How to Be Street Smart

10 Tips That'll Help Keep You Safe When You're Out

By Holly Ashworth
http://teenadvice.about.com/od/entertainment/tp/how_to_be_street_smart.htm
Think you're street smart? ven i! you're a !ri""in' "enius at school# you still mi"ht be clueless when it comes to
"ettin" !rom point A to point B $and then sa!ely navi"atin" around point B when you "et there%.
&on't "et cau"ht in a stran"e place without these basic sa!ety tips. 't mi"ht be the di!!erence between makin" it
home and "ettin" kidnapped by a rovin" band o! "ypsies. $(r# you know# )ust losin" your wallet.%
1. Know Where You're Going
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Be!ore you set out in an un!amiliar area# "o to *oo"le +aps to chart your )ourney and print it out. $They have
directions !or drivin"# walkin"# takin" public transportation , even bikin" in some cities.% '! your phone or car has
*-.# learn how to use it in case you "et lost alon" the way.
2. Know Where Your Stuff s
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/ever leave your purse# backpack or shoppin" ba"s out o! your si"ht. 0arry your wallet in your !ront pocket $not
your back pocket% or in a purse that you keep close to your body. +ake a mental note o! all o! your essentials ,
like your phone and your wallet , and be sure you've "ot them at all times. A !un day out can turn into the worst
headache ever i! you reali1e you've le!t somethin" behind $or worse# i! a pickpocket scoops it up%.
!. "lwa#s $arr# Your %hone
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/ever leave home without your cell phone: it's your li!eline i! you "et lost# and it can connect you with the police
in case o! an emer"ency. '! you don't have a phone# then be sure you're travelin" with someone who does.
&. 'on't Trust ("lmost) "n#one
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2ou don't have to be paranoid o! every stran"er you see# but be aware that there are bad e""s in every city. '! a
!riendly stran"er tries to en"a"e you in a borin" conversation# their partner mi"ht be usin" the moment to steal
your ba". '! someone approaches you with a sob story about how they lost their train ticket# they're almost
de!initely tryin" to scam you out o! your money.
*. %i+, Your Streets Smart
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'! you have the choice between a busy street and a deserted one# always pick the busy one. +u""ers are more
likely to attack on dark# empty sidewalks than on ones with a crowd. -lus# i! somethin" does happen on a busy
street# there are open stores to run into and people who can hear your shouts.
-. Tra.el in %a+,s
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'! you can help it# don't "o anywhere , especially an un!amiliar place , without a a !riend or two. '! you must "o
out alone# be sure to tell someone e3actly where you're "oin" to be.
/. 'on't 0et Your 1usi+ 'rown You Out
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There's nothin" wron" with listenin" to your i-od as you walk around town# but keep it at a low enou"h volume
so you can still hear passin" cars and pedestrians. 4onin" out puts you at risk !or accidents# attacks and plain old
"ettin" lost.
2. gnore "ll the 3er,s
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'! someone catcalls or shouts somethin" at you# )ust keep on walkin". There's no sense in turnin" a stupid
comment into an ar"ument or worse. '! they continue to harrass you# or i! they !ollow you# either walk into a
store and tell someone or take out your phone and call the police.
4. 'on't Be a %hone 5om6ie
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-hone 1ombies are so en"a"ed in their conversations or their super,important te3ts that they don't watch where
they're walkin". /ot only are they easy tar"ets !or pickpockets and mu""ers# they also run the risk o! crashin"
into other phone 1ombies.
10. When in 'ou6t7 8un 9 Shout
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'! you !ollow the tips on this pa"e# it's pretty unlikely that somethin" aw!ul will happen to you out there. But i!
someone does try to attack you# your best option is to "o into !li"ht mode: run away as !ast as you can while
screamin" your head o!!# and look !or open stores or crowds o! people to run into. 2our attacker is way more
likely to "et the heck out o! there than to !ollow you.
1ore ":.i+e on How to Be Street Smart
Tips !or .el! &e!ense
5 Tips !or 6alkin" Alone A!ter &ark
7ui1: Are 2ou .treet .mart?
1ore Tips on Being Street Smart
veryday 'tems That 0an 8eep 2ou .a!e
6hat to &o 6hen 2ou're 9nder Attack
How to 6ard (!! -ickpockets