SAS Urban Survival Handbook (92 page)

TAXIS

When ordering a taxi, always ask WHEN the taxi will arrive. If necessary, the taxi company will phone you when the vehicle is outside your house. Ask for the driver’s name. NEVER get in a taxi alone if you are not sure it is the one you ordered. All this may sound fairly extreme, but many taxi companies use simple radio systems. It is possible that messages could be intercepted.

REMEMBER

In some cities there are special taxi services for women and children – mostly at night. Most taxi companies will be sympathetic to your concerns if they want your business.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Robbery and assault are common on public transport and are becoming increasingly so. Attack reports confirm that the people who commit these crimes are becoming more and more daring: Most cities have buses, underground trains, overground trains or trams. Despite the difficulty of being unable to get off between stops in some cases, there are some attackers who seem quite prepared to try ANYTHING!

Most attacks occur on routes going away from the city or town centre, particularly in the evening. ‘Steaming’ is a relatively new phenomenon—a gang proceed through an underground train, train or bus and rob everyone along the way. Such gangs are usually armed—often with knives—and as soon as they can, they jump off and ‘disappear’.

Avoiding risks

Travelling late at night after an evening out (when you might be expensively dressed), after working a late shift (when you are probably tired and less alert than usual)—for whatever reason—puts you at risk. Attacks DO occur at peak times, but more commonly in the later evening—especially as transport leaves the main central city area. Alcohol and drunkenness are often contributory factors.

• ◑ If unexpectedly working late, try to arrange a lift with a friend or to travel with another person.
  
• ◑ Sit as near as possible to the driver of trains/buses (NOT upstairs on double-decker buses).
  
• ◑ On trains and underground trains, sit as close to the conductor /guard as possible, when there is one.
  
• ◑ ALWAYS choose a compartment with lots of people in it.
  
• ◑ Be a ‘grey’ person—don’t draw attention to yourself.
  
• ◑ If your compartment empties—move to a busy one.
  
• ◑ Women alone should sit close to other women.
  

  ALARMS
  

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    Look for the emergency alarm. Stay near it.
    
  • ■
    On underground trains, DON’T use the emergency alarm between stations. The train is unlikely to stop in a tunnel, making it impossible to get out, but may stop PARTLY in a tunnel.
    
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    Use the emergency alarm on an overground train in a station, if possible.
    
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    If a bus does not have an alarm button, opening an emergency door usually sounds a buzzer to the driver.
    
• ◑ Use interconnecting carriage doors if necessary to avoid an attack when a train is not at a station.
  
• ◑ Choose the busiest sections of station platforms—try to move around (especially when in underground passages) near a crowd of people.
  

Be ALERT!

• ◑ Avoid eye-to-eye contact with ANY stranger who appears to be ‘looking for trouble’.
  
• ◑ DON’T keep your gaze nervously fixed on the floor. Keep your head up and appear ALERT.
  
• ◑ Pretend to read—but DON’T get engrossed. You MUST be aware at all times.
  
• ◑ If you wear a personal stereo, keep the volume low enough to allow you to hear what is happening around you.
  
• ◑ If you are not sitting down, stand where no one can approach you from behind.
  
• ◑ At a station or stop, scan new passengers as they get on.
  

If you see someone being attacked or threatened on public transport, at least raise the alarm or fetch help if you don’t feel you can intervene. If someone cries for help, you MUST do something.

GUARDIAN ANGELS

The Guardian Angels are a voluntary safety patrol, formed in New York in 1979. By the time a group was formed in London in May 1989, there were groups in 86 cities in the US. The American groups tend to remain fairly detached. In teams, they patrol (mainly) the underground rail network, riding trains – usually one to a compartment – keeping contact with one another to check that all is well. In the UK, they work in much the same way – but prefer to communicate with the public. In their first 18 months in London they handled about 400 incidents.

Although they were met initially with some opposition from the authorities, this relationship has improved with time – now it is understood that the Angels have the interests of the public at heart.

Guardian Angels always wear a red beret and a white T-shirt with a large red logo on the front. Jackets, when worn, are red with a large white logo on the back and a smaller white logo on the chest. To many people who are not used to them, they may at first appear to be intimidating.

HOW THEY HELP

The Angels have a code of conduct, which should be stressed. They NEVER refuse to help and NEVER walk away from a problem. They will stop fights, disperse people and even make ‘arrests’ – calling the police if a serious injury occurs or weapons are involved. They are happy to give directions or first aid. They carry phone numbers of crisis centres, hostels and help groups.

Their policy is to recruit women and men of all races, who are not necessarily big or strong-looking – but possess ‘the Angel spirit’. They are trained in close-quarter combat. They do get hurt – sometimes seriously.

ADVICE FROM THE ANGELS

Most have jobs and work voluntary ‘shifts’. They organize self-defence training and are looking towards community projects—but their main advice is more immediate. It concerns your attitude:

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  Criminals look for weakness. Let your body language say that you are strong. Stand tall. Keep your head up. Stay ALERT.
  
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  Believe you have a right to travel without fear of attack.
  
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  Prepare mentally and physically to fight back. Get angry. Take the initiative. DON’T be weak and let an attacker call the shots.
  

DARE TO CARE

The Guardian Angels can be expected to spread further afield, to other cities in other countries – look for them in Sydney, Paris or Amsterdam. Public opinion regarding the Angels fluctuates – but which is more worrying to you: the existence of a group of people who are trying to help OR the fact that there is a need for such a group? As the Angels say – DARE TO CARE.

WARNING

Sit with both feet on the floor. If a problem begins to develop, STAND UP. It is almost impossible to defend yourself from a sitting position, especially with your legs crossed.

Stations/terminals

All sorts of crimes from opportunistic bag snatching to abduction take place at main city stations and large travel terminals, especially at night.

Most genuine travellers are preoccupied with the difficulties of travelling with luggage, more so when in unfamiliar territory. They may be tired from a long journey, or, as first-time visitors, bewildered by the city.

Unattended luggage is likely to be stolen or removed as a suspected terrorist device. In some countries ‘suspected’ unattended luggage is destroyed!

All sorts of ploys are used to separate people from their bags. Keep your wits about you. Offers of help are
unlikely
to be genuine. Someone may ask you if you are looking for a job, or a bed for the night. USE YOUR COMMON SENSE!

If you have run away from home or have decided to try living in a big city for the first time, be observant and try not to get ‘involved’ with strangers. Above all, DON’T arrive without money or plans for where you will stay or what you will do with your time. There are help and counselling centres. The police will help you locate these.

MUGGING

Muggers may work in many ways. Most prey on victims who are smaller or appear weaker than themselves. A threat is made and money demanded. They may not speak at all—only ‘pounce’ on a victim and take money, jewellery and valuables by force. If faced, however, by muggers with a knife or a gun—give them your valuables. Which is more important—your, possessions or your life?