Tips-n-Tricks for the vigilant!

[Ironchef]

It's been fun being a paranoid gun owner for the last year or so. I've become aware of many things, taken some classes, done lots of reading and studying, and scoured popular 2A type sites and realized I'm even more paranoid..but now it's under control!

In my daily routine, I find myself being tactically aware of my surroundings, especially when at home, in my parking lots, at stores, and pretty much anywhere in public in Antioch or neighboring cities (working in Walnut Creek is a break from the paranoia). I often give my wife tips on how to be vigilant, how to judge various situations with other people, in parks, in the homes of others, etc. I've recently helped a scared old legal secretary at my job who lives alone deal with her first craigslist sale..where a man was coming to her home to check it out. In short, I ended up giving her my pepper spray (after explaining it's legality and proper use) and told her to keep it ready, yet concealed, and to plan out various scenarios and how to react should things go south (she had nobody to be with her for the transaction).

What I'd like to know from you good people is your tips and tricks for being vigilant! What do you specifically do as a daily routine when parking, walking, playing in public, entering/exiting your home, when you're at home in your violent neighborhoods, get your mail, go to the check cashing/liquor store down the street? I just thought it'd be cool to see what we all do in various situations and to have it all in one thread! And please, share your ninjitsu movie clips with us!

[Harrison_Bergeron]

I don't specifically ask for tables or booths based on "tacticality", but when I eat at a restaurant I choose the side or chair with the best view of the room/entrances/exits.

[JPglee1]

I always always sit with my back to the wall, after finding and noting ALL entrances and exits. I try to stay alert to my surroundings. When approaching a stop light/sign I NEVER get closer than a car length to the car in front of me, so if there IS a problem, Im not boxed in and can exit easily even if it means going into the opposite or turn lane to make the "escape"///

Oh and the most important thing of all:

TINFOIL HAT!


J

[Para]

I pay attention to the details around me.

[Saigon1965]

Nothing special, just be aware of my surrounds all the time.

[fleegman]

I always always sit with my back to the wall, after finding and noting ALL entrances and exits. I try to stay alert to my surroundings. When approaching a stop light/sign I NEVER get closer than a car length to the car in front of me, so if there IS a problem, Im not boxed in and can exit easily even if it means going into the opposite or turn lane to make the "escape"///

Ditto that. Also, besides noting the exits, both conventional and otherwise, I also check everyone out to see if someone looks like trouble. I then note areas of tactical cover, and see if there is any expedient weaponry available. Expedient weaponry is something everyone should learn. Yeah, I'm paranoid. Receiving a life-threatening injury will do that to you.

[ajl2121]

Taking Taekwondo for most my life, and recently getting into MMA, I've learned that most individuals have strengths and weaknesses. When I'm playing ball, hanging out at the bar, or wherever they may be people looking for trouble, I automatically start "sizing" people up. For example, you can quicky and easily tell if people are left or right hand while playing sports. This is extremely important for the sake of sport itself, but also if a fight were to start. In addition, I notice certain things such as thin legs which would be ideal for leg kicks. Of course, a well versed fighter always reacts to situations instead of having a game plan that's inflexible. However, in my experience the best defense is offense. If I know a fight in inevitable, I use all the information that I recieved through observation and use them to my advantage.

[M. Sage]

I'd share my tips and tricks, but I can't or they might fall into the wrong hands and I could find the info used against me.

Seriously, I just keep my eyes out and looking around. That's all.

[ocbruin]

One of the most important things is to educate yourself about how people look and act in given situations. That way, you can more easily pick out the people who are different -- these are the most likely to have something other than routine business on their minds. It is not usual to loiter in parking lots. If a person does, they are usually scanning for someone they're waiting for. If a person is acting "too casual", take note.

Also, look for blind corners and other areas which might be either used to conceal an attacker, or used as a place to trap a victim. This includes stairwells, tall hedges, alcoves, etc.

If forget where I saw it, but I read somewhere that awareness alone = paranoia. Awareness + Knowledge = Preparedness

Also, vigilance is a mindset. Reaction time is exactly that, the time from stimulus to action. If you know how you will react in a number of situations ahead of time, you reduce your reaction time. If you have to decide what to do on the spot, you will be more likely to freeze or delay. Note, this doens't have to be an attack, this could be your pre-determined idea that you will make a distraction and run.

[battlehatch]

I don't really go out too much, but when I do, I am looking at people's hands. I find myself sizing people up where ever I go, but always back to the hands.

[daves100]

Info

Back to the wall
i always ask for a booth and take the outside seat with a view of the door and Cash Register if you can
also note the fire exits and look to see if they are chained or blocked.

[hitman13]

I don't specifically ask for tables or booths based on "tacticality", but when I eat at a restaurant I choose the side or chair with the best view of the room/entrances/exits.

me too, it helps to check out the eye candy as well...

[hitman13]

also, try to do kims games. (keep in mind). google it. it helps to become more observant when you do it more...

[Ironchef]

I too do the large space between me and the car in front of me, but that developed from being a smart/defensive driver always having an "exit" if there's an accident or need to swerve. Learned it in my Bob Bondurant school of high performance driving long ago (the gas pedal saves you more than the brake!).

I don't seat myself tactically in restaurants, but I do pay attention to which way my back is..mostly so I can wave down wait staff more than watch shady characters. I also like to be able to see my car through windows so I sit accordingly when it permits.

Where I live, I've learned to spot people that don't belong...so whenever I see a "garden variety" (ie., BMJ/A, black hoodie, blue jeans) in my parking lot without a destination, I don't bother giving the benefit of the doubt, I just call my local dispatch..and I'm usually right. I've seen enough car burglaries/thefts in progress to know when someone is casing..they case our condos too. My wife who stays home most of the day with the kids is extremely vigilant looking out the windows strategically, and "clears" her paths when walking with the kiddos. Just wish she'd always have a hand on the pepper spray like I ask her to, but it's hard with a car seat in one hand, kid or bag in the other...

FOr me, I usually am in shady territory when going to the supermarket so I scan the parking lot well and usually case out the safest parking area when possible...I always look back towards my parked, alarmed/locked vehicle right as I go in the store to see if any opportunists are having at it. Broken window glass is all over the parking lot so it's obviously a hot spot. Hell, even at church on Sunday AMs we get auto burglaries in that parking lot...we do rounds through the parking lot during the services and we have two concord LEOS at church too who are ready to pounce! lol

[PatriotnMore]

This is a good thread, I hope everyone teaches situational awareness to your family as well.

I do many of the things listed here.

One thing I do often is to scan 360, and check my 6 o'clock position often. Look for things or people out of the normal, always keep peripheral vision when observing your surroundings. Keep a mind set of, prepared to act if the situation arises.

Have something on you for protection, CCW or open carry gun, knife, pepper spray

PRACTICE skill sets, with gun, edge, and hand.

Don't be a hero, don't look for situations to become a hero. If a situation is bad, GTFO unless absolutely unavoidable, you're a good set of eyes and ears for LEO's when alive, but dead is dead.