Need Practical Advice - Situational Awareness Parking Lots

[drjoker]

Watch for movement inside vehicles. Sometimes, attackers hide inside a car and jump out. I once saw a guy's head try to duck down behind a seat to better hide as I approached my car parked behind his car. So, I went back inside and called the cops. The police officer came (this was Plano, Dallas cops would probably just laugh and hang up) and as we approached the car in question, the guy gets out of the car and takes off. The guy gets away, but the cops run the plates and the car he was hiding in was stolen.

Especially if you are a woman, be very careful if you see a van with blacked out windows parked next to your car.

[Excaliber]

All good tips. I'll add, be prepared to put your packages down if you are approached in a parking facility. Having your hands full limits your options and increases your response time. Stand hands free, loose and ready to move, give verbal warning. Shopping carts are great for creating barriers between you and a potential attacker. The few seconds an attacker needs to clear a cart will allow you to put distance between you and the threat.

If you're in immediate danger, don't hesitate to free yourself from anything in your hands that won't be needed to manage the situation by throwing it in the face of an adversary or simply letting it drop to the ground. Yes, I know it might break and be messy, but if you're really in danger, that's the least of your worries.

Because it's unexpected, this creates a momentary distraction for an opponent. More importantly, it frees your hands for immediate defensive action in the shortest possible time frame.

[Abraham]

I always park where I can simply drive forward and away - this is another advantage to parking in an open area.

Also, anyone around your vehicle when you return is readily available to be seen.

[Dad24GreatKids]

I dunno with 24 kids the bad guys better watch out






ya, ya I know "to four" but could not help myself.

None of mine are old enough to carry yet. But when they are I'll have a posse!

[Dad24GreatKids]

I am looking for some tips & techniques that will help me be more situationally aware, specifically in parking lots. I find that I am surprised in that environment more often than any other. SUVs can block you from seeing someone. Putting bags into the car can distract you. Tinted windows at night can make it difficult to see people in cars. Thanks in advance for your suggestions & experience.

I usually park away from other vehicles giving me a clear view when returning. This also helps when loading my purchases into the vehicle, I also scan the area until I'm ready to pull away. It's easy to be distracted in a parking lot.....stay alert!!

Thanks for the suggestion. I often do this, but it isn't always an option.

[Dad24GreatKids]

Lock your doors as soon as you get in. A lot of people let their guard down once in the car, they start it fiddle, with the radio, etc. A lot of cars don't lock until it is put in drive. You're an easy target sitting in a car.

This is a habit that I picked up from my wife.

[Dad24GreatKids]

You're learning a new habit and like any good habit you have to work at it while until it becomes second nature. Somehow the bad habits don't require as much work but that's the way it is.

There are two parts to it. The first is knowing what to do and the second is putting it into practice. There are classes and reading that can help with the first, but for the second it's doing the work. One thing that makes it easier to make a new habit is to turn it into a game. Like if you see someone you know before they see you, you get one point.

No issues with doing the work. The knowing is what I am trying to learn.

[Dad24GreatKids]

With 4 kids I would bet you often have at least one with you. Instill good habits now. I don't know their ages, but if they can talk and count and know their colors they can be "extra eyes". Play a game. "how many people/red shirts/hats/etc" between here and the store - between the store and the car." Help them learn to keep their eyes open. Use others oblivion to be a teaching moment with older kids. I don't allow mine to use their phone/games in the parking lots while they are walking. They need to have eyes, hands and wits available when exposed. Not to teach paranoia, just situational awareness.

This paid off on a recent trip with other kids and moms - my teen noticed so many things (not just creepers/potential creepers) but fun sights as well that the others just missed because they were just not aware of their surroundings.

JMPHO - YMMV - use those kids as lookouts, it can be fun and teaches important skills.

Thanks for this. One of the reasons that I am trying to improve my skills in this space is to be able to teach my kids. I have 3 girls and they can be oblivious to the world at times. I am teaching them to shoot, but I know that they need to have the skills to identify potential threats and avoid them.

