After I tried passing a counterfeit bill at his register last summer, he spent 10 minutes showing me the watermark and hologram tricks. Has anyone else gotten a crash course in forgery detection from a corner store clerk?
I used to walk around with this hard face and puffed out chest thinking people would leave me alone. Then last month around 2 AM at a 7-Eleven in Phoenix this big dude clocked me from across the lot and walked straight up talking trash. My buddy who's a bouncer told me later that aggressive posture screams 'I'm ready to fight' and that's exactly who predators look for. He said to keep your eyes down, walk with purpose but relaxed, and blend in like you belong. Has anyone else noticed how the calmest people in sketchy spots never get bothered?
After watching a dude get jumped outside a bar in Phoenix last month, the cop's dash cam missed half of it but a guy on his phone caught the whole thing and that footage actually helped the prosecutor get a conviction.
I was at the Shell on Main Street around 10pm getting gas and two dudes were about to throw punches over a parking spot. One older guy hopped out of his truck, walked between them, and just calmly said "hey man, your kid is watching from the back seat" to the louder one. Both of them stopped immediately, the one guy got back in his car and left. I always figured you had to be loud to break stuff up but he barely raised his voice. Has anyone else seen that kind of thing work better than yelling?
I was at a bus stop downtown last Tuesday and this guy was clearly having a bad day, pacing back and forth, muttering. Back in the 90s you would have made eye contact, nodded, given him space. The other 3 people at the stop just had their faces buried in their phones. Nobody noticed him at all until he started yelling. I feel like we traded awareness for convenience. Has anyone else noticed how much situational awareness has dropped since smartphones?
I switched from a pocket knife to pepper spray on my keychain after he explained it gives you distance from an attacker, and now I just wonder how many close calls I had before that guy set me straight.
I tracked every close call in my neighborhood in Detroit for almost 3 years, and after hitting day 1,000 without any real conflict, I realized I'd gotten complacent. Walked past a guy casing cars last month because I forgot how to read the signs. Anyone else find that staying completely out of trouble can dull your instincts?
He was older, maybe 60s, talking to a younger kid. Said he learned it after getting scammed by a car salesman who flashed a huge grin the whole time. Made me think about how often we ignore gut feelings just because someone seems friendly. Has anyone else caught a random piece of advice like that that stuck with you?
I was standing near the doors on the Red Line when I felt a hand slide into my jacket pocket around 5:30 PM. I grabbed his wrist hard and yelled 'what are you doing' loud enough that the whole car turned and he bolted off at the next stop. Has anyone else had to physically stop someone trying to lift their wallet in a crowd?
I used to take a shortcut through an alley behind Main Street, but after 9 PM I switched to the well-lit boulevard. In just two weeks, I stopped getting catcalled or followed, and a neighbor even said I looked more confident on the cameras. Has anyone else noticed a change just by picking a different street at night?
I used to keep my eyes on the sidewalk avoiding eye contact in busy areas downtown. Now I glance at what people are carrying or doing with their hands, spotted a guy pulling a knife from his jacket pocket at a bus stop in Portland last summer and crossed the street before he even knew I saw him. Anyone else adjust your situational awareness after a specific close call?
Was waiting for the bus last week and this dude was telling his friend that. Like yeah okay, grabbing someone's nuts works if it's a 1v1 in a gym. But three people jump you from behind? You're on the ground before you can do anything. Real street safety is about avoiding the fight altogether. Situational awareness, knowing exits, not walking with your face in your phone. Has anyone else heard this kind of bad advice and wanted to smack the person?
I got one of those fancy carabiner keyrings from REI last month thinking it was solid. Last Tuesday I was loading up my van for a house call in Denver and the clip just popped open. My keys fell into a storm drain grate on the sidewalk. I had to pull out my phone flashlight and fish them out with a wire hanger I had in the back. Took me 15 minutes and I was late for my appointment. Has anyone else had a keyring or clip fail on them like this when you least expected it?