My work schedule allows me to travel late at night. I always travel through car through an unfriendly neighborhood. There were reports of crimes, stealing and murders in the place I travel through. I would travel in groups through my friends at that period of the day and avoid stopping anywhere . It is really a calculated surviving instinct.

What type of precautions would you take by passing through such unfriendly neighborhood at mid night. I would like to know about your preparations for it.

I remember 15 or 20 years ago passing through the most unsavory neighborhoods in Philadelphia very late at night. We were actually stopped by a police man because he wanted to know why we were there. He sent us on our way but told us don't stop at any stop signs or traffic lights unless there is actually a car comming. I thought this was interesting advice comming from a cop!

Keep my doors locked and windows rolled up.

Don't slow down or stop unless you have to.

Keep your cell phone handy.

Keep your purse or bag handy, but any real valuables stashed under the seat.

this is what i was told by a friend of mine who lives in baltimore :

1) keep windows rolled up.
2) never stop but on the stop sign.
3) keep the cell phone ready. ( cell phone is so handy ! )
4) if you are walking , dont turn around when being called out by strangers.
5) if living in bad neighbourhood , keep a baseball bat near the door.
6) never open door without peeping through keyhole first.

one advice i would like to give :
in case you are being mugged ,
just give in whatever the person.
afterall its not worth fighting against a gun for a few dollars..

people would call me a pussy , or some might say that you have stand for your own rights ;
but i feel in that case , live today fight tomorrow. cant go against a crack addict with gun....

what do u guys feel ?

I believe in giving it up. Absolutely. No question about it.

yeah, i agree with zamma,but it's always safe if you have a license for using a gun, it's not necessary to that you should have a big shot gun, even .5mm pistol will do.

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yeah to be on the safer side, It's always advice able not to stop the vehicle at such creepy places , indeed they can keep moving.

ok, I didn't want this to be my first post but I had to comment on mettalicafans advice. First let me say if you're walking at midnight in a bad area, you've already made a few mistakes. If somebody calls to you and you don't turn around and don't answer you've just made a huge mistake. If someone is calling you they are doing one of 3 things; trying to help you out (in this case by not answering you've turned a potential ally into an enemy by disrespect), begging (just turn around and tell them you don't have it), or testing you (by not turning around you've let them know you're a mark and you're scared).

What you have going for you in this area is that they have no idea who you are. if you pass a group of guys look each one in the eye (to find out what their intentions are), look at their hands (to see if they're holding a weapon) then look at the waistband etc to see if they are carrying a weapon. Do all of this very quickly while continuing to move deliberately like you have someplace to go nod at them and keep moving. They will understand that you are not afraid and that you quickly checked them out. Quite a few times I have been approached after this and asked if I am a cop. My response is a very non-commital "why do you think that" after the response I'll just say "Nah" and keep walking. By the time they've debated whether I'm actually a cop or not I'm gone.

Again, try not to be in a bad area after dark. if you are carry yourself in a way the exudes confidence and respect, they mean everything in the hood. If you're checking these guys out as you walk by and somebody says something confrontational i.e. "motherf*#%^r what you lookin at" just look him in the eye and keep it moving. Let him know that you're not looking for a confrontation but you're not scared either. These lessons have got me through ghettos in New Orleans, Baltimore, St Louis and Chicago among other cities. without a scratch.

I totally disagree with this. Todays thugs do not care about human life at all. If you just give in and don't have enough for them they will kill you anyhow. Others will kill you so you can't identify them. Many murders are committed while robbing another.



moonemom is correct in this. Confidence repels muggers and other bad people. Criminals look for easy marks. If they suspect you will fight back at all, they will find an easier mark. The exception to this are the crazies. They will go after anyone, and there was even a story in the news a few years back where a crazy tried to rob a uniformed cop.

Most states have concealed carry laws, and the laws are coming back around where people are allowed to defend themselves. I recommend that every one get a concealed carry permit and carry a gun for self defense.

I also have to go through bad areas of cities for work. Mostly during the day, but occasionally at night. If I don't have business in the bad area, I go around it to get to my destination. If I do have to go into a bad area, my head is on a swivel, and I make sure I know everything that is going on around me. If you are aware, you will normally see trouble coming, and you can get away before it gets there.

Here's a summary of how to handle bad areas/trouble.
1) Avoid bad areas whenever possible.
2) Always be aware of your surroundings.
3) If you see possible trouble coming, remove yourself to a safe place to avoid it.
4) If you cannot avoid trouble, use whatever means necessary to defend yourself, even if it means using deadly force.

Surviving is more than just stocking supplies. It is a mind set that includes self preservation. If it comes down to being between me and some bad guy, I want to be the one who gets to go home at the end of the day.

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. I agree with dclaarjr and with moonemom on this. I grew up in many different enviroments, ranging from the city to the country, have lived all over the country as an adult and have been in a few scary situations where I could have lost my life. I do two things when confronted by situations involving urban jungles. I act a lot tougher than I am and always look my antogonist in the eye. I maintain eye contact and walk as if I am a police officer or just one bad mofo. True, it has not always worked and I have had to run or even fight once or twice but overall I have came out with out any lasting damage. The other key is to stay alert and never panic. I always look about and scan the enviroment, doing so in quick headsweeps. I try not to panic either. Panic is the killer.