Okay when you are out and about and enter into a building such as a restaurant, hotel, office building, Grocery store, etc. what do you take note of?  When entering any structure I am constantly visually scanning the entrance and surrounding area for any potential threat.  As soon as I enter I visually check out and look at all people inside and make a split second threat analysis.  I am looking for certain things in those individuals that may raise a red flag.  After checking out everyone in the vicinity I am going to immediately locate the exit/entrance points and determine if they are usable in an emergency situation where I may need to make hasty retreat.  I am also going to be positioning myself so that no one could come up behind me or take me unaware.  Meaning if I cannot have something at my back I will be spot checking/scanning the area all the time.  Anyone that would come into a flanking position will be given serious consideration.  As I conduct business with whomever I am dealing with I will also be utilizing my vision and hearing to keep an alertness to the surrounding area.  I sit in very specific spots in a restaurant that allows freedom of movement and reactionary space if needed.  These spots also usually afford several exit point strategies.  If at anytime I get a gut feeling or intuition that something is wrong I am out of there.  I have left restaurants after all the visual cues when it did not feel right.  If something does not feel right I am out of there or not going inside in the first place.  So I trust my instincts both visually, hearing, intuition and pay attention wherever I go.  I am also during the course of this making threat assessments and planning escape routes.  All of this of course happens in seconds.  Really the more you train this the easier it is to do it.  Fortunately those around me have come to the realization of what I do and now just let me do it and deal with the peculiar way that I operate.  Being aware of your surroundings whether it be a restaurant, building, parking lot, etc. is essential and one of your first line of defenses.  Hone this skill as it could be a life saver!

I Will Not Be Seeing You In Any Dark Alleys!

Copyright Instinctive Response Training LLC 2008

Brian R. VanCise

Note: This Blog is opinion only and Instinctive Response Training LLC nor Brian R. VanCise is responsible for any third party actions taken.

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