Personal Safety Snippets

by Robert Agar-Hutton

Like all advice, some of it you will know and think "Well that's obvious" some of it you will know and think "I've been meaning to do that" and some of it will be new. Use whatever works for you in your personal safety circumstances. 

In the home

On the street

Physical skills

Travelling by car

Risk assessment.

In the home.

Do you have an alarm fitted in your home? If so does it have a panic button fitted? It's worth having one in your bedroom so that if, at night, you should hear suspicious noises downstairs you can trigger the alarm - hopefully sending any intruders running.

Security mark all your valuables. Anything that can't be security marked (Jewellery for example) - make sure you have photographs - with Jewellery or other small objects of value - put a ruler in the photo next to the object so that the size is apparent. 
 
 

On the street.

Do you carry a personal attack alarm? I am not a big fan of these devices as there is the problem of having it to hand when you need it and the worry that the battery may be dead.

If you DO carry an attack alarm and are attacked, trigger the alarm and then throw it about ten feet away. Obviously do NOT have the alarm on your keyring!!!! Throwing the alarm away gives your assailant the choice of trying to go and silence the alarm which gives you the chance to escape.
 
 
Know the area. Most street violence is predictable - know your neighbourhood and know the safe and dangerous areas. Know the good times and the not so good times to be on the street.

Not sure about your area? Then ask family and friends for advice, still not sure read the local newspaper, still not sure phone your local police and ask them!!!!

Knowledge is power - I was driving in Los Angeles some years ago - before going to LA, I familiarised myself with a map of the city so I knew how to stay on the main routes. Driving around back streets in an unfamiliar city is almost NEVER a good idea...
 
 
iPods are great. iPods and mp3 players are great - but NOT when you are out walking or jogging - they distract you and make you less likely to spot trouble. Also they are valuable to street criminals so wearing one may increase your chances of being targeted.
 
 
Shopping. When you are out shopping how many credit cards do you have on you? Surely Two cards are enough - one for use and one in case you get a mad moment and need extra.

So often I see purses and wallets stuffed full of cards - why take the risk? Even if you simply lose the cards - think of the inconvenience of notifying the companies and then getting the new cards, setting up new pin numbers, etc, etc...

So much personal safety is based on the rule that you should make things as simple as possible.

Be aware that when you are tired or unwell you are more likely to walk along the street in 'victim mode' than when you are alert and fit.

Be nice. This is SO simple that most people don't even realise that it is a safety tip...

Be nice to people, smile at strangers and have a happy and kind word for everyone.

Bad things CAN and DO happen to nice and friendly people but they are the people who are living good and contented lives. Bad things CAN and DO happen to unpleasant people too - Your choice - what kind of person do you want to be?

I would suggest that MORE bad things happen to unpleasant people than to nice ones - what do you think???

Awareness. In most cultures, in a verbal conflict situation you need to look at the other person's face (don't stare) just a natural polite look - so you need to train your vision so that you can communicate with someone and at the same time keep an eye out for possible danger signs.

Always be aware of the other person's hands. If they are out of sight, they might be reaching for (or already holding) a weapon.

In the UK, it is reported almost daily, that we live in a culture where young people routinely carry knives. If you can't see the hands you might only be seconds away from being stabbed...

In some other countries it might be a knife or it might be a gun.

So in any conflict situation be ultra aware.
   
   

Listen. What is one of the most important things to do in a verbal conflict situation?

Listen - listen to content and tonality.

Conflict often occurs when two people communicate poorly - learn how to communicate well.

   
Physical skills?

Do you have personal Safety skills? I passionately believe that everyone should have some personal Safety skills. Do you have any? Even if it's just a weekly martial arts lesson it will - at the very least - aid your self confidence and fitness levels, the first making you less likely to be the subject of an attack and the second makes you more able to weather an attack or run away.
 

Know WHO you are. Know what your strengths and weaknesses are (figure it out or ask others). Then work out what you need to do (or not do) to play to your strengths and to avoid your weaknesses.

I have the proverbial 'gift of the gab', so I have been able to talk my way out of various situations over the years. I have also invested time, energy and money in learning how to make my inter-personal and intra-personal communication skills much more effective. However there are some situations where talking is not the solution so, I train long and hard in physical defensive strategies too.

