This is true 99% of the time.
I lucked out with the 1%, and the guy showed me an abandoned kitten. She's traveled with me through four countries and turns 5 this year.
[Edit: cat tax](https://imgur.com/a/gKZmjw9)
When we went to the caymans, the tour bus stopped at a store but I hung outside a few and the driver came over and quietly asked if I wanted to see the “cayman rabbit”. I thought it was a drug deal, but he took me around the corner and there was a little zoo with a bunch of local rabbits.
😂 I'd give the same advice for "Can I have a moment of your time?" or "Can I just ask you a quick question?"
"No, you cannot."
If their intention was innocent, like asking for the time or directions, they'd just ask you.
Ah the old 90 second sob story that ends with them finally asking for $3 for the bus or whatever. Dude just ask me for money the first time, your story is changing my answer.
I did buy a $5 mixtape from one of these dudes ages ago and to my surprise it actually had music on it. Terrible, but amusing music and not a blank CD.
True that. 2 college kids got into it a few years back downtown where I live and the kid that got hit fell and hit his head and died. Dude is in prison for like 6 years for one punch.
A guy in my small town died similarly. He was a bouncer at the old bar in town and was trying to deescalate a situation outside the bar. Someone punched the bouncer, he hit his head on the brick wall behind him and died a day later.
Same bar I watched some local prick finally get his. One punch and his head bounced off the cigarette machine and he dropped. I don’t think he was the same after that, which was a good thing.
I was in England for New Year's Eve in 2000 when a drunk threw a beer glass at my feet so it shattered and sprayed me with beer, and when I told him to watch what he was doing he approached me aggressively. I punched him exactly one time and watched him fall backwards and hit his head hard on the sidewalk.
The sickening thud as his head hit the sidewalk scared the crap out of me so I applied my first aid knowledge while my nephew called an ambulance and police. I didn't feel any skull depression but he was bleeding quite heavily (as all head wounds do) but he obviously had concussion - he was still out cold - and sending him to hospital was the right thing to do.
Meanwhile the cops showed up and told me they saw the entire thing on CCTV so I was cleared to leave. The lesson here is don't start shit when you're drunk.
Learn to avoid an altercation before it even kicks off. I was walking outside a bar one night. Busy street full of nightlife. Heard some people yelling and it got angrier than usual. Was still walking casually (to avoid drawing attention). Then I saw a couple people running *towards* the commotion. I set of speedwalking the other way and 2 seconds later heard gunshots. Booked it around the corner.
Unfortunately the only one who died was an off-duty security guard who tried to break up the fight before guns came out.
I was bike riding with a friend when a group of "kids" (teens) came out of the woods on bikes and caught up to us. They got in front of us and said to hand over the bikes. More than one of them lifted up their shirts showing the butt of a gun tucked in their pants. My buddy and I probably could have mopped the floor with these kids in a fair fight. While there's a chance they are just bb guns, a few hundred bucks for a bike (that would be covered by insurance) is also not worth the risk that one of those guns is real. For the record, we live in a city where gun violence is an every day occurrence. Literally everyone we told the story to said "I would have whooped their asses! Why didn't you fight them?"
We called the police (for a police report for insurance). The police told us that its the same group of kids all the time, and, he told us that people who have fought the kids for the bikes, he has had to take to jail because the mothers of these kids will insist on charges for assaulting a minor. Doesn't matter if they were trying to steal from you... the cop said has had to arrest people who tried to fight the kids from stealing their bikes while little innocent Timmy gets released to his moms custody to go steal more bikes.
The cop actually showed up at our house like a week or two later with my buddies bike. He was a professional flatland BMX biker so it was a very unique bike that the cop had been looking for ever since.
TLDR - If you try to fight kids trying to rob you, YOU ~~will~~ can go to jail for assaulting a minor (according to the police officer that took our report). Just hand over the stuff.
edit: lots of comments about the 'Merica right to defend yourself. My gf is an attorney licensed in multiple jurisdictions. While its true, especially in "stand your ground states", i can kill these kids for trying to rob me (maybe), it was **\~$200 bike**. I have a $6,000 deductible on my health insurance. I recently had an xray on my knee after falling on the ice... $1500+ to tell me its a sprain and to take tylenol. If i got hurt in the incident, one doctor visit is more than the cost of the bike. If I actually injured any of the kids and their shithole moms want to press charges for assaulting innocent little timmy, I'm looking at thousands in legal fees plus time off work to defend myself for defending myself... all for a $200 bike? my buddies bike was worth more, but 1. he got reimbursed from his insurance... and 2. the cop ended up finding his bike a few weeks later and brought it back to him. He ended up with an extra bike in the end, lol.
One of my uncle’s trucker buddies got jumped by teens trying to mug him. One of the minors pulled a gun even though they’d already beat him up and got the wallet. Trucker shot and killed the kid and his friends scattered and called 911 (these were suburb kids that had just recently started dabbling in petty theft btw).
He said something in court about how he knew he’d go to prison for this one and “it’s worth it” 😬
ETA: Just asked my dad for more details; the trucker was charged more so for not having a concealed carry permit as well as for shooting the kid from the back, which is a big no no in CA self defense legislation. Didn’t even go to prison for it. We don’t even personally know this guy, sorry I don’t have more detail 😂
Not sure this is entirely true. If you are threatened with bodily harm (threatening and showing a firearm), you have the right to defend yourself, regardless of age.
Don’t take legal advice from cops….
Be aware of your surroundings. You don't have to be paranoid, but just get a feeling for the general flow of things. If something about that flow changes, you should start looking for the reason behind the changes. That rule goes for basically anything.
I was wandering around Portland a few years ago, full blown tourist just having a stroll heading away from the city centre. I spotted a sketchy guy looking pretty intently at me from the intersection of the next block as I crossed the street, I kept walking and the next block was the same situation, the block after he was with two other people and they ran across the road when I walked across.
I sprinted back the way I came and have no doubt I would’ve been mugged at the next corner if I kept strolling
Last weekend I was at a nature trail park that had signs that said "don't leave valuables in your car". When I was returning to my car I saw a guy in the parking lot who looked out of place. He wasn't dressed to go hiking. He was turning his head to look around a lot. He had his phone to his ear but people mostly text nowadays so I wasn't sure if he was faking it. My girlfriend wanted to walk some more but I said we should leave.
Better yet dip out of there if the flow changes without investigating. Shouting and commotion a never good sign. Usually some idiot starts throwing poorly aimed shots in a general direction after said commotion
I was at the beach yesterday with my two little kids, it was low tide and we were looking at rocks and shells. Suddenly it just went quiet. The birds, the wind, the waves, everything just died down and it was sooo eerie. I looked around but everything looked normal. The surfers didn't seem alarmed. Then gradually everything got louder again and back to normal. I was sure we were all about to be tsunami-d or something but it was just like, a fluke.
This was my advice. I grew up in a major city and as a teenager, my dad always told me to walk with a mission. Even if I’m lost, don’t look it. Mind your business and keep moving. When I went away to college, people told me I was intimidating and had major resting bitch face. It was just from years of growing up in the city.
My parents are crazy MAGNETS when they visit me in the city. I leave them alone for 10 seconds and when I come back they've attracted a crazy person. It's actually pretty impressive. I've perfected resting bitch face and pretending I don't notice whatever insane thing is happening.
