I had intended to write today about No Stress Holiday Travel, but after an experience while traveling in Washington DC and Baltimore last week I changed my mind and thought this topic was more important.
As a former police officer and Director of Victim Services for Indiana, I have trained myself to be smart and almost paranoid when traveling. I also know all too well the reality of becoming a victim. No one is immune from becoming a victim. Many times perpetrators don’t discriminate by location, sex, race or economic status. I don’t believe you can prevent yourself from becoming a victim 100% of the time, but what I do believe is you can do a lot of things to lessen your chances of becoming a victim. I always want to do the smart thing and make choices that are going to keep me safe and alive. I want to make sure you know what to do to prevent yourself from becoming a victim.Last week while traveling I accidently booked the wrong airport, this initial mistake led to a series of mistakes that could have gotten me in serious trouble.
Mistake #1. Instead of having a 20 minute trip from the airport to hotel it ended up being two and a half hours due to the initial mistake of booking the wrong airport.
Mistake #2. I had let my cell phone charge get below 10%. If I needed help I may have not been able to call.
Mistake #3. I was in a shuttle van alone with a man that didn’t speak English, so I couldn’t communicate with him on why we were taking certain routes and getting off of main roads. Because I was in a new area I didn’t know which routes were right and what was wrong.
Mistake #4. I didn’t have a plan if things went south. I was working off the fly to develop a strategy if I got into trouble. Hopefully you will learn from my mistakes.Whether you are travel down the road this holiday season to visit family, shopping at the local mall or getting on a plane to jet across the country, there are some key things you should be aware of to keep you safe.
· Be aware of your surroundings- I know this sounds elementary but the next time you are walking through an airport, parking lot or shopping center, notice how many people are on their cell phones, head down texting and know idea of the people or dangers that could be around the next corner. I have seen people almost get hit by cars because they weren’t paying attention. Distracted people are easy targets. Being aware of your surroundings also should pertain to be noticing where you are parking. Park close to lights, the entrance of a store (especially in the evening) and if using airport parking, get as close to the pick-up hub as possible. You don’t want to have to be walking by yourself in a large parking lot with lots of cars and no one around. Tips: Get off the cell phone. Be focused on where you are going and who is around you. If you are at airport parking or in a parking garage, take a picture of the isle and level. Don’t rely on your memory of where you parked. You don’t want to be walking around a parking garage late at night looking for your car. This is a dangerous situation.
· Be prepared-This can mean a lot of different things and it will depend if you are traveling by car, bus, train or plane. If you are traveling by car, make sure you have a full tank of gas. I know this sounds simple but many people run out of gas on the side of the road and this puts you in danger. Don’t rely on the fact that someone will stop to help. When I was younger my mom ran out of gas on the way home from the airport. She sat in her car for hours, freezing. Not one person stopped. After she had missed her arrival time of being home my dad went searching for her. She was not in good shape and was freezing, hungry and scared. Don’t let this be you. Have a full charge on your cell phone. As mentioned above, my cell phone was dying quickly and if it would have died I would have had no way to call for help. When traveling, try to keep your phone charged for emergencies and not playing games and surfing the web. If you are traveling a long distance by car, have supplies and extra clothes in the car, especially if traveling during the winter. Always know your location. You would be amazed how many people call police for but can’t tell the police their location. If you are walking notice street signs and intersections, if you are driving on the interstate pay attention to your direction (north/south/east/west) and the mile marker.
· Be a planner- Always communicate your plans to friends and family. While I was on the shuttle I texted my coworkers my situation so at least someone knew where I was and when to expect me. Even if I’m traveling to Indianapolis, my husband knows when I leave and I text him when I arrive. If traveling to a new city or country, plan your transportation ahead of time. Research recommended modes of transportation and print out maps. Don’t rely on your GPS or cell phone to be correct or you’ll have connectivity where you are going. I was recently traveling home from a speaking engagement, was relying on my GPS and next thing I knew I was traveling down back roads, late at night, without a clue of where I was. This was not a safe situation for me.
· Be prepared to protect yourself- Whether you are in a parking garage, an airport bathroom or seeing the sites while on vacation, you should always know how you are going to protect and defend yourself if you are approached, grabbed and attacked. I highly recommend taking a self-defense class. By taking a class you will know how to react in a stressful situation, learn a couple of moves that could give you enough time to escape and most importantly it will give you confidence. Perpetrators tend to prey on those that appear weak. You want to exude confidence. If you can’t defend yourself with your hands, think about things you have on your person. The high heel shoes you are wearing or the handbag you are toting could be a weapon and be used to defend yourself. Women often ask me about owning a gun, carrying a knife or pepper spray. These are all personal preferences. I would caution that if you choose one of these weapons that you receive proper training. You never want to have something that the perpetrator can use against you. For instance, I have been sprayed in the face with pepper spray. I’m trained to fight through being sprayed. If you got sprayed with pepper spray or if the wind blew it back in yourself would you still be able to fight?This is list isn’t all inclusive and the information provided is based on my personal experience. We all respond different and you always need do what you feel comfortable with to keep yourself safe.
If you haven’t done so already, I highly recommend reading the book, The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker. The book focuses on how to trust your intuition and survival signals that could save your life. If you have children, I also recommend reading Protecting the Gift, also by Gavin de Becker.
I’d love to hear about your own safety tips. Also, feel free to email me at [email protected] for answers to your most burning travel questions or to suggest a topic for a future blog. Blessings and safe travels! Stephanie
