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Stay Safe on Your Night Out

ConcertYou know how it is…you get all dressed up, put on your dancing shoes, and head out for a night on the town with your friends.  You are aiming to have a great night out, but you might not also be thinking about the safety aspects of it.  Sure, you probably know all about the buddy system, which is just as important for men as it is for women, but other than that, you might not put much thought into staying safe when you’re going out for the night.  Make sure your night doesn’t get ruined, and practice these safety tips whenever you go out!

  • Practice Safe Drinking – Yes, of course we mean don’t drink and drive, but we also mean do not leave your drink unattended EVER.  Don’t even turn your back on your drink for a second.  Predators can slip something into your drink in a matter of seconds without anyone noticing.  Always have your eye on your drink, and never take something that someone gives you that isn’t sealed, and always watch the bartender pour your drink!
  • Always Carry Your Cell Phone – It can be difficult when you’re trying to dance and have fun to make sure your phone is always on you, but carry a small purse (or men, put them in your pockets).  Having your phone on you can be important in any emergency situation, obviously, but also if you get stuck and need a ride.  This will avoid what could end up being a very dangerous walk home or asking a stranger for a ride!
  • Have Money Stashed in More Than One Place – Have some extra cash tucked away in your shoe or zipped away in a pocket somewhere, plus the money that you have in your purse or wallet.  If you misplace your wallet (or it gets stolen), you’ll be grateful for this extra side cash to get home!
  • Only Travel with People You Trust – Make sure you’re with people you know and whom you trust not to put you in a dangerous situation.
  • Don’t Leave with Strangers – You could end up in a very bad and very unsafe situation, and you might not end up knowing where you are.  Don’t take the risk!
  • Don’t Tell People Where You’re Staying – Whether you’re in for the weekend from out of town or live just outside the city, don’t make it known to people where you’re going at the end of the night.  You don’t want to leave yourself open to being followed!
  • Always Have a Plan to Get There and Get Home Safely – Make sure you either have a sober friend Taxidriving home or have a rideshare car lined up!  Don’t wait to figure this out at the end of the night when people have been drinking and spending money.  Plan and budget for it ahead of time, and make sure all your friends head home with you so they don’t get themselves into unsafe situations too!

Following these tips can help you and your friends stay safe at a night out.  Remember, if you see something dangerous happening, call the police or EMS.  Also, look out for yourself.  Sometimes, friends have different plans that might not seem safe.  Try to get them to come with you, but make sure you stay safe yourself overall.  If they’re getting into an unsafe situation, it may be best to call authorities or just head home.

Always remember when setting up rides to follow safe rideshare passenger etiquette to make sure you’re getting in the correct car and stay safe the whole way.  Try not to ride alone (or go anywhere alone at night)!  For more rideshare news and safety tips, visit our website, or follow us on Facebook!

Woman on Phone

How to be Aware in a World of Smartphones

Do you have good situational awareness? Do you know, from one moment to the next, what’s happening around you—and are you responding to keep yourself safer?

Crimes against women are common, and when coupled with the fact that women are more likely to be addicted to their smartphones than men, this makes women far more likely to become victims. When your awareness is on your phone, the world around you takes second priority. You effectively cut off your own ability to avoid—and respond to—potential dangers. Although it might not feel like it, when checking your smartphone, you’re actually as vulnerable to attack as you are when you’re sound asleep.

Even “reduced” smartphone use leaves women vulnerable. Intermittently glancing between your phone and your environment can still leave an opening for a bad guy.  And while women often believe that they’re sending a “don’t bother me” signal while looking at their smartphones, a potential attacker reads the signal as “easy target.”

Staying constantly aware of your situation leaves you free to detect and act, and all of them require keeping your attention off your mobile. After all, awareness and preventative behaviors are 90% of self-defense, according to the National Self-Defense Institute in Florida.

Here are 4 things you can do to keep yourself safe—and they all involve putting down your phone.

Pay Attention. It’s undeniable that your phone diverts your attention. You could easily be taken down while you’reWoman in the City off your guard. When you’re looking at your phone or listening to a speaker, you’re missing subtle cues from others, such as avoiding eye contact, shifty body language, and darting eyes. These tiny signals can alert you to taking evasive action long before anything happens. Once something happens, it’s often too late.

Make Eye Contact. When you’re talking on your phone, your peripheral vision is blocked. You simply can’t see the people around you as well, and you’re unable to make good eye contact because you’re focused on the speaker. The same goes when you’re looking down at your screen.

When you look someone in the eye, you let them know you’re aware of them, where they are, and what they’re doing. You don’t need to challenge anyone by staring them down; holding their eyes for a moment is sufficient. This lets them know you’re aware and wouldn’t be so easy to take off guard.

Keep Your Hands Free.  When you’re holding your phone, you can’t use that hand to ward off an attack. The first instinct is often also to protect the phone. While the phone has value, it’s nothing compared to your own safety. Keep your hands free and be ready to fight back, if necessary.

CitAct Confident. Holding a smartphone instead of engaging in your surroundings screams a message of uncertainty. Potential attackers pick victims based largely on body language, and lack of confidence is the last thing you want to project. Walking and sitting with your shoulders back and face forward sends a message of self-assurance. It tells attackers, “I’ve got places to be and things to do. I know where you are and don’t get in my way.”

Not every situation is what it appears to be, and staying vigilant is the only way to pick up on subtle signals that something is wrong. Before pulling out your phone in any situation, ask yourself this: “Would I feel safe enough to lie down and take a nap here?” If the answer is no, be safe and put your phone away.

At RideShare Advocate Group, we focus on the safety of RideShare passengers, but we think ALL safety matters! Find out more about our services or contact us for safety education, consulting, news, and RideShare safety and legal concerns!