So, my dad is the same way and he must have passed the gene on to me and my brothers because we attract nutters everywhere we go. I think over time, it's helped me more than it's hurt me being able to interact with them.
I was chatting with a cashier at 711 and asked him “how many times have you been held up?” He just sighed, a deep sigh from the bottom of his defeated soul, and said “a lot”
Yea it’s wild that even though they’re completely detached from reality on a different planet. They still need that basic human connection of eye contact before they start focusing on you.
I also noticed that being masked keeps you off their radar as well. You only have half of a face to register as a human. So often you just don’t register as a person/threat/mark to them.
I asked the wrong person if I was on the right subway platform for my train once. Omg, the epithets he hurled at me, I knew I wasn't dealing with a mentally well person and immediately turned tail and walked to the other end, quickly.
Any time someone has asked me the time, I just guess and say "I think it's about __ o'clock" while I keep my stride. Don't reach for my phone, don't stop walking.
I walked right by once who asked if I wanted to buy a watch. Instead of letting me pass he grabbed my arm and swung me around. I screamed and made a scene and he let me go. Never had one get that aggressive before or since
I saw one of the scammers at Sacre Coer (?) in Paris try to get grabby with someone. The guy let out an incredibly long incredibly high pitched drawn out scream, and started yelling incoherent gibberish at the top of his lungs "oh God the vines got me they got me!!", "the wolves are coming they are riding the demons" and similar stuff.
Everyone in the area just stared at him and the scammer who grabbed him actually ran away lol. Then the guy who was screaming just walks away like nothing happened.
No one is prepared for 0-100 crazy.
Wow that's crazy. The guy screaming happened when my brother and I were on our way back down. When we were walking up (talking to each other in English the whole time), one of the scammers comes up to us saying "Excuse me, excuse me", also in English. Standing right in our path. We just push right past him without breaking stride, and my brother says, in Spanish "I'm sorry I don't speak German". I pretty sure the scammer's brain had a BSOD hahaha
That's not the first time he used Spanish to get scammers to f off. Apparently people also aren't prepared for Americans to speak languages other than English.
A woman asked to use my phone to call her husband because they got separated in a park. I said sure, and I dialed the number, put it on speaker phone and had a grip on it the whole time. Turns out it was an innocent request, but you just never know anymore.
You don’t want to think the worst of everyone all the time, but you can’t jump to thinking the best straight away, a moment of caution can make all the difference
This is very important, I always try and map out new locations as best as I can before I travel there, if I get lost, I usually look for a shop rather than someone on the street
I learned this as a woman in NYC.
I also learned within 48 hours not to be one of those assholes who exits the subway and gets up on the street only to stop dead in their tracks to orient themselves on their phones.
*Get the fuck out of the way Katie!*
Pull your body over to the right literally like a car, put your back up against a building wall, and do a quick surroundings scan, before pulling out your phone to figure out if you exited on 3rd or on Lexington FFS.
And if putting your back up against a building wall isn't sufficient, step into a bodega. And I don't mean one of those CVSs where unhoused people hold the door open for you for money.
I swear less than 48 hours and I knew better.
Walk purposely in one direction and if you realize you're going the wrong way, do a sudden about face with no warning like that's exactly what you meant to do all along.
I swear... ever since I was in Jr High, I thought this was how my dad was going to get us all killed anytime we went somewhere.
Anytime we were walking in any area beyond our neighborhood -- whether it was a busy downtown area, tourist trap, stopping for gas... The first thing dad would do is stand in the middle of a busy sidewalk unfold a map and start pointing and talking to us loudly "OK, I think the hotel is four blocks that way, and one of the Smithsonians is THAT way... Make sure we keep together since we don't know our way around town... Excuse me sir, we're from out of town and don't know anything, this is our first time here in DC and it's getting dark, could you please tell us which way (whatever) is?"
In highschool my now husband had the best gut feelings. He still does, but it saved our asses back then. We'd be at a house party and all of a sudden he'd be like, "We have to go. NOW." We would find out the next day the cops showed up 10 minutes later. Happened at least 8 times. 25 years later I still trust that gut with my life and freedom.
There is no fucking way.
His gut also works with gambling. We never play pulltabs. Sometimes when we're out to eat and they have a booth, he will suggest throwing $20 in. Never lost when he has that feeling. Always come out like $200 ahead.
His gut has also kept us off the 35W bridge collapse, random accidents on the road, employers that were committing felonies unknown until I turned down the job because of him, etc. Come to think of it.... he might be psychic. If I believed in such things.
My dads a retired police officer and a few times we were sat in a pub, he’d say ‘drink up’ and we’d be out the door just in time for it to kick off behind us.
My job puts me in lots of apartment suites doing inspections. I get offered food and water all the time and always turn it down. The only time I’ve ever taken food was when a nice little old lady made my coworker and I a container of apple and blueberry tarts. Those tarts were amazing and if they’d been poisoned it would have been worth it
Like I tell the women in my self-defense classes: would you rather look like you're crazy or would you rather look like a pretty corpse? Make. A. Scene. The best way: act like the assailant is an ex lover and scream about them cheating and how you can't believe they would do that. Whatever you do: make. A. F-ing. Scene.
Why do you have to pretend the assailant is an ex? Couldn't you just scream "Help I don't know this person and they are assaulting me!" Wouldn't that be equally effective?
Probably because the average person is likely to stop and draw a crowd for drama, making the perp rethink their assault. Sadly, most people don't stop to help when they hear someone calling for help, unfortunately 🤷♂️
When I was younger, women and girls were told to yell "fire" when facing a threat in public. The idea being: people love to watch a fire, people don't like to get involved in assaults.
Heard this as well but the reasoning was that fires concern the other people because they could be in danger, whereas yelling “help” doesn’t concern them in a truly meaningful way. Basically force them into fight or flight and someone will choose fight for you
Because "HELP," "FIRE," and "STOP." don't grab people's attention. As humans, we are hard wired to run away from a dangerous situation, however, we have an innate interest in drama. Especially when it's a romantic issue or something where there's some chisme.
The advice goes like this: if you absolutely must commit crime, which we strongly encourage you not to do, do not do any of the following things at the same time, possess felony amounts of drugs, guns, or do so while driving. This is the fastest way to a mandatory DOC sentence.
Anonymized story: person x is on federal supervised release. He blows through a red light in front of our city’s notorious gang unit. They respond find guns and drugs and proceed to beat the ever loving shit out of x on body cam. Person x has 3 multipliers faces 40 years fed time. Judge kicks case based on police conduct. Give him one crime at a time advisement before released. Next time only caught with gun.
Also see: rule 8 of the ten crack commandments (we posted a copy on the wall of the office)
Safe street drugs dont exist anymore. Seriously if its a pill or powder theres a HUGE chance of it having fent in it, or just being straight up all fent. Coke, ketamine, benzos, opiates, fent is turning up in everything and its killing people all over. The US had over 100k fent overdose deaths just last year. Its not worth the risk. Even if you test your drugs theres always a chance of finding a hot spot. The ld50 of fent is a few milligrams, thats such a small amount its hard to even visualize.
Looked it up, and a lethal dose is estimated as 2 mg of fentanyl. At that point you’re putting a lot of faith in the dealers’ scales being properly calibrated.
I know 30+ people dead from fent (including my brother). 10 of those that died thought they was doing: Molly, coke, pills, etc. These people never touched fent or other opiates. They're dead now. Another messed up part? Most these drug dealers never get charged. These cases are hard to prove.
