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Section I:

Highways, the 2-4 second interval

While many drivers understand the general safety benefits of remaining 2-4 seconds behind the vehicle in front of them, (when the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead of you passes a viaduct, road sign, or other landmark, you should be able to count “one-one thousand, two-one thousand, etc. before your front bumper reaches the landmark you chose, thus you will have more time to react if the vehicle ahead has a blowout or makes a sudden stop). This technique also benefits your personal security.

Example: At about 7:00pm on a warm clear evening, a young woman was driving alone in her compact car, in the far right lane of a four lane highway. With no warning, the full sized van ahead of her slammed on its’ brakes. With no time or room to maneuver, the woman stood on her brakes with all her strength, and luckily stopped less than six inches from the vans’ rear bumper. The vans’ driver then drove off to find another victim.

Victim? Yes. This woman had apparently been targeted by criminals who look for drivers that follow too closely. The idea is to maneuver their large vehicle in front of your smaller vehicle, then stop suddenly to cause a rear-end collision. In nearly every state, the victim of this scam will be found at fault, and phony vehicular damage and personal injury claims by the crooks will surely follow. This criminal technique has also been used on city streets and one young man, who was able to avoid hitting the bad guys’ car, still wound up in court defending himself in an accident case when no contact between the two vehicles had occurred! He had apparently stopped to talk with the other driver, and the identifying information he provided was used against him in a fraudulent claim of vehicular damage. Therefore it would be greatly beneficial to keep a 2-4 second interval, and if you come close to rear-ending a vehicle which slammed on its’ rakes for no apparent reason, try to make a note of the vehicles’ description, occupants, location at the time, and the time and date of the incident. You can then pass this information on to the Police Department for further investigation, since this could be evidence of an organized insurance fraud operation.

Highways-Impersonating an Officer

When this book was first published, there had been an increase in the number of reports concerning women who had been assaulted, robbed, or killed by a criminal who was posing as a Police Officer. Authorities have offered tips on how to avoid being the victim of a phony cop. Such as:

1 Instead of pulling over immediately, proceed to a better lit area that has more pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and then pull over.

2 Ask the Officer to call for a marked car with a uniformed Officer before unlocking your door or fully rolling down your window.

3 Have the Officer follow you to the nearest Police Station, where you’d be glad to cooperate with him, or her.

In most cases, the phony cop won’t be wearing a full uniform, and his vehicle won’t be a standard “marked” Police car. The “phony” Officer may drive a dark colored Chrysler, Chevrolet, or Ford with a hand held spotlight and a dashboard mounted revolving beacon light. Update: Aftermarket sirens and and lights similar to those used by Police are easily purchased and installed. Retailers have no problem selling these items to anyone who’s interested, and unless you open the hood and know what to look for, there’s no way to tell that it’s been installed.

In addition to the three precautions previously discussed, I would only add one other: Know your local Police! When you drive past someone who’s been pulled over, (carefully) take a moment to note the color and make of the Police car, the type of license plate it carries, the uniform being worn, or the manner in which the plainclothes Officer is dressed and equipped. If you have any questions about how the Officers in your town or County administer traffic stops, don’t hesitate to call them with specific questions, and be prepared to take notes. Chicago is very proactive in meeting with citizens through beat meetings, and programs such as ”Kids and Cops”.

My Brother, Darryl Wallace, has been an Officer with the Chicago Police Department for 18 years, (Police Explorer Post #9304), and mentors young people age 8-20. Their workshops include self-esteem building, conflict resolution, anti-drug education, teen dating, and field trips to various locations. Knowledge pertaining to all of these subjects should be considered of critical importance to our children as they progress from childhood, through adolescence, and into adulthood.

Highways- Disabled Vehicles

Many stranded motorists accept rides from good samaritans without incident, but is it really worth risking your safety? Instead, remain in your locked vehicle and use your cell phone or a built-in vehicular system such as “On Star” to call for assistance. You may have to wait longer for help to arrive, but you’ll avoid tense moments of riding with a stranger, and then wondering if you’ve made a fatal mistake.

Highways-Hitchhikers

If you care about your safety, remember these two things:

1.) Don’t pick up hitchhikers.

2.) Don’t try hitchiking yourself.

Example: In the Summer of 1979 a 21 year old soldier tried hitchhiking from a Southern Illinois truck stop to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, after his car broke down. The trucker who agreed to give the soldier a ride charged him twenty of his last thirty dollars. The soldier was dropped off at 3:00 a.m. in East St. Louis, Illinois, a town which at that time was infamous for its’ high crime rate. Fortunately, the soldier had been raised in a tough urban environment, had completed Basic Combat Training and had served a 12 month tour in Germany. He was able to convey, via body language and alertness, that anyone who approached him with evil intentions would pay a hell of a price for their efforts. The soldier sent one creepy dude this message after watching this urban predator approach from two blocks away. When the predator was one block away he stopped, took a long, long, look at the soldier, and decided to try for easier prey.

