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Common Sense Tips for Personal Safety (Tip 7 of 16)

February 13th, 2010 | by Mike & Vicki Neiman

In this series of articles over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing some quick tips that can help you and those you love stay safer.

These tips came about after we attended many self defense classes taught by martial artists who trained daily. The techniques they taught were difficult, if not impossible, to execute—or even remember unless practiced consistently.

So, we decided it would be more beneficial to everyone if there were a program that focused on staying safe and avoiding dangerous situations. There had to be a common sense approach to safety. But, we also knew it had to go beyond being confronted or grabbed by an attacker.

These tips are not the only ways to be aware or safe, but they do address many areas. The tips are for children as well as adults—so parents will want to share the information with their children.

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Tip #7: Never carry large sums of money

Right, we should all have this problem. Just remember, twenty bucks may be a large amount to some people and they may not care what they have to do to get it. JJ Bittenbinder, a retired Chicago detective, recommends carrying a money clip or such thing with a few dollars in it. This way, if you are accosted by someone demanding cash, you have an easy way to “throw” the cash away from you. If the attacker really wants your money, he’ll go for the clip allowing you to escape in the opposite direction.

When the casinos opened in Council Bluffs, friends invited us to go see the action. We went to watch the people, not to gamble. On the way in, a man who had just hit it big was carrying this wad of cash in his hands, thumbing through the bills as he walked. Anyone could have followed him out to his car and made plans to take off with the money. We hoped he made it home okay as he was an easy target.

Tags: common sense, personal safety, self defense

About the author: Mike & Vicki Neiman

Masters Vicki and Mike Neiman own and operate South Central Taekwando with locations in Hastings and Grand Island. They have trained more than 165 Black Belts. They have been inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame both individually and as a husband-wife team. In addition to martial arts instruction in a number of disciplines, the Neimans are advocates of healthy lifestyles and essential nutrition.