You’re walking home or just walking around, and you start to get a bad feeling about the area. Maybe you think people are following you, or maybe you’re just in unfamiliar territory. What should you do? While it’s ideal to walk with a buddy and to avoid unfamiliar or dangerous places—especially at night—we know that’s not always possible. To help you avoid being a target, we’ve compiled a list of tips that can help you stay safe when you’re afraid of getting jumped.

3

Continually scan your surroundings for danger.

  1. Avoid walking past groups of people at night. If you spot groups of people standing on the street or see someone staring at you, try to choose a different path. If you can’t take a different path home, cross the street or remain alert of whether those people are trying to approach you.[5] [6] As you assess a potentially dangerous situation, practice the OODA Loop, a system of decision-making developed by military strategists. In the OODA loop, you continually observe, orient, decide, and act.[7]
    • Observe your surroundings by listening and watching people around you.
    • Orient yourself by comparing what you see to what you would normally expect from a safe situation.
    • Decide whether the people you see pose a threat to you. Do they seem angry? Are they yelling or staring at you intently?
    • Act by running away or calling for help.
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5

Stay close to the curb.

  1. Avoid walking past bushes, doorways, or alleys. Walking on the sidewalk close to the curb allows you to avoid places where people might be hiding and waiting to ambush you. As you walk around building corners, take wide turns so you have more time to assess who is on the other side.[10]
    • If you can’t stay close to the curb, just make sure to avoid alleys, vacant lots, and wooded areas.[11]
    • If you’re not able to stay on the sidewalk, walk against the flow of car traffic. That way, it’ll be harder for you to be pulled into a car by a thief or kidnapper.
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6

Pretend you know exactly where you’re going.

  1. Don’t ask for directions, and don’t pull out a GPS or map. Attackers and muggers are more likely to prey on you if you seem unsure or lost. To act like you know the neighborhood and have a route home, take turns and cross the street without hesitating. Once you've reached a busy store, restaurant, or a well-lit place, you can ask for directions or use your phone to figure out where you are.[12]
    • On the other hand, if you know your route well and are concerned you’re being followed, pick a zig-zagging or less-intuitive path to get where you want to go. You’ll get the opportunity to lose the person following you and verify that you’re being stalked.[13]
7

Don’t talk to strangers.

  1. Just keep walking. If you’re feeling unsure about someone approaching you, check in with your instincts regarding the situation. If you feel threatened in any way, walk right past the person and don’t break your stride. When you stop, you give a potential muggers or attacker the chance to distract you.[14]
    • Potential attackers might ask for the time or for directions. Once you look down to check your watch or phone, you put yourself into a vulnerable position by taking your eyes off the potential mugger.
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Warnings

  • Resist the urge to fight back in a robbery, or you’ll escalate the situation. Your life is worth more than whatever you’re carrying. Give up your valuables and possessions at a distance from the attacker rather than trying to physically overpower them.[19]
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References

About This Article

Saul Jaeger, MS
Co-authored by:
Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
This article was co-authored by Saul Jaeger, MS and by wikiHow staff writer, Kira Jan. Saul Jaeger is a Police Officer and Captain of the Mountain View, California Police Department (MVPD). Saul has over 17 years of experience as a patrol officer, field training officer, traffic officer, detective, hostage negotiator, and as the traffic unit’s sergeant and Public Information Officer for the MVPD. At the MVPD, in addition to commanding the Field Operations Division, Saul has also led the Communications Center (dispatch) and the Crisis Negotiation Team. He earned an MS in Emergency Services Management from the California State University, Long Beach in 2008 and a BS in Administration of Justice from the University of Phoenix in 2006. He also earned a Corporate Innovation LEAD Certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2018. This article has been viewed 14,984 times.
12 votes - 65%
Co-authors: 5
Updated: June 28, 2021
Views: 14,984
Categories: Personal Safety
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