The Safety Minute

Safety On The Streets pg.16, #13
Carry 10-15 one dollar bills in an easily accessible pocket. Then if someone tries to rob you, you can throw the “chump change” several feet away. The robber will scramble after it giving you time to escape.

Safety In Your Car Practice safe parking habits pg.21, #3,6/pg.23#2
Put an “out of gas … be back soon” note on the windshield.

Before approaching your car, quickly scan the area beneath your car and nearby vehicles. Attackers have been known to slash a victim’s ankles and pull him or her to the ground.

In the event of a minor accident, stop only in a well-lit area. Carjackers often provoke such “accidents” just to get a victim to stop. Do NOT stop on a deserted, dark street. If necessary drive to a well-lit area.

Home Safe Home pg.29, #17,18
Consider a second line or a cell phone in your bedroom. That’s because burglars often remove a telephone from the receiver when they enter a home. Of course, an alarm system activated while you are sleeping will prevent a burglar from getting this far. Newer alarms have cellular options, a safeguard even if the phone lines are cut.

If you live in a high crime area where law enforcement takes a while to respond, and if someone is trying to break into your house while you are in it, calling the fire department will sometimes get help to the scene quicker. This is illegal, however, so do it only if you are desperate.

Vacation/Business Traveler Safety pg.38 #15/pg.40 #7
Be suspicious of a call from the hotel desk just after checking in requesting verification of your credit card number “because the imprint was unreadable.” A thief may have watched you enter the hotel room and called from the guest phone in the lobby.

Don’t take your eyes off your belongings while they are going through security check points. This is a prime location for distraction thieves to steal laptops, pocketbooks, and briefcases. Once you put your belongings on the moveable belt, one thief distracts you from immediately going through the metal detector by either dropping a handful of change, causing a scene, clipping a metal object to the back of your coat that will cause a delay, or saying “hey, don’t I know you?”–anything to keep you from going through the metal detector for 30 seconds while the accomplice walks through clean and picks up your belongings. If you become distracted for an instance your valuables are gone!

Don’t let anyone help you with your airport locker. Someone might insert quarters for you to appear helpful but then give you a different key without your knowledge.

Telephone Security pg.45 #11
Protect your calling card number. When punching in that number, be wary of everyone in the area. Sometimes the guy standing at the phone next to you is talking to his accompliceand telling him your number. In an airport thieves could be videotaping a “going away” couple right behind you as you punch in your digits. The best one is when a thief stands on the second level of an open area, such as in an airport, and watches you with binoculars.

What To Do If Attacked By A Rapist pg.12 #3,4
If he won’t let you go, gouge his eyes out! Fight as hard and as determinedly as you would if he was a stranger. By assaulting you, he has crossed the line, and now he is a stranger. Remember: You are worth fighting for!

If all else fails, you can always let him kiss you, then bite down on his lip till your teeth meet!