h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you.... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you
and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS! A predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS
AND LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger
side floor, and in the back seat.

B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the
passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and
the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.

6. In unfamiliar buildings and areas, ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs.

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

9.A woman heard a crying baby on her porch. The policeman said, "We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.

The Crying Baby theory was mentioned on America's Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana.

*chills* I've read most of these tips before, but the crying baby tape is a new one - and the type of thing I might fall for.

its terrible that people should have to be SOOO aware all the time.it doesnt say much for the society we live in,does it.?the baby thing ive never heard of,that is scary.most women ould go straight to where the cry was was coming from.
as for for the elbow abbi,its good that its ths the strongest point ..i ..i spend a lot of time leaning on it!!!!!!

Have any of you seen 'Bowling for Columbine'? Yes, it's better to be safe than sorry, but America is one paranoid society. Yes, there are nutters out there, but nowhere like to the extent that people think because of the skewed news reportage.

Thanks for the car trunk tip, would never have thunk of that and i was wondering only the other day what i'd do in such a case!
True about the paranoia mounting, but if you think of the way some people have been done to death then anything below 100 % safety is intolerable.
I think the simplest rule are:
Don't open.
Don't come out.
Don't approach.
And always know what's going on around you.
Maybe one should carry some sort of conceiled weapon always.
But contrary to the general feeling of increasing insecurity in modern times i think this has been always like that, just think of all the black man and maneater tales of yore. Although for the moment i can't think of anything as perfidious as the baby trick.

That is 'full on' Abbi, but very useful and I agree with JEllen, very chilling

I understand your point Gosho

If you use this to escalate fear or as evidence the world is scarier than ever that will do you more harm. There is no harm in being armed with information.

I see these as practicall tips. Shopping malls (which I go to once a year for Holiday gifts) are very high crime areas. I did not realise that until I lived very close to one. They have higher crime rates than any one city that surrounds them. They have become the hang-out for kids therefore a hang-out for those wishing to do harm.

I take practical information and incorporate the safety habits into every day life without fear,you may be safer. I do things to stay safe as a habit and feel better for it.

It is no different than do not let strangers in the house and lock your doors at night. Everyone can pick and choose. For decades people have been instructed to keep all their windows locked. I do not do that all year round!

And at least the horrid stuff is still *news*...

yeah, good tips Abbi. I agree they have to be taken without buying into the fear. And I agree about the paranoia fed by the news. My advice is to learn the safety tips and avoid the media!

I can't imagine living in a culture where this is so necessary. Here women are still way more likely to be assaulted by someone they know

I think its incredibly important that women have the skills and _confidence_ to act in such situations. Women who are aggressive or assertive in such situations come out better off.

The one about running from someone with a gun is interesting. I've always wondered about this. I guess it would depend on what kind of gun it was, and who was doing the shooting. I tend to agree with the point though, and would be interested to know what more people think about this.

Did you see the man in the US this week who got shot like 5 times at close range and survived because instead of running he hid behind a tree. I don't usually watch stuff like that on the news, but this was interesting. The shooter couldn't get a clear shot as they danced around this tree, so the man got shot in more peripheral places on his body. Still, he was bloody lucky.

Despite the excellent advice, several amendments are in order.

1) The strongest weapon is the mind. Use it to direct the total body not just elbows. A knee in the groin might be more effective than an elbow in the ear, for example. Your body weight applied prudently can take down a linebacker and break his shoulder when he hits the ground. A fait to the throat from the side will cause most anyone to tip his head back making him unbalanced and vulnerable to a leg sweep that will put him on his back in short order.

2) There are four areas of defense: Evasion, attack, balance, alertness. Use them appropriately by evading strikes or grabs, delivering strikes to the arms or legs that can render an attacker incapable of pressing his attack. Stay inside or outside the radius of his punches, kicks or weapons. Gouge out eyes, smash the throat or whatever it takes. There's no time for squeamishness. Use the attacker's momentum to render him unbalanced then use your strength to bring him down and finish him off.

3) Wear decent shoes!!! Shoes you can run or maneauver in.

4) Use the ground as an ally. This means learning how to roll and regain your feet quickly. You can often escape an attack simply by rolling out of it.

5) Do not run directly straight away from a person with a gun. Zig zag and utilize cover or concealment in your escape. The four times out of ninety whatever that the criminal's bullet might connect are when the victim is running straight away or frozen in place.

6) Do something, even if it's wrong. Doing nothing won't necessarily make things better.

7) Stay in shape. You can't do anything if you're obese or out of shape. Criminals frequently prey on people who appear to be weakened or disabled, much like any other predators.

