that old Blackdog sees frequently: Do NOT leave your purse in a grocery store shopping cart! Too many times I have seen this happen. A personal example: I am slightly disabled from an accident many years ago in which I fractured two vertebrae. So I cannot walk very quickly. But if I were able-bodied, was grocery shopping and spotted a woman leaving her purse in her shopping cart then turning around to peruse goods on the grocery shelf, how long do you think it would take me to grab that purse and run out the door of the store into a running car in which my “accomplice” was waiting for me? I could easily be out the door before the woman even realized her purse was gone. This is one of the most common occurrences for the bad guy.
Shop, walk, jog and bank safely!
