Safety Tips 101 – Car Parks Edition
“The night is dark and full of terrors”, goes the saying from George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. Today I had a chilling experience that reminded me how real this quote was and why I needed to stay more alert as I go about my business after the sun sets. I wanted to share this experience with you so you too can be more aware of the dangers we unwittingly put ourselves in.
The dark and quiet alleyway inspires fear and nervousness for a reason.
It was dark by the time the pharmacy was closed up and we had gotten into our respective cars. My car had unfortunately fogged up on the inside due to the cold weather and I was left in the empty parking lot as the others sped off homebound. I was working as a locum pharmacist and today was my first day in an unfamiliar part of town. As I waited for my car to defog I ignorantly went onto my phone to search for nearby restaurants instead of paying attention to my surroundings. As I scrolled through the list on my screen I caught a movement outside my driver’s side window. I looked up to see an old man reaching out to knock on my window. For a split second we looked at each other in surprise. Then the man gestured for me to give him a ride and in return he offered his bus card as payment. I shook my head and refused; luckily he eventually went off. After the incident I took off in my car straight away. As I drove off I kept thinking to myself how stupid I had been and how ugly the events could have turned. I was fortunate in having the habit of locking my car straight after I entered but I neglected the plain and simple fact: I was parked down a dark alleyway tucked away and out of view from the main road.
Tonight’s event was a wake up call and a reminder that I needed to be more aware of my situation and my surroundings. It is important to not put ourselves in unnecessary danger and to learn how to avoid such situations or to protect ourselves in these situations. Below are the tips I have gathered to help you stay safe out there:
Have your keys at the ready. Don’t fumble around for your keys just as you arrive at the car. This gives your attacker the perfect opportunity. Have an organised bag or a designated pocket to make locating your keys easier. Make sure you have the correct key at hand too.
Have your phone in your hand and the emergency number on speed dial.
Be aware of your surroundings as you walk to your car. Keep your senses open. Do not have earphones in or be talking on the phone. Your ears can alert you to what you cannot see in the dark. Check no one is following you. Check under the car before you get to your car and check inside the car before you get in. Make sure there are no vans or “suspicious” cars parked beside you. If there is, get in from the opposite side they are parked at. Also give the tires a quick check. Looking alert can put off attackers.
If you notice or feel something is off, follow your intuition. Go back to where you came from and ask for help directly from the kiosk or the management of the establishment. Helpful strangers may be predators, this includes people dressed up as law enforcement. Double check credentials. Make sure there is someone else at the establishment that knows you are being escorted to your car.
Park in well-lit busy areas. Avoid dark, quiet streets. If you have to park somewhere away from the crowd, use a portable torch or your cellphone’s flashlight when approaching your car. It is even safer to have a portable alarm with you and at the ready.
Lock your car doors as soon as you get in. Get into the habit. Keep them locked while driving. People can run up and open your car door while you are waiting in traffic.
Your car has an alarm system and/or a horn. Use them! Attract attention. Scare off the attacker!
Never let another stranger into the car out of the kindness of your heart. He/she may look harmless but you will never know. Also keep remaining aware of your surroundings while you are interacting with him/her. The person could be distracting you while someone else tampers with or breaks into your car.
Learn how to defog your car quickly and how to reduce or prevent it from fogging up. Keep a towel or cloth in your car if you need to defog immediately and drive off. Consider driving to the main street or a busier road to wait for the car to defog completely. While it is defogging keep aware of your surroundings, do not go on your phone, read or do your make up. Keep your radio or music down.
Beware of funny smells in the car or gas. There have been incidences where attackers have gassed the car in order to knock out the occupant. Roll down the car windows slightly but keep the doors locked. If you feel you are in danger use your alarm or the horn to attract attention immediately.
If your car gets egged do not use your windshield wiper and washer. It will smear the egg instead and make it harder to see. Wait until you are home or at a populated gas station to clean it.
If someone posts a notice onto your car windshield, ignore it until you are home. Your windshield wipers are usually very good at keeping a good grip on the paper. If you think it could be a parking ticket and do not want it flying off, drive off a bit and park somewhere crowded before you get out to retrieve it. Pausing to read the paper creates a window of opportunity for the attacker.
Do not post your location or check in on your apps until you have left the place. Do not allow people to track your movements, making it easier to stalk you and therefore ambush you by your car.
Do not pull over when someone is indicating you have a problem with your car. Stop once you have gotten to a populated and well-lit gas station. You can then look at it yourself or ask an attendant.
Remember to stay alert at all times and never doubt your intuition. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Be smart and stay safe out there.
Comment below if you have other tips to help keep each other safe.
Live. Love. Laugh. Liberate.
– Avis Knows
