If you do feel threatened on public transport it’s important to get to a place of safety immediately.

Get up and move and never show that you are frightened and always project an air of confidence and calm always use and project strong body language as sometimes that alone will be enough.

Change carriages if you are able or go and sit next to the guard if there is one, or if you can sit with a group of people or a family and explain to them that you feel threatened and could you sit with them please or If you feel confident enough get off at the next stop but do try to make sure there are people around.

If you really feel there is no alternative and are feeling frightened and being threatened, don’t be afraid to pull the communication chord and also scream and shout and make as much noise as you possibly can. This should be enough to deter most people as they are purely opportunists and looking for an easy target, don’t be that target.

On buses always sit in an aisle seat if you possibly can, that way you can’t be hemmed against the window.

If you can’t get an aisle seat try to sit behind the driver as all buses now have two way radios and help can be summoned very quickly.

If you should find yourself unavoidably at lonely bus stops or on quiet platforms always sit or stand in a well lit area or as close to a group of people that you can and preferably next to the green intercoms that most stations have nowadays.

Bus stations and bus stops can be confusing and lonely places so always make sure that you know the destination of your bus and always try to get clear directions at the other end if you are going to unfamiliar territory.

If you do need to ask directions at the other end try to ask the driver or ask at a petrol station or shop but never ask a total stranger as they could follow you and take advantage of your disorientation.

This kind of incident has been known to happen.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

If you drive in forwards like most people do you because it’s easier, you immediately make yourself vulnerable by having your back to a potential situation and would be unable to see or deal with it before it was too late.

If you are facing forwards and do see someone coming towards you will have more time to react.

Close and lock your doors and windows if they are open and drive off immediately.

No one is going to stand in front of a moving car and get yourself to a place of safety as soon as you can and remember no matter how insignificant you think the situation it caused you to react so always report incidents like this to the police which again could prevent a further more serious incident in the future.

It’s a given fact that most women will also make out their shopping list or look through their handbags before leaving the car. Now there’s nothing wrong with doing this but If you do it makes sense to take some sensible precautions first.

Make sure that no one is watching you and have your doors locked and windows closed just in case, that way if someone does approach without you noticing, you might be startled but at least your car doors and windows will be locked so they can’t get to you and it will give you time to react, that split second advantage we talked about earlier.

Another thing I’d like to briefly cover while we are talking about driving is the fact that a lot of people drive to their local tube or railway station in the morning and use the station car park.

Remember, in the morning the car park will be light, always try to visualise what the area will look like when you come back later in the dark as it will look very different.

If possible think ahead and try to park underneath a lamp post or as close to the ticket office as you can, better still walk back to your car with a friend or someone you know or tag along with a group of people and act as though you’re part of the group, from a distance no one would be able to tell you’re on your own.

Always have your car keys ready and if possible carry a torch or your personal attack alarm which as we discussed earlier does have a bright torch attachment and if you have followed my earlier advice you will be facing forwards so can drive off easily and effortlessly.

When you are walking towards your vehicle also pay attention to the vehicles immediately in your vicinity.

Maybe there is a van parked next to your car with it’s side doors facing you or perhaps a car with the engine running parked next to your car.

I’m not telling you these things to make you paranoid but to make you more aware so that being aware just becomes part of your everyday behaviour and helps to keep you and your family safe.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

What happens when you panic?

Well chemicals start getting released in your body, cortisol, adrenaline, your heart rate rises, you start breathing more quickly, you can’t seem to think straight!

STOP!

This is the time to have a procedure in place that you can follow that will serve to calm you and will also help you to think clearly.

Acknowledge with a sidelong glance that you know you’re being followed, use strong and positive body language and even if you are not familiar with your surroundings you could always act as though you are.

Cross the road once without rushing but at a good pace, if they continue to follow you it could just be coincidence so continue to stay calm.

Cross a second time still maintaining good body language and still projecting an air of calm and confidence.

If they follow you again it’s fairly certain that you are being followed, but it’s still very important to remain calm and projecting confidence and an air of authority about you at all times and keep thinking things through.

Do not panic.

The thing to do is to get to a place of safety as soon as you can, maybe a garage, a shop or maybe approach a group of people.

If necessary knock on someone’s door and explain to them without be asked to be allowed in, that you are feeling very frightened as you think that you are being followed and ask them to stay with you while you telephone for help and most people will do that as their natural instinct is to help.

What you’ll probably find is as soon as your would be assailant can see that you’re in control and not alone he will more than likely just disappear.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

If they have someone with them, you will at least see them coming towards you and be able to prepare yourself to deal with the situation and calm yourself.

If you feel threatened don’t be afraid to scream and shout as loud as you possibly can!

If you have one, set off your personal attack alarm.

