Outdoor Safety
Recap

Don't turn your back on anyone you don’t trust – that invites an attack you won’t see coming. If he begins to approach you, take an aggressive stance, put one hand in a pocket as though you have a weapon ready, raise your other hand in a “STOP!” gesture, and fiercely command him to "Stay away from me!"

Better yet, also hold pepper spray and a noisemaker visible and at the ready. Find sources for outdoor safety in Pepper Spray & Devices.

If he keeps moving toward you – that's your early-warning-sign that he's probably a predator – either flee or activate your noisemaker and use your pepper spray.

"Fight or flight” are the two most well known options. Martial arts' theory usually adds surrender to the mix. I’ve added two more Outdoor Safety options: outsmart and posture, and aligned them all with FBI guidelines (and clarified their clunky terminology):

1.Posturing: presenting yourself as a tough target (predators prefer easy prey). If that doesn’t work:
2.Fleeing, the most obvious choice, might not be possible. If not:
3.Outsmarting: by verbally defusing a confrontation and maneuvering toward escape. If that doesn’t work:
4.Surrendering and hoping for the best; or preferably as a prelude to an escape, perhaps aided by:
5.Fighting like a mad dog to enable your escape. Stun & run.

It’s impossible to fully anticipate the panicky chaos of a sudden threat forcing you to make split-second life-and-death decisions. Understanding your outdoor safety options now will help your Intuition choose an option then. See Victim’s Options and Fighting Options.

ENHANCING YOUR OPTIONS
Pepper spray & a noisemaker (see Pepper Spray, Devices, & Weapons) visibly ready will greatly enhance your first option – Posturing as a tough target – and probably deter a predator immediately. Your fifth option – Fighting – is enhanced as well.

WHO SURVIVES – AND WHY
Much of what we know about surviving disasters comes from people who have been through them. Their stories are collected in a fascinating and useful new book, “The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes — and Why,” by Amanda Ripley. ... One of the main lessons is that panic, denial and fear may be inevitable during a disaster, but your brain will perform best in a stressful situation if you have already put it through a few rehearsals. “Your brain works by pattern recognition, and when it’s in an extremely frightening situation it sorts through a database for a script,” Ms. Ripley said. “Your brain relies on that memory and responds to it much more quickly and fully than words.” ... The more confidence you have before the event happens, the less debilitating the fear will be and the better your performance will be.”
Excerpted from The New York Times – 05 August 2008

• Human predators hunt for human prey like lions survey a herd of antelopes to select prey: they look for the most vulnerable – the distracted, the unwary, those too tame, and those who’ve strayed away from the herd. Someone is always watching you.
• Beware of anyone trying to get near you or using a lure to get you alone. Listen to your Intuition trying to warn you. See Mind Games for more on predator’s clever lures.
• Carry a second wallet filled with phony ID and a wad of one-dollar bills for throwing down while you escape. Hopefully, he'll grab that and leave you alone. Keep your valuables in a security pouch under your clothing. Find outdoor safety devices in Pepper Spray & Devices.
• In a robbery, avoid eye contact, move slowly, and do not fight for your money. Give it up and instantly flee. Fight – maybe – only to avoid rape, assault, or abduction. See Victim’s Options and Survival Options.
• Remember the rule of opposites: If a predator tells you not to yell, he's worried someone might hear you – so yell as loud as you can. If he wants to move you to another location, fight for your life on the spot instead. You’re far better off where you already are. See Kidnapping.
• What should you do if a predator threatens your companion with a weapon while ordering you to obey his commands? See Hostage/Slave in Hostage Taking.

1. Forgetting that predators often hunt where the prey least expect them.
2. Falling for a lure to isolate you. See Wolf in Sheep's Clothing.
3. Letting someone get near you, especially in an isolated spot.
4. Believing a criminal. Obviously, criminals can't be trusted. Criminals often say, “Do what I say and I won’t hurt you.” But remember that anyone who uses threats of violence is likely to use violence after all.
5. Fighting for your wallet, purse, or other valuables. It’s not worth it. Those things can be replaced - but you can't be.
6. Trying to reason with a criminal. Criminals are not reasonable – they don't think like you do. It's better to outsmart him with a ploy. See Outsmarting.
7. Waiting for "the right time" to escape – it may never come. The sooner you escape, the better. You might have to surprise-attack him to enable your escape. See When to Fight.

It’s impossible to fully anticipate the panicky chaos of a sudden threat forcing you to make split-second life-and-death decisions. Nonetheless, understanding your options now will help your Intuition choose an option then.

Pepper Spray & a Noisemaker visibly ready will greatly enhance your first option – Posturing as a tough target – and probably deter a predator immediately. Your fifth option – Fighting – is enhanced as well.

For convenience, learn self-defense ONLINE:

KRAV MAGA, a practical self-defense system used by many police forces worldwide, teaches you to defend yourself, enhances your survival instinct, and can be applied under extreme stress. It's not flashy, just very effective. I highly recommend it. The Krav Maga TV - Online Training videos are especially convenient to learn at home when your schedule allows or if you don't live near a training center.

S.A.F.E. is being:
Skeptical of anyone trying to get near you or trying to isolate you,
Aware of danger zones and escape strategies,
Flexible: being tricky, changing strategies as needed – and if worse comes to worst:
Exploding like a mad dog to fight for your life. Stun & run. See Fighting Options.

Find Outdoor Safety for parking lots, city streets, suburban byways, country roads, and secluded paths by going to:
• Outdoor Safety - Overview
• Friendly Predators first try to get near you to isolate and trap you, then attack you. Never forget that and you’ll never fall for a stranger’s lure.
• Force Predators: ambush zones revealed.
• Predator’s Favorite Targets: how not to be one.
• Spotting Danger ahead of time, and sensing if someone is about to draw a weapon - and what to do before it's too late.
• Facing Danger: if you're already targeted in a robbery, purse snatching, rape or kidnapping attack, choose among the five outdoor safety options: Posturing, Fleeing, Outsmarting, Surrendering, or Fighting.
• Rescuing a Victim Safely: how best to be a hero.
• Dog Attack: facing an attack on you or a loved one.
• Pickpockets: stopping masterful thieves from stealing you blind.
• Recap (YOU’RE NOW ON THIS PAGE) of this section.
• Pepper Spray & Devices for Outdoor Safety.

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