Some of my closest friends (like my sister, boyfriend and boss) think my way of thinking borders on the bizarre, but it makes me feel better to consider these things as I go about my daily life. Please understand that these tips are not intended to make light of anyone that has been a victim of crime because I really think these things -- all the time.

For convenience, I have separated the Tips out by "Home", "Car" "Work" and "General". Enjoy.

HOME

1. When you're the first to arrive home, do a little tour of the house and see if anything looks out of place. Don't forget to look behind any shower curtains because it's the perfect waiting area for a stranger.



2. If you're washing machine and dryer is in the basement or anywhere other than in your house, always go there in daylight and preferably with a friend. If you find yourself stuck without a friend, call your mom and keep her on the phone until you are safely back in your house. Moms are always understanding about this kind of stuff.



3. Always sleep with a cell phone in your bedroom. If someone disconnects your phone line, your bedroom phone will not work. Please note that if you use your cell phone, the phone company will not have your address automatically pop-up on the screen, like it does on America's Most Wanted, so make sure to start your conversation off with your address.



4. If you will be sleeping home alone for the entire evening, invest about 15 minutes in booby-trapping the house before you go to bed. Here are some good ideas:



1. Put little bells on strings and hang them from doorknobs. I have my bells from when I was a child. My mom used to put them on the door when I was learning to walk to alert her when I was trying to open the door. She was kind enough to return them to me when she realized that I could sleep better at night with them on my bedroom door.



2. Set up the ironing board against the front door or against any windows that are in an area in which someone can crawl through. Don't forget to put a bunch on stuff right on the edge of the ironing board, in case someone just bumps the ironing board. The sound of crashing coffee cups will surely wake you up. Prop up any available chairs under the other windows.



3. Keep some kind of weapon under your bed. We have a gun, but I don't know where the key or the bullets are. Sometimes I place a knife under my side of the bed. If the thoughts of actually stabbing someone creeps me out, I opt to put a heavy bar or bat-type object under the bed. Usually the thought of making any kind of contact with another person makes me nauseous and I recheck all of the booby traps and/or beef them up.



4. Surprisingly, a home alarm system gives me little comfort because I'm sure I once read about an intruder that cut the wires to the alarm system.

CAR

1. This is obvious, but always check your backseat when you get in the car.



2. If you have a sunroof, only use it when you are on the open road. Never open the sunroof if you are driving in an area where you may have to stop. I read about this girl that was shot through her open sunroof while waiting at a stoplight.



3. Never pull up to a store when there is a Brinks armored truck parked outside. I have heard of too many stories in which an innocent bystander got in the line of fire when a Brinks armored truck was being robbed.



4. Never help any man (completely sexist, I know) that claims he needs help with his bags or groceries in a parking lot. Any man that needs that much help can ask another man or should have thought about it before he went to the store. This is exactly how Ted Bundy got some of his victims. He had a cast on his leg or arm and then whacked the girls over the head when they assisted him. Caveat: Unless he is 80+ years old and really needs help. Use your common sense.



5. If possible, don't pull up to a car with super dark windows. If you find yourself next to such a car, keep an eye on the windows (out of the corner of your eye because you don't want to stare) and prepare to flee if the windows unexpectedly go down. But remember that many people have their windows tinted for many reasons like to shield them from the sun, so take this one with a grain of salt.

WORK

1. Always smile and be nice to the creepy guy. He may spare you when he goes on his shooting spree.



2. If you must work on the weekends or after hours when the office is empty, lock your office door and never open it for anybody.



3. When using the restroom, always check the shoes of the person that enters the stall next to you. If they're men's shoes or extremely large women's shoes (he trying to fool you), hurry up and be careful. Also, while peeing you may want to consider looking up every once in a while to ensure that nobody is looking down on you getting ready to strike. When entering the bathroom, open all doors to make sure someone is not lurking because they could be perched on a toilet seat (thinking that you're looking for men's shoes under the door).

GENERAL

1. When you're in a restaurant or bar, always sit facing the door. You can spot potential sketchy people as soon as they enter. Also, "Know you exits" - meaning always looks for your escape routes in case something happens or someone comes in shooting. If you find yourself not facing the front entrance, make sure that you have a trusted friend that will watch your back.



2. Always be wary of people that walk with their hands in their pockets. You never know what are in those pockets so keep an eye on him/her until he/she leaves the premises.



3. When you are in a dressing room or bathroom, check if the mirrors are two-way mirrors. Here is the test: place your fingernail on the mirror. If there is a slight space in between your nail and the reflection, it's fine. If there is no space, it's a two-way mirror and some freak is watching you.

CONCLUSION

Remember, if something doesn't feel "right", chances are that it's not. So arm yourself with knowledge that may save you from danger. I always read those crazy hoax e-mails from "someone" that "knew somebody" that had a freaky encounter. Although I know that they are probably not true, I like to absorb the information just in case...