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Some of the worst things that can happen to us in our daily lives include getting attacked, mugged, or harassed simply while on your way to work, school, or walking back home. And, unfortunately, far too many of us Pandas have horrible experiences of this that we would love to never happen again. Me included.
Some street smart redditors have been sharing their tips about safety, what to be aware of, and how criminals think in a viral thread on r/AskReddit, started up by user u/Jamestusk007. Scroll down to read their advice, upvote the tips that you found the most useful, and if you’re feeling brave, share your own insights about being savvy outside. Meanwhile, be sure to read Bored Panda’s interview with a New York police officer about what it’s like to be on patrol, why it’s vital to stay grounded, and how it’s important to develop genuine trust and respect in the local community, not just catch 'the bad guys.'
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#1
Trust your gut. You see people acting normally your whole life. You know what it looks like. If you see something that makes you uncomfortable, there’s a reason, even if you don’t know what it is yet.
Dasha Slepenkina 3 years ago (edited)
This is so important, especially for women - we've grown up conditioned to be "nice" and sometimes this goes against our safety. If something makes me uncomfortable, I nope out of that situation immediately. My partner and I were stargazing once in a completely empty parking lot in a remote national park once, when a car entered the parking lot and chose to park immediately next to us. I told my partner we're leaving and before the other people were even out of their car, we jumped into ours and left. Could that have been a completely innocent situation? Absolutely. Was it weird that they chose the spot right next to ours despite the parking lot being completely empty? Also absolutely. I don't regret leaving at all.
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#2
Look both ways crossing a one way street.... there may always be one idiot
#3
Teach your kids how to effectively draw attention to themselves if they are in danger. A screaming child gets nobody's attention.
I was taught, if a stranger ever grabbed me, to scream at the top of my lungs, "LET GO OF ME! I DO NOT KNOW YOU!"
Above everything else, maintaining constant vigilance seems to lie at the core of surviving any dangerous encounters. Preempt any risks by not getting into those situations at all or knowing how to defuse them. And, like one redditor wrote, “Don’t worry about your pride, run.” Though that’s easier said than done when you’re panicking and fearing for your life.
New York police officer Sadaka Kitonyi told Bored Panda what it’s like to work as a patrolman. He explained to me that the foundation of being a quality officer begins with taking care of one’s health, both physical and mental.
“A good cop must have a healthy lifestyle—and physical health creates mental stability,” he said that leading a healthy lifestyle is about more than just health. A police officer who is sharp, always in control of their emotions, can defuse tense situations and solve things diplomatically before things get out of hand.
#4
Don't post location photos until you return home. People shouldn't know when your house is empty.
#5
Girls, don't be afraid to fight as dirty as you need to. nut shots, scratching eyes, whatever you have to do, all bets are off. There is absolutely no honour if a guy is trying to grab or detain you or pull you somewhere, so he deserves none.
if you are pinned down, smash his head with a headbutt. The part of your skull that's right near your hairline is what you want to impact his face with. other than that, use your elbow, which will strike harder than your fist might if you are a small person.
#6
My dad preached "Focus sound more than any other sense. Your eyes can only see a 180°, your ears can see 360°." Saved my life more than once!!
“As a patrolman, our main responsibility is to answer and respond to 911 and radio calls—very reactive, yes, but the unique thing is we can all choose how we do our job in between answering calls,” the officer said.
“Some guys look for guns and drugs or guys with warrants. This is a proactive approach and that’s great—it’s needed—but I choose to take that time to develop relationships,” he said.
“I check in on businesses and residents and get out of the car for a few minutes. It may not be proactive in preventing crime, but it is proactive in developing trust and respect with the community because that’s an important part of policing too,” Sadaka told Bored Panda.
#8
You don't owe anybody anything, including conversation. People who want to take advantage of you will usually start by initiating unsolicited conversation.
#9
Women. Don't be afraid of being impolite if you feel threatened.
