How Do You Safely Get
From the Mall to Your Car at Night?
Please give me your undivided attention. This is the level
of awareness you need to detect and react to a potential threat. As you get
ready to leave the mall, make sure you have all of your treasures. If you can,
put them in one hand. Now is not the time to get on your cell phone. Wait until
you are locked in your car.
As you emerge from the mall, visually find your car. That’s
it, right under the light. Look at the area. Is there anyone loitering around
the parking lot? Is there anyone around your car? If there is, go back into the
mall and ask security for an escort. You just might do a little more shopping.
If the coast is clear, walk on the opposite side of the
parking row as your car and watch and listen. Is there anyone or anything that
just does not seem right? If there is, go back into the mall and get that
escort. Walking on the opposite side of the parking row does not telegraph
which car you are going toward. This approach also allows you to look under and
around your vehicle as you approach it.
Take out your keys before you leave the mall. Have your car
keys on a ring by themselves. This may seem inconvenient, but if you have to
toss your keys, you have only lost the key to your car instead of the key to
your home. Consider carrying a flashlight. Bad guys hate the light.
If all is well, cross to your car and put your packages in
the trunk and get into the car quickly. Lock the doors and look around the
area. Did you remember to look in the back seat before you got in? Do not roll
down the windows until you are clear of the parking area. Your slow speed makes
you vulnerable.
If you are approached as you head toward your car, go back
into the mall. Do not respond to pan handlers. If you have pepper spray, now is
the time to display it and warn the person. Be prepared to use it if they
threaten you. You do know how to use the spray, don’t you? If you have a Taser®,
get ready to use it. You do know how to use it, don’t you?
These measures may seem extreme, but they quickly become
second nature if practiced. You can make the choice not to become a victim.
Remember: Do not rely on anyone else to keep you from
becoming a victim.