Recently, I’ve experienced a few “close calls” when it comes to personal protection while roaming the streets looking for girls. Also, one of our own was jumped and beaten for his cell phone a few days ago, so I thought I’d take a minute to address the issue of safety while sarging.

I’ve been practicing some form of martial arts and self-defense for many years now. I’ve been fortunate to have had some excellent instructors who focus on self defense from an overall perspective, which includes avoiding dangerous situations altogether. I’m not an expert in self-defense (if there is such a thing), but I think I have a good idea of how to mitigate risks while out and about so I thought I’d share some key points to focus on.

Awareness: Generally people know that this is the one of the most important aspects to protecting yourself on the street. We say things like, “be aware of your surroundings”; however, what does that really mean? What are the things that we should be aware of?

  1. Eye contact: While walking the street, it is always a good idea to make eye contact with the people that you pass. You’re basically signalling to them that you see them, are aware and ready. Also, if a group of people begin looking at you in a strange way there is a good chance that they’re gauging how easy of a mark you would be. Look at them straight to show them that you see them coming.

  2. Posture: The correct posture for walking around the street is with your head and eyes up, scanning the environment. KEEP YOUR HANDS OUT OF YOUR POCKETS. When you perceive that there may be a threat, you’ll want to lower your jaw just a little and keep your mouth closed, i.e. teeth together. Also, you definitely want to be aware of where your hands are in relation to the other person/people. Try to keep your hands above the hands of any aggressor. There are ways to do this in a non-threatening manner. This video demonstrates it well. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x86ldz_the-invisible-fence_sport

  3. Groups: When walking from bar to bar at night it is always a good idea to walk in groups rather than alone. A common situation is that you’ll be walking in your group and one person might pull a random passing hottie aside to talk to. The rest of the group should hang back for a minute or two to let it play out. If the player bounces the girl or it goes on for an extended period you may become separated. It’s important that you keep in touch. If you’re the one separating out, let the guys know where you are through groupme, phone or text. The group should also post where they’re going in case the lone wolf loses his prey.

  4. Weapons: I’m not going to make a statement about the morality or legality of carrying a weapon in public. However, it is a reality and you would probably be surprised to know how many people are armed. If you do choose to carry, it is an absolute necessity that you be sober. Also, you must know what you’re doing and how to use the weapon. Take classes and practice with that specific weapon.

  5. Cell Phones and Wallets: While walking the streets, keep your cell phone in your pocket. If you must use it, try to get to a location that’s relatively safe, e.g. inside a doorway, within eye contact of a bouncer or your buddies. Keep scanning the environment for people in the area while you’re using it. When bouncing from club to club, it’s sometimes a good idea to keep your ID in a separate pocket so that you’re not taking out your wallet every time you go to a different club.

Recommended Reading: Principles of Personal Defense by Jeff Cooper. This is an old, short book but it’s one of the best on the topic.

Let’s stay safe out there guys and look out for each other. Don’t be an easy target for the scumbags who are looking for trouble. These people are looking for “low hanging fruit”, as it were. So, if you show them that you’re not going to be easy they will often avoid you.

If anyone has any other insights, feel free to share.