Don't think "oh no I might hurt his feelings" or "well that one time I was told I over react so maybe this is another one of those times".
No. If someone isnt a pos they will realize that the situation was misinterpreted. If they're a rapist murderer, they will most likely make a big deal about how they're not going to hurt you. Don't be afraid to make a scene if you're afraid.
Caro Caro 3 years ago
Women are taught to be nice, soft, kind. NO. If you feel the situation is off, yell Fu*k Off and be as rude as possible. Act aggressive, I mean "foam at the mouth" style. Use body language, when cussing and swearing push your chin forward and take a step towards the person. They will step back...
“I don’t sit or live in an ivory tower, I'm on the ground level with everyone else out here. I'm not an administrator calling shots from the top or some outsider looking in just to make comments and posts on social media for attention,” he said that he’s in the trenches, day in, day out.
“I’m out here—walking up and down these streets with the residents and business owners day in and out. I look at it like this, I have the ability to ruin someone’s day or make it. I don’t know about you but I like to see people smile.”
#10
Never talk money on public transportation, and never count money in a parking lot.
#11
Look like you know where you are going even when you don't. If you have any misgivings about a particular street or area, go with it. If you do have to walk through an area where you are being scoped acting like you are insane and barely keeping it in makes you not worth the trouble. Don't worry about being polite if approached but don't be an a-hole. If an area smells like piss no one gives a f**k what happens there. Never fall for the I need 20 bucks for sick kid/locksmith/medicine/tow truck scam. Never pull out your money or wallet to check it. Even if you put it back they will know where it is. If you get bumped and feel for your wallet its also a cue for a pickpocket.
Use reflections in windows to see behind you and possibly around a corner.
I'm glad I grew up in a big city. Travelling around the world was much easier than for others I've seen.
GoddessOdd 3 years ago
If you have to walk thru a dangerous area, walk very quickly, as if you're late for something important. People are much more likely to approach someone strolling along than someone who maybe meeting someone on the corner.
#12
Never underestimate anybody, and i mean both ways, good and bad.
#13
Give people a nod. Like giving a friendly “what’s up” and keep minding your own business. I usually just say “what’s up” if I’m in a sketchy area (I grew up in one). The nod and tone of voice being friendly usually lets people know you aren’t a concern.
I also worked in the hood, filled with Mexican gangs. I was stocking shelves, and said what’s up to this giant ass dude, with face tats, and a big 13 tattooed on his head.
I said “what’s up, bro” and just kept minding my own business, we ending up talking for a good few minutes about what chips were best.
But it’s the nod and tone, IMO that goes along way. Especially if you’re in someone’s “territory”, it’s a way of showing respect and recognizing those around you.
Davja 3 years ago
This is absolutely true. I was a visiting white dude in what was clearly a gang territory in downtown Oakland. They asked if I wanted drugs (to test me, I believe) and I just said I was good, shrugged slightly, and kept walking like I already was. Later, when I walked to my car to grab something, they were sitting on a car in front of mine. They apologized and started to get off before I just said it wasn't me. If you are chill, polite, and don't react, they'll know you're not a threat. My car never even received a scratch, even when a literal gang fight broke out that afternoon. TL;DR: I've seen the truth of this many times. Be friendly while appearing slightly bored and you'll likely be alright.
#14
If you feel like you're being followed, take a selfie. pickpockets disappear REAL fast when you do that
#15
If you need to scream for help, don’t yell HELP! Yell FIRE! Instead. Not all people who hear a yell for help will think it’s genuine, or they don’t want to get involved. When you yell fire, everyone wants to get out of the building in case theirs is the one on fire.
Mazer 3 years ago
The chances of people coming to take videos of your situation is more likely to happen these days than not. I went to assist an elderly woman whose shopping cart stopped on those yellow bump plates, she went down hard, I knew her hip was broken, I asked if anyone in the growing crowd would call 911, nobody did. I had my friend stay with the woman while I called, then took her groceries back to the store, asked them to hold them (gave them the woman’s name), then contacted the shopping center security to let them know her car might be here for awhile,. I was disappointed but not surprised that nobody in the crowd would do anything but watch. We are such morbid creatures
#16
I dunno if this is street smarts but so many people lack situational awareness.
