Awareness Self Taught

[zenbreath]

With two legged predators, I try to ask my self if I saw them first or if they saw me first.

I look at their face and label their attitude, bored, happy, cell phone...etc. Then, I look at their hands. Where are - what's in their hands.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Self defenders need to be aware of pre-attack cues... guys with their hoodies up, reaching into pockets to reassure themselves the weapon is just right, heavy coats in warm weather, etc. And practice the S's "Don't go stupid places, at stupid times, with stupid people."

This puts a whole new twist on Shoot, Shovel, Shut Up.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Are you actually talking spotting animals, or subtly about political ideologies?

Yes...

 

[DB is Here]

I've noticed that everywhere I go, there I am...pretty observant I'd say.

 

[bbbass]

I'm CONSTANTLY telling myself, "I see dumb people"..

You need to call Bruce Willis...

With two legged predators, I try to ask my self if I saw them first or if they saw me first.

I look at their face and label their attitude, bored, happy, cell phone...etc. Then, I look at their hands. Where are - what's in their hands.

"The eyes are the window to the soul, but the hands are the window to intent." .... ALWAYS watch the hands... that is where the tools for the attack come from. We must learn to scan quickly. He might only "look" bored, or he might look angry, but WTF is he doing with his hands? "This gives you time, and time gives you options."

 

[zenbreath]

The recipe for a successful attack are Surprise, Speed and Violence of Action.

Situational Awareness takes Suprise away from your attacker.

 

[edslhead]

Ah young one, first bullet to hit heart ends conflict

 

[zenbreath]

"The Heart, Ramon. Don't forget the heart. Aim for the heart, or you'll never stop me."

Clint Eastwood, A Fistul of Dollars.

 

[CarlMc]

When my kids were in preschool, I was often a chaperone when the kids went to the beach. Every now and then I'd crouch down and stare into a tiny little puddle, and before too long, the kids would start to crowd around asking what I was looking at. Shhh, I said. Keep looking. After a minute, the things the kids would see (when they stopped moving) would result in a lot of amazement, and once they were hooked, I'd step away and do it all over again for another group of kids. While not specifically focused on awareness, the effort was the beginning of teaching that if you look at something longer than a passing glance, you'd be amazed what you'd see. The same thing happens while I'm bored at the mall. Watching people is a favorite past time. It's amazing the things you notice when you just sit quietly. Who else has noticed that Canadians wear much more interesting shoes than Americans? It's also interesting to note how many folks walk around with their mouth hanging open, completely unaware. Folks who are focused on something usually shut their mouths. I told my son that when he had his picture taken in boot camp to make sure he closed his mouth and look intently at the camera. Amazing the difference.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Like General Mattis said,
Be kind, Be polite, But have a plan to kill everybody you meet.

 

[41mag]

Living pretty rural, listening to the sounds of the woods came to carry far more information than expected. It's amazing how many small birds fly absolute rocket-trajectory courses at high speed close to the ground. And there's always iterations of the extended dog tribe 3 or 4 layers away, that seem to be actually talking to the neighbors yap hound.

About 1956 my neighbor periodically left me caring for their chow-chow. The dog seemed to tell time, as every day it would head down the road about 1/2 mile to where the school bus would let the older daughter off. Of course the daughter was gone with them during this long trip, but I started noticing when they returned, the dog would react to some kind of signal, to head for the bus stop.

 

[Tarawa86]

Years ago a friend taught me an awareness drill. It is so easy that it sounds silly.

Cats, Birds, Rabbits and Squirrels.

When you are out and about, watch for any small movement that you see. When you see a cat, tell yourself ' I see a cat.' Same for birds, rabbits and squirrels.

After a while, any movement will get your attention and you will automatically identify it. You will be amazed at how easy it is to see a person moving behind a car when you are watching for squirrels.

This was a core teaching of the early scouting movement. I think you would find the following document an interesting read.

http://oldscoutbooks.com/trainingobs.pdf

 

[bbbass]

The recipe for a successful attack are Surprise, Speed and Violence of Action.

Situational Awareness takes Suprise away from your attacker.

You gonna draw on somebody because they "look sketchy"?

"Go" is always up to the attacker. If I am in a place where I can get away prior to the attack, great, otherwise I'm starting from behind. IMO there are too many variables to discuss. But don't expect SA to cure all.

 

[bbbass]

Ah young one, first bullet to hit heart ends conflict

Very true, but in a robbery if you draw against a drawn gun, it is likely you will be the one catching the first bullet. In such cases, I'm a big fan of a stealth draw.

 

[bbbass]

Living pretty rural, listening to the sounds of the woods came to carry far more information than expected. It's amazing how many small birds fly absolute rocket-trajectory courses at high speed close to the ground. And there's always iterations of the extended dog tribe 3 or 4 layers away, that seem to be actually talking to the neighbors yap hound.

About 1956 my neighbor periodically left me caring for their chow-chow. The dog seemed to tell time, as every day it would head down the road about 1/2 mile to where the school bus would let the older daughter off. Of course the daughter was gone with them during this long trip, but I started noticing when they returned, the dog would react to some kind of signal, to head for the bus stop.

Like some people (me), some dogs yap just to hear themselves!

Dogs are well known to have time sense, or internal clock if you wish. My dogs would always get to where they could see the street when it was time for me to come home from work. My little one knows when we should be eating dinner, and when we should be going to bed. I don't know where in the brain it is, but it's real.

 

[Member 52301]

This puts a whole new twist on Shoot, Shovel, Shut Up.

You took the words out of my mouth!

Cate

 

[Gaust]

Yup, that's how motorcyclists get run over. Left turn... "Oh crap, I didn't see that guy!!!"

A few years ago I noticed, what I assumed to be a young kid, on a motorcycle acting erratically in front of me. He pulled up behind a line of cars in a left turn lane, the light in his lane was red. He then started looking over his right shoulder. As I approached the intersection at 45mph on a green light the motorcycle rider decided he didn't want to wait for the light. Pulled into my lane directly in front of me and didn't move. I don't know if he missed a shift, the bike stalled, or what happened. From the way he was riding I was expecting something stupid like this and slammed on my brakes coming to a stop inches from him being a pancake. The guy took off probably scared out of his mind. Unfortunately the truck behind me wasn't paying attention and rear ended me. Luckily everyone was ok but the X-Terra was totaled.

 

[41mag]

....yer saying it was 'x-terraminated'????

 

[Caveman Jim]

I am vigilant knowing that I keep aware of whats going on around me and when my spidey senses are tingling I lock onto the cause. I make it known that "I C U" and am ready to act if you decide to get all stupid.
I had a panhandler once tell me to give him my money FTF, I told him, are you willing to die taking it? He ran off in a hurry.
Don't mess with ugly old guys....

 

[41mag]

I had a panhandler once tell me to give him my money FTF

years ago when I had better communication skills, a similar bum in NW Portland approached me the same way. I ended up talking HIM out of a quarter. "Smile and ask nice" approach was modified for the circumstances.