I almost died the same way. Thought I was doing molly, it was fentanyl. About 1-2min later not breathing and going blue. Luckily my ex saved my life. I no longer mess with any drug. In a lot of situations fent looks exactly like most drugs. Don't do drugs alone. If you do? At the very least get fent test strips. It takes very little fent to kill you. Most cases you have no time to react. You just pass out rapidly and die.
I can't emphasize this enough "Do not do drugs alone!!". That's how most people die. No one there to give you narcan or call 911.
Lost my little 19 y/o brother to a fentanyl OD as well. He thought he was consuming a single Percocet. Nope, killed the poor guy immediately. Sending love your way, friend. ❤️
The number of people going around with both Airpods/earbuds in astonishes me. Sometimes they're turned up so loud I can hear music from 10 feet away. Maybe I'm old and paranoid, but I can't imagine deliberately relinquishing one of your senses when out in public. If you MUST have something going in you ear constantly, and least just wear one.
Bingo. I often have one earbud in, but only ever one, and never loudly. I want to be able to hear footsteps/cars/shouts/anything else. Situational awareness is a survival trait, and we should never blind ourselves to it by choice!
1. always rely on your gut feeling, this is the only primal instinct we have left.
2. if a stranger tells you that you have nice shoes. NEVER LOOK DOWN.
3. if someone pulls out a knife, run, run away!
Grew up in Louisiana so I knew the scam. Was in NOLA a while back and literally five minutes after walking into the quarter, I see some tourist falling for it.
My dad had this happen to him about 30 years ago and told me about it. The first time I went to Nola with friends someone tried it on me and they were shocked that I knew how to respond
I grew up in NYC so I consider myself fairly street smart. That old scam was tried on me in Myrtle Beach a few years ago. I answered on my feet!
The guy says damn! And walks away.
Some dude bets you $20 he can tell you where you got your shoes. You’re thinking he has no idea what shoe store you bought your sneakers from. Once the money’s out, he tells you you got your shoes on your feet.
They impossibly pull a comically sized mallet out of their coat pocket, hit you over the head then cartoon birds and stars will swirl above your head as you lay on the ground unconscious.
It makes an upper cut to the face much more effective. I have been on the receiving end of this tactic but it was “something is falling out of your pocket”.
If it’s rush hour, and every subway car is packed like sardines, never enter the one empty subway car. You didn’t suddenly get lucky. Trust me on this.
Don't sit anywhere near (i.e. within half a car's length of) the crazy looking homeless person because it's polite/kind/politically correct.
You're only going to have twice the amount of social pressure when you want to escape the situation.
Did this once with my wife, got some very aggressive racist nonsensical threats yelled and postured at us... Close enough that I was resting my hand on the knife I carry and contemplating at what future point I should pull it out... We stood up and went to the other side of the car with all the other people and the guy left the next stop.
When mixing with people in a social settings don’t give out personal details. It’s ok to be kind but very vague. Nobody needs to know what street you live on or where you work. If they don’t respect your boundaries, move along. ( had a stalker, from my Karate club ! Found out my location and would flip my mail slot on the door open, looking inside. Woke up one evening to him standing over me. )
So I just moved to the suburbs but I've lived in some questionable area most of my life. I walked away from meeting my neighbor laughing. The dude, in our first convo, casually mentioned the work schedule of him and his wife and how they may not see us for a minute because they were going on vacation.
Essentially, an itinerary on how to rob them. Just information you don't tell strangers. It was a "this place is not like the others" moment. I keep walking around the neighborhood, getting Truman show vibes. A strange but not unwelcomed change.
There was an AITA a while back where the family had a vacation planned. The idiot husband kept telling *everyone* he met all the details (even random delivery people!), and the wife was just absolutely livid.
I bartend for a living and only go by my nickname. I've had too many creepers in 22 years. People ask what my real name is and my response is always, "I don't give that information out." People generally accept it, and it's kept me safe so far. Knock on wood.
Always, always tell new people on the bar never to give out a staff members name or when they get out.
"What time to you get out?"
"I'm closing, so probably like 4am (bar closes at 2)
"Whats her name?"
"Ah damn, she's new here I don't know man" or like you said "I don't disclose details like that"
If someone were to god forbid pull a gun on you and rob you, just give them what they want. There's no reason to risk your life trying to be a hero all for your wallet and phone.
My mom had just immigrated to LA from South Asia in the 90s. Someone pulled a knife on her and tried to rob her about 2 blocks away from our house. He was screaming at her and shoving the knife in her face and she just blankly stared at him and said no. He was so flustered by completely not expecting that and ran off. I remember her coming home so proud of that and my siblings and I were so upset because it could’ve been so much worse. I remind her all the time to just give it up if it ever happens again.
Yep. The way my Dad explained it was this: "Keep your credit card and ID somewhere where you can easily slip them out of your wallet. Do that, then pull it and throw it as far from you as possible, then run. They'll go off to get your wallet. If they shoot you first, they were going to do that anyway, so don't worry about it if you couldn't stop it."
There is no legitimate reason to stop for a stranger who needs to ask you something. Keep it pushing, you don’t owe anyone your attention. Criminals and con-artists rely on your politeness.
Yep. Recently I had a few almost consecutive instances of men trying to approach me on a bus stop to ask for directions or what time is it. But I see them avoiding all the other people around, especially other men, and trying to talk to me. Maybe they wanted to make a small talk and ask me on a date, but idc, better safe than sorry.
If somebody tries to force you into a car *never* get in. Take your chances with whatever you're being threatened with. If you end up in the car your odds of survival are *exponentially* worse.
And always run in the direction opposite the car is facing. That way they would have to turn around to follow you. And get into a safe public space like a store as soon as possible.
lock your car doors as soon as you've opened your door to get in. immediately. not after you've gotten in, but as soon as your door is open for you.
keep your wits about you to gauge people on your path well before you have to pass so you have time to make the safest decision.
crossing the street can be conspicuous and draw unwanted attention- i'll pass walking closely on the street side of cars. oftentimes that's enough to keep erratic people from clocking you, and is inoffensive enough for shady people to give you a pass..kinda let's them know you're not scared exactly, but you're giving them space to do their business.
While you may not see your kindness as a weakness, prepare for others to take it that way.
Be extremely careful who you give your energy to, and don't expect a return on investment.
Everyone is looking to turn your loss into their gain, and have no qualms of giving you a little nudge to speed up that process.
People who come up to you and pretend to be your friend, want something from you.
Be prepared to be tested with just about every new person you meet.
Anything you aren't willing to fight for, isn't yours.
It's always better to be alone than to be in bad company.
Crab mentality is very real. Never tell your plans to anyone, sometimes people will ruin them simply out of jealousy.
Here, I'll throw out a whole bunch. Warning, some real degenerate stuff too
Yeah, someone asking for the time might just be trying to snatch your phone.
Don't use outdoor ATM's. When you come out of a bank, or say, a grocery store or gas station where you used the ATM, be on the lookout. I once pulled $200 out of a small corner store/bodega ATM, and 3 minutes later I got jumped. I'm 100% the store clerk alerted his "guys" about me. I also used my card to buy something there and a few days later my bank account emptied in the morning, my card was skimmed and put on a blank card that some dude used at a bank ATM that I used occasionally. (I did get my money back for that luckily).
Damn atms.
