TIPS FOR MANAGING YOUR SAFETY - USE SOME COMMON SENSE

Capt. Balasubramaniam who is an expert on rescue and survival shared this with some attendees in one of his programmes. 

What he emphasized was that we should never put ourselves in a dangerous and vulnerable position and this usually just entails some common sense and alertness most of the time. Of course things do happen no matter how careful you are.

  

At the Car park:

Do not walk towards your car. Walk towards the next car or the car opposite.

Do lock your car immediately you get in and drive off ASAP. Please don’t check your cellphone, your makeup, etc.

At the ATM:

Use your ring finger to key in your pin, as the rest of the fingers will cover the keypad.

Do not count your money at the atm. After all it’s not going to give you what it owes to you.

In a taxi:

Pretend to make a phone call to your friend/husband informing them where you are, what time you are expected, the colour of taxi, taxi no etc. you must of course talk within earshot of the driver.

If you live alone:

Do get some men’s clothing’s and shoes. Hang them out with your own laundry! Leave the men’s shoes outside your house.

Do leave radio/TV on.

Do be suspicious if you receive calls that seem to have got the wrong number.

If you have husbands who travel regularly:

Do drive his car when he is not around as opportunists will notice that his car is dusty and in the same spot for many days.

If you have children tell them:

Never to post photos of your new car on Facebook.

Never to reveal that they are ‘home alone’ or parents are away.

Also, get the telephone number of the police station in your area and list it as the first number in your phone contact list rather than list it under P.

Calling 999 in an emergency will be a futile attempt.

Safety Gadgets:

1.Keeping a loudhailer at home would be more effective than screaming and shouting for help in an emergency.

2.Install sensor lights

3.Pepper spray - they have a shelf life. So you must check the expiry date otherwise it will fail you when you need to use it!

Capt. Bala recommends that pepper sprays must be

a. Water based

b. Must be US made with finger ring on the bottom

c. Must have double casing.

4. Alarm padlocks.

5. Throw some thumbtacks up the opening in the ceiling (what do you call that?) for those who live in link houses.

If you are ever, so unfortunate to have your bag snatched, do not struggle with the assailant. Let go and do not chase after them. Neither should your husband / boyfriend / son.

When you drop your friend/loved ones home, especially those who live in apartments, get them to text you once they are inside the safety of their homes. I think we should drill this in to our sons who drop off their girlfriends.

DO YOU ALWAYS WAKE UP LATE AND YOU LIKE TO RUSH DAILY?

Please make sure you are not adding to this statistic.

1. do not rush from work or to work. Breathe! Start early.
2. put your valuables away, and carry less in your handbag. Get a debit card. Consolidate your banking accounts.
3. forget about all these labelled bags until Malaysia gets peaceful again
4. never talk on your cellphone, and i mean never when driving
5. pay attention to pillion driver that operate in pairs. At traffic lights, keep a distance from the car in front of you. If they attack you, just swerve your car at them. HONK, HONK, HONK Loud…..they could have tailed you..

6. try not to wear too much jewelry, ie. big gold, flashy loopy earrings and long gold chain- you will be asking to be grabbed, and they will smash from the right 

7. avoid big gold bangles and expensive fancy watches
8. keep a pair of sunglasses and wear them when driving, but not at night
9. plan your diary well, smash and grab robbers attack people even when there are two of you in the car.
10. these robbers attack mostly from 7.00 to 10 am and also from 4 to 7.00pm. Peak, rush hours.

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