Recently, u/LeGrosParano asked "people who are 'street smart', what is your best street smart tip?" and we decided to round up the most upvoted answers:
1. "Look with your eyes, not your head. Also, pay attention to reflections in windows, gives you a good idea of who/what is behind you without having to turn around."
2. "Don’t break two laws at once. Carrying something you shouldn’t be carrying? Don’t be stupid and jay walk. Something in the car that shouldn’t be there? Don’t run a stop sign."
3. "Trust your gut, but learn to identify why your gut alarm is going off, and adjust for it."
4. "No earphones after dark."
5. "If you’re walking late in a rough area and have to pass someone walking towards you, keep your eyes on their midsection or something like that. That way they know you’re aware of them, but you’re also not looking them in the eye which could easily be perceived as confrontational."
6. "The best way to fight is to run away, or disengage as quickly as possible and then run away."
7. "Ignore anyone who tries to stop you without it looking like an emergency. The fewer strangers you talk to, the less likely you'll fall victim to a scam or mugging. This is especially the case in tourist spots, where randoms would go near you and compliment your shirt, shoes, or coat/jacket. They want your attention because they want to distract you."
8. "Mind your own business. The answer to 'what time you got?' is 'no idea'. Don’t walk by a wall that’s too tall for you to jump. If a car passes and abruptly turns around you need to get out of the area."
9. "Decoy wallet, with a couple fives and some old cards in it. That one goes in your back wallet pocket. Your real wallet goes in the inside of your jacket or something like that."
10. "If someone walks up to you spinning a sob story goes they only need another dollar to make their train/bus fare, walk away."
11. "If a person who is being confrontational looks away and then looks straight back at you, get out. They've considered whether or not to start something and have decided that's where this is going to go."
12. "Put the phone away and watch where you are walking."
13. "Pay attention. You can play games with yourself like, you go into a convenience store, say hi to the cashier, go buy your stuff and... What colour shoes was the cashier wearing? Is the person paying at the counter left or right handed? Train yourself to pay attention to details."
14. "If someone on the street calls out to you, completely ignore them and keep walking. Last thing you want is to be cornered by someone."
15. "Never go to a second location."
16. "You’re never alone. You’re always meeting up with someone at whatever place you’re going to."
17. "Don't roll your car windows down if someone taps on it to get your attention or asks you to roll it down. Unless it's a police officer and you've been pulled over."
18. "My wife taught self defence classes for women. She would tell them to be on alert for the smell of cigarette smoke especially when they don’t see anyone."
19. "Be HYPER AWARE when you're on a train platform. Always know who or what is behind you."
H/T to u/LeGrosParano and AskReddit for having this discussion!
Note: All submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.