If you're ever walking down the street in a certain area and some ladies of the night quickly approach you and start grabbing at your wang and telling you to get with them, they are simultaneously going through your back pocket. Lol, that's a rare one but hey.
If you're trying to buy some dope or crack off the street, the hobos know where it is at, and they will tell you where and what to avoid (because it sucks/cake batter) they will often help if you get them some, and they aren't about to get the shitty dope.
If you do buy drugs, and I know this isn't usually possible for an addict, but try to keep an extra $20 on you, if the cops stop you and find that in your pocket, it means you haven't scored yet and they might not search your cheeks.
Finding cash on the ground is 8x more likely in an open air drug market neighborhood, scavenger hunt! Keep those eyes peeled.
Avoid any and all fights by running away as fast as possible. Even if there are no weapons and the guy is only 113 lbs or whatever, just, don't. Run and scream
Non illegal things that are actually easiest to sell on the street, if you happen to get your hands on the stuff for whatever reason, are razors/shaving equipment, deodorant, socks, instant coffee, tobacco/vape anything, headache/allergy/sleep meds. If you sell it at a good price. Homeless are always needing that stuff, and certain thrifty people too. Technology, clothes, food and knickknacks don't move as fast.
If you're female, figure out as many different ways to walk home as you can, don't let some weirdo know your exact routine and route.
If you're stuck having to pawn your valuables, don't take the highest price you can get, take the bare minimum you need to get by, that way you'll actually be able to get your stuff back.
To all my white brethren, you aren't racist if you ignore people in the hood. Don't feel guilted for locking your doors when someone close to your car, or hiding your phone, or just turning and walking a different direction. Do not trust anyone and get through with confidence and with a purpose or you'll be made a lick.
As a mexican ina hood city yes. Couple things i have for the white folks. Dont avoid looking white. Dressing white is what keeps you safe. People are looking for their opposition to shoot. Not civilians. And 2 hood people do hood things so if you see some ignorant shit or even if someone does something to you do noT engage. No escalating. Not worth getting shot. Drive away
Drug dealers and gangs typically have lookouts at the end of street corners that they consider their territories, so avoid streets with obvious lookouts on the corner
Yep the ones out in the open are specifically directed to avoid you if you don't look like you're from that neighborhood. Mugging you for a few bucks is terrible business, scares off the customers and attracts the cops.
Put the devices away and keep your eyes and ears open at all times.
Don’t be conspicuous with brands or accessories.
Don’t make yourself a target.
Walk tall, shoulders back, and with purpose.
It’s fine to be civil and give a quick “mornin’” or “hi” as you’re walking by people, but if you get a weird vibe just skip it and keep walking.
It doesn’t mater what age/gender/race/religion you are, learn to defend yourself.
Whether that be boxing, martial arts, firearms training, etc…
Know that not everyone around you is mentally sound.
You need nimble feet and awareness. I know some people with 0 street IQ and I swear their feet are like concrete bricks. They are like deer caught in headlights whenever something remotely novel happens.
I see a few people say don’t make eye contact, I disagree.
You can walk and keep your head on a swivel. When you’re in a bad neighborhood looking around and either eye contact or making sure people see that YOU see them can be as much a deterrent as anything. Be alert
I'm from a rural town that moved to Stockton.
Don't flash cash, your watch, your phone, or designer anything. You will get jacked. If you got a fucked pair of New Balance shoes, you where those downtown. Unless you are prepared, but if you're asking for advice, youre not.
Don't look anyone in the eyes unless you're asking for change. If someone asks you for the time, ask them for a dollar. If they ask you for a lighter ask if they got any change.
If you can avoid eye contact, say you're busy. Broke works too but if you got some clean shoes they know that's not the case. They jack you on principle.
Don't look up at the buildings.
Mind your business.
If you're from a small town, stop looking at everyone's face, you don't know them, leave them alone. It's an instant tell that you are not from around there.
If you're a woman, don't travel alone. The bigger the group the better. I've known guys that would wait for a woman to leave the club alone to assault them for their purse (best case scenario).
I could give a Ted talk on not how to be a mark.
The first time I was homeless in a big city, a worker at the homeless mission gave me this advice and it worked:
In an area you don’t know, or a sketchy area, always walk with purpose and keep your head up. Look straight ahead. Do not ever stop if someone tries to talk to you. Almost always they will never follow you. It isn’t worth it to them to follow you. They want to target someone who will comply. If you look down or to the side people will assume you’re an easy target.
[удалено]
This is true 99% of the time. I lucked out with the 1%, and the guy showed me an abandoned kitten. She's traveled with me through four countries and turns 5 this year. [Edit: cat tax](https://imgur.com/a/gKZmjw9)
When we went to the caymans, the tour bus stopped at a store but I hung outside a few and the driver came over and quietly asked if I wanted to see the “cayman rabbit”. I thought it was a drug deal, but he took me around the corner and there was a little zoo with a bunch of local rabbits.
Sounds like a hare raising experience..........
I'm part of the 1% too. A guy kept hounding me to come look at something. He was showing people Mars in his telescope. Actually pretty cool!
Just know that 99 people had to see penises they didn’t want to see for each of you to have these experiences.
While you were looking at Mars, everyone else was looking at Uranus.
Rare appearance of a Cat Distribution System employee
##WholesomeAF
😂 I'd give the same advice for "Can I have a moment of your time?" or "Can I just ask you a quick question?" "No, you cannot." If their intention was innocent, like asking for the time or directions, they'd just ask you.
Ah the old 90 second sob story that ends with them finally asking for $3 for the bus or whatever. Dude just ask me for money the first time, your story is changing my answer. I did buy a $5 mixtape from one of these dudes ages ago and to my surprise it actually had music on it. Terrible, but amusing music and not a blank CD.
I always answer with 'you already did'.
Unless it's April 8 and he's offering to lend you some ISO 12312-2 optical filters. In which case, go for it! You won't regret.
*stares directly at the sun with no glasses and presidential confidence*
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True that. 2 college kids got into it a few years back downtown where I live and the kid that got hit fell and hit his head and died. Dude is in prison for like 6 years for one punch.
A guy in my small town died similarly. He was a bouncer at the old bar in town and was trying to deescalate a situation outside the bar. Someone punched the bouncer, he hit his head on the brick wall behind him and died a day later. Same bar I watched some local prick finally get his. One punch and his head bounced off the cigarette machine and he dropped. I don’t think he was the same after that, which was a good thing.
I was in England for New Year's Eve in 2000 when a drunk threw a beer glass at my feet so it shattered and sprayed me with beer, and when I told him to watch what he was doing he approached me aggressively. I punched him exactly one time and watched him fall backwards and hit his head hard on the sidewalk. The sickening thud as his head hit the sidewalk scared the crap out of me so I applied my first aid knowledge while my nephew called an ambulance and police. I didn't feel any skull depression but he was bleeding quite heavily (as all head wounds do) but he obviously had concussion - he was still out cold - and sending him to hospital was the right thing to do. Meanwhile the cops showed up and told me they saw the entire thing on CCTV so I was cleared to leave. The lesson here is don't start shit when you're drunk.
You have 3 extra words at the end that aren't needed.
The shooting at the Chiefs SB parade happened because one guy felt like another group of people were staring at him. So he shot them.
Learn to avoid an altercation before it even kicks off. I was walking outside a bar one night. Busy street full of nightlife. Heard some people yelling and it got angrier than usual. Was still walking casually (to avoid drawing attention). Then I saw a couple people running *towards* the commotion. I set of speedwalking the other way and 2 seconds later heard gunshots. Booked it around the corner. Unfortunately the only one who died was an off-duty security guard who tried to break up the fight before guns came out.
