Awareness
Well here I go again from my soapbox, advising about awareness or more correctly the lack thereof.
This week I had to stop at the grocery on the way home from work and as I pulled into a parking spot I scanned the area, I observed customers coming out of and going into the store talking on their cell phones not paying a bit of attention as to what was going on around them. This was happening after dark, in an area where I know of two instances where thugs came out of the shadows to accost individuals as they stepped out of their cars, in these incidents the thugs’ attempts were thwarted because the intended victims were aware of their surroundings and armed.
Then again, while taking care of business, on my day off, I watched in amazement as people paid no attention to what was going on around them while they entered, exited, and conducted business at the bank. You should not be distracted as you approach or leave a bank in order to keep yourself safe from walking into a bank robbery or a potential armed robbery outside. Remember as the economy worsens robberies and thefts will rise.
Later in the day, I startled several shoppers when I walked up on them, because beside the general din of the store these people were listening to Ipods, which took away their sense of hearing almost totally. If they had been anyplace other then Costco they could have been in real danger by not being able to hear what was going on around them. I know that Ipods are very popular, but users need to think about the danger they are putting themselves in if they can’t hear what’s going on around them regardless of what activity they may be involved in.
All this being said I find myself realizing that in my personal circle I am surrounded by people that are aware of their surroundings and are very capable of taking care of themselves and others. This situation exists because they are either current or former Law Enforcement and the non LEO’s are very capable for other reasons. That I am from an era when most men had basic defensive skills because they had been in the military and I grew up in a city where you became street smart at a very early age.
But when I am out in the general public watching what’s going on, I realize just how ill prepared the average citizen is to evaluate a situation or to defend themselves if the need arises. No longer are the majority of men former military that had been taught basic survival and self defense skills, as they were when I was growing up. The average person no longer becomes street smart, as we did when my friends and I ran the streets of Detroit.
We are living in dangerous times and things are going to get worse. So, it is imperative that individuals consider finding and obtaining the training that they need to be able to evaluate situations and defend themselves if necessary. Don’t become a willing victim. Just be sure you research potentials instructors, to insure that you get good proper training.
