[seperalem]

Here in the Ohio suburbs, we don't have to really worry about getting assaulted by a guy with a knife...

But those of you who live in places which you may have to worry about something like that...how do you go about preparing yourself when you walk out the door? Do you carry mace or some sort of collapsable club or just good running shoes? The very best thing to do is to NOT move around like a victim. The best self-defense technique that any martial arts school teaches is actually awareness. If you are constantly aware of everything going on around you, you won't find yourself in a position to be victimized. Attacks generally happen where others cannot see so, being aware of that, you avoid possible places of attack. Attacks generally happen when they can be launched unexpectedly. If no one can approach you unexpectedly, you have drastically cut down your chances of being attacked. The majority of the U.S. population walks around engrossed in their own world, and completely unaware of what's going on around them. These people are victims, just waiting to stumble into the proper time and place to be victimized. If you conciously work to avoid that proper time and place, your chances of being a victim drop to practically nothing.

Just my observations and opinions based upon my early life. I'm sure other's will vary.