Driving Safety Habits

For some years I worked in a high risk job handling big amounts of cash for my own safety I developed some driving safety techniques and I want to share some of them:

• Drive with your car doors locked. 
• Don't become a creature of habit: vary your driving route when commuting to a location, or conducting personal business. 
• Don't leave your car keys or valuables in an unattended automobile, and don't leave packages or money where they will be visible to thieves or other people. 
• If you become lost while driving, get to the nearest public place and ask for directions. and try to have a GPS to avoid this situation 
• Park your car or walk only in well-lit, populated areas. Avoid dark, deserted areas. Have your car keys in hand before approaching your vehicle. Place a whistle on your key chain for emergency use. 
• Always carry a small LED flashlight in case you have to park in a dark area I can always look around or inside the car 
• Check your surroundings before venturing into parking lots or other unfamiliar areas. If you observe something suspicious, remain indoors. 
• Check the back seat of your car before entering. 
• Don't be in the cell phone or distracted walking from the location to the car 'AWARENESS' 
• Make sure no one followed you. 
• If you have more than one car try to switch time to time so the employees of the locations like valet parking don't know you are there that easy 
• If you can don't drive alone 
• keep a low profile.
• Make sure you always have enough gas before you go out if not make sure that is your first stop.
• Make sure you have a cell phone charger in your car
• if you always drive to the same location make sure you know alternate routes

If you have any additional techniques or ideas please feel free to make your comments

Be Aware
www.awareselfdefense.com



Picture from seabeemagazine.navylive.dodlive.mil

Domestic violence stats

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence in their lifetime; an estimated 1.3 million victims are affected by this annually; and 85% of the time the victims are women. 

Be aware don't be a victim

Www.awareselfdefense.com

Circle of trust

On my last blog, we touched on the basics of awareness. Today, I would like to provide you with the most basic technique for improving your level of awareness.

The number one factor for determining whether something is a threat or not is distance. How close is a certain object, person or situation and can it affect me and my personal space? We refer to this technique as the "circle of trust".

Draw around yourself three imaginary circles, all of different sizes one bigger than the next.

The biggest circle, farthest from you, called the External or Outer Circle, should be drawn as far as you can see. Identify a situation close to the edge of that circle and determine whether it could affect you.
The middle circle, closer to you than the External Circle, may be just a few meters away and it is a situation that although close, it is not close enough to determine whether it may or may not be a threat,
Internal or Inner Circle, is the circle closest to you
-On this circle you have little or no time to make a decision and evaluate what can be your plan of action, this is where your instincts and training may be all the difference on the outcome of the situation

Let me give you a few examples to illustrate each of the three circles:

* While driving, you start seeing smoke up ahead, maybe a few kilometers down the road. Traffic is stating to build up. At that moment, while the situation is still far enough from you to allow you time to make a decision, you can decide to either take an alternate route and avoid getting stuck in traffic or worse becoming part of the situation, or you can continue to drive as planned.
* You are walking home at night and about a block up ahead you see two men standing in the corner. They are not doing anything wrong, but you get a bad feeling about walking towards them. You can continue walking towards them, just paying attention as you walk by them, you may pick up the pace, or you may cross the street and continue walking on the other side.


Be Aware
www.awareselfdefense.com