By Jeff Davidson,

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.

Complex Turns and Twists

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.

How Are You Today

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.

Linger Not

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. It is no time for equivocation.
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Jeff Davidson is “The Work-Life Balance Expert®” and the premier thought leader on work-life balance, effectiveness, integration, shift, blend, and harmony. Jeff speaks to organizations that seek to enhance their overall productivity by improving the effectiveness of their people. He is the author of Breathing Space, Perfect Timing, Simpler Living, Dial it Down, and Everyday Project Management. Visit BreathingSpace.com or call 919-932-1996 for more information on Jeff’s keynote speeches and seminars.