While still maintaining a high level of Security Awareness, I was able to get a taxi to the local bus station without further incident.

Highways-Rest Stops

To avoid being robbed or otherwise victimized at rest stops I recommend that at least one person should stay awake while sitting in the drivers seat while the other passengers sleep or use the restroom facilities. If the area is mostly empty and another vehicle arrives and parks within say 20-30 feet of your car, consider moving your car further away from the new arrival. If it appears that the new arrival seems intent upon moving closer to your vehicle or wants to engage you in conversation, be prepared to either leave the area, or put your foot down with a phrase such as “That’s close enough friend, what can I do for you?” If you feel very strongly that someone in a rest stop just plain gives you the willies, remember what their vehicle looked like, and get its’ license plate number if possible. If you see them again during your trip or need to alert the authorities you’ll be able to provide them with solid information to work with. I do not recommend the use of rest stops, or just stopping by the side of the road to take a nap for persons who are traveling alone. Stopping at a good motel is well worth the added expense in that situation.

City Driving-Entering the Vehicle

Here is one way to be better prepared when entering your vehicle, whether you’re leaving a mall during daytime or leaving home at night to work the midnight shift. As soon as you step outside of the building that you’re departing from, stop and look around. Ideally, you should be parked close enough to the building that you’re leaving, to be able to see your vehicle. I personally tend to park closer to a stores’ exit upon arrival, in order to minimize my exposure to potential threats when leaving the store with a shopping cart or several bags in hand. I always look for persons sitting in a parked vehicle (near the place where I’d parked), for no apparent reason. They could just be waiting for a passenger, or waiting for a potential victim. I tend to give them just enough of my gaze to indicate, “Yes, I see you, and I’m not the least bit worried. “I’m confident and ready”. In a mall, you can ask a Security Officer to escort you to your car, or watch you until you’re safely in your vehicle. When leaving the home of a friend or relative, ask someone to watch while you enter your car. (If you’re carrying a bag or other bulky items, try to carry these things in your “weaker” hand. Find your cars’ door key and carry it in a “ready to use” position in your “stronger” hand. Watch out for persons slowly walking in a direction which will have them cross your path or have them walking directly towards you as you go to your car.

Criminals will often use a tactic whereby one person will walk across your path, or directly towards you, and this person will stop suddenly, and will do or say something to distract you. Then the second crook will pop up behind or along side you with a weapon of some sort, or to administer a choke hold. Once caught in this situation, you only have three choices, either submit, escape, or fight!

One night in the mid 1980’s after leaving my home, I started walking towards the sidewalk in front of my house. I was on my way to a local store or restaurant for something. Just as I reached the sidewalk, I noticed that two men were walking from my left to my right. One was on my side of the street, and the other guy was across the street. Sensing that something wasn’t right about their movement pattern, I stopped suddenly and snapped my fingers, (pretending that I’d just remembered something), and turned around, re-entering my place long before either guy was within 10 yards of my home. I entered my building, left the lights off, and carefully looked out the window to check on them. They slowly walked a few yards past my building, and then met in the middle of the street. It became apparent to me that they had intended to rob someone. The plan was to have one guy approach anyone walking alone on “his” side of the street, and engage that person in conversation as a distraction, or simply announce a robbery. Once that happened, the second guy would quickly cross the street and reinforce the threat, delivering a one-two punch to an unsuspecting victim. Because I noticed something unusual early on, and immediately took myself out of harms way, their plan dissolved before they could spring the trap on me. They had probably been successful using this technique in the past, and had to take a moment to figure out what had gone wrong. Because no actual crime had been attempted, it didn’t make sense to notify the Police just to tell them about something that “almost” happened.

City Driving-General Information

In 1994, the original version of this book stated:

All car doors should remain locked during city driving. Only the drivers’ window may be rolled all the way down, the others should be rolled down no more than 3 inches. “Do not leave wallets, purses, expensive coats or other valuables in plain view!” In the summer of 2011 Chicago experienced a wave of vehicle break-ins in public parking lots along the shore of Lake Michigan. The thieves primarily targeted global positioning devices and any small portable electronic gadgets that had been left in plain view. For the most part, they knew that out-of town visitors tended to visit numerous lakefront attractions, and wouldn’t be aware of the potential danger in leaving these items exposed. The Chicago Police Department did an excellent job of adapting to this situation, and these break-ins were dramatically reduced, if not eliminated altogether. Items of value can be kept in the trunk, glove compartment, console, or cargo area of the vehicle, but should be covered in order to avoid tempting someone who’s looking for an easy opportunity to get something for nothing.

