" Trust your bowel . If you see something that makes you uncomfortable , there ’s a reason — even if you do n’t know what it is yet . "
A while back, a Redditor asked thepeople on the internet with “street smarts” to share their best street tips. Here are the eye-opening results:
1.“Never talk money on public transportation, and never count money in a parking lot.”
— u / Sn0wpooka
2.“Pepper spray is cheap and effective. Don’t leave home without it. AND make sure you buy a practice bottle. You don’t want your first time using pepper spray to be under duress. It’s cheap enough to burn an entire bottle practicing.”
— u / The_Patriot
3.“When it comes to muggings, the ‘distraction throw’ is something I’ve seen. Most of the time, the mugger will hit you in the face with as little warning as possible to throw you off balance and make you compliant. The rules of the road are ‘friendly conversation to enter their personal space, then an explosion of unexpected violence, andthentake their stuff.’ If you’ve never been mugged, you should know there aren’t usually people going around saying, ‘I’m mugging you; give me all your stuff or get hurt.’ They’re going to hurt you first and thentakeall your stuff.”
" If you are walk alone and someone says something to you , it ’s a good mind to respond politely but do not cease walk . Allowing a stranger to see to it your actions with only a word is as near as paint a ' mark ' on your forehead . If you stop , you ’re vastly increasing the likelihood of getting mugged or worse . If they surveil you , start running . Do n’t worry about your pride — run . "
— u/5Volt
4.“If you’re walking around a big city, and someone walks up to you and asks you your name or is any way friendly, they’re about to try to con you.”
" I was just in NYC where the CD scam is prevalent ( a con artist asks you your name , they indite your name on their music CD , and when you live with the CD , they restrain you to ante up for it).Just keep walking . Do n’t even smile at them . "
— atomic number 92 / TMdownton916
5.“When visiting a new city, pick a landmark 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 , plunk a landmark in the neighborhood you are moving through . Maybe it ’s a turning point store , a parking lot , a prominent intersection , or a house with a funny roof . It does n’t weigh . Between the big urban center landmark and the little neighborhood landmark , you ’re essentially triangulated to a pretty narrowly fix area . you’re able to research with a fate of confidence just by keep your bearings on which direction your two landmark are and if you ’re move closer or further out from them . "
— u / faceintheblue
6.“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.”
— uracil / Grindler9
7.“People make pickpockets' livelihood so easy. Just check out how many phones are in people’s back pockets and how many handbags dangle by the side, easily accessible. Always put valuables inside, preferably in a zipped pocket. If you’re in a notorious pickpocket area like Paris or Naples, you can even carry a fake wallet with monopoly money in an outside pocket.”
— uranium / Cause_Such
" Keep important stuff in sac that can be zipper up . Keep all pockets zipped up — almost impossible for a pickpocket . Don’t keep keys in the same pocket as your pocketbook . If a dip gets both , your drive permission will mastermind them where to ruin into . "
— u / miemcc
8.“Act like you’re in a hurry, and fewer people will want to bother you.”
— u / tsnotaboutthefiat
" likewise , do n’t breach your stride . If someone comes up to you , do n’t be rude or aggressive , but do n’t stop walking . They will have to walk next to you if they need to talk;it ’s much harder to casually get in front and in the side of someone who wo n’t turn back moving . That read , I give this advice as an over 6 - ft man with a naturally prompt stride , so your experience may vary . "
— u / mad_cheese_hattwe
9.“Make it a habit to lock your car as soon as you get in. It only takes a second for someone to yank open the door and grab a bag you might have sitting on the seat while you’re fiddling with the radio.”
— u / Evaleenora
10.“Don’t wear earbuds or headphones in public. Keep your head on a swivel and be on your toes.”
— u / darrellbear
11.“Situational awareness is a must, and that means never let yourself get in a situation that you know you’ll lose. Meaning, don’t go places where the public eye will lose you, it is safer to have multiple witnesses that may help you if anything were to happen.”
— u / FamImWoke
" Always be cognisant of your surroundings and what ’s going on , particularly in an unfamiliar area . Every so often , do a CAT scan of your environment . A good example is when I was walking in an unfamiliar neighborhood in San Francisco ( I ’m in the beginning from about 30 minutes south of SF ) , and I was n’t paying that much attention . I chop-chop scan my surroundings and noticed a guy rope following me and dipping in and out of the shadows , stress not to be remark . Once I noticed him , he looked startled and check following me . I ’m not sure what he was planning on doing , but it could ’ve ended poorly . "
— u / swoopydog
12.“If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
— u / Galloping_Scallop
13.“If you’re in an argument with somebody, and they get in your face and then look away, there’s a good chance they’re about to try and knock your head off.”
— u / personpickerupper
" Keep an optic on their hands , too . This might sound obvious . But they start telegraphing their intentions way earlier than swinging an sleeve . stretch their fingers or balling and un - balling their handsis a not - so - subtle way of narrate you they are planning to take a swing and not just verbalise sh*t . "
— u / Forward - Village1528
14.“If you’re experiencing homelessness, 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 without a home, don’t let anyone find your stash of stuff. Once your stash is found, other folks who are homeless will usually clean it out, or other people will usually throw your stuff away.”
" Similarly , do n’t have anyone know where you sleep , and test not to rile anybody . If you bother people , or you consistently sleep in your automobile somewhere , eventually someone will notice and that’salwaysa formula for difficulty . Keep safe , keep secret , and keep out of sight . "
— uranium / CedarWolf
15.“When traveling, always try to act like you’re a local. Learn prices, learn routes, learn behaviors, etc. I do this all the time, and it’s easier to haggle. You also have less chance of being targeted by local thieves.”
— u / qt - uwu
16.“Don’t commit to fights; they should be the last resort. Even if you win, the risks are great. You can de-escalate loads of situations. Be like an onion; your first layer should be not attracting attention; the second layer is an act like you belong or humor on a level to get the other party to think of you as one of their own. The third layer is making up your exit plan. The fourth layer is your last and is about self-preservation.”
" Do n’t judge and confront ; set up boundaries and back by . load of people do n’t need to injure you if you set up a rapport with them . "
— atomic number 92 / PresidentHurg
17.“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 overreact, so maybe this is another one of those times.'”
" No . If someone is n’t a POS they will realize that the billet was misinterpreted . If they ’re actually dangerous , they will most likely make a great deal about how they ’re not go to hurt you . Don’t be afraid to make a scene if you ’re afraid . "
— u / ToastedMaple
18.“Look like you know where you are going even when you don’t. If you have misgivings about a particular street or area, go with it. Also, use reflections in windows to see behind you and possibly around a corner.”
" I ’m glad I uprise up in a big city . Traveling around the world was much easier than for others I ’ve see . "
— u / Malignantrumor99
19.“Locals are always great sources of information. If you can, befriend a person at a bar. A gifted drink is an easy way to get good information and safety lessons for the neighborhood.”
20.“If someone asks you, ‘Can I ask you a question?’ reply with, ‘Sorry, I’m in a hurry,’ or bluntly, ‘No.’ If someone needs something, they will ask you directly (i.e., ‘Where is the nearest gas station?’ or ‘Can you spare a dollar?'). Nothing good comes from a random conversation on the street.”
— Anonymous
And finally…
21.“If you are driving and think a car is following you but aren’t sure, make a right turn, then right again, then right again, and get back on your original path, essentially making a loop. If the suspect vehicle is still behind you after you drive a pointless loop, they are indeed following you, and you need to call someone for help.”
— uranium / Cheese_Gr8tr
notice : Some responses have been edited for length and/or uncloudedness .