Figure out what YOU need to do and then START doing it.
 
 
Be fit. This is REALLY simple - try and be as fit and healthy as you can - if you exercise (even a little) it will obviously have health benefits but may also have personal safety benefits as well.
   
Everyone has personal fitness limits - that is a fact - but within the limits that apply to you, you should aim to be at the best level of fitness that you can...

Why?

Firstly, it will help reduce your chances of illness and disease.

Next, fit people generally have a 'spring in their step' and a bright look in their eyes - this may well reduce your chances of being victimized as predators generally like to pick on the weak and unobservant.

Finally, if you are unlucky enough to be involved in a physical conflict situation then your fitness will help you both during the conflict and if you are injured in the recovery afterwards.

So, whether it's for conflict Safety or simply a long and fun life - invest in your own fitness.

Fitness tip. Exercise for (at least) five minutes every day. Five minutes may not seem a lot but if it becomes a habit that you do EVERY day then it mounts up.

Once 5 minutes is EASY then increase to ten...

and so on...

First Aid. Learn basic first aid - if you have, when is your next refresher course?

   
Just WIN. This is simple... In the unfortunate event of being in a physical confrontation (someone hits or grabs you or goes to do same) - WIN!!!

Do WHATEVER you have to do to survive - YOUR SAFETY COMES FIRST!!!

Hit, kick, spit, bite, claw, smash, head-butt, pinch, scratch, gouge, slap, chop, punch, WHATEVER - and keep on doing it until you can escape or until the threat is neutralized.

Learning physical defensive skills certainly helps however even someone with no training whatsoever can be victorious if they simply remember that they ARE going to WIN.

"It's not the dog in the fight, it's the fight in the dog" - translation, size is less important than attitude!!!

Basics matter. If you train in any form of defensive tactics (Martial Art, RBSD, whatever) - oncentrate on the BASICS - it is the basics that you will remember and need to rely on in a conflict situation. Leave the fancy stuff for when you have spare time and can have a bit of fun. Otherwise - "concentrate on the BASICS".

 
  
 
Travelling by car.

Do you check your tyres? If you have a car (or bike), when did you last check your tyres, under or over inflated tyres or tyres which have been
damaged or whose tread is low - All of these things can cause or contribute to an accident - why take the risk when a minute or two each week could save your life!!!

Keep your car properly serviced and always have a least half a tank of fuel.

Always carry a first aid kit in your car.

Be a courteous driver and acknowledge any driving mistake that you make - A smile, a wave, a shouted SORRY can all help defuse a situation.

If other people drive badly, try and ignore it - flashing your lights, using the horn or using your fingers to indicate your displeasure will do nothing to improve anyone else's driving and may cause the other driver to become angry (YES of course their are exceptions to this suggestion - sometimes the horn IS appropriate).

In town drive with the doors locked.

Do not have your purse or valuables on the passenger seat at any time - it only takes a moment for someone to smash the window and grab stuff when you have stopped at the lights.

I suggest ALWAYS drive with your sidelights on during daytime, it simply makes your car more easily noticed and may help prevent an accident.

 
 
 
Risk Assessment.

The first and most important step in self Safety is your decision to be a survivor.

Learn basic physical and psychological Safety skills - anyone can do it at any age.
 
Personal security is about risk assessment, awareness and ability.

Do you risk assess - do you pre-plan when visiting places you are unfamiliar with and what about places you know so so well? Do you re-evaluate them from time to time?

Awareness - how aware are you - do you go though life paying attention or half asleep?

Ability - what ability do you have if someone threatens you or someone you are with - can you respond adequately and within the legal and moral framework of your society?

If you can great - if you are not sure, NOW is the time to look at developing the abilities that you require.

If you are not sure how to develop the abilities you need or if you are not sure what abilities you need, email me privately at info-request @ protectics-pps.co.uk

Understand the difference between things that are likely to happen (being accosted by a drunk) and things that are unlikely (being in a bank when armed robbers attack) and concentrate your training and preparation on the likely things - and YES it is for YOU to figure out what in your circumstances (where you live, what you do, etc...) are likely and unlikely. 

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