Is "preparedness" a state of mind?

[HillBill]

Could still be what you saw, I doubt they'd only spent 30 mins of travel on such an exercise. Where were they coming from or going to? We don't know.
What gets me is the way it draws attention to a high security operation. Defies logic. There are so many white vans on the road, another on its own wouldn't garner attention. Escorted with plain clothes cars rather than painted dayglow cars, and nobody would look twice.
Seems rather showy for a high security operation as it alerts every Tom Dick and Harry there is something going on.
It's to show us that they have things under control.... or am I just stupid? C theory coming up!!!!!
I wouldn't worry about it myself, it's a showpiece operation. Fun to watch tho.

They probably did across most constabularies. Cant imagine a training exercise like that would be limited to one area. Not like they're gonna call in Humberside police when they need a short notice escort in Surrey for example.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Maybe all those ufo/drone sightings there last year, were a dry run, and as nothing happened it's the cry wolf scenario.

Trust nothing they say and meanwhile look after you and yours. Live your best life, and be kind to those less able or fortunate than yourself. Live life as you would want to be treated, but still keep your head on a swivel.

Thursday when I was in b&m, there was a foreign looking bloke..you know the sort. He locked onto my eyes and grinned.. I am well over 60, and he was in his twenties. I nodded back, as I don't want to be rude, or interact any more than politely, and went on my way. Started to notice him following me around the ailes. So I stopped at the baby Isle, picked up some wet wipes, he, was there too...Well he's young enough to have kids, but noticed he had no trolly, and didn't pick anything up, then I went to the women's hair and beauty isle, he was there too, looking at nail stuff. He kept looking at me, and was definatly keeping an eye on me.
Hmm, spidy senses picked up even more.
So I moved over to where my friend Ray was and without saying anything about my suspicions, stayed by him, chatting normaly. The chap disappeared at that point after giving me a rather cross glance. I reckon he was after my handbag and /or purse. Which was in my inside coat pocket, along with my phone, so it would have not served him had he been after bag anyway. I just keep tissues, sweets and junk in the hand bag.
He left me alone after that.

Sussed!

Or he is the store detective.

 

[Woody girl]

Or he is the store detective.

So why did he stop following me when I went back to Ray?
Why did he give me an annoyed look and disappear when he realised I wasn't alone?
My trolly was almost empty, and my bag was in the trolly, I didn't have a coat on, just jeans and a wool jumper, no pockets.
The store detectives are easily identified in that shop. I know them by sight.
New one? Why was he not smartly dressed like the others?
Undercover? Then why not keep following me. Why so obvious?
Besides they have cameras everywhere for observation, and get you after you leave the store with unpaid goods. Legally they can't get you before that because you are usualy intending to pay.

You get a sense of things sometimes, He was definatly dodgy. All smiles and nice when he thought I was alone. Glares and disappear when he realises I'm not.
Security don't do that, they keep watching. I didn't give him any clues by openly looking at him, I just used peripheral vision. Covert observation, Something he would have learned to do in security training.... if he was security. Gut feelings I never ignore. Stood me in good stead , and saved my life more than once.

 

[HorseGuy]

So why did he stop following me when I went back to Ray?
Why did he give me an annoyed look and disappear when he realised I wasn't alone?
My trolly was almost empty, and my bag was in the trolly, I didn't have a coat on, just jeans and a wool jumper, no pockets.
The store detectives are easily identified in that shop. I know them by sight.
New one? Why was he not smartly dressed like the others?
Undercover? Then why not keep following me. Why so obvious?
Besides they have cameras everywhere for observation, and get you after you leave the store with unpaid goods. Legally they can't get you before that because you are usualy intending to pay.

You get a sense of things sometimes, He was definatly dodgy. All smiles and nice when he thought I was alone. Glares and disappear when he realises I'm not.
Security don't do that, they keep watching. I didn't give him any clues by openly looking at him, I just used peripheral vision. Covert observation, Something he would have learned to do in security training.... if he was security. Gut feelings I never ignore. Stood me in good stead , and saved my life more than once.

Trust your instincts.

 

[TeeDee]

Or not.

Don't believe everything you think.

Unless you've never ever been wrong in your life.

 

[Tengu]

As I say "Even the Encyclopaedia Britannica is wrong sometimes"

 

[Woody girl]

Or not.

Don't believe everything you think.

Unless you've never ever been wrong in your life.