[SewTexas]

sounds like your kids are young,
and with 4 you probably often have one or two with you

when my 2 were young I would park near the cart return, I would unload the cart, the baby would stay in the cart, as the older one began to walk along side she was taught to keep a hand on the cart, and keep an eye on her baby brother in the cart. After my cart was unloaded, I'd take it to the return, which was often just next to the car, then I'd put the kids in the car. The kids were always in my arms or holding my hands. (my friends with more than 2 taught the older ones to hold on the outside) My eyes were constantly moving.

[Divided Attention]

I cannot take credit, and wish I had known more when my girls were little - My dad played games like that with me all the time, but I had no idea why. But using it to specifically teach situational awareness and at such a young age was taught at a women's class I went to with an instructor that used to to frequent/moderate here - CompVest. I have learned many very useful things from her and her husband!

[howdy]

I know it is hard to believe, but my wife doesn't always do what I tell her. I once had a situation with my wife along and she was clueless that we were in danger. We were in a "stop in rob" and I thought the store was getting ready to be robbed. I tried to gently extricate us from the location and she didn't want to leave. Nothing happened and she thought I was paranoid. We have now worked out a plan and she will follow my instuctions if I preface it with a certain cuss word. I don't usually cuss in front of her (sometimes the Marine comes out) and she knows I'm serious if I use that code word. Sometimes you just can't run. If you have family along, it would be really rude to run off and leave them. You might be forced to fight where you are with what you have available.

[chasfm11]

I also prefer to park away from other cars. And when returning to the car, I cut across isles even if I have to go out and back. That way, I'm going among other cars at the place that I choose, not where it is predictable based on walking a straight line. If I don't like what is happening near my car (another vehicle that I cannot see in has pulled in close), I circle and come in from the passenger aside. And my head is on a swivel, watching for moving cars that could intercept my path. Crossing isles makes that really hard for someone to do. You could easily make a game out of walking across the isle with kids.

Pulling through so that you don't have to back up to get out is a great practice from a car safety perspective. Given the speed at which cars drive through parking lots, it is not always easy to pick up a potential collision before you have start to back out. Pulling straight out eliminates that problem.

Loading multiple bags into the car is done one armload at a time with a quick scan after every one. It takes a little longer but I feel the most vulnerable when I'm simply going from the cart to the trunk multiple times in a row without looking around. The slight pause and head twist between loads makes sure that I'm going going to get surprised. I also thump the lock button as I slide into the seat while pulling the door closed. Then I start the car.

Staring at someone who seems to be watching me has worked well. I continue scanning but go to a condition orange type stare. I've had some that I was concerned about walk off and stop watching me as soon as they see that I'm focused on them. I do make sure that they don't have a buddy behind me. I had two guys try that with me at a truck stop when I was filling up the RV. I'm actually more concerned about gas station lots since I've been accosted multiple times in them and never in a supermarket lot. It is really a lot harder at fuel islands to figure out what is going on around you. There are too many hiding places and several videos in the past year on this forum have pointed out bad things that can happen in those places.

[LAYGO]

One thing I notice seems to be forgotten &/or rarely mentioned: reflections. I tend to use reflections in anything for anything. Once you start doing it, you'll notice you can almost see around corners if you are paying attention. I use reflections of store glass regularly when parking, so I can see how close I am to the parking curb or if my turn signals are working, etc.

Also, another thing is . . . hearing. I get this one from playing video games (CounterStrike) where I can hear people walking/running & "prefire" so their walking into my already being fired bullets. I use this all the time as well in real life. I hear footsteps coming from a corner & pause so there is no impact. I also use it to spook my friend when he comes over. I hear is truck alarm being armed & I try to time him grabbing the door knob so it spooks him or hide around a corner & spook him.

Yet another thing is . . . shadows & movement. I have always reacted to movement & at work, I've asked for a position where I can't see people walking by my desk/cubicle so I won't be distracted. If I see movement in my periphery, I'm always looking. Always.

Like someone said, make it a game & you'll find your self practicing all the time.

[discoqueen]

LAYGO mentioned reflections, so I'll add one more to that. As you are opening your car door, learn to use the reflections in your car window to watch behind you.
As I approach my car, I look past it as well as underneath it, but then as I get closer I start looking inside it and then at the reflections in the windows to be sure no one is coming up behind me.

[LAYGO]

Bottom line, I equate situational awareness to utilizing all your senses at a deeper level than just surface level. You need to utilize everything available as input.