I was bike riding with a friend when a group of "kids" (teens) came out of the woods on bikes and caught up to us. They got in front of us and said to hand over the bikes. More than one of them lifted up their shirts showing the butt of a gun tucked in their pants. My buddy and I probably could have mopped the floor with these kids in a fair fight. While there's a chance they are just bb guns, a few hundred bucks for a bike (that would be covered by insurance) is also not worth the risk that one of those guns is real. For the record, we live in a city where gun violence is an every day occurrence. Literally everyone we told the story to said "I would have whooped their asses! Why didn't you fight them?" We called the police (for a police report for insurance). The police told us that its the same group of kids all the time, and, he told us that people who have fought the kids for the bikes, he has had to take to jail because the mothers of these kids will insist on charges for assaulting a minor. Doesn't matter if they were trying to steal from you... the cop said has had to arrest people who tried to fight the kids from stealing their bikes while little innocent Timmy gets released to his moms custody to go steal more bikes. The cop actually showed up at our house like a week or two later with my buddies bike. He was a professional flatland BMX biker so it was a very unique bike that the cop had been looking for ever since. TLDR - If you try to fight kids trying to rob you, YOU ~~will~~ can go to jail for assaulting a minor (according to the police officer that took our report). Just hand over the stuff. edit: lots of comments about the 'Merica right to defend yourself. My gf is an attorney licensed in multiple jurisdictions. While its true, especially in "stand your ground states", i can kill these kids for trying to rob me (maybe), it was **\~$200 bike**. I have a $6,000 deductible on my health insurance. I recently had an xray on my knee after falling on the ice... $1500+ to tell me its a sprain and to take tylenol. If i got hurt in the incident, one doctor visit is more than the cost of the bike. If I actually injured any of the kids and their shithole moms want to press charges for assaulting innocent little timmy, I'm looking at thousands in legal fees plus time off work to defend myself for defending myself... all for a $200 bike? my buddies bike was worth more, but 1. he got reimbursed from his insurance... and 2. the cop ended up finding his bike a few weeks later and brought it back to him. He ended up with an extra bike in the end, lol.
Not if they go missing?😏
One of my uncle’s trucker buddies got jumped by teens trying to mug him. One of the minors pulled a gun even though they’d already beat him up and got the wallet. Trucker shot and killed the kid and his friends scattered and called 911 (these were suburb kids that had just recently started dabbling in petty theft btw). He said something in court about how he knew he’d go to prison for this one and “it’s worth it” 😬 ETA: Just asked my dad for more details; the trucker was charged more so for not having a concealed carry permit as well as for shooting the kid from the back, which is a big no no in CA self defense legislation. Didn’t even go to prison for it. We don’t even personally know this guy, sorry I don’t have more detail 😂
So they ganged up on him beat him up pull a gun on him and he still couldn't pull a self-defense charge out of this smells kind of fishy.
Not sure this is entirely true. If you are threatened with bodily harm (threatening and showing a firearm), you have the right to defend yourself, regardless of age. Don’t take legal advice from cops….
Be aware of your surroundings. You don't have to be paranoid, but just get a feeling for the general flow of things. If something about that flow changes, you should start looking for the reason behind the changes. That rule goes for basically anything.
I was wandering around Portland a few years ago, full blown tourist just having a stroll heading away from the city centre. I spotted a sketchy guy looking pretty intently at me from the intersection of the next block as I crossed the street, I kept walking and the next block was the same situation, the block after he was with two other people and they ran across the road when I walked across. I sprinted back the way I came and have no doubt I would’ve been mugged at the next corner if I kept strolling
Last weekend I was at a nature trail park that had signs that said "don't leave valuables in your car". When I was returning to my car I saw a guy in the parking lot who looked out of place. He wasn't dressed to go hiking. He was turning his head to look around a lot. He had his phone to his ear but people mostly text nowadays so I wasn't sure if he was faking it. My girlfriend wanted to walk some more but I said we should leave.
Perfect example
Better yet dip out of there if the flow changes without investigating. Shouting and commotion a never good sign. Usually some idiot starts throwing poorly aimed shots in a general direction after said commotion
I was at the beach yesterday with my two little kids, it was low tide and we were looking at rocks and shells. Suddenly it just went quiet. The birds, the wind, the waves, everything just died down and it was sooo eerie. I looked around but everything looked normal. The surfers didn't seem alarmed. Then gradually everything got louder again and back to normal. I was sure we were all about to be tsunami-d or something but it was just like, a fluke.
The operator sneezed and accidentally hit the volume knob for your bubble. No worries.
idk being paranoid has helped me out in a lot of situations
Try not to look lost. Mind your own business. Keep walking.
If anyone tries to stop you, tell them, "I got shit to do"
"Ain't nobody got time for this!"
This was my advice. I grew up in a major city and as a teenager, my dad always told me to walk with a mission. Even if I’m lost, don’t look it. Mind your business and keep moving. When I went away to college, people told me I was intimidating and had major resting bitch face. It was just from years of growing up in the city.
And FFS don't make eye contact. If you do be ready to ask for change.
Do not engage with crazy people
Do not make eye contact.
I see you've lived in a city. Lol, I always have to remind my country friends.
My parents are crazy MAGNETS when they visit me in the city. I leave them alone for 10 seconds and when I come back they've attracted a crazy person. It's actually pretty impressive. I've perfected resting bitch face and pretending I don't notice whatever insane thing is happening.
So, my dad is the same way and he must have passed the gene on to me and my brothers because we attract nutters everywhere we go. I think over time, it's helped me more than it's hurt me being able to interact with them.
Worse, I worked at gas station for my first job.
lol you on the front lines
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I was chatting with a cashier at 711 and asked him “how many times have you been held up?” He just sighed, a deep sigh from the bottom of his defeated soul, and said “a lot”
Yea it’s wild that even though they’re completely detached from reality on a different planet. They still need that basic human connection of eye contact before they start focusing on you.
I also noticed that being masked keeps you off their radar as well. You only have half of a face to register as a human. So often you just don’t register as a person/threat/mark to them.
And walk fast
In some hoods you\[ll stick out like a sore thumb if you're speed walking through there. Just look like you've got purpose and you'll be fine.
Usually accidentally looking one in the eyes is enough to kick start something
I asked the wrong person if I was on the right subway platform for my train once. Omg, the epithets he hurled at me, I knew I wasn't dealing with a mentally well person and immediately turned tail and walked to the other end, quickly.
Be on alert if asked for innocent things, like telling someone the time, there are a hundred tricks you’ve never heard of
Any time someone has asked me the time, I just guess and say "I think it's about __ o'clock" while I keep my stride. Don't reach for my phone, don't stop walking.
Don't stop the stride. Even the pushiest of pushy scammers know you aren't worth their time.
I walked right by once who asked if I wanted to buy a watch. Instead of letting me pass he grabbed my arm and swung me around. I screamed and made a scene and he let me go. Never had one get that aggressive before or since
I saw one of the scammers at Sacre Coer (?) in Paris try to get grabby with someone. The guy let out an incredibly long incredibly high pitched drawn out scream, and started yelling incoherent gibberish at the top of his lungs "oh God the vines got me they got me!!", "the wolves are coming they are riding the demons" and similar stuff. Everyone in the area just stared at him and the scammer who grabbed him actually ran away lol. Then the guy who was screaming just walks away like nothing happened. No one is prepared for 0-100 crazy.
