Out and about Crowded Places and your safety

Walking safely

From experience, a business person will spend less time on the streets of a foreign city than, say, a tourist. There may have been a time when our ‘typical’ business man first visited a town, which he did the tourist ‘bit’ and saw the sights. Now he will fly in, do his business either in his hotel, his company’s offices or at other locations and travel by his business’s or another company’s vehicles.

The average street criminals are also attracted to the tourist market because he knows they will be carrying cash, cameras and videos, but, what is more important, they will be generically ‘switched off,' relaxed and not on their guard.

Being on foot and vulnerable is different because the body language emitted tells a different tale to the whole range of people who will have it in mind to approach you on the street. These vary from the genuine beggar to the potential guide to the street sales person. They are by far, more cautious in approaching those on business. This is not a function of dress or any other objective aspect that rules a business person out as a potential victim, it is a question of the subjective impression and non-verbal signals.

A business person is invariably on the street with a purpose; that is to get somewhere, whereas, by comparison, the tourist is there to see sights and soak up the atmosphere.

How You Walk

The actual pace of progress as you walk is different should be with speed and direction try not to walk at a slow pace it may make you vulnerable to approaches. You should send out signals that tell others you are aware, confident, in control, know where you are going and will be difficult to take by surprise. Walk aware, briskly and with purpose – don’t display vulnerability.

For example, placing your hands in front of your torso can significantly reduce you being viewed as a potential victim.

Always walk with speed. The most severe type of person to use a distraction method is a deaf person on the run! With someone who’s deaf, it’s impossible to use a question as a deception, and it’s impossible to run alongside while you demand their wallet. The converse then, who is easy to mug becomes easy to approach – someone who has stopped, looking around, apparently lost, holding their purse, or a map or slowly walking in a dream.

Remember, most street crime is opportunistic and for this to happen several factors must be in place. First, you must either be chosen as a target. People who look wealthy or display that wealth on their wrist in the form of a gold watch are a target economically. The final piece of the selection is down to you and how you appear. Look switched off, and you have put the pieces of the picture into place for you to be a victim, you are now also a target ‘opportunistically.' Street criminals, either robbers or sneak thieves, have a process of target selection? It is simple and based on two factors and two alone – commercial potential and opportunity.