8) You have mastered the art of self-defense when a criminal attacks you unexpectedly and you're more dangerous to him than he is to you. That would be a function of aggressiveness, speed, intelligent application of whatever strengths you have including regular weapons or inprovised ones, balance, and finally courage and fortitude among other things. Don't give up!!

9) Remember, the body is the weapon. Everything else is a tool.

I forgot to mention that where the head goes, the body will follow. Get control of an attacker's head and you can pretty much direct where the rest of him will end up. If you can get around to the side or rear, simply grabbing his hair at the crown of the head and pulling straight down will drop him leaving him vulnerable to a heel stomp in the throat that will stop everything.

Excellant Rokdreemer!
Thank you for those tips.

run in a zig-zag when running from a gun!

Being in your best shape is ideal.
For those of us that cannot run, safe habits and using the mind is most important. I love that you said the mind is the best weapon

Where the head goes the body follows!
I have heard that only recently.
Excellant hint.

Never get into a car with someone else. If they want to relocate you it is usually deadly.
Better off doing something-anything then.

If you are not able to get your arm out the rear light of a vehichle then blink the lights if you can by messing with the wires.
**It is very good that many vehicles have trunk latches now!

In a wheelchair if you are parked be sure that any bags hanging off the back of the chair are inaccessable when alone. The very first time I was in a chair at a flea market this happened. 3 -3 people come up and talk ask if you need anything while one is getting into your bag!

IN fact wheelchairs and disablities present some different obstacles and I would like to have more tips for those persons.

yeah I thought #7 was a bit of a worry too. That wheelchair story - > What is with some people?


One that I really like is to trust your feelings of fear in the present. If you are about to get into an elevator with someone and you suddenly feel fear, then trust that and don't get in. Ditto lots of those situations when getting help from stangers etc. or someone coming to the door.

I agree! Trust yourself first

i agree about the wheelchair users abbi...i always feel vulnerable when i'm left by myself for a few minutes.i think that early instrucruction would be be good....courses at sc schools for the ten eleven year olds.a boy in england was stabbed.just once,fatally at the beginning of the the week.he was 14,the boy who stabbed him has ben in ourt,charged with murder.he is 15,and this happened in a school corridor.
it is never too eoo early to learn how to protect yourself.

Sounds like the school I went to, run down buildings with staff to match, who didnt care, and violence all over the place. One bloke nailed the wood work teachers hand to the bench, after the teacher had clouted him one around the ear!
You basicly had to fight to survive! Oh! happy days?
Smudger.

I suppose we should face the fact that a disabled person is going to be at a disadvantage against an able-bodied one pretty much no matter what. Consequently, avoidance, if possible, is indicated in most instances. However, there might be other options.

I've been thinking lately about wheelchairs and how often they seem to be designed more for the convenience of the people pushing them than the people riding in them.

I've noticed also that some wheelchairs are starting to be designed more ergometrically with lower center of gravity, wheels better angled for locomotion and stability during turns or whatnot. A person with developed upper body strength can actually start to use such things as vehicles at speeds that would challenge some bicyclists. That would be a plus I think.

Even if a person doesn't have the requisite strength and must therefore rely on electric motors, the battery weight improves the stability even more and could with the addition of spring loaded scythes or telescoping spears transform the vehicle into a genuine weapon similar to an ancient war chariot.

That might raise a few eyebrows but so what? I don't see many people standing in line to serve as escorts or bodyguards for the wheelchair bound so perhaps it's time for the disabled to start looking out for their own interests by using the technology to their advantage.

Some of you might have heard of the Selway, a two wheeled electric vehicle that uses Pentium processors to provide a subtle direction control system that senses the weight distribution of the driver's feet on the platform the driver stands on. This system might be readily adapted to electric wheelchairs to provide a similar control system for people who might only have use of a finger or only be able to blink or move their eyeballs.

Imagine being able to almost think a vehicle around the neighborhood. Imagine the vehicle having a suite of weaponry similar to a combat fighter or tank. Then imagine, after the first encounter with a mugger, how the instances of victimization of the handicapped might decline.

There needs to be an affordable electric chair for sure!
It is absurd there is not one now.

Most of the electric chair opportunities are rip off - rental ones.
I am hoping segway will come up with something.

The stair climber and the stand up models I have seen. They are cost prohibitive for the average person. They have come a long way with sporting models and dirt ones when you have the strenghth in your arms et a lot more could be done.

Many older citizens do not have anyone (anyone strong enough)to push a chair around. It is a physical hardship for many and often injures them.

>>I suppose we should face the fact that a disabled person is going to be at a disadvantage against an able-bodied one pretty much no matter what.<<

I'm not willing to agree with that. Its like saying that women will always be at a disadvantage to men, because of the difference in body strength, which obviously isn't true.

I do agree though that people with disabilities need their own strategies, which is giving me something to think about...

