Travel and Transportation
AUTOMOBILES
When You Are Riding Alone:
1 Always keep all doors locked from the inside.
2 Keep as many windows as possible rolled all the way up. The window that you have
open for ventilation should be rolled down only a couple of inches.
3 Never drive with the convertible top down if you are out alone at night or have to go
through unfamiliar, potentially dangerous areas.
4 Keep a “weapon” on the seat beside you. A tire iron or a hammer is very good, or
anything heavy, on which you can get a good grip.
OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE: Never accept rides from strangers, and never give rides
to strangers. Even if you are with someone-on foot or in your car-you can never tell what
kind of danger you may be exposing yourself to if you pick up a hitchhiker or “get a lift”
from a stranger. And, unpatriotic as it may sound, this same, important rule must be
applied to men in uniform. Their uniform is no guarantee that they are “good guys.”
When You Have to Stop for a Light or Slow Down:
1 Always leave yourself some maneuvering room-stay at least half a car length behind the
car in front of you.
2 Stay alert; keep your hand touching the horn or horn ring. If there seems to be danger,
lean on the horn, and keep blowing it!
3 Keep your car in “drive” and be alert to give it the gas and go if you must.
Parking:
1 Never, never leave your car with the key in the ignition. (It is incredible how many
people do this!)
2 Don’t leave valuables or seeming valuables (i.e., clothing, cameras, etc.) in view-on
seat, dashboard, or back window ledge. This is an invitation to break into your car.
It takes a little time and trouble, but the safe way to leave things in your car is to lock
them in the trunk. Get into the habit of doing this-even if you are only leaving your
topcoat, or a small suitcase in the car.
3 Never leave valuables in the glove compartment (or in the arm-rest compartment of the
new sport models) .This is the second place thieves look when robbing cars.
4 Don’t “hide” an extra ignition (and/or trunk key) under the front fender (in one of the
little magnetic boxes) .This is a known cache where criminals will surely look.
5 Never leave your car unlocked-even for a minute!
6 Try to park your car in a well-lighted area and as near to your front door as possible.
7 If you want to be “alone” with your favorite person, do so indoors. Parking in lover’s
lanes, secluded beach settings or any isolated, deserted place is inviting trouble.
Hoodlums, and sex criminals frequently lurk in those places.
CAUTION: When you approach your parked car to unlock and enter it, do so quickly and
without delay! Make sure you have the keys ready in your hand ( don’t fumble for them in
purse or pocket). Get in, lock the door, and go.
If You Have Car Trouble on the Road:
1 Try to keep your car going, even if it means harming the motor or ruining a tire to get to
a road or corner with lots of traffic.
2 First, look about carefully, then get out and raise the hood of your car. This is a distress
signal recognized by authorities everywhere.
3 When you get out, do so only for an instant. Tie a handkerchief (or some other white or
light piece of cloth) to the tip of your radio antenna or door handle on the traffic side. Get
back in the car immediately. Make sure all windows are rolled up. Make sure all doors are
locked from the inside. Wait until help comes-and don’t open the doors unless and until
you are sure that the “help” is help and not harm.
4 If you are somewhere away from traffic, keep the motor idling gently, then sound your
horn in the “three dots, three dashes, three dots” signal that is the international distress
call of SOS. Like this:
beep-beep-beep …beeeep-beeeep-beeep …beep-beep-beep
CAUTION: Don’t wear your battery down. Use the horn sparingly and only when it
seems likely that someone will hear you. Use the horn (and the battery) only if you can
keep the motor running to charge the battery. Otherwise, just sit tight! Eventually, help
will come.
WALKING
BEST RULE: Be wise-walk where you are least likely to run into trouble.
1 Avoid walking in dark or deserted places. Keep to well-lighted, settled streets. Don’t
take short cuts through alleys and vacant lots.
2 If you must walk through badly lighted or deserted streets, avoid walking on the
sidewalk completely-instead, walk down the center of the street. (Stay alert for cars.)
3 Develop a sort of “second sight”; be alert constantly and keep your eyes moving-glance
left and right; look over your shoulder occasionally.
4 Don’t daydream or let your thoughts wander. Keep your mind on getting safely to where
you’re going! Anticipate trouble spots, shadowy areas, doorways, billboards, etc.-where a
hoodlum could be lurking.
5 If you do see a suspicious-looking person, or become aware of troublesome men (or
boys) going in your direction or coming up behind you - avoid them! Cross the street.
Change your direction.
If it seems you can’t “shake” them-seek assistance. Go into a store and tell the proprietor
what the trouble is, then wait it out there. Or-pretend you have reached your destination.
Ring a doorbell of any home or apartment along the way. Go in and wait. The potential
trouble makers will usually drift away.
6 Carry a small, bright flashlight. (There are several new, compact, high-intensity lights
on the market. Check your local department, hardware, sports equipment, or housewares
store ) Keep the light handy and use it to illuminate dark spots along the way.
7 A good distress signal is a standard police whistle. These have a special sound all their
own. If you are in trouble, blow the whistle in short, sharp blasts.
Carry your whistle with its chain or lanyard wrapped around your hand (never have it
around your neck!).
If, in spite of everything you do, you are followed or accosted, don’t turn your back! Turn
and face your annoyer. Frequently this direct action, showing courage and
determination, will deter further trouble.
