Friday, Jan. 06, 2012
FROM THE SQUARE: One email I'll keep
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By Allen Edmonds, The Democrat Missourian
For me, the spam folder has been the greatest invention since email.
I’ve never once missed the passel of advertisements, chain letters and downright scams that used to clutter my in box, camouflaging the important business of the day.
But a couple of weeks back, forwarded from someone I trust, came a chain letter I found astounding in its relevance. I’m still not completely sure why I took the time to read it through, headlined as it was with “PLEASE DON’T DELETE, THIS MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE.”
My first thought, of course, was the long-lost cousin of the king of Nigeria who chose me out of millions as the beneficiary of his fortune. But this one was practical. It was valuable. And the thoughts contained could actually save a life, especially as the economy continues to worsen and people become more desperate.
Here are 10 tips for protecting yourself in case you are approached, abducted or otherwise made the victim of crime. They’re tips I actually haven’t heard before, and they are valuable insurance. They may not prevent you from being a victim, but as the headline said, they could just save your life.
• The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do.
• If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, do not hand it to him. Toss it away from you. Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet and/or purse. Run like mad in the other direction.
• If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back taillights, stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you, but everyone else will. This has saved lives.
• Women have a tendency to get into the cars after shopping, eating or working and just sit, doing their checkbook or making a list. Don’t do this. The predator may be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in the passenger side, put a gun to your head and tell you where to go. As soon as you get into your car, lock the doors and leave. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head, do not drive off. Instead, gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your air bag will save you. If the predator is in the back seat, they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes, bail out and run. It’s better than having your body found in a remote location.
• In a parking lot or garage, be aware. Look around you. Look into the car, at the passenger side floor and in the back seat. If you are parked next to a large van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the victims are attempting to get into their cars.
• Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back and get a guard or police officer to escort you to your car. It is always better to be safe than sorry, and paranoid than dead.
• Always take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone, and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at night.
• If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, always run, preferably in a zig zag pattern. The predator will only hit you, a running target, four in 100 times, and even then, it most likely will not be a vital organ.
• If you wake up at night to hear all your water taps outside running, do not go out alone to investigate. Predators have been known to turn on the water taps full-blast in order to entice their victims outside in order to attack.
Certainly many of these tips may seem drastic, and they may require a level of suspicion most of us are unaccustomed to having. Some of the actions described may, in fact, seem a bit dangerous themselves.
But facts are facts, and too many times, once a predator has a gun on a victim, the story doesn’t end well. It likely is time for action that might normally be considered risky.
This is one email I’ll keep.