Don’t stand rooted on the spot but run to a place of safety immediately and remember if the car does decide to follow you they will have to turn the car around in the road, again buying you those precious seconds.

In all eventualities they will drive on their way as most assailants are looking for easy opportunities and if you show yourself to be capable and confident you’re not such an easy target.

Even when you’re in a hurry and on your own never be tempted to take a short cut across waste land or even down an alleyway, it’s much better to be slightly late than to never get their at all or to get there in one piece.

Most attacks or incidents take place when individuals are not paying attention or are in unfamiliar territory and look confused.

Always try to project an air of confidence and if you do need directions ask at a shop or garage where there are other people around.

When you are able try to write down as many details as you can possible remember about the car and it’s occupant or occupants.

Make and model of the car, registration number, the colour, were there any distinctive markings on the car, dents etc, did it have any stickers or any bits missing.

What about the occupants, ethnicity, short hair, long hair. The colour of their hair, was it styled or cropped. Any scars or distinctive marks, the clothes they wore any badges perhaps.

Always report an incident like this to the police as this will help them to build a profile of possible related incidents and could prevent a more serious incident occurring in the future.

It could be a member of your family or a friend that it happens to next.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

If you have to use a key, keep it in a safe place away from the door, where you can find it quickly in an emergency – you may need to use the door in the event of fire.

If other people such as previous tenants could still have keys that fit, change the locks and under no circumstances give keys to workmen or tradesmen, as they can easily make copies.

If you wake to hear the sound of an intruder, only you can decide how best to handle the situation.

You may want to lie quietly to avoid attracting attention to yourself, in the hope that they will leave, or you may feel more confident if you switch on the lights and make a lot of noise by moving about.

Even if you’re on your own, call out loudly to an imaginary companion most burglars will flee empty-handed rather than risking a confrontation.

Ring the police as soon as it’s safe for you to do so and remember a simple precaution like a telephone extension in your bedroom will make you feel more secure as it allows you to call the police immediately, without alerting the intruder.

Draw your curtains after dark and if you think there is a prowler outside – dial 999.

Use only your surname and initials in the telephone directory and on the doorplate that way a stranger won’t know if a man or a woman who lives there.

If you see signs of a break-in at your home, like a smashed window or open door, don’t go in. Go to a neighbour and call the police.

If you are selling your home, don’t show people around on your own always ask your estate agent to send a representative with anyone who wants to view your house.

When you answer the phone, simply say ‘hello’, don’t give your number If the caller claims to have a wrong number, ask him or her to repeat the number required, that way you don’t give out your own number.

Never reveal any information about yourself to a stranger and never say you are alone in the house.

If you receive an abusive or threatening phone call, put the receiver down beside the phone, and walk away, come back a few minutes later and replace the receiver; don’t listen to see if the caller is still there.

If they are still there, don’t say anything – an emotional reaction is just what the caller wants.

This allows the caller to say what he or she wants to say, without causing distress to you.

If the calls continue, tell the police and the operator and keep a record of the date, time and content of each phone call this may help the authorities trace the caller

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

Have it on silent if you are in a secluded area and be especially wary when coming out of the underground as this is where most mobiles are stolen from as they tend to “bleep” when you come out and get a signal.

Try not to walk around texting with your head down or crossing a busy road.

If you do need to text, stand with your back against a wall, or at least pay attention to your surroundings without being oblivious to everyone and everything.

It’s when you’re not paying attention that incidents can and do happen.

Emergency uses for your mobile telephone.

The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112.

If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialled even if the keypad is locked.

Try it out.

Have you locked your keys in the car?

Does your car have remote keyless entry?

This may come in handy someday.

Good reason to own a cell phone:

If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their mobile phone from your cell phone.

Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button on your key fob, holding it near the mobile phone on their end.

Your car will unlock.

Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you.

Distance is no object.

You could be hundreds of miles away and if you can reach someone who has the other ‘remote’ for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the boot.)

Did you know that your mobile telephone has Hidden Battery Power?

Imagine your mobile battery is very low.

To activate, press the keys *3370# your mobile will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery.

This reserve will get charged when you charge your mobile next time.

How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?

To check your Mobile phone’s serial number, key in the following digits on your phone:

* # 0 6 #
A 15 digit code will appear on the screen.

This number is unique to your handset.

Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone gets stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code.

They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless.

You probably won’t get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can’t use/sell it either.

If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

I know it’s very difficult and probably a tad inconvenient not to carry everything in one place but it really does make sense to at least try and distribute valuables more evenly about your person.

The amount of workshops that I have given and the regretful comments that people have made because they just didn’t follow this simple rule.

It also never fails to amaze me how many of the ladies I see and meet in beautifully tailored and fitted suits and yet they don’t seem to have a single usable pocket which makes it even more difficult.

Do try to distribute your goods about you, remember, if your handbag gets snatched your entire life is literally in there.

