A while back, a Redditor asked the people 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.”
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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.”
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, and then take 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 then take all your stuff.”
“If you are walking alone and someone says something to you, it’s a good idea to respond politely but do not stop walking. Allowing a stranger to control your actions with only a word is as good as painting a ‘mark’ on your forehead. If you stop, you’re vastly increasing the likelihood of getting mugged or worse. If they follow you, start running. Don’t worry about your pride — run.”
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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 write your name on their music CD, and when you accept the CD, they intimidate you to pay for it). Just keep walking. Don’t even smile at them.”
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, pick a landmark in the neighborhood you are moving through. Maybe it’s a corner store, a park, 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 your bearings on which direction your two landmarks are and if you’re moving closer or further away from them.”
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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.”
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.”
“Keep important stuff in pockets that can be zipped up. Keep all pockets zipped up — almost impossible for a pickpocket. Don’t keep keys in the same pocket as your wallet. If a pickpocket gets both, your driving license will direct them where to break into.”
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8. “Act like you’re in a hurry, and fewer people will want to bother you.”
“Similarly, don’t break your stride. If someone comes up to you, don’t be rude or aggressive, but don’t stop walking. They will have to walk next to you if they want to talk; it’s much harder to casually get in front and in the face of someone who won’t stop moving. That said, I give this advice as an over 6-foot man with a naturally quick stride, so your experience may vary.”
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.”
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10. “Don’t wear earbuds or headphones in public. Keep your head on a swivel and be on your toes.”
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.”
“Always be aware of your surroundings and what’s going on, especially in an unfamiliar area. Every so often, do a scan of your environment. A good example is when I was walking in an unfamiliar neighborhood in San Francisco (I’m originally from about 30 minutes south of SF), and I wasn’t paying that much attention. I quickly scanned my environment and noticed a guy following me and dipping in and out of the shadows, trying not to be noticed. Once I noticed him, he looked startled and stopped following me. I’m not sure what he was planning on doing, but it could’ve ended poorly.”
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12. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
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.”
“Keep an eye on their hands, too. This might sound obvious. But they start telegraphing their intentions way earlier than swinging an arm. Stretching their fingers or balling and un-balling their hands is a not-so-subtle way of telling you they are planning to take a swing and not just talk sh*t.”
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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, 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.”
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.”
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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.”
“Don’t judge and confront; set up boundaries and back away. Loads of people don’t want to hurt you if you set up a rapport with them.”
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 isn’t a POS they will realize that the situation was misinterpreted. If they’re actually dangerous, 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.”
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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 grew up in a big city. Traveling around the world was much easier than for others I’ve seen.”
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.”
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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.”
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.”
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