Better to be safe and act on your gut instincts than ignore them and find yourself in a dodgy situation that could be seriously damaging to oneself.
I could tell you about many occasions where I've felt uneay, and moved away, to be later proved right.
Just a couple of instances.
One of them being the Guilford pub bombing, where I was supposed to meet a friend, but had a strong urge to leave, which I did. The explosion happened just as I reached the hogs back.
Tell me I shouldn't have believed my gut instinct and left.
Another night when I was homeless and sleeping regularly in a particular barn, a thunderstorm started. I felt uneasy and moved several miles in a storm to another barn. That night, the origional barn was hit by lightening right in the corner I'd been sleeping, and burnt down.
Just two of many times .
I listen to my intuition/gut feelings, and act accordingly. Right or wrong it does no harm to move put of a situation you feel uncomfortable in. I don't question it anymore
It's happened far too many times to be chance.

 

[TLM]

WG was a "victim" in his eyes, there is a study done with criminals that found out that they are looking for certain signs on the street for potential victims, if one does not fit into that category they'll let you pass. So do not look like a victim or engage in some defensive actions like WG did.

 

[TLM]

I listen to my intuition/gut feelings, and act accordingly. Right or wrong it does no harm to move put of a situation you feel uncomfortable in. I don't question it anymore

I guess if it works just follow but I can see a very, very fine line with paranoia. Careful out there.

 

[Pattree]

@Woody girl Glad it worked out OK

 

[Woody girl]

I guess if it works just follow but I can see a very, very fine line with paranoia. Careful out there.

It's easy to be cynical if you are a fit man.
I'm a female and a pensioner with limited mobility. I cant run and any physical confrontation with a man nowadays would not go in my favour. (In the past, a different story)
I'm not paranoid, or scared,just very aware, with a decent survival instinct!

 

[Woody girl]

WG was a "victim" in his eyes, there is a study done with criminals that found out that they are looking for certain signs on the street for potential victims, if one does not fit into that category they'll let you pass. So do not look like a victim or engage in some defensive actions like WG did.

Very true, especially nowadays. Women are being assaulted and robbed in many places daily, on a scale that we've never seen before.
I felt relatively safe in the past, even hitch hiking round Europe in my twenties..not without several dodgy moments!, but I've always had a good situational awareness of trouble, and I act on it instinctively, avoiding anywhere that might be problematic, and aware at all other times. I learned!
Any woman on her own nowadays is at risk. Suggesting they are paranoid doesn't do them any favours.
Doesn't mean I have stopped doing things, just that I am wary enough to recognise a potential situation and act accordingly to make sure I don't become a victim if some low life.

 

[TLM]

It's easy to be cynical if you are a fit man.

Hmmm ... relatively fit but over 70 so not really safe either. Definitely cynical, that is my second hidden name. In this case I was just trying to point out that with this kind of instinctive reactions one still has to retain some cold consideration to remain within reality.

 

[Woody girl]

In this case I was just trying to point out that with this kind of instinctive reactions one still has to retain some cold consideration to remain within reality.

I hear you, and agree. But I'd rather be over caution nowadays than blasé about things.

 

[TLM]

But I'd rather be over caution nowadays than blasé about things.

I agree, slightly overly cautious with advancing age tends to look like acquired wisdom.

 

[TeeDee]

I'm not against trusting ones instincts to a point. There is a lot to be said for paying attention to the inner quiet voice that whispers.

This book - Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gift_of_Fear is said to be suggested reading by FBI candidates going through training whilst at Quantico - getting to trust ones more primitive sensors and act accordingly.

So - Nothing wrong with this bit -" I listen to my intuition/gut feelings, and act accordingly. Right or wrong it does no harm to move put of a situation you feel uncomfortable in. I don't question it anymore"


What I'm more cautious of , and dare I say sceptical / critical of is such statements as " Thursday when I was in b&m, there was a foreign looking bloke..you know the sort. He locked onto my eyes and grinned.. I am well over 60, and he was in his twenties."

This reminds me of a certain sketch including an Constable Savage featured in Not the Nine O'clock news and his world view.


"Any woman on her own nowadays is at risk. Suggesting they are paranoid doesn't do them any favours."
Whilst healthy concern for ones safety is good - crime is non-gender specific.
Yes , certain things are reflected in the data but that can be applied to much - it doesn't make it sound logic for gross generalizations.
Maybe we just need a good old fashioned Curfew.

Also whilst paranoia is one thing , also is over reacting in certain situations , and where hearing hoof beats imagining Zebras as opposed to Horses.

 

[Tengu]

Dont forget that people with Autism both give out strange cues and react to normal ones oddly.

 

[TLM]

But do they follow you with a creepy smile on their face?

 

[Chris]

But do they follow you with a creepy smile on their face?

I suspect ‘creepy’ is subjective, so possibly.

 

[TeeDee]

I miss the days when pretty girls used to give me creepy or any other sort of smiles.

Not that those days were many..