Sure, it’s a counter,,, as long as you’re not face down and unconscious on the sidewalk from a sucker punch from behind.
Situational awareness is a life-saver. I like to count "targets" as I walk in any city business district - people walking around on the streets while texting or with their iPod earbuds blocking out the sounds around them. They may as well be wearing sandwich-board signs that spell out "Attack Me".