Keep an eye out for erratic drivers, potential car jackers, and other potential security problems. Avoid becoming overly afraid and therefore visibly frightened as you drive through major urban population centers, just remain ready to recognize and act upon the “odd” situations and behavior patterns that could signal immediate trouble. Question “out of gas” persons who ask for cash. If you don’t see their vehicle or their answers don’t add up, it’s probably a scam! Learn to say that you can’t help them, and mean it, in a non-aggressive manner. I once gave a guy a few dollars who approached me with a sob story at a gas station that I went to regularly. A few weeks later I went there again, and he gave me the exact same story. I told him, “Sorry, you told me that happened to you the last time I saw you, can’t help you”. He apparently realized that his bright idea for sympathy cash wasn’t going to work anymore, and I never saw him there again.

A few years later, I noticed that individual guys started hanging out at this gas station late at night, and would approach me with requests for cash. I’d had enough of such nonsense. I decided on a zero tolerance response. The next time someone approached me in this manner I stopped him dead in his tracks while he was 15 feet away from me. I told him “Stay the fuck right there. It’s 3:00 in the morning and I don’t know you. It’s dangerous out here, don’t walk up on a man that you don’t know”. He stopped immediately, realizing the potential danger he faced. He apologized, started his sob story, but realizing that it wouldn’t get him any free money, he gave up. The concept behind this kind of response was that “beggars” who attempt to take unfair advantage of humanities’ inherent tendency towards sympathy for others sometimes underscore their sob story by delivering it in the persons’ “personal space”, the zone that’s within arms reach. I’d decided to permanently take ownership of my personal space, and to firmly establish and defend it when I’m on the street alone at night.

When stopping at intersections, especially at night, it is helpful to stop your vehicle when you are still able to see the rear bumper of the vehicle that’s stopped in front of you. If someone approaches you from the side or attempts to block your vehicle by pulling up to your rear bumper, you still have enough room to maneuver and escape by quickly going around the vehicle in front of you. I’ve noticed over the years that this has become a common practice here in Chicago.

Looking out for “odd” situations also applies here. Example: In June of 1993 at about 6:30 p.m., I was approaching a red light on a two way street with very little traffic. I was the first (and only) car approaching the stop light, and as I slowed down I noticed a man in his 20’s who stood at the curb at my left. (“Lefty” didn’t really seem interested in crossing the street an he wasn’t at a bus stop.) On my right another man in his 20’s stood at the curb, but was closer to the cross street ahead of me. Like clockwork, exactly when my car came to a full stop, the man on my right began to walk towards the passenger side door of my car, and as soon as he’d taken two steps I made eye contact with him, causing him to slow down and angle away from my car. Remembering “Lefty”, I looked left and sure enough, “Lefty” was walking towards me at a slight angle. Eye contact with him caused him to slow down and change his direction of travel. By carefully observing them in this manner, I was able to continue my trip without having to face a close quarters confrontation. When the light turned green, I calmly drove sway. A glance in my rearview mirror showed these two men briefly standing in the middle of the street, before returning to their original positions.

City Driving-Approaching Double-Parked Vehicles

You’re driving along an urban residential street, and a car ahead of you is double parked and there isn’t enough room for you to go around it. In this situation, the driver with Security Awareness would never drive right up to the rear bumper of the double-parked car. Instead, the alert driver would stop and wait anywhere from 30 to 100 feet behind the double-parked car. Again, this is to minimize your exposure to a possible criminal ambush. Additionally, this technique eliminates the potential for problems with the driver of the parked car. I always avoid impatient horn honking, an act which sometimes escalates to yelling, fighting, stabbing, or shooting. Refuse to risk your safety over such a small matter Try to be as patient as possible in emergencies. If the parked vehicles’ driver is present, and you’re taking someone to the hospital or something, stop at a distance and wait about thirty seconds, try your horn and flash your lights briefly. If the parked cars’ driver doesn’t respond in a timely fashion you should be able to carefully back up to the intersection and proceed to your destination.

City Driving-At the Office

Keep convertible tops up, and windows and doors locked. Activate your alarm, even in your buildings’ parking garage. I was once on duty at an office building where a person who drove an all-terrain vehicle with a removable convertible top started to get into this vehicle, and noticed that someone had climbed into the back while he was gone. The driver noticed this before getting into his seat, summoned Security by using one of the many notification “duress” buttons in the area, and we quickly responded in a coordinated search of the entire garage. No one was found lurking about, but our notification and response system was proven to have been an effective deterrent to future incidents of this type.