Folks post a lot of scenarios here and they are always interesting to read from a "what if" perspective. I thought I would post a few habits I picked up years ago during a time in my life when I was a prosecutor involved in a joint task force targeting the most violent criminals we could identify in my community. Obviously, I was very much disliked amongst a certain portion of the criminal population. I could not carry a gun back then and some of the Federal LEO guys I worked with were concerned enough about my safety that they gave me a ballistic vest to wear. I was just stupid enough not to be afraid, but just smart enough to take certain precautions.The things I did to ensure my safety are things I still do today. I should mention that I have no special training, I'm not a genius or a ninja, this is just what I did back then that I still do to this day because it became habit.First and foremost is the idea of situational awareness. Always, always, always know what is going on around you. Look at everyone and everything. If I walk into a grocery store, I could probably pick 60% of the people in the store out of a line up because I look at EVERYONE, not just the hot chicks or the people with freakish piercings.When I walk out of a building, I start to look around the second the door opens and I step out. I look at every person I can see and try to identify whether or not they are a threat. I look at places a threat may be hidden. I look 180 degrees left and right and as I get further from the building, I'm looking behind me to cover 360. If I see someone I consider a potential threat, I make sure that I do not lose visual contact with them. I do everything I can do to ensure I will not be taken by surprise and I scan around me every second I am exposed.If I am approached by someone in a parking lot - they ARE a threat. I do not address them unless they approach me. If they approach me, I turn an tell them I do not carry cash, sorry. If possible, I get my car door open before confronting them.When driving, I always leave at least a half of car length between me and the car in front of me when I stop at a red light. This allows me an exit if someone tries to open my car door while I am stopped. It also gives me an opportunity to pull up if someone is coming up behind me too fast. I've actually avoided a couple of rear end collisions by doing this. Of course, it means you also have to keep your eyes on the the rear view mirrors when you are stopped.When I park in a parking lot, I generally try to do so in a slightly more remote area. I pull through the space so I can leave without backing up. I look around me before I get out of the car and do another full 360 degree scan when I get out.When I picked up these habits (which admittedly sound paranoid even to me) there was no such thing as a smart phone. We had cell phones, but that's about it. One habit I picked up in the intervening years is that I do NOT, under any circumstances, look at my cell phone unless I am in a safe environment. I wouldn't even dream of walking through a parking lot and looking at my phone. I might briefly check a text message in Walmart, but I cringe whenI see people walking around stores and parking lots with their noses buried in their phones. To me, they may as well be wearing a sandwich board that says "ROB ME" in big red letters.Keep your eyes up and look at everyone and everything around you.Again, this is me. I'm no expert, I haven't had much in the way of special training. This is what I did back then and what I do now. I welcome honest input, but you don't have to tell me I'm paranoid. I already know that. via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/2OvJ0nE
No comments:
Post a Comment