Ask Anita

I received an e-mail today that I felt compelled to share with you. It has nothing to do with dating and relationships, but it does have to do with your personal safety. Please read the following carefully; it could save your life some day.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do:
If you need to fight someone off, your elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. Tip from a tourist guide in New Orleans:
If a robber asks for your wallet or purse, DO NOT hand it to him. But DO toss it away from you. Chances are he is more interested in your money than you, so when he goes for it, RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car:
Kick out the back tail lights, stick your arm out the hole, and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Don’t sit in your car:
Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, working, etc., and just sit there (balancing their checkbook, making a list, etc.) DON’T DO THIS! If a predator is watching, this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, and put a gun to your head. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. If someone is already in your car with a gun to your head, do not drive off as requested by your abductor. Repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead, gun the engine and speed into anything you can, wrecking the car. Your air bag will save you. If your abductor is in the back seat, he will get the worst of it. As soon as your car crashes, bail out and run.

5. When getting into your car in a parking lot or parking garage:
a) Be aware. Look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.
b) If you are parked next to a van, enter your car from the other side. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans, while the victims are attempting to get into their cars.
c) Look at the cars parked on either side of your vehicle. If a male is sitting alone in a car next to yours, you may wish to walk back into the mall or wherever you came from and get a security guard or police officer to walk you back out. It is better to be paranoid than dead.

6. Take the elevator:
ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect spot for a crime. This is especially true at NIGHT!

7. He’s got a gun!
If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! It is very difficult to hit a moving target. If you are running, your chances of being shot are 4 in 100. And, even then, it’s unlikely the shooter will hit a vital organ. So, RUN… preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. Think twice before helping a stranger:
Women tend to be sympathetic and helpful. But this is something that could get you raped or killed. Serial killer, Ted Bundy, was a good-looking, well educated man, who played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. The crying baby ploy:
This is likely an urban legend, but still, it makes you stop and think. A woman allegedly heard a crying baby on her porch. It was late, so she didn’t open her door, but called police instead. The police told her “Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.” The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried it would crawl to the street and get run over. Again she was told, “Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.” Apparently, a serial killer was using the recording of a baby’s cry to coax women out of their homes.

Well, there you have it. Hopefully, none of us will ever be in a position to need these tips. But, you never know. It’s ALWAYS better to be safe, than sorry.