With only 9 weeks left before Christmas and the sun setting earlier and earlier, us women will find ourselves shopping and in parking lots in the dark. Now is the time to prepare ourselves. Personally, I hate shopping at night. I particularly don't enjoy driving at night anymore. I try to avoid being out after dark particularly alone anymore. However, with the sun setting around 6 now and by Christmas, just before 5, I will find myself alone, in the dark, in a parking lot.
So, here is what I have heard before and this is what I will be telling my teenage girls.
Recent stories have told of bad people (sometimes bad women, not just men) will leave something on your windshield, like a shirt or a piece of paper. You don't see it until you are in your car and getting ready to pull out of the parking space. You stop, open your door, get out to take the item off your windshield and they grab you.
Sometimes you go to your car and a van with dark or even no windows is parked right next to your car. You go to get in your car and they open the door and grab you.
Sometimes they will throw raw eggs at your windshield and then wait for you to stop to wash it off or get the egg off in some way. Using your windshield wipers don't work as it only smears it and makes it worse. Water mixed with raw egg will make it cloudy.
Your best protection is awareness.
1. look around you, not at your phone, keep aware of your surroundings and others around you.
2. keep your keys in your hand.
3. keep your whistle on your keychain and don't be afraid to use it.
4. if the hair on the back of your neck stands up, listen to it and go back in the store, ask the store manager to walk you out to your car.
5. don't ever stop your car to take something off your car. drive to a well lit place with lots of people like a gas station.
6. if you have to stop, lock your doors, use your horn, call 911 for assistance.
7. if you have a key fob on your keychain for your car, keep your finger on the panic button, or the lock/unlock button, or whichever button will make your car look like it is acting funny so others will start to pay attention to it..
8. if you can, don't go out alone.
9. if you find someone grabbing you, scream, make a commotion, try to scratch them and poke their eyes, knee them in the groin.
10. if you are alone, don't be helpful. Don't help someone who asks for help in a parking lot. If they need help, don't get close to them. Go back in the store to ask for help.
Again, your best defense is awareness. Be aware of your surroundings. Park in a well lit area, as close as you can to the store.
Hope these little tips are helpful.
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