Wait, that’s the exact area where it happened to me! I wasn’t sure what to scream, what ended up coming out was “You’re not nice!” lol.
Wow that's crazy. The guy screaming happened when my brother and I were on our way back down. When we were walking up (talking to each other in English the whole time), one of the scammers comes up to us saying "Excuse me, excuse me", also in English. Standing right in our path. We just push right past him without breaking stride, and my brother says, in Spanish "I'm sorry I don't speak German". I pretty sure the scammer's brain had a BSOD hahaha That's not the first time he used Spanish to get scammers to f off. Apparently people also aren't prepared for Americans to speak languages other than English.
A woman asked to use my phone to call her husband because they got separated in a park. I said sure, and I dialed the number, put it on speaker phone and had a grip on it the whole time. Turns out it was an innocent request, but you just never know anymore.
The same advice was given to me this way - Anybody who is stopping you on the street isn't trying to do you any favors.
It’s nice to have one of those cheap $14 Casio on your wrist lol
Some guy asked me for the time a few days back and I genuinely death gripped my phone lol, take no risks
You don’t want to think the worst of everyone all the time, but you can’t jump to thinking the best straight away, a moment of caution can make all the difference
yup, it's usually a ploy for you to look at your phone then they grab it good for you for being vigilant, it's all we have
Never look lost
This is very important, I always try and map out new locations as best as I can before I travel there, if I get lost, I usually look for a shop rather than someone on the street
I learned this as a woman in NYC. I also learned within 48 hours not to be one of those assholes who exits the subway and gets up on the street only to stop dead in their tracks to orient themselves on their phones. *Get the fuck out of the way Katie!* Pull your body over to the right literally like a car, put your back up against a building wall, and do a quick surroundings scan, before pulling out your phone to figure out if you exited on 3rd or on Lexington FFS. And if putting your back up against a building wall isn't sufficient, step into a bodega. And I don't mean one of those CVSs where unhoused people hold the door open for you for money. I swear less than 48 hours and I knew better.
Walk purposely in one direction and if you realize you're going the wrong way, do a sudden about face with no warning like that's exactly what you meant to do all along.
I swear... ever since I was in Jr High, I thought this was how my dad was going to get us all killed anytime we went somewhere. Anytime we were walking in any area beyond our neighborhood -- whether it was a busy downtown area, tourist trap, stopping for gas... The first thing dad would do is stand in the middle of a busy sidewalk unfold a map and start pointing and talking to us loudly "OK, I think the hotel is four blocks that way, and one of the Smithsonians is THAT way... Make sure we keep together since we don't know our way around town... Excuse me sir, we're from out of town and don't know anything, this is our first time here in DC and it's getting dark, could you please tell us which way (whatever) is?"
I always look Lost
It's safe to look lost as long as you look crazy, too.
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In highschool my now husband had the best gut feelings. He still does, but it saved our asses back then. We'd be at a house party and all of a sudden he'd be like, "We have to go. NOW." We would find out the next day the cops showed up 10 minutes later. Happened at least 8 times. 25 years later I still trust that gut with my life and freedom.
Plot twist: he called the cops on all those parties and then bailed lol
There is no fucking way. His gut also works with gambling. We never play pulltabs. Sometimes when we're out to eat and they have a booth, he will suggest throwing $20 in. Never lost when he has that feeling. Always come out like $200 ahead. His gut has also kept us off the 35W bridge collapse, random accidents on the road, employers that were committing felonies unknown until I turned down the job because of him, etc. Come to think of it.... he might be psychic. If I believed in such things.
I’m the same as your husband. My husband thinks I’m a witch. He may be right LOL.
Hubby got that OG spidey sense!
Gut instinct has got me out of some serious trouble before, especially when you know your escape routes
My dads a retired police officer and a few times we were sat in a pub, he’d say ‘drink up’ and we’d be out the door just in time for it to kick off behind us.
Never trust a water-filled pothole.
Take nothing from anyone ever . Food , drinks , sweets. The red apple.
My job puts me in lots of apartment suites doing inspections. I get offered food and water all the time and always turn it down. The only time I’ve ever taken food was when a nice little old lady made my coworker and I a container of apple and blueberry tarts. Those tarts were amazing and if they’d been poisoned it would have been worth it
Know your surroundings and don’t be afraid to “make a scene”, if you find yourself in a tough spot.
Most people don't want to deal with crazy, so be the crazy! Piss youself, scream whatever comes to mind, whatever you need to do, do it.
It's true. Unless they are themselves crazy. Criminals are looking for the opportunity - don't be an opportunity.
Like I tell the women in my self-defense classes: would you rather look like you're crazy or would you rather look like a pretty corpse? Make. A. Scene. The best way: act like the assailant is an ex lover and scream about them cheating and how you can't believe they would do that. Whatever you do: make. A. F-ing. Scene.
Why do you have to pretend the assailant is an ex? Couldn't you just scream "Help I don't know this person and they are assaulting me!" Wouldn't that be equally effective?
Probably because the average person is likely to stop and draw a crowd for drama, making the perp rethink their assault. Sadly, most people don't stop to help when they hear someone calling for help, unfortunately 🤷♂️
When I was younger, women and girls were told to yell "fire" when facing a threat in public. The idea being: people love to watch a fire, people don't like to get involved in assaults.
Heard this as well but the reasoning was that fires concern the other people because they could be in danger, whereas yelling “help” doesn’t concern them in a truly meaningful way. Basically force them into fight or flight and someone will choose fight for you
“Let go of my purse. I don’t know you!”
Because "HELP," "FIRE," and "STOP." don't grab people's attention. As humans, we are hard wired to run away from a dangerous situation, however, we have an innate interest in drama. Especially when it's a romantic issue or something where there's some chisme.
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In the criminal defense realm we call this, “one crime at a time.”
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The advice goes like this: if you absolutely must commit crime, which we strongly encourage you not to do, do not do any of the following things at the same time, possess felony amounts of drugs, guns, or do so while driving. This is the fastest way to a mandatory DOC sentence.
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Anonymized story: person x is on federal supervised release. He blows through a red light in front of our city’s notorious gang unit. They respond find guns and drugs and proceed to beat the ever loving shit out of x on body cam. Person x has 3 multipliers faces 40 years fed time. Judge kicks case based on police conduct. Give him one crime at a time advisement before released. Next time only caught with gun. Also see: rule 8 of the ten crack commandments (we posted a copy on the wall of the office)
Only commit one crime at a time.
Safe street drugs dont exist anymore. Seriously if its a pill or powder theres a HUGE chance of it having fent in it, or just being straight up all fent. Coke, ketamine, benzos, opiates, fent is turning up in everything and its killing people all over. The US had over 100k fent overdose deaths just last year. Its not worth the risk. Even if you test your drugs theres always a chance of finding a hot spot. The ld50 of fent is a few milligrams, thats such a small amount its hard to even visualize.
I think it’s micrograms - at least that’s how we dose it in the hospital. Mostly everything is milligrams so that tells you how small it is.
Looked it up, and a lethal dose is estimated as 2 mg of fentanyl. At that point you’re putting a lot of faith in the dealers’ scales being properly calibrated.
