Qui Custodes

"Rape Whistles" (cont. from Oct. 30)

Back in October I posted about why I'm not a fan of "rape whistles".  Someone pointed out to me that you don't have to carry the whistle on your key chain.  You could carry it on a necklace or bracelet for example.  Well, you still have the problem of getting the whistle to your lips and having the ability to blow the whistle while being threatened or attacked.  Carrying the whistle on a necklace wouldn't work for me.  In cold weather it would be under your coat so you couldn't get it.  In warm weather it would be accessible, but you still would have to get it into your hand, etc. etc. 

I suppose you could carry the whistle on a bracelet/in your hand as you walked the street but then you would have 1 hand for your purse and/or briefcase, one hand to open doors  etc. and 1 hand for the whistle.  Exactly how many free hands do you have?  OK. Wear the whistle on your wrist as a bracelet.  That solves part of the problem.  How are you going to solve the other problems?  I don't have a solution.

Don't get me wrong though:  A rape whistle is better than nothing but I don't think much of them. 

Subways & buses (cont.)

Another thought about traveling by bus or subway:  Try and sit near the driver.  S/he may not help you but they can call for help or at least be a witness. 

Subways and Buses

I didn't think I would ever have to write this particular post but I guess I was wrong.  Recent news articles in DC and NYC have compelled me to say people, please!  Just because you are on a subway or bus or in a subway or bus station does not mean that you should lose your common sense and totally ignore all precautions.  Stay aware of your circumstances, don't sit or stand where you are concealed from general observation--you are setting yourself up to be attacked and there will be no witnesses to come help.  Come on now!

Good Security is good business

Down in Florida there is another parking lot story:  a waiter was shot in one and finally received a measure of justice.   But they never found the shooter.  What happened is that the waiter sued the mall where he was shot because there had been 26 violent crimes, including a murder, in the previous 7 years.  You would think that when there are about 4 violent crimes/year, somebody would do something wouldn't you?  The mall didn't and now the mall must pay for that neglect.

So good security is good business as well as good for yourself and your employees.  Something to think about.

Parking Lots

I was reading about the Missosuri serial killer on CNN today.  He was pretty smart apparently.  One thing which caught my eye:  he stalked his victims in parking lots and then followed them until they went home.  What's the moral of the story?  Pay attention to your surroundings!  If you think someone is following you, check!  Ask for help, use your cell phone, do something. 

Rings

I'm not quite sure what brought it to mind a while ago I saw a man with several big rings on both hands.  He was wearing a thumb ring, a pinky ring and a ring on his middle finger on his left hand.  His right hand had rings on the index finger and ring finger.  These were very large rings.  I noticed he was also wearing silver bracelets.  Why am I talking about this?  Because these rings were the equivalent of brass knuckles on his hands.  So if you see someone wearing several big rings, watch their hands--their hands are now weapons.

On a similar note, ladies, you can use your rings as weapons too you know.  If nothing else, they will scratch an attacker's face.  It used to be that the scratches would heal.  But now what you are really doing is taking a DNA sample for future match. 

Just a couple of interesting thoughts for the day.

Use your common sense, please!

I got the following post (redacted) last week & it's worth talking about for a minute.  "As I recently entered [a restaurant]  an angry uniform-wearing employee was exiting. He almost slammed the door in my face, then kept walking. I [complained to the manager].  As I was eating, the employee returned [and was told about my complaint so he] turned to look at me and began yelling for me to meet him outside. I refused. The other employees told him to go home and escorted him outside, but twice he returned and lunged at me, with the other workers holding him back. When I left I told the manager he wanted to fight me, but she refused to call the police. I walked outside to leave, and the guy was waiting for me. He got in my face, started yelling, then began throwing punches and karate kicks. Other employees pulled him off me, but he attacked again. At one point he was punching me in the ribs and holding one arm, while another employee was holding my other arm."

First off, the  police should have been called immediately!  No excuses for not calling them.  If you have a problem at your firm, don't hesitate for a second to call for help.  That's what the police are for.

Second, what happened to the  cell  phone of the person who wrote me?  He should have used it asap.  If you are in this type of situation (and these days it happens all the time), USE YOUR CELL PHONE.  Don't have one?  Get one!

Third, what silly person  goes outside when you  *know* that  there is someone out there waiting to  fight you?  Use your common sense!

Fourth,  the employees  should  NEVER, EVER, grab the person being hit.  As I  have posted before, you get between the combatants, you don't grab one of them.  I know it's dangerous but the alternatives are worse as this story shows. 

If shooting starts

Well, after yesterday's shooting I went back and found a pretty good article Slate reissued yest6rday.  It sets out some things you can do if you happen to get caught in a shooting.  I don't agree with a couple of it's comments--mainly that heavy furniture will offer protection.  Having seen the penetrating power of 357 magnums and other handguns, as well as the power of deer rifles and other firearms, I don't believe that heavy furniture offers much (if any) help.  Still, I suppose it's better than nothing. 

The article's comments about how hard it is to hit a running person at 40 feet is correct, with one caveat:  don't run straight away from the shooter.  Because then you look like you are standing still.  Run at an angle or zig zag. 

Anyway, I hope you never need to know this stuff but, if you do need it, I sure hope you remember it.

The Christmas Cheer strikes again

I keep telling people over and over again--if you are being hijacked do NOT get in the car with your attackers.  Under no circumstances do you get in the car.  They will only take you someplace where you are at their mercy.  In this case the victim was lucky:  they only took her to ATM's to get more money than she had in her pocket.  But what if they wanted more?  What if she didn't have an ATM account? 

According to the story she was kidnapped about 1 p.m. from a parking lot in a shopping mall.  If you aren't safe there, what makes you think you will be safer if you go with the kidnappers?  You aren't!  Don't go with him/them!

Shopping tip

If you are carrying a lot of bags and packages, you won't notice if one wanders off will you?  Worse yet, you could lose your wallet or purse and never notice.  The moral of the story--consolidate, consolidate, consolidate!  Don't be like the shopper in the comic books, so overburdened you have no idea what's going on around you.