Sometimes,
Almost always,
your brain can avoid a situation your fists will find hard to crack…
- Drink only from safe looking containers you opened (water bottles, alcohol ) and only if saw the drink being brewed in a safe looking establishment in front of you (coffee, tea, beer).
- Give your details to no one – the taxi driver does not need your life story, your dating status and whether or not you lock your window at night.
- Carry some money in your pockets so you do not take your wallet out at small purchases – Void if you live in the Emirates…
- Carry a RFID resistant wallet and passport cover or at least carry the cards in RFID resistant envelopes.
- Place the minimum amount of personal information on luggage tags and in filling forms online and in hotels.
- Do not post revealing details about yourself and close ones online and limit the spread of personal data as possible.
- Use WIFI and computers that do not belong to you with care to not type account numbers and private information.
- Use a code to lock your mobile device and not your fingerprint and cover your self as you open your device in public or avoid it.
- Avoid as much as possible walking and talking on the phone.
- Avoid standing and looking in one direction all the time. Look around yourself casually as you stand or walk outside and use reflective surfaces to help see around you.
- Make friends slowly – it is not wise to trust too much too fast. Especially when traveling or when coming to a new place.
- Note local customs and adhere to local norms when possible and moral.
- Carry a small first aid kit and learn how to use it. It is time well spent.
- Use a dummy cord when packaging your gear and important items. It is good to go through airport security without loosing gear and deter pick pockets and snatchers on the street.
- Mark all your products when traveling. It is annoying but helps in avoiding misunderstanding and shoddy people with authority.
- Play mental chess with yourself in making the next two moves in your head before you encounter the need to make a pin point decision.
- Check your location fully when you enter and when you leave. Never leave a hotel door or window open and do not leave information and valuables in display.
- Assume people are listening to your conversations. Avoid giving details as addresses, codes and the like with company.
- Carry a cheap pen or something of the like for use as a self defense tool. Keep in mind that a backpack is a shield to some extent.
- Place yourself with your front or side to the opening where you move around with your vision when you have multiple entrances to a location
- Find out ahead of time where the fire escapes and general exits.
- Carry a small flashlight. Darkness is a big factor in finding your way or just finding your keys in the dark parking lot as you listen to the scary music playing in your head…
- Have copies of keys and documents (encrypted Disk on key for example) for use in case of an accident and theft
- Check out the local currency and how to spot fakes. It is even interesting to note the methods organizations use to create a hard to duplicate item.
- Listen to your gut and act when uncomfortable. Getting out of the way of a train, figuratively speaking, is easier than stopping it when it plows you.