[skullcrusher]

I try to practice awareness at all times. I often see things that those with me at the time do not. I point out those things and I most often get the reply, "Yea, I did not catch that." That has happened as long as I can remember even back to a child. It still happens to this day, and not only when out and about. The same has happened with sounds as long as I can remember. I learned that judging people on appearance is not as nearly as valid as their body language later in life. The nervous guy driving a BMW and wearing designer clothes is more likely to do something than the unkempt guy in rags driving a rusted out Honda.

Another thought is driving into unknown areas in an unfamiliar city. I look for gang tags in the grafitti. If I see tags covered in other tags covered in other tags, I don't drive down that street. I would rather try to explain to the officer who pulls me over for an illegal u-ey why I did what I did than never get to explain to my loved ones that I went down the wrong street.

So, anyone look for tags other than me?

[dog2000tj]

Originally Posted by skullcrusher

So, anyone look for tags other than me?

Fortunately for me I don't run into to many gang tags since I moved to Bennington Not knowing what or who's tags are on the walls is not nearly as important as recognizing a turf war. Good tip Skully

[Scratchammo]

SA was beaten in to our heads in the Navy but only after I started riding was when it kicked in to overdrive. High alertness has become second nature for me & sometimes I notice too much which is why I wear sunglasses a lot

[Vikingdad]

Originally Posted by c3shooter

And a note to MGH, and anyone that teaches (or has friends/ family that teach)- Hit the local dollar store. They sell rubber door stops. Pack of 2 for a dollar. Put a pack in your desk.

Most classrooms have doors that open IN. If you are IN a classroom, and there is a shooter OUT there somewhere, grab a door stopper, kick it in the bottom edge close to the knob side, get away from the door. Even if someone tries shooting out the knob and latch, it should still hold.

MUCH better than trying to hold a door against someone trying to push it in. And if you never need them, you're out of a buck.

Another good tip that I learned some time ago: You know those automatic door closers on many doors (especially in public buildings it seems to me), the ones with a damper that both closes the door and makes it close slowly enough not to trap a person in the door? The usually have a box with a hinged lever attached to the door and the door frame. If you can tie the levers together as far from the hinge end as possible it will make the door very difficult to open. You can use shoelaces or a belt to do it (I would have somebody else donate the laces or belt!). Makes it hard to open the door because that is where the door has the least amount of leverage on the mechanism. It works better than a rubber door stopper in most cases.

Another thing I have always done is to avoid getting into elevators. Not because I am clausterphobic (I am not) but to avoid being trapped in one in case the power goes out or what have you. This is fine around here where most buildings are not over ten floors or therabouts for the most part. I have run into situations though where you cannot access the floor you want to get to from the stairwell which kinda sucks if you have climbed ten floors only to effectively be locked out of the building. Ironically they do this to keep bad guys from getting access into the building while maintaining fire safety/evacuation routes out of the building. Oh well, not like we can't all use the exercise! The people in the lobby look at you kind of funny when you tell them what happened, I'll just tell them that I like the exercise if they ask why I was using the stairs.

[Vikingdad]

Also, is it just me or does anyone else hate those car doors that automatically lock and you cannot open them without actuating the door lock mechanism? I like having the doors locked, but I also like being able to open the door quickly even if it is locked. I had a guy get out of his car and try to attack me on the freeway (traffic had stopped) because I flipped him off after he had thrown a bag of trash out his window. I was in my old Ford truck and the door was locked with the window down about six inches. The guy was screaming at me and telling me to get out of the truck, so I told him to try and come in and get me. When he got close enough I slammed the door into his face (I think I broke his nose) and he fell back against the center median wall. Traffic opened up and I rolled on down the road, leaving him bleeding in the median. Funny thing is that I had a loaded gun close at hand but didn't even consider using it. I made the right choice in that. Never heard a word about it despite there having been many potential witnesses with all of the people in their cars watching the scenario unfold.

Anyhow, know what options you have at your disposal at all times.