How Many Practice Situational Awareness

[Doug]

Are you intentional about your situational awareness?

Or, do you trust that you'll "just know" when something bad is about to happen?

Or, do you not worry about it because you think you'll react quickly enough and correctly if you are surprised by something bad happening?


I am intentional. I watch for things that seem out of place and look for unusual patterns. I think in term of Cooper's Color Code.

What do you do?

 

[SERparacord]

I used to practice at 7/11's, but the clerks got nervous.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I find my self in condition white way too much. It's just too easy to get engrossed in going about your business. Normally, when it dawns on me I should be aware, I'm crossing a parking lot or in an unfamiliar environment--new restaurant, office building, etc.

 

[churchmouse]

I used to practice at 7/11's, but the clerks got nervous.

Thats funny. I say this because I took care of all the 7/11's in Indy (now double 8's) for several years. Refrigeration and A/C issues of which they have many at all hours. Pull up in the alley by the Refer shed (said with the straightest face possible) after dark and your Spider sense goes into high alert.

 

[tornrebel]

I practice situational awareness and go through the motions of home protection with my wife if something were to happen. We also discuss situations and go through the plan over and over, which some may think it is crazy, but we would rather it be a comfortable motion instead of a panic reaction.

 

[Stubz]

I find my self in condition white way too much. It's just too easy to get engrossed in going about your business. Normally, when it dawns on me I should be aware, I'm crossing a parking lot or in an unfamiliar environment--new restaurant, office building, etc.

^-- This. Ingress and Egress of a location, I find myself consciously alert more often then once I'm actually there. I find myself more engrossed in the what and why's of being there.

 

[Polished515]

My husband and I are always aware. Anytime we go somewhere with the kids we both have our carry weapons, we always sit facing doors and blocking our kids at all costs. My friends say they always feel protected around us. I will say though that it is hard to explain to people who do not understand that there is a difference between being aware and being paranoid.

 

[SERparacord]

I am always aware, but my shrink says that is PTSD! I didn't listen to him though, after 5 visits with me he gave up his practice and went back to his own shrink.

 

[model60]

S.A. should be a way of life wherever & whenever.

 

[Wysko]

Had bad experiences in the past. On yellow when out of the house.

 

[SERparacord]

Just make sure that when you return home you practice SA too. You might find a surprise in the house.

 

[foszoe]

I believe I am usually in very good SA and I owe it not to training, although I have had some, but to motorcycle riding. Nothing makes your head swivel like riding a bike. I went to a rally in Malibu, CA then left for Seattle with a partner in tow who said my head swiveled more than anybody else he had ever met in traffic or on the curves.

No one is always in high alert status, despite what they think but I think the good ones put themselves in places where they don't have to be ALL the time. What I mean by that is when in a restaurant do you sit in the middle or against a wall where you can see all entrances/exits? The latter eliminates some of the necessity to be in high alert all around and allows you to focus on more strategic points instead of a 360 deg swathe. That means if you do let down your guard some you have prepositioned yourself in a much better spot to recover from your own failings.

 

[Dirty Steve]

All the time. For example, when we go out to eat I find myself checking the entire room out and demanding appropriate seating. I'll turn down a table if I think it leaves my rear exposed. I'll make note of everyone, locate the exits, door to the kitchen and formulate a mental plan for all kinds of "what-if's". Then I'll say "Ok, if such and such happens, I'm flipping the table up for cover and we are making a break for the kitchen door, out the back and re-group at the vehicle. Wife thinks I'm paranoid, but I'd rather be paranoid and prepared than get shot by some jack-wagon while I'm eating dinner.

I do it everywhere we go. Hopefully I never have to implement the plan, but at least I have one.

Dirty Steve

 

[satchmo72]

we always sit facing doors

My wife has just accepted this as normal practice when we go out. She will even pause before she sits down as I take stock of our surroundings.

Protect the fam at all costs.

 

[GONZO!!!]

My friends and co-workers all know that I have to face the door when we eat out...and/or sit facing where I believe a threat may come from.

The other thing that I ALWAYS do is in a public bathroom ...I try to use the stall. My reasoning is simple...standing there with my privates in my hand and peeing, I am very vunerable. A stall means there is only one way in and one way out. It offers "some" control of field o fire....

If I stand at a urinal, I will always use the one on the far end against the wall. Again, this helps to control to sides...the wall in front of me and next to me offer to sides where an attacker cannot get to me...that only leaves two sides of attack. I once saw how two attackers will flank a victim at a middle urinal. One will engage a victim and when the victim turns to face, he is attacked from the rear by the second one.

Also, once standing at the urinal attackers will pass closely by and slam your head forward into the wall causing dizziness or unconsciousness...using a corner urinal minimizes someone from passing behind you.

 

[AndersonIN]

My friends and co-workers all know that I have to face the door when we eat out...and/or sit facing where I believe a threat may come from.
The other thing that I ALWAYS do is in a public bathroom ...I try to use the stall. My reasoning is simple...standing there with my privates in my hand and peeing, I am very vunerable. A stall means there is only one way in and one way out. It offers "some" control of field o fire....

If I stand at a urinal, I will always use the one on the far end against the wall. Again, this helps to control to sides...the wall in front of me and next to me offer to sides where an attacker cannot get to me...that only leaves two sides of attack. I once saw how two attackers will flank a victim at a middle urinal. One will engage a victim and when the victim turns to face, he is attacked from the rear by the second one.

Also, once standing at the urinal attackers will pass closely by and slam your head forward into the wall causing dizziness or unconsciousness...using a corner urinal minimizes someone from passing behind you.

In the stalls keep track of if the doors swing in or out. In stalls the door is very easy to kick in
and hit you or take you by surprise! ............. Also ALWAYS hold/shake 'it' with your weak hand!!!!! Can never be to careful. LOL

 

[Tinner666]

99% aware all the time.

 

[dyerwatcher]

I am to the point of being called paranoid

 

[HoughMade]

...practice situational awareness all the........ what the? &%^$@$#$

- sorry, got distracted. Someone just walked up behind me and scared me half to death.

 

[24Carat]

I climb in and out of an armored truck 5 days a week 10 to 12 hours a day. You tell me.