SUBWAYS, BUSES, ELEVATED TRAINS
1 When waiting for transportation, stay close to a well-lighted area. In stations, stay as
near the entrance or change booth as possible. In certain stations (particularly elevated
stations) , where the platform is some distance away, or even up or down stairs, wait near
the booth until you hear the train pulling into the station. Only then should you leave the
safety of your position and run for the train.
2 When trains are not crowded, always stay in the car that has the conductor or motorman,
or choose the car with the most passengers in it. As the car becomes more thinly
occupied, move to a more populated one.
3 On the train or bus, if someone makes trouble for you, move away and try to get to the
conductor or the motorman. Also, if there is a man in uniform aboard, approach him and
tell him that you are being annoyed. (Generally, the presence of a person in uniform of
any kind-Army, Navy, fire department, etc., let alone police-will dissuade your annoyer )
4 Try to avoid being in a “corner”-the last seat, or the inside seat- where you wouldn’t
have the freedom of rapid movement away from anyone who annoyed you.
MOST IMPORTANT! Try to arrange your schedule so that you don’t have to travel
alone. Meet a neighbor downtown and travel home together. Find out in your place of
work if someone there lives near you. And, even if he or she isn’t a friend or in the same
department, become “transportation companions”-stick together, and thus reduce the
hazard of travel.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME WHEN YOU ARE AWAY
1 Make sure that there is no “tip-off” to burglars that you are not at home.
a Make sure to cut off milk and newspaper deliveries.
b Make arrangements with the post office to hold your mail until your return.
c Notify the utility companies of your absence, so that, in an emergency, they can take
special care of your property.
d Have your grounds tended (grass cut, snow shoveled, etc.) just as if you were home.
2 Do not, however, “temporarily disconnect” your telephone. This can be a direct tip that
your home is vacant.
3 Notify the landlord or the building superintendent of your intended absence, and give
him instructions on how to reach you in an emergency.
4 Notify your local police precinct of your absence. (In many areas, arrangements can be
made with the police for a regular check-up, by patrol car or foot patrolman, of
unoccupied dwellings.)
5 Tell a trusted neighbor or relative where you are and how you can be reached. Notify
the authorities (assuming you include them in your list of those informed) that so-and-so
has keys to your home, and give that person written permission to enter the premises, in
an emergency or for check-ups.
6 Buy a simple, inexpensive automatic switch, which is activated by darkness. You can
plug one or two lamps into this device before leaving, and they will be turned on at dusk
and off at dawn.
7 Do not draw all your curtains and blinds-this marks your home as being empty-and
constitutes an invitation to break in.
8 Take the simple precaution of putting your valuables in storage or in safe deposit boxes.
Don’t multiply your loss potential by leaving cash, jewels, furs, etc. about the house.
9 No matter what theft and fire insurance you may ordinarily carry, talk to your agent
about increasing your coverage during your absence.
10 Make a complete inventory of your possessions. This list is some- thing you should
have in any event. Carefully copy down the registration or serial numbers of portable
items of value-radios and televisions, cameras, watches (have a watchmaker do this)-so
that you can give the list to the police should a burglary take place. It will facilitate
tracing of the stolen goods.
11 Before leaving, take a careful tour of your home and grounds. Make believe you are a
criminal-be “devious”-and see what signs of absence he might spot. Then take preventive
action to fool or foil a potential criminal.
HOW TO BE WARY WHILE TRAVELING
When you are traveling, you are in potentially greater danger, because you are in
ever-changing, constantly unfamiliar surroundings.
In addition to being extra alert and paying particular heed to the tips and hints, the simple
rules and precautions given in this book, here are some specifics to make your traveling
safer and more enjoyable.
FIRST RULE: Stick to “legitimate” places. Don’t look for thrills or “hidden pleasures” by
going to the seamy parts of town.
1 Don’t carry large amounts of cash. Also, don’t flash bills, in any amount-nor openly
display any other valuables.
2 Do carry the bulk of your funds in traveler’s checks. They are safe, are spendable
anywhere, and, even if they are lost or stolen, they can (and will) be replaced swiftly, with
no loss to you.
3 Before leaving, make a complete inventory of your purse or wallet. List all the credit
cards and other valuable pieces of paper in it. Know whom to notify, and do so promptly,
in case anything is lost or stolen.
Consider taking out credit card insurance while on the road-ask your insurance agent
about this.
4 In addition to the identification in your purse or wallet, have some sort of permanent
identification on your person at all times. “Dog tags” are one excellent method. For those
with some severe or potentially dangerous medical condition, it is a sound idea,
anywhere, any time, to carry special medical identification. Two national organizations
provide such identification insignia:
Medic-Alert Foundation, Turlock, California
Committee on Emergency Medical Identification,
American Medical Association,
535 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago 10, Illinois
5 Have with you the name and phone number of your family physician-so that he can be
reached in an emergency.
6 Carry a small, personal, family first-aid kit. This should contain standard medical items,
as well as any special drugs, etc., needed to cope with a condition peculiar to a family
member.
7 Make sure all your luggage carries identification-not only on tags on the outside, but on
cards taped to the inside of the lids.
8 Buy, and use, a Travelock-a simple portable lock that can be attached to most doors.
Particularly because you use public accommodations when traveling, you must be
aware that the chances are that there are many keys to your hotel room or motel
quarters. Use your own Travelock to secure the premises you occupy-but remember to
leave the key in the lock on retiring, so that you may open it quickly in case of
emergency.