Aikido has been used successfully to train wheelchair bound, elderly and very young people.

And one of the most useful lessons that the martial arts can teach is that any battle you successfully avoid is a battle that you have won.

Since the chances of your hurting yourself in the home are greater than the chances of being harmed by another person, it pays to learn to pay attention at all times. This is not paranoia, it is a self-ordained HMO!


2. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you.... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you
and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

*Since many of these finks work in pairs, this can be an interesting situation. Others like to approach you from behind. The best option is to travel in pairs yourself. Don't get too caught up in conversation, you can do that later. Two heads can be used to look in all directions.

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

*It is a good thing to look at your vehicle every once in a while like you have never looked at it before. TV show tests of putting people in trunks have shown that not all vehicles are created equal.
On the whole, I choose to avoid the scenario by driving a vehicle without a trunk.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS! A predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS
AND LEAVE.

*This is very good advice and was left out of an NRA women's safety tips brochure a few years ago. I did my best to remedy that. The auto is not a safe haven. You cannot relax when you reach it. You cannot even relax when you are in it and it is locked.
As a security guard once upon a time, I had opportunity to watch many people coming back to the car park after doing their Christmas shopping. The number of idiots I saw who would open their trunks or their car doors and then rummage around for minutes, arranging their bags of purchases, would simply amaze you. They had their backs and their butts turned to the world, exposed, saying "Hi, I'm not paying attention!"
I saw some put their car keys on the roof while they played in the car.
NONONONONONONO!
And the worst offenders are the ones with children. Always take help. Find help. Ask for help. Stores have piles of people standing around doing nothing. Most shopping centers and malls have security. Use them.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger
side floor, and in the back seat.

B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the
passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and
the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.

*No argument here. If necessary, carry a small flashlight of no smaller than two AA size. It can't hurt to illuminate the situation every once in a while. And the Maglite or Shureshot (I think) models will blind someone for a few seconds, if you need it.

6. In unfamiliar buildings and areas, ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs.

*Always take someone with you or arrange to be met by someone in the building. Being alone in an elevator in a strange place can be just as bad as being in the stairwell. Take your cell phone either way and carry a really loud whistle.

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

*This is a very, um, sensitive subject.
Victims of gun crime often focus on the hole in the object in front of them. They freeze.
If you are unfamiliar with firearms, you owe it to yourself to learn something about them. If you are familiar with firearms, then you know that a single .22 or a .380 in the back at ten or more yards can make your life very interesting.
Years ago, the FBI taught it's agents that a crouching target is harder to hit. Unfortunately, unless you are a TV actor or a SWAT team or SAS member, running while crouched is a bit of a trick.
The black joke about this situation is that cops often tell you not to do anything. Give them what they want. But, but, but, do not let the perp take you to a secondary crime scene. It makes it easier for the Detectives if you die there, close to your last known location. Otherwise it might take them months or years to find you.
I think they don't have any idea what they are talking about.

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

*If you don't know someone, they are a stranger. Stranger Danger applies to everyone. Perversely, if you do know someone, they might still be a stranger. It never hurts to be careful. Besides, once you learn to pay attention, you can see all kinds of things you never noticed before!

9.A woman heard a crying baby on her porch. The policeman said, "We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.

The Crying Baby theory was mentioned on America's Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana.

*We have had several rounds of suspicious people :
1. placing flyers on doors offering services that they say the City has mandated
2. knocking on doors at night, asking that the porch light be turned off because they have glaucoma and then asking for money so they can buy formula for the baby. This lady actually hit us two weeks in a row. I thought about giving her a map. I called the cops about her and they said they knew her.
3. offering to wash the vehicle or mow the lawn
4. Selling band candy without a child with them.

Your home is not safe unless you make it safe. If you don't do as much thinking at home about your home as you do on your job, then you are doing yourself a disservice.
Also, if you are blinding and deafening yourself watching the tube, then it is kind of hard to see or hear what is going on around your home.

Corollary: Put your stupid car keys somewhere secure when you exit the vehicle. Do not let the kids play with them. Do not attach big dangly bright things to them so that you can't put them in a pocket or a purse. Pare your basic car key chain down to the bare essentials and put a duplicate in your purse or pocket. Heavy key chains are not only a way to occupy hands that you might need in an emergency, but they are also bad for your vehicle ignition and hard on the tiny bit of almost metal that composes your ignition key.

I once walked into a nursing supply shop to apply for a job. Three of the women had their keys laying on the counter as they filled out applications. One walked away, leaving them there.
I could do nothing but stand there in mute admiration...

And I couldn't agree more about the shoes.
You can't run if you don't have the shoes for it.
And if you can't run, then wear shoes that you can kick and stomp with.
And don't forget that whistle.