Every day defensive and situational awareness tips?

[tkdguy]

Here is one I like and found it to have very practical significance while walkiing in downtown PDX with a woman. While walking with a woman with oncoming foot traffic of street creeps or what ever, always place yourself between her and them. She is always on the outside-this keeps the creeps or what ever from touching her or what ever.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Me?

I think you do it you need an ogre like me to escort

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Here is one I like and found it to have very practical significance while walkiing in downtown PDX with a woman. While walking with a woman with oncoming foot traffic of street creeps or what ever, always place yourself between her and them. She is always on the outside-this keeps the creeps or what ever from touching her or what ever.

Good point and good tactics. Intercept and destroy. It helps if your charge understands and does a deflective maneuver to assist

 

[Bunny]

I think you do it you need an ogre like me to escort

I don't understand, but ok

 

[Ron S]

I am new to the site and have been sifting through some of the threads when this one caught my eye. A little about myself- I am an Oregon transplant from Northern California in 1990. I am a 43 year old (today) old school country boy that was raised properly in my opinion. I am 6'-4" tall and a tad heavier than perfered at 235lb's. In my 43 years on this planet I have had very few times when I was approached negitivly unless at a bar or simular type of place where someone wants to take on the "big guy". In my younger days I trained in offencive and defensive tactics for hand to hand, and kick boxed in my spare time. I say all of this not to thump my chest but to make a point. Everyone should be aware of thier suroundings at all times. Not to the point of parinoia but to the point your more likely to see something comming. One of the things I was taught and still do all the time is to make awareness a game I play with myself. I will glance around once in a while and then try to remember what I saw. I try to identify the people in my direct presence and or what type of cars I see while driving. Did I notice the licence plate of the car that did something different? The more you do these things the more it becomes second nature and you don't even realize you are doing it most of the time. The radar starts to ping for no apparent reason sometimes but I dang sure pay attention when it does. I just recently got my CCL and have started carrying on a regular bases due to how the world is becoming and changing political issues. When I was growing up really bad things only happened in places like New york or Chicago, now it happens all the time in small town USA and people are not doing anything about it. Politicaly correctness is more inportant than right and wrong.

As far as helping or defending someone in need, you bet your butt I will, and yes it has bit me in the arse more than once but I can sleep at night knowing I did the right thing. I am not saying I am going to charge into a loosing situation but I am not going to let some guy beat a woman or elderly person either. Did they deserve it? That is the polices problem to figure out but I can stop the assult and contol the situation until the police arrive. To me this is looking out for your neighbor whether or not you know them it is the right thing to do. I am not going to go into the medical topic as I feel that is up to the person to deal with as the need arises. I would like to think someone would help me or my family out if they needed it, but totally understad why they would be hesitant to do so in todays world.

PS. Sorry about the spelling errors. Spell check is not working and I miss a few now and then.

 

[Father of four]

Every day defensive and situational awareness tips? Pay attention. Be positive. Do not be foolish. Do not be afraid. Hard and fast.

 

[Father of four]

We may meet our match one day.

 

[DeadEyeMcGoo]

As far as helping or defending someone in need, you bet your butt I will, and yes it has bit me in the arse more than once but I can sleep at night knowing I did the right thing. I am not saying I am going to charge into a loosing situation but I am not going to let some guy beat a woman or elderly person either. Did they deserve it? That is the polices problem to figure out but I can stop the assult and contol the situation until the police arrive. To me this is looking out for your neighbor whether or not you know them it is the right thing to do.

This. This is exactly the right attitude. Ron S. isn't looking for a problem and he's not going to start one. BUT, he has a plan and knows what he would do if the situation ever arose. He's not going to become a target, but neither is he going to stand by and watch while someone else loses their life. Bravo, sir! I feel exactly the same way.

The toughest part I've encountered has always been engaging my brain. When a situation goes from normal to critical, it's very difficult to acknowledge what is happening and begin to act. I've been in a few rough situations (attempted muggings, house robbery in progress, assault) and each time have found myself trying to hold on to normalcy instead of moving forward with what I've rehearsed so many times. I'd love to hear from folks who can identify with this and offer suggestions for changing it.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Maybe I'm strange, but when confronted with an emergency I quit analyzing and just act. Time slows down. Senses magnify. I've been in fires, near drownings of loved ones, traumatic accidents, robberies, etc. Later on, after everything is over I then start to think and analyze, and maybe start shaking.

 

[Ron S]

Maybe I'm strange, but when confronted with an emergency I quit analyzing and just act. Time slows down. Senses magnify. I've been in fires, near drownings of loved ones, traumatic accidents, robberies, etc. Later on, after everything is over I then start to think and analyze, and maybe start shaking.

I hear that. Sometimes things happen before you can analize them or even sort through them completely. Your gut takes over for your brain maybe? So far things have turned out the way they should so I don't try to question it. I have sat down after an insadent and thought to myself did that really just happen?

 

[Widerstand]

This thread is a great resource!

 

[Riot]

Maybe I'm strange, but when confronted with an emergency I quit analyzing and just act. Time slows down. Senses magnify. I've been in fires, near drownings of loved ones, traumatic accidents, robberies, etc. Later on, after everything is over I then start to think and analyze, and maybe start shaking.

That's the "Fight or Flight" response...you obviously head towards "Fight".

Do you have memory lapses in the things that happened during the emergency/incident that you did or saw happen? That goes away with time and only if you were mentally prepared for an incident before the incident took place. This goes back with the "Cooper Awareness Scale".


Most people roll through their lives in condition WHITE. They're too focussed on getting to work, what to get for the Hollidays and what is for dinner than paying attention to their immediate surroundings. You want to be in YELLOW- Relaxed but alert. I try to be in ORANGE as much as possible but it is very taxing to stay in it for more than a few minutes.

Those in condition WHITE before an incident have to recover their senses to their surroundings along with what the threat is, where it is and how to respond appropriately. It's like trying to download a bunch of stuff on your computer, all at once. Individually, it would actually be faster- but all at once and suddenly your computer slows down and any actions you try to take experiance a time delay. Our brains are like this in many ways to where we are always processing information but when your main focus is on something else then what is going on HERE AND NOW may take an extra minute to process and react appropriately.

Being aware of your surroundings, your threat areas and constantly assessing your situation with "what if" scenarios pre-wire your brain to react to an incident.

Example: when you go to a movie, you should locate where the emergency exits are and pre-map how you would get there from where you choose to sit. You should visually see yourself going through the exit door, the path you take and then orientate yourself as to where in the parking lot you will exit from and locate (by imagination) where your car is parked or where you decide to escape to. In an actual incident, you will automatically be headed to the door (since your brain already had a plan down) so then you could focus on other things like grabbing your wife or unholstering your weapon while headed to the exit.

By not doing this before an incident, your brain suddenly has to prioritize the threat with the exit and formulate the plan before you can act- which is why most people freeze in situations that they're not mentally prepared for or act wildly (like running towards an area with no exit, trapping themselves in the fire).

Being mentally prepared is a skill set that many people underestimate and it's something that I still haven't mastered...it's a constant learning process and it can become overwhelming at times, so try not to get discouraged. Instead, try to play mind games with yourself.

Do you know what state that car license plate was from in the vehicle you passed? What color of hair did that woman have behind you in the checkout line? Where's the nearest first-aid kit/fire extinguisher? How many bullets are on my person, right now? Is that a cop car three cars back?

Anyhoot....longer post than I intended. Hope it helps.