Purse, credit cards, keys to your home, probably mobile telephone, which is then a “double whammy” because you’re now unable to make any calls and chances are you have no change because it’s all in your handbag as well.

Worse still, if you do keep everything in your handbag what’s to stop your assailant rushing straight around to your home because chances are that you’ll have something in there with your address (like a driving licence) and ransacking your home as well, “triple whammy”.

Then perhaps finding your car keys and taking that as well “quadruple whammy”.

Find a way to distribute your belongings it makes sense and finally if you do find yourself confronted and  there is no way out don’t be hero, simply hand over your bag immediately using strong body language and disengage from the situation, brushing forcefully past your assailant if necessary.

Goods can always be replaced, you can’t!

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

An assailant is looking for a “victim” an easy target, someone to be intimidated.

Just ensure that you are not that person.

If you are cornered or threatened use your voice forcefully and don’t be afraid to scream and shout (in fact in my presentations I wholeheartedly endorse the use of “profanity” or swear words) as this will again serve to highlight your situation and again just to illustrate my point, I’d like you to cast your mind back  to a time when you where walking down the street and lo and behold there was a couple of people having a right old barney!

Now you’re not going to tell me that you just walked by and ignored it completely, are you?

Of course not, you might not have stopped but I bet you had a good old look to see what was going on

You didn’t actually do anything but you did have a look, its only human nature to be nosey!

Use that natural nosiness to your own advantage and draw attention to yourself as soon as possible.

If you do get into the unfortunate situation of being accosted accosted and really do feel that your personal safety is being threatened, this is not a time to be shy and retiring.

Everything hinges on you acting instantly and without hesitation, this is your split second advantage so use it.

And I don’t mean just shout as if you were angry and having an argument with someone you know, I’m talking about a full on “bellow” here, straight from the lungs, and ideally if you’re able to – scream and shout directly into their faces as this will also have an incredibly disorientating effect on them and also serve to confuse them momentarily giving you that split second to get to a place of safety!

The senses can’t withstand a full on assault and chances are that they will back off momentarily.

If you’re wrong it doesn’t matter, you can always apologise later (that’s if they haven’t run off in complete fear and confusion first) but if the situation is real it could make all the difference and protect you from real harm.

REMEMBER! I am only advocating buying yourself a split second or at most two to three seconds, but that could be all the time it takes for you to get to a place of safety.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

There’s no point having one if it’s kept at the bottom of your handbag and you have to search to locate it and worse still, don’t know how to operate it effectively.

It’s not going to stop you being attacked but it can help to disorientate or distract your assailant buying you those precious seconds to get to a place of safety.

Once it goes off don’t think that anyone will to help you, most people just don’t do that but the sound of the alarm going off will serve a double purpose.

It will deter or distract your assailant, and it will also generate a terrific noise so that even if no one comes to your aid at least you’ve created a “stage” for yourself and people will look so you won’t feel as alone.

I’m not advocating that you carry it every second of every day but if you are out and about or in unfamiliar territory or even out shopping in a busy area it would make sense to have it to hand.

If you’re carrying a handbag, attach it to your wrist and then to your bag. If you’re not carrying anything, have it in your pocket or if you are feeling particularly vulnerable, carry it in your hand ready to use at a moments notice.

The great thing about modern alarms is not only are they very noisy but they also have a powerful flashlight attachment. This can be used if you are going back to a parked car in the dark.

You could also use to momentarily “blind” your assailant by shining it in their eyes, set off the alarm and screaming as loud as you possible can, run as fast as you possible to a public place or a place of safety.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

Think about it. How many times do you make a judgement on someone you’ve just met, whether it be positive or negative based on the “signal” that they are giving off?

It’s automatic, something you just do without even thinking about it.

People are telling other people more about themselves and the state of mind that they are in than they actually think they are and are doing it all day, everyday.

It’s time to become aware!

Stand straight with your head held high,  not only will this benefit your overall posture but it will enable you to see where you’re going and spot any potential danger signs. This doesn’t mean that you have to be paranoid every time you go out but it does make you aware.

If you constantly walk around in a “slouched” position, head low and generally not paying much attention to your surroundings, what kind of signal do you think you’re sending out?

How many times do you just walk around with your head filled with other things? When you’re in a rush how many times have you taken short cuts that you know you shouldn’t and worse still, justified it to yourself so that you could save yourself two or three minutes.

If you’re walking down the street oblivious to everything apart from your mobile telephone or busy texting as you’re walking along you’re a target.

Try to be aware at all times, stand erect, walk straight, don’t necessarily look people straight in the eyes but let them know that you know that they are there. Try not to take isolated shortcuts no matter how tempting across waste ground, dark alleys or parks and try to stay in public view.

But most of all, Pay attention!

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach