Comments by "Kimberly C" (@kimberlyc84) on "20 Safety tips for solo females doing van life in 2024" video.
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One of the things to keep foremost in our mind is that we are given intuition for a reason. Some have a more developed sense than others, but it's there. Trust it.
We always hear of flight, fight, or freeze.. I'd encourage every one of us to ditch that "freeze" mentality.
Practice your game face in front of your mirror.
With the advent of YouTube, we can all Look up a few simple yet effective moves and learn the most vulnerable spots to get us away to safety:
Eyes/poke, chin/sharp shove, ears (anyone ever had their ears pulled/boxed for wriggling around in church?), throat (a good throat punch will release at least one of his hands), instep/STOMP on it! Hands/pull them backward as hard as possible then RUN!
And of course the ever unpopular & proverbial painful: the groin...Just think "ROCKETTE" and let that foot do the job! You'll wonder how they've made it without your high steps!
This is not the time to threaten: if you've got it, use it. Don't say what you've got (I've got a 'weapon' & I'm not afraid to use it.) I give you permission, just USE it!!
We're not necessarily wanting to engage but distract to buy us time to get away.
If you're using a public shower, be aware of your items. If you can put things in a locker, even better.
~Best to all
🚗☁️
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Before my daughter left for college, I found & signed us up for a self-defense class that was facilitated by a female police officer (she was also a black belt). It was an hour long class held at a church one afternoon.
She gave some great tips, and moves for everyone from the youngest most agile to older people that might have mobility challenges.
It was really a good class. Although I can't remember everything, there are some definite moves and strategies that stuck with me.
I would suggest Googling something like "free self defense class near" whatever zip codes you're near.
Know how to change your tire. (I didn't say you'd always HAVE to do it, but know HOW to do it.
Learn basic parts under the hood (like the difference between the oil dipstick and the trani dipstick (if you even have one FYI: sealed tranis have a plug instead of a dipstick) so no one can throw out random "car jargon" and start "taking charge."
I have had a 16" breaker bar sheath (a hollow metal pipe that can be used to leverage over lug wrench when the blasted lug nuts are torqued too tight🙄.
My dad gave it to me when I got my license in '86. It fits right in my drivers side slot between the door jamb and the seat. Hasn't slipped in any of my cars and I've only used it once...but Im not afraid to use it again.
I also keep "reinforcement" sharpened and easily accessible. My key ring has pepper spray on it (just be mindful if you are going into a courthouse to leave it. (our tax office is in the same building so I know to leave it behind or the deputies won't let me in through the scanners)
I keep a tazer in my car right in front of my gear shift cubby. I got a combo at Academy Sports.
I researched reviews and both come in the same packaging for about $25 total.
My pepper spray is aqua and my tazer is hot pink and charges via usb.
I test it every month (not on living things, but to at least see the spark).
My best friend is an IT tech and he says that for charging phones, if you're going to use a port at a rest stop or waiting for tire/repair where it offers the plug.or a port, plug in a wall adapter, use the wall adapter with your plug. It creates a "break" in the direct access to your phone. It doesn't always happen, but if you use the direct port it opens a vulnerability to your information on your phone. If you ever have to be out of your vehicle and in a hotel for some reason, where they have the USB ports on the nightstand, use your plug/adapter. Hotels are PRIME for data breaches. And by now we've all gotten at least one letter from some place we went to EONS ago stating that our information had been breached...gee, thanks for letting me know...decades later 🤦♀️
If I'm walking out of a store first and there's a 'viber' (someone who makes my conscience think twice, even for a split second TRUST YOUR INTUITION!) and especially if they are double timing your steps, I'll either step to the left/right, whichever has more room, immediately and let them pass me by and not think anything of it or I will turn around immediately and go right back into the store. I'll step over to the side and watch where they go.
I also get my $$ and grocery bags situated BEFORE leaving the store. Especially if I'm coming from a store like Aldi's (or I guess Sam'sCostco type places, too. Places where it's not unusual to not have grocery bags.)
Aldi doesn't provide grocery bags unless you buy them. I can't tell you how many times I see women who will have their baby in the shopping cart, and then they have a cart full of disorganized groceries, they get to their car, put up their back hatch to start loading and rearranging.
You can get empty boxes of all sizes for free that they have for the customers and you can situate all of your items BEFORE you leave the store. That way you can just put it right into your car or your van, return your cart, then put the baby in the car and leave.
I've seen cars that just drive through grocery parking lots and I get the distinct feeling they're there shopping for victims.
Before you head out of the grocery store, step to the side and look out. Look to your left and your right to see what you might be dealing with as well. Have your keys out even if your car has a passive entry (where you just touch the handle to open.). I'd rather be able to set off the alarm than be shoved into my car.
If I think of other things I've developed a habit of & that I've learned, I'll post again.
~Safe wishes for all of us
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