By that I mean they are not being fully aware of their surroundings. Which has been made even worse with phones and headphones.
If you sense anything dodgy trust that instinct and do something about it. I’d rather cross the street and look paranoid that get mugged. Or even just run. This group of guys were following close behind me when I was walking home from the pub alone. They could have just been walking the same way but as soon as I hit a corner I sprinted a hundred metres or so and didn’t see them again.
I don’t care how strong you are you are losing 99% of the time versus 3 people.
Mazer 3 years ago
100% spot on. Plus if you feel uneasy, do something about it. My friend was in an elevator, got a bad feeling about the guy already there, she got in anyways. I said Don’t die because you are worried you might hurt someone’s feelings, talk out loud to yourself, turn around to head back to your place chastising yourself about forgetting the dog, make up any excuse, it does not matter. Practice this, especially timid women. And for GAWDS SAKE STOP APOLOGIZING ALL THE TIME!! It makes you look weak and becomes meaningless
#18
Act like you're in a hurry and less people will want to bother you.
#19
If you're homeless, don't let anyone know where you sleep or where you stash your stuff. It's okay to meet up with a buddy and spend the day with them, and it's okay to trust the staff at the shelter, but from the first day to the last day you're homeless, don't let anyone find your stash of stuff.
Once your stash is found, other homeless folks will usually clean it out or homed people will usually throw your stuff away.
Similarly, don't let anyone know where you sleep and try not to bother anybody. If you bother people, or you consistently sleep in your car somewhere, eventually someone will notice and that's always a recipe for trouble.
Keep safe, keep secret, and keep out of sight.
#20
Match their crazy. Dude pulled a knife on me on the train in Chicago 9mos pregnant & !stood up & said double homicide?
#21
If someone is posing as a cop and you get a funny feeling, always look at their shoes! That's often the forgotten part of replicating a uniform.
ZAPanda 3 years ago
Here we have fake cops that chase you in a car with uniforms and blue lights. You won't be able to tell they're real or fake. The advice is: ask them to follow you to a police station. Ask Waze where is the nearest police station. If they follow you and go inside with you, all is fine. If they pull away... no, they were fake. Take a photo with your cell and go to the police and report it.
#22
Memorize phone numbers !!!! So underrated nowadays, you never know when you will need it
#23
Walk with purpose and stare past/through people, everyone will move out of your way.
#24
When visiting a new city, pick a landmark that you can see from anywhere. Maybe it's a big tower in the downtown core. Maybe it's a mountain in the distance, or the city is on the shore of a lake, or there's a river or highway that cuts through in a clear and logical way. Great. That's your orientation now. Wherever you go, you're not lost. You have that landmark. Maybe it's further away, maybe it's closer, but if you know what direction the landmark is, you can't really get turned around. Now take it a step further. As you walk around, pick a landmark in the neighborhood you are moving through. Maybe it's a corner store, or a park, or a prominent intersection, or a house with a funny roof. It doesn't matter. Between the big city landmark and the smaller neighborhood landmark, you're basically triangulated to a pretty narrowly defined area. You can explore with a lot of confidence just by keeping you bearings on which direction your two landmarks are, and if you're moving closer or further away from them.
#25
People make pickpockets' livelihood so easy. Just check out how many phones are in people's back pockets, how many handbags dangle by the side, easily accessible.
Always put valuables in an inside, preferably zipped pocket. If you in a notorious pickpocket area like Paris or Naples, you can even carry a fake wallet with monopoly money in an outside pocket.
#26
Pretend to be crazy, talk to yourself and swear loudly, no one knows how to handle crazy.
sofacushionfort 3 years ago
Not a good strategy unless you’re already massive since statically the mentality ill are more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators.
