AVOID BEING A VICTIM OF CRIME

You find yourself stranded because your car just will not re-start on a stretch of road that immediately makes you feel uncomfortable. It may be desolate; it could be in a bad part of town or it may be in a good part of town. It can be daytime or after dark. Criminals do not need to punch a time clock. Unlike the rest of us, these creeps work is done whenever and wherever circumstances are right. The chances are very high that you or someone close to you will be involved in a crime during your lifetime. This is unfortunate. This is also the truth.

So, what can you do to either minimize the impact of a crime or deter a criminal from committing the crime against you? The most obvious would be to carry a handgun. Not a practical solution for most of us. Even if you happen to live in a state where this is a legal option, the mind-set you need to use a gun to protect yourself or others is not one most of us have or can acquire. You must be willing to live with possibility of shooting and killing another human being. All the people I know could not cope with the consequences of such an extreme decision. Guns are better left to the Police, most of whom never need to resort to lethal force. True, times have changed and our world seems more dangerous but a Police uniform still carries a lot of drag.

There are many superb alternatives that will prevent you from becoming a statistic of crime. First, use the obvious ideas including cell phones or try to remember the last public telephone you passed. If you need to leave the car, try to remain in the shadows if it is night or move away from the street whenever possible. You should always have a deterrent to startle anyone who wants to do you wrong. A whistle on your keys, a strong flashlight, and better yet, a personal safety device such as pepper spray, mace, loud electronic alarms, a stun device, or any of the large array of other such “tools” readily available to simply startle an attacker allowing you to flee.

Most attacks come from the side or from behind so keep this in mind and use your eyes and ears and have your personal alarm or pepper spray in hand when walking to your car in the parking lot at the mall, work, grocery store or elsewhere. Simple tricks also help. If carrying a bag of groceries, throw it in the air or at your attacker while spraying them with mace or pepper spray and yelling as you run away. Keep it simple; the idea is to get away. Spend fifteen minutes a month thinking about or better yet trying out your pepper spray or stun gun just to familiarize with how they work. In a very short time you will become comfortable knowing how to activate each type you carry and it will become an extension of your hand. Remember that all you want to do is get away and then report to Police as necessary.

Until next installment please stay safe and investigate the safety tools available to you.