Being street-smart is about being able to excel in life by learning how to avoid negative situations typically before they escalate into problems; many of these techniques will get you out of dangerous or costly situations in the future and are, in our opinion, well worth practising to better yourself, here is our list of 10, be sure to add your examples in the comments!
- Being constantly aware of your surroundings can help you avoid dangerous or costly situations; you can do this by:
- looking for exits
- looking in reflections to see if someone is following you
- being mindful of what’s around you
- limiting your own distractions (headphones, phone etc)
- watching people without staring
- when walking, make wide turns (to avoid walking directly into someone around the corner)
- looking for nonverbal (body language) cues
- trusting your gut feeling
- knowing where nearby safe spaces are
- surrounding yourself with people who make you feel safe
- being alert
- seeking safer alternative routes
- Carrying minimal cash and keeping valuables hidden can reduce the risk of theft, saving you both time and money in the long run. Many celebrities, for instance, will wear costume jewellery when out in public for this very reason; that’s a good option, but also consider the basics like instead of carrying a purse or wallet filled with cash, you can use a credit card or mobile payments and keep your valuables like jewellery, at home. Also remember not to pat your pockets to check your valuables are still there, this gives a pickpocket all the info they need. A good idea is to carry some loose change/a £5 note to get you out of a sticky situation.
- Learning basic self-defence moves can safeguard you against dangerous scenarios, for example, knowing how to defend yourself in case of an attacker, how to escape a chokehold, or how to memorise the face of an attacker. Most areas will have self-defence classes near to you, and whilst this will cost you money, the money may be well spent, considering it may make you more confident and give you the skills should you ever need them to get out of trouble.
- Keeping a low profile / Minding your own business / Walking with Purpose can all help you avoid unwanted attention and potentially save you from falling prey to scams or attacks.
- For example, instead of walking around with expensive jewellery or designer clothes on show, simply dress casually and blend in with the crowd; this can make you a less appealing target for scammers or thieves. This technique is often used by billionaires, walking around in public with old clothes and nothing flashy on display.
- If you see an altercation or someone being aggressive, don’t get directly involved, instead, consider calling the Police away from the altercation.
- If you’re lost go and sit on a bench as if you were relaxing instead of standing and looking around for clues on the correct route etc, it’s a tell tail sign you’re a tourist/vulnerable.
- Walking with purpose is a very visual body language technique that lowers your chances of getting into an altercation 1
- Having a charged phone + portable battery bank, and handy emergency contacts saved in your brain can assist you during urgent situations, saving you time or money in an emergency. For example, spend 5 minutes setting up your phone’s Emergency contacts and Emergency SOS systems (iPhone or Android) for yourself and family members, spend time memorising several essential phone numbers (e.g. close family / nearby friends in your town/city etc) and get on top of keeping your phone battery topped up by having a desk charger, portable battery and car charger.
- Teaching your children how to be found by you so that if they become lost, they should seek out an adult with another child + as an adult, remember:
- Prevention is, of course, the best solution, so make them aware that they should keep with you, dress them uniquely, try and snap a photo if you’re visiting a busy place, and consider a wrist strap or similar with your contact details on.
- Remember, there are better ways of finding them than just shouting their name if they become lost, as nearby people that are desperate to help cannot easily help in the search; instead of just stating their name you should focus on providing details about them. e.g. loudly saying I’m looking for a 4-year-old boy, brown hair, blue eyes, blue t-shirt, black shorts, called Jason, and don’t stop repeating this until you find them. This technique helps all the people around you to look as well without slowing you down; suddenly, you go from 1 or 2 people searching to potentially 2-40+ people, all within a minute or two. Also, heaven forbid someone were to be walking away with your child; this person would likely let go.
- Being aware of common street scams can keep you from being deceived. For example, knowing how to spot a game of 3 card monte on a street, The Distraction scam, The Overpayment scam, Cash Machine Scam or one of over 10 other common UK scams
- Avoiding sketchy areas can help you stay safe and prevent dangerous encounters. For example, avoiding dark alleys, deserted streets or areas with a high crime rate can lower the chances of falling victim to crime. You can check https://www.police.uk for the crime rate if you’re unsure and needing to travel there in the future.
- Seeking assistance when necessary can prevent further complications, remember 99.9% of people on the street are kind, caring and compassionate. For example, if you feel uncomfortable or in danger, don’t hesitate to ask for help from a passerby, store employee etc.
- Keeping copies of important documents on an app like 1Password / Phone etc. can help you in situations where you really need them OR in situations you’re in where you don’t feel comfortable giving over your physical documents or having these documents out in public, for instance, if a form is asking for your passport number, you can simply open your phone and write it out instead of pulling the passport out itself.
What techniques do you think we’ve missed? What do you do? Let us know in the comments
