Another set of guides and advice you may find useful in your daily city life....
Do feel free to share this to your friends and loved
ones.
1) Get a
pepper spray if possible. A standard one will cost you about RM30+ nowadays.
Get something that can be held comfortably for easy usage. But be reminded,
only use when necessary. This is not to be used against your friendly
neighbourhood colleagues.
2) If
you are in a car park lift alone with another individual, place yourself near
the lift buttons. If you are attacked, press all the buttons, the lift will
stop at all floors and you might even possibly press the alarm button. This
will create some attention and this might save you.
3) Whenever
you are entering a carpark to collect your vehicle, hold the car key. The
reason? Because most of the car remote controls do have a function, which is if
pressed it will trigger the alarm Most of us will use this function to find the
car but actually this is a panic button function. When pressed continuously (if
you are in danger or in need) at least it will draw attention and most probably
the would be attacker will withdraw. But first before you do this, get a
reliable alarm system for your car. No point pressing an alarm controller that
has no battery or broken. If you are alone in a quiet carpark, always try
to walk in a lighted area, look out for blind spots such as curves and behind
big pillars. If there is someone, the ideal place to hide is here. If you feel
something is amiss, get out immediately (or go back to the building or mall )
and seek help. A friendly guy like me would definitely try to help if you
ask nicely.
4) Always
keep your parking ticket with you especially if the carpark uses an autopay
system. Most of us fail to do this. Remember, the attacker is not an
ad-hoc/impromptu based individual as he had done some research and do study
your habits whilst you are in the premise. He will always expect you to come
back to the car to collect the ticket prior to making the payment. When he will
attack you possibly? When you come back to your vehicle after making the
payment. You had made his work easier as you had already validated the ticket
and he knows the passage to go out from the carpark is already 50% green as the
ticket can be used at the exit point. If you had the ticket with you all
the time, this scenario could be avoided at all cost. However, he may still
make his move with or without the abovesaid scenario. If you are attacked
anyway, crumple the ticket. Why? To damage the magnetic strip or the coding
which will halt an easy exit from the carpark. Remember, this is way much
easier for the perpetrator if you are using a Touch n Go or even a season
parking card. As such, keep this cards where other can’t see or locate it
easily. Remember, Canny Ong was attacked whilst retrieving her parking ticket
in this manner at BSC.
5) When
you go to the spot where you parked your car, do not look at the vehicle
directly. “This will make the car blush because you are making an eye contact”.
That was a joke, seriously. The actual reason not to do this is you will give
away your vehicle spot to the perpetrator as he will know where is your vehicle
location and he can easily awaits you at the car. Instead look at a different
direction and make sudden turns whenever you’ve reached your car to create an
element of surprise and will catch them offguard. This suggestion might sounds
absurd but a little bit of creativity will save your life and dignity. One more
thing, once in your car, lock immediately and get out from the carpark as soon
as possible, you can put your lipstick and comb your hair next time as you can’t
possibly get much beautiful anyway.
6) Avoid
confrontation if you are attacked. If the perpetrator wants your valuables,
surrender it. Do not fight unless you are properly trained or you are the elder
sister of Bruce Lee. Sexually motivated attacker will forgo your valuables,
hence is this happen shout, scream, wail, struggle, kick, grab as hard as you
can. Also find a vehicle and get under it as fast as you can, It is very hard
to pull you out from under a vehicles and this will definitely draw attention
of others. As much as you can, try not to be grabbed and loaded inside the
vehicle of the perpetrators as you might not get out alive from this
situations.
7) Some
carparks have installed emergency alert buttons (IOI Mall, Plaza Perangsang,
Pavillion). Try to get a parking spot near this buttons as it might be useful
in case of need. If you feel certain malls or building is unsafe to be
patronized, make your choice of not going there anymore, or if unavoidable,
find a nearby parking area which is deemed safe. Tell your friends and
colleagues also about this.
8) Whilst
driving, if another vehicle banged your car from the back, check your rear view
mirror first. If there are more than one person in the car there is a good
chance that the accident is premeditated. Instead of getting out, keep on
driving to the nearest police station. Unless you are in the middle of a
traffic jam as the accident will be definitely 90% genuine. Of course you can
ignore this advice if you’re a tow truck operator.
9) If
the vehicle keep on chasing you, do not get onto a highway. Reason? You will be
less noticed as most of the vehicles will be speeding anyway on a highway.
Instead, try getting into smaller roads where there are more traffic and
buildings along . You can always drive to a police station, fire station,
hospital, 24 hours clinic or wherever you think it is safer. There are always
some individuals that will go a long way to help others in our country.
10) Teach
your kids not to approach anyone who is stopping by the road and asks for
direction. No person in a sound mind would bother to ask a kid for directions.
11) Tagging
you kids with an info tag will be very helpful. I know the idea sounds a bit
absurd but parents in western countries do this normally. The tag might contain
the parents name, no to contact, address and so on. If your kid are lost
anywhere, this will prove to be very helpful to the person who is trying to
return them back to you.
The above are just some reminders that I can recall. Prevention
is better than cure. Times are bad and criminals are very cold hearted
nowadays. Be safe and sound always,
YOGANANTHA ARUMUGAM
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