I disagree with it being difficult to learn.
People just have to apply a little observation.
Take departing a Mall after dark. Most people walk out the doors, start walking trough the parking lot looking at their phone, looking for keys, trying to remember where they parked and trying to weave through the cars.
As they unlock the car door - “out of nowhere” - someone grabs their purse or stuffs them in the car and kidnaps them.
How hard is it to step out the doors, step to the side and do a quick visual scan of the parking lot and note the people in it. This very slight pause also checks to see if anyone comes out behind you. As you start through the parking lot does and individuals start to walk an intercept course to you.
Have the same set of lights been following you since you left the Mall, following you into your subdivision and onto your street?
Most people don’t take the time to learn this stuff because the individual threat level is low - until your number comes up.
So true!
The level of awareness this author is talking about borders on ESP, and that’s what I’m talking about. I was out eating at an establishment on evening & I was the only person out of 70 or 80 folks who seen 2 guys case the place for several minutes before they robbed it. I was not carrying at the time, but I got my friends out the door before the trouble went down.
I grew up in a dangerous, low middle class/poor neighborhood where everyday that you went out the door you were likely to catch a beating, or worse. You learn to read body language real fast in that kind of environment.
It's a good idea to know where the local police stations are. One time a crazed road rage driver followed me (he tried to illegally cut me off but I closed the gap and he got angry at me), and I led him straight to the local police station near my home, parked right in front of the entrance where cops can look out the doors. I got out and motioned him to follow me inside, but he scrammed out of there.