Urban Safety, When You Take that Wrong Turn

You take a wrong turn in the city, perhaps missing the desired exit ramp and you end up on a street with which you are totally unfamiliar.

Old, abandoned warehouses and litter abound. People hanging around on corners don't seem to have much to do.

Global Positioning

You consult your GPS as to how to get out of this neighborhood. All indications are that at best it will take a couple minutes, with some complex turns and twists. So, what do you do while you're in your car? 

Keep a safe distance from the car in front of you at stop lights or stop signs. You need to have sufficient room to hit the gas pedal in case you have to vamoose in a hurry. Especially while you're stopped at a red light, stay ever alert. Continually check your rear-view mirror and your side mirrors to ensure that no one is approaching you. 

Carjacking is not uncommon and, even with your windows closed, a crowbar can smash them in seconds. In any case, if someone does approach you, be prepared to speed away.

Welcome to the Hood

If you happen to be on the street, out of your car, at a gas station or retail store, be especially weary. If someone approaches you and, in a reasonably pleasant voice, says something such as, “How are you today?” be prepared to take off in a hurry. 

Suppose it's too late, and the ‘cordial’ greeter is merely a few yards away. In a loud voice yell out, “I have nothing to do with you,” or any other phrase that you think will draw the attention of others and perhaps startle the nearby greeter. If you're a woman, it is okay to scream and shout. 

If you need to stop at a gas station or some retail establishment and people are hanging around, it's best to keep moving. Drive to another location where no one is lingering. In this day and age, nearly everyone is busy. When you see people with nothing to do, the odds are that they want something from you – it could be money or could be worse. 

Generally speaking, people with responsibilities do not gather together in groups outside of retail establishments, alongside walks, or the streets. So, you want to avoid such situations all together. 

Swift Action

The upshot is you need to get back on the route you had originally sought. You don't want to linger in an unfamiliar, strange, or suspicious neighborhood. You will stand out like a sore thumb. The regulars know when someone is lost or disconcerted and the malingerers among them will move into action. 

Sorry if this sounds like it's rather a stringent approach to urban affairs, but this is your safety and your life. There is no time for equivocation.