#27
Look both ways before coming out of a doorway if you think you're in a bad neighborhood. Think you're being followed? Go down the block, make a left. Make a left. Make a left. You eventually come full circle. If the same person is behind you, you're definitely being followed. Be confident and walk tall. Bad guys typically try to pick on the weak. Typically if you're not scared, they think there's a good reason for that, ie. packing heat.
Carmen Sandiego 3 years ago (edited)
Keys! Wrap your keys around your knuckles like claws so if it comes to it, you'll have at least a little protection. Don't go to your house, go somewhere else (if you live in an apartment complex, you can get home using the basement). Try to get someone's attention. Have a trusted person on speed dial. Someone fact check me on this. Edit: thank you for the replies! Steer clear from the key punches.
#28
Don't always take the same route home
DUN DUN 3 years ago (edited)
Long story time: Guy notices I take the same route to my class from home. Follows on bike, parks behind me and asks, "Is this XYZ area?" Me, having no clue and confused looks back, guy has his pants down and is masturbating. Me, shocked, tries to scream, no sound comes out, sees a family a bit ahead, runs to them. Guy initially not seeing the family vrooms his bike to follow, sees the family and flees. So yeah, don't always take the same route home.[ Edit: To the ppl thinking it's a made-up story, trust me it's not. I had nightmares and sleeping problems for 2 months straight.]
#29
If you think that someone is looking at you, look at another direction and if they look in the same direction, they were looking at you.
#30
Pay attention to the ppl at parties who are not drinking.
What do you think ?
Caro Caro 3 years ago
Don't tell them which hotel you're staying at. And if at reception they state your room number then refuse and ask for different room. It should be: Your room number is stated on your keycard.
V Martinez 3 years ago
That and my parents used to tell me, if you stay at a hotel where the halls/doors are inside the building, ask for a room not on the 1st floor. (Being a female.) If the doors/hallway are on the outside of the building, then stay 1st floor and not upper floors. This was a safety thing and made for easier escape or harder for someone to enter. Like upstairs, they can't come in through window, or it's harder to do so. Downstairs, if someone tries the window, you run out the door, or jump out the window. It seems weird, but sort of makes sense?
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Ozacoter 3 years ago
Definitely. Never go out in a bad neighborhood in heels.
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Ozacoter 3 years ago
One thing useful if you know more than 1 language. If somebody aproaches you to beg/sell you something and you dont feel comfortable it is better to reply in a different language and pretend you dont understand (while walking away). It works really well
Vladimíra Matejová 3 years ago
haha i do this all the time. they are super confused with such langugages as Slovak ( there are only a few millions ppl in the whole world who can speak it- 5,5millions in Slovakia plus some expats and Czechs)
Load More Replies... Caro Caro 3 years ago
Don't tell them which hotel you're staying at. And if at reception they state your room number then refuse and ask for different room. It should be: Your room number is stated on your keycard.
V Martinez 3 years ago
That and my parents used to tell me, if you stay at a hotel where the halls/doors are inside the building, ask for a room not on the 1st floor. (Being a female.) If the doors/hallway are on the outside of the building, then stay 1st floor and not upper floors. This was a safety thing and made for easier escape or harder for someone to enter. Like upstairs, they can't come in through window, or it's harder to do so. Downstairs, if someone tries the window, you run out the door, or jump out the window. It seems weird, but sort of makes sense?
Load More Replies... Ozacoter 3 years ago
Definitely. Never go out in a bad neighborhood in heels.
Load More Replies... Ozacoter 3 years ago
One thing useful if you know more than 1 language. If somebody aproaches you to beg/sell you something and you dont feel comfortable it is better to reply in a different language and pretend you dont understand (while walking away). It works really well
Vladimíra Matejová 3 years ago
haha i do this all the time. they are super confused with such langugages as Slovak ( there are only a few millions ppl in the whole world who can speak it- 5,5millions in Slovakia plus some expats and Czechs)
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