I’m sorry everyone!  I apologize!  Between the Holidays and various other emergencies of both a personal and professional nature, I took some time off from posting on  this blog.  I’m sorry.  And I really missed doing this.  So today I’m gonna try to make up for it a bit.

You remember my rant about headphones?  Well, David Rosenbaum, a New York Times reporter was killed when he went for a walk at night wearing them.  Apparently he didn’t hear his attacker coming up behind him.  Worse still, the cops and emergency people who found him didn’t know who he was and misdiagnosed him.  [The attacker took his wallet but left the headset & his watch & ring.]  Maybe if he had taken his cell phone and it had the “I C E” on it that I’ve been advocating they could have figured it out sooner.

None of this is intended to excuse either the attacker(s) or the incompetence of the rescuers, but it *is* intended to point out that, even in very safe neighborhoods, bad things and happen and mistakes and screwups can make bad things worse.  My heart goes out to Mr. Rosenbaum’s family and friends.  Maybe we can learn a little from all this.

Many years ago I learned this one the hard way.  As you walk down the street, get into an elevator, get on the subway or a bus, don’t walk between a group.  This means you actually have to keep your eyes open and your brain switched on.  Are those 3 or 4 people standing or walking towards you a group?  Or, are they just people who don’t know each other?  How do they interact with each other?  Are they talking together?  What’s their body language?  If you aren’t sure, assume they are a group.

Why not walk between a group?  Because you don’t know what their dynamic is.  They could be predators and you just walked in where you can be attacked from all sides.  They could be arguing and you could get caught in the middle.  God knows, innocent bystanders get shot all the time when arguments flare up–just read the Washington Post.

So if you see a group, don’t walk through it–walk around, even if it means walking into the street.

If you work in public space or are walking down the street your most vulnerable side is your back.   If you were in the center of a clock, straight ahead would be “12”, your right side would be “3”, your left side would be “9” and behind you would be “6”.   “6” is the only direction you cannot see.  Your other senses work best from “8” to “4”.  The “5”, “6”  and “7” directions are your most vulnerable.  So, knowing that, you should pay the most attention to threats coming at your from those directions.

How?  Well, dont’ sit with your back to the door.  Sit facing the door or with face the door at an angle, or with 1 side towards the door.  When you are walking down the street, be aware of the “5”, “6” and “7” directions.  When you walk past a dark alley, listen for things approaching you.  When you are in a parking lot, listen for footsteps.

A long-time friend of mine was badly injured when he forgot these things several years ago.  He was walking down the street and walked past some kids about 13 years old playing baseball.  Suddenly he was hit from behind by a bat and they took his wallet, his watch and everything.  He was in the hospital for a long time and when he got out he told me that he had heard the footsteps running up behind him but didn’t worry because “they were just kids”.  Pfui!  Be aware, be alert, and be prepared.  If you are not sure what you are hearing–check.  If my friend had checked and looked, he might have been able to get a hand up and protect his head.  He still would have been mugged, but he wouldn’t have been hurt so bad.

I hate IPods!  They are small, convenient, give good sound, hold lots of music, and are very affordable.  So why do I hate them?  Because when you put both ear pieces in your ears they block out the entire world.  Completely!  So you never know what is going on around you.  You could walk into a turning car, blunder into a dog fight, or almost anything.

So if you must use them, leave 1 ear uncovered so you can hear what is going on around you, what is coming up behind you, what you need to know to avoid dangers.