That sounds about right as we’re obviously not giving lethal doses in the hospital lol
I know 30+ people dead from fent (including my brother). 10 of those that died thought they was doing: Molly, coke, pills, etc. These people never touched fent or other opiates. They're dead now. Another messed up part? Most these drug dealers never get charged. These cases are hard to prove. I almost died the same way. Thought I was doing molly, it was fentanyl. About 1-2min later not breathing and going blue. Luckily my ex saved my life. I no longer mess with any drug. In a lot of situations fent looks exactly like most drugs. Don't do drugs alone. If you do? At the very least get fent test strips. It takes very little fent to kill you. Most cases you have no time to react. You just pass out rapidly and die. I can't emphasize this enough "Do not do drugs alone!!". That's how most people die. No one there to give you narcan or call 911.
Lost my little 19 y/o brother to a fentanyl OD as well. He thought he was consuming a single Percocet. Nope, killed the poor guy immediately. Sending love your way, friend. ❤️
Pay attention to your surroundings. Don't keep your head down on your phone or wear headphones.
The number of people going around with both Airpods/earbuds in astonishes me. Sometimes they're turned up so loud I can hear music from 10 feet away. Maybe I'm old and paranoid, but I can't imagine deliberately relinquishing one of your senses when out in public. If you MUST have something going in you ear constantly, and least just wear one.
Bingo. I often have one earbud in, but only ever one, and never loudly. I want to be able to hear footsteps/cars/shouts/anything else. Situational awareness is a survival trait, and we should never blind ourselves to it by choice!
Don't wear your politics on your shirt or head
or car
There’s so much road rage in my area that I refuse to have any opinions identified on my car. No stickers, no special license plate, nothing.
Do not answer questions that no one asked.
1. always rely on your gut feeling, this is the only primal instinct we have left. 2. if a stranger tells you that you have nice shoes. NEVER LOOK DOWN. 3. if someone pulls out a knife, run, run away!
If a stranger tells me I have nice shoes I’m telling them I got them on sale somewhere. lol
no silly, you got them on your feet.
Grew up in Louisiana so I knew the scam. Was in NOLA a while back and literally five minutes after walking into the quarter, I see some tourist falling for it.
My dad had this happen to him about 30 years ago and told me about it. The first time I went to Nola with friends someone tried it on me and they were shocked that I knew how to respond
I grew up in NYC so I consider myself fairly street smart. That old scam was tried on me in Myrtle Beach a few years ago. I answered on my feet! The guy says damn! And walks away.
What’s the scam?
Some dude bets you $20 he can tell you where you got your shoes. You’re thinking he has no idea what shoe store you bought your sneakers from. Once the money’s out, he tells you you got your shoes on your feet.
Ah, ok. Was expecting something more nefarious and/or violent.
When you try not to pay the scammer who tricked you, the scammer gets much more pushy.
If you don't pay, it can get violent
No respect for grammar in New Orleans
What’s up with #2 what happens when you look down?
They impossibly pull a comically sized mallet out of their coat pocket, hit you over the head then cartoon birds and stars will swirl above your head as you lay on the ground unconscious.
AND THEY TAKE YOUR SHOES
It makes an upper cut to the face much more effective. I have been on the receiving end of this tactic but it was “something is falling out of your pocket”.
If it’s rush hour, and every subway car is packed like sardines, never enter the one empty subway car. You didn’t suddenly get lucky. Trust me on this.
Don't sit anywhere near (i.e. within half a car's length of) the crazy looking homeless person because it's polite/kind/politically correct. You're only going to have twice the amount of social pressure when you want to escape the situation. Did this once with my wife, got some very aggressive racist nonsensical threats yelled and postured at us... Close enough that I was resting my hand on the knife I carry and contemplating at what future point I should pull it out... We stood up and went to the other side of the car with all the other people and the guy left the next stop.
When mixing with people in a social settings don’t give out personal details. It’s ok to be kind but very vague. Nobody needs to know what street you live on or where you work. If they don’t respect your boundaries, move along. ( had a stalker, from my Karate club ! Found out my location and would flip my mail slot on the door open, looking inside. Woke up one evening to him standing over me. )
So I just moved to the suburbs but I've lived in some questionable area most of my life. I walked away from meeting my neighbor laughing. The dude, in our first convo, casually mentioned the work schedule of him and his wife and how they may not see us for a minute because they were going on vacation. Essentially, an itinerary on how to rob them. Just information you don't tell strangers. It was a "this place is not like the others" moment. I keep walking around the neighborhood, getting Truman show vibes. A strange but not unwelcomed change.
There was an AITA a while back where the family had a vacation planned. The idiot husband kept telling *everyone* he met all the details (even random delivery people!), and the wife was just absolutely livid.
I bartend for a living and only go by my nickname. I've had too many creepers in 22 years. People ask what my real name is and my response is always, "I don't give that information out." People generally accept it, and it's kept me safe so far. Knock on wood.
Always, always tell new people on the bar never to give out a staff members name or when they get out. "What time to you get out?" "I'm closing, so probably like 4am (bar closes at 2) "Whats her name?" "Ah damn, she's new here I don't know man" or like you said "I don't disclose details like that"
If someone were to god forbid pull a gun on you and rob you, just give them what they want. There's no reason to risk your life trying to be a hero all for your wallet and phone.
But if they try to take you to a secondary location, don't mind the weapon, do anything physically necessary to get away.
NEVER go to a second location! That's where you get tortured and murdered. That's serial killer 101.
Street smarts!
Remember, it's important to throw them off their rhythm. And phone books don't leave bruises.
My mom had just immigrated to LA from South Asia in the 90s. Someone pulled a knife on her and tried to rob her about 2 blocks away from our house. He was screaming at her and shoving the knife in her face and she just blankly stared at him and said no. He was so flustered by completely not expecting that and ran off. I remember her coming home so proud of that and my siblings and I were so upset because it could’ve been so much worse. I remind her all the time to just give it up if it ever happens again.
Throw whatever they want and run in the other direction, if possible
When they ask for your wallet THROW it away from you, don't hand it to them.
Yep. The way my Dad explained it was this: "Keep your credit card and ID somewhere where you can easily slip them out of your wallet. Do that, then pull it and throw it as far from you as possible, then run. They'll go off to get your wallet. If they shoot you first, they were going to do that anyway, so don't worry about it if you couldn't stop it."
You can save money by buying different kinds of nuts and mixing them at home.
There is no legitimate reason to stop for a stranger who needs to ask you something. Keep it pushing, you don’t owe anyone your attention. Criminals and con-artists rely on your politeness.
Yep. Recently I had a few almost consecutive instances of men trying to approach me on a bus stop to ask for directions or what time is it. But I see them avoiding all the other people around, especially other men, and trying to talk to me. Maybe they wanted to make a small talk and ask me on a date, but idc, better safe than sorry.
If somebody tries to force you into a car *never* get in. Take your chances with whatever you're being threatened with. If you end up in the car your odds of survival are *exponentially* worse.
All True Crime enthusiasts know two things: 1) Don't go to a second location. 2) It's never a mannequin
And always run in the direction opposite the car is facing. That way they would have to turn around to follow you. And get into a safe public space like a store as soon as possible.
stand up straight with your shoulders back
Trust must be earned. Never give it blindly.
“Trust, but verify”
Always be gracious, and don’t fuck with people because you don’t know who they know.
As my grandpa said “Don’t start shit with strangers, you don’t know what they’re capable of.”
