Meditations on Not Being Prey...

First, go read this: Street robberies and you - The Basics. There's some seriously good information there, stuff you might not necessarily have thought about previously.

Then read this: Street Robberies And You. (Found through Tam, thanks!). It's kind of a practical application of the first link.

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I started to leave a comment at Tam's after reading Kit's post (I'd read the arfcom post previously). There have been relatively few points in my life when I've felt like prey, and even fewer where I actually was prey. I've failed the victim selection interview. I've always kind of shrugged it off - I'm a big guy (even after losing weight), a six foot tall, shaved head, biker looking guy, and I've always pretty much assumed that my size and demeanor (my "look" has been described as "one more step and I'll be picking pieces of you out of my teeth in the morning") has kept the predators away.

Reading that first link, I'm not so sure.

Maybe in my youth my size may have played a part, but now that I'm older (and theoretically wiser), I think a lot more of it has to do with not looking like prey. I try to be aware of my surroundings at all times. On the rare occasions I relax my guard, it's in a group of people that I trust innately and completely - like at a blogger dinner, or at an NRA convention event. When I'm by myself, I'm constantly in Condition Yellow, scanning for any potential threat; this is kicked up to Orange when my family is in the picture.

I check the back seat of my truck and the bed before I get in it. I keep a little bit of space between me and the car in front of me at stop lights just in case. I don't sit with my back to a doorway, ever. If something raises the hackles on the back of my neck, I'll figure out what it is and address it - or get out of Dodge. I have no trouble whatsoever saying no. I don't believe that you just happened to run out of gas in the Home Depot parking lot. And while I may offer to call someone for you, you're not going to get my cell phone, not even for a second.

As Tam and Kit and BurnedOutLEO have said, listen to that little voice in the back of your head. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If someone's story sounds rehearsed - that's because it most likely *is* rehearsed; they've practiced this same story a hundred times before, and most likely had good success with it. Don't be afraid to just leave - if everything is on the level and there's no danger, you're still not missing anything.

The number one goal is to survive the encounter, to go home with the same number of holes in your body that you left with. If you can get a description of the offending party or parties to the police, that's great; however if it means putting yourself in a position of not accomplishing goal #1, forget it. Running like a scared rabbit is always an option, too - most of the time, these guys aren't looking for someone they're going to have to work to victimize. There's no shame in a strategic retreat - walking away while you're still able allows you to accomplish goal #1.

And lastly, if everything fails and the encounter goes south, remember that the one person you can absolutely count on is you. That's the most important lesson. You are responsible for being aware of your surroundings so that you don't get into trouble; you are responsible for taking steps to protect yourself even if trouble does manage to find you; and you should be prepared to take whatever measures necessary should the unthinkable happen and you find yourself the victim of a violent assault.

Fight. Fight back. Fight with everything you've got. Fight dirty - you won't lose points for poor form. Firearms, knives, flashlights, clubs, rocks, bricks, feet, hands, teeth. Use 'em. Someone threatens your life, take them at their word and react accordingly. Don't rely on the charity of criminals for your safety - rely on your owndamnself for that... Remember that you're not fighting by the Marquis of Fantailler rules here; no one's going to deduct points from your score because you hit your opponent with a parking meter when they paused to get the Windex out of their eyes...

Look like a shark - even if you feel like a minnow - and chances are you'll be treated like the top of the food chain anyways.

That is all.