Got a beef with a roadhog? Let it be.
"For road ragers, don't engage," says NYC cabbie Mellisa Plaut, author of "Hack", an account of her driving adventures. "Don't even look at someone who's trying to get your attention in an angry way. Just drive on, or turn. The worst thing you can do is get into a fight. It never leads to anything good. Don't get your ego involved."
Pay attention.
Keep your sound system at a reasonable volume when driving in cities and neighborhoods, and don't space out or check your text messages at every stoplight. In fact, try to avoid getting distracted at all by your cell phone. Carjackers and robbers rely on the element of surprise, so if you're keeping eyes and ears alert to what's going on outside your vehicle, bad guys don't have a chance to sneak up on you.
Secure your car as you would your home.
Be vigilant in parking lots- whether day or night.
Don't assume an unmarked car with a flashing light is a police officer.
If the car attempting to pull you over doesn't look like an official vehicle, keep driving, turn your inside light on and pull over only in a well-lit, populated area. Do not get out of your car, and angle the vehicle so you can drive away quickly if need be. Crack the window, ask to see the officer's ID and pay close attention to his clothes---are they worn? Do they match? If not, put up your window, drive away and call 911.
Now it’s time to focus on your safety for a minute, ladies, with some answers to some important questions when it comes to dealing with muggers and attackers. Hopefully you won’t need this information, but it’s better to be prepared with help from researchers at Health magazine.
- Are there times when a woman shouldn’t fight back? Lori Hartman Gervasi is the author of Fight Like a Girl– and Win: Defense Decisions for Women. She’s also a black belt self-defense expert trained in Karate. She says if someone’s grabbing your purse, or trying to take your car – let them have it. You risk your safety unnecessarily by challenging the person – these things are only material goods.
- So, when should you fight back? If an attacker is trying to get you into a car, Gervasi says fight back loudly and with every bit of strength and courage you have. The odds of surviving go way down once you’re in a car or a secluded location. Use whatever you have to fight back – your purse, shoes, rings on your fingers. If you’re kicking, go low and hard rather than trying for the groin. It’s hard to hit that region, and you might either lose your balance or give the attacker your foot to grab onto. When you make a fist to punch him, don’t tuck your thumb. Resting it just below the knuckles can inflict more damage. The bottom line is that most attackers are looking for an easy victim - and the more you fight back, the more likely it is that he’ll give up and run away.
- Should you carry pepper spray? Gervasi likes pepper spray because it provides a way to fight back without getting too close, but it’s useless if it’s buried in your purse. She recommends carrying your keys in one hand, pepper spray in the other – and your cell phone in an easy-to-reach pocket. That way, if a threatening person comes too close, you can quickly get your pepper spray into the “on” position, aim, and spray the attacker in the face. Then get a safe distance away and call the police.
John
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