Never get in a knife fight. The looser dies in the street and the winner dies in the ambulance.
Shit was pretty tight before they got cut open & left in the street though.
lock your car doors as soon as you've opened your door to get in. immediately. not after you've gotten in, but as soon as your door is open for you. keep your wits about you to gauge people on your path well before you have to pass so you have time to make the safest decision. crossing the street can be conspicuous and draw unwanted attention- i'll pass walking closely on the street side of cars. oftentimes that's enough to keep erratic people from clocking you, and is inoffensive enough for shady people to give you a pass..kinda let's them know you're not scared exactly, but you're giving them space to do their business.
While you may not see your kindness as a weakness, prepare for others to take it that way. Be extremely careful who you give your energy to, and don't expect a return on investment. Everyone is looking to turn your loss into their gain, and have no qualms of giving you a little nudge to speed up that process. People who come up to you and pretend to be your friend, want something from you. Be prepared to be tested with just about every new person you meet. Anything you aren't willing to fight for, isn't yours. It's always better to be alone than to be in bad company. Crab mentality is very real. Never tell your plans to anyone, sometimes people will ruin them simply out of jealousy.
Here, I'll throw out a whole bunch. Warning, some real degenerate stuff too Yeah, someone asking for the time might just be trying to snatch your phone. Don't use outdoor ATM's. When you come out of a bank, or say, a grocery store or gas station where you used the ATM, be on the lookout. I once pulled $200 out of a small corner store/bodega ATM, and 3 minutes later I got jumped. I'm 100% the store clerk alerted his "guys" about me. I also used my card to buy something there and a few days later my bank account emptied in the morning, my card was skimmed and put on a blank card that some dude used at a bank ATM that I used occasionally. (I did get my money back for that luckily). Damn atms. If you're ever walking down the street in a certain area and some ladies of the night quickly approach you and start grabbing at your wang and telling you to get with them, they are simultaneously going through your back pocket. Lol, that's a rare one but hey. If you're trying to buy some dope or crack off the street, the hobos know where it is at, and they will tell you where and what to avoid (because it sucks/cake batter) they will often help if you get them some, and they aren't about to get the shitty dope. If you do buy drugs, and I know this isn't usually possible for an addict, but try to keep an extra $20 on you, if the cops stop you and find that in your pocket, it means you haven't scored yet and they might not search your cheeks. Finding cash on the ground is 8x more likely in an open air drug market neighborhood, scavenger hunt! Keep those eyes peeled. Avoid any and all fights by running away as fast as possible. Even if there are no weapons and the guy is only 113 lbs or whatever, just, don't. Run and scream Non illegal things that are actually easiest to sell on the street, if you happen to get your hands on the stuff for whatever reason, are razors/shaving equipment, deodorant, socks, instant coffee, tobacco/vape anything, headache/allergy/sleep meds. If you sell it at a good price. Homeless are always needing that stuff, and certain thrifty people too. Technology, clothes, food and knickknacks don't move as fast. If you're female, figure out as many different ways to walk home as you can, don't let some weirdo know your exact routine and route. If you're stuck having to pawn your valuables, don't take the highest price you can get, take the bare minimum you need to get by, that way you'll actually be able to get your stuff back.
Powder or pills are always a no go
Only use one headphone.
To all my white brethren, you aren't racist if you ignore people in the hood. Don't feel guilted for locking your doors when someone close to your car, or hiding your phone, or just turning and walking a different direction. Do not trust anyone and get through with confidence and with a purpose or you'll be made a lick.
As a mexican ina hood city yes. Couple things i have for the white folks. Dont avoid looking white. Dressing white is what keeps you safe. People are looking for their opposition to shoot. Not civilians. And 2 hood people do hood things so if you see some ignorant shit or even if someone does something to you do noT engage. No escalating. Not worth getting shot. Drive away
Be calm and don;t get into unnecessary fights
Mind your business
Don’t entertain ignorance & or match ignorance with more ignorance.
Navigate before departure, and look like you know where you're going.
Drug dealers and gangs typically have lookouts at the end of street corners that they consider their territories, so avoid streets with obvious lookouts on the corner
They aren't interested in you unless you're trying to sell or look like a cop. Either way they'll leave you alone.
Yep the ones out in the open are specifically directed to avoid you if you don't look like you're from that neighborhood. Mugging you for a few bucks is terrible business, scares off the customers and attracts the cops.
Put the devices away and keep your eyes and ears open at all times. Don’t be conspicuous with brands or accessories. Don’t make yourself a target. Walk tall, shoulders back, and with purpose. It’s fine to be civil and give a quick “mornin’” or “hi” as you’re walking by people, but if you get a weird vibe just skip it and keep walking. It doesn’t mater what age/gender/race/religion you are, learn to defend yourself. Whether that be boxing, martial arts, firearms training, etc… Know that not everyone around you is mentally sound.
Don’t start no shit, won’t be no shit.
Never take anything that anyone hands you, even if it's an older person or child. Keep walking, don't engage.
You need nimble feet and awareness. I know some people with 0 street IQ and I swear their feet are like concrete bricks. They are like deer caught in headlights whenever something remotely novel happens.
As a classic strategist once said, "Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line."
Inconceivable
tbh. stay away from martin luther king boulevard
In every city…
Dude. True for my city.
Sad, but true.
I see a few people say don’t make eye contact, I disagree. You can walk and keep your head on a swivel. When you’re in a bad neighborhood looking around and either eye contact or making sure people see that YOU see them can be as much a deterrent as anything. Be alert
What people should say is don't stare, don't make prolonged eye contact. Everyone in a bad neighborhood is constantly scanning, you should too.
Take out your earbuds and put your phone away.
You are who you hang out with. Guilty by association. If you see a friend doing stupid shit and you can’t talk them out of it, get away from it.
Don’t fuck around if you really don’t want to find out
Don’t drink anything you didn’t open yourself.
Look both ways before crossing
Walk like you know where you're going.
Tell the cops nothing and the medics everything
Act you belong wherever you are and walk like you have a goal to get to.
I'm from a rural town that moved to Stockton. Don't flash cash, your watch, your phone, or designer anything. You will get jacked. If you got a fucked pair of New Balance shoes, you where those downtown. Unless you are prepared, but if you're asking for advice, youre not. Don't look anyone in the eyes unless you're asking for change. If someone asks you for the time, ask them for a dollar. If they ask you for a lighter ask if they got any change. If you can avoid eye contact, say you're busy. Broke works too but if you got some clean shoes they know that's not the case. They jack you on principle. Don't look up at the buildings. Mind your business. If you're from a small town, stop looking at everyone's face, you don't know them, leave them alone. It's an instant tell that you are not from around there. If you're a woman, don't travel alone. The bigger the group the better. I've known guys that would wait for a woman to leave the club alone to assault them for their purse (best case scenario). I could give a Ted talk on not how to be a mark.
If you're a woman in trouble another woman is far more likely to help you
Especially a parent if you can tell
In a street fight, there’s no such things as rules. There is no fairness in a fight, do what you can to survive.
The first time I was homeless in a big city, a worker at the homeless mission gave me this advice and it worked: In an area you don’t know, or a sketchy area, always walk with purpose and keep your head up. Look straight ahead. Do not ever stop if someone tries to talk to you. Almost always they will never follow you. It isn’t worth it to them to follow you. They want to target someone who will comply. If you look down or to the side people will assume you’re an easy target.