Han shot first.
Posted on 12/24/2015 10:22:01 AM PST by Baynative
There's a scene at the beginning of The Bourne Identity where the film's protagonist is sitting in a diner, trying to figure out who he is and why he has a bunch of passports and a gun stashed in a safety deposit box. Bourne also notices that he, well, notices things that other people don't.
~snip~
...situational awareness is simply knowing what's going on around you. It sounds easy in principle, but in reality requires much practice. And while it is taught to soldiers, law enforcement officers, and yes, government-trained assassins, it's an important skill for civilians to learn as well. In a dangerous situation, being aware of a threat even seconds before everyone else can keep you and your loved ones safe.
(Excerpt) Read more at artofmanliness.com ...
One caveat to the Gunfighters seat. Make sure you have a clear path to an alternate exit. You don’t want to end up cornered. Always scope out two paths of retreat.
I don’t want the situational awareness of Bourne. I don’t have that many people trying to kill me, that level of situational awareness would just make me pay attention to the fact that everybody around me is boring and doing boring things. Which is what I do, and don’t need that level of awareness.
Han shot first.
Whenever I go to a hotel, I always know where the stairwells are. I sometimes even count the doors to them from mine. When on a plane, I know where the exits are, how many seats are between me and the exit, and what kind of people are in those seats.
My wife is puzzled by it because that kind of thing is so far from her mind, but I developed the habit of that when I was in the Navy serving on a ship. I think I had a fear of being trapped in an emergency, so I always had an idea where the nearest hatches and exit routes were, in addition to damage control lockers, firefighting gear, etc.
I don’t worry about it, but...I do know. LOL, I also carry a flashlight with me at all times when traveling too...I guess that is kind of anal-retentive.
I’ve always been this way, there are reasons for that.
It is sometimes frustrating when my companions aren’t, or take ages (really probably seconds) to respond when I’m trying to wake them up to something that’s happening around us.
One that is safe to relate: Took my ex to the Highland Games one year. She’s recovering from some really awful physical trauma, so I’m in bodyguard-mode.
We’re watching the caber-toss. One of the ‘tossers’ had his caber getting away from him, and coming right for her. I’m telling her ‘up-up-up-move-move-move’ and tugging at her arm. She can’t see it coming. How can she not see this happening? She didn’t budge and slowly looked at me with puzzlement. I gave up, stood, turned and arched my body over hers with my hands clasped behind my skull to protect it from the impact.
It missed us thankfully, but not by much. The tosser saw it happening too, and worked to deflect it from us I think.
The episode took *forever*. It was really only a matter of a few seconds. Time gets all weird at times like that.
"Cause it's all so f*ing hysterical."
- Road to Perdition
Legend has it that Wild Bill Hickock never sat with his back to the door. The one time he did, Jack McCall came in through that door.
I’ve been learning a lot from Dog Whisperer. The most intriguing and challenging thing I’ve seen from him is to have a vision of what I want to happen before I enter a room with people. Leader of the pack.
I carry a coffee can behind the seat in the car with a multi tool, 50 feet of parachute chord, a half dozen bic lighters a roll of toilet paper, a couple of space blankets etc.
LOL, I don’t think you need it like THAT. But, it covers a lot of aspects of life. There is a great book called “Once an Eagle” which is good reading on leadership. In it the career Army guy finds himself in the 1920’s on leave with his wife at a high society civilian dinner, where all the men are talking business. Without even thinking about it, he realized the entire time he was involuntarily sizing up each man, who would likely be good in a pinch, who was dependable, who was all bluster, etc.
It was what he did in combat in the military, all the time. He didn’t think about doing it, he didn’t talk with anyone else about it, he just kind of did it out of habit, naturally.
I think that is the target of much of this...what can you develop naturally without turning into a bizzare,bug-eye, head-swiveling maniac! That would probably drive you crazy!
Beau thinks I’m weird for always doing that. Army Training, Sir!
I’m the ONLY reason he’s still alive, LOL!
Agreed. I was lucky, though...I learned from my dad by watching how he conducted himself. He rarely engaged in active teaching, but I kind of hero-worshiped him and tried to emulate everything he did, right down to his walk. (my freep page)
My mom was more of the active teacher in how to conduct myself, especially with girls and adults!
CC, you will be all set if you ever go off the road into the forest up in that neck of the woods you live in!
I disagree with it being difficult to learn.
People just have to apply a little observation.
Take departing a Mall after dark. Most people walk out the doors, start walking trough the parking lot looking at their phone, looking for keys, trying to remember where they parked and trying to weave through the cars.
As they unlock the car door - “out of nowhere” - someone grabs their purse or stuffs them in the car and kidnaps them.
How hard is it to step out the doors, step to the side and do a quick visual scan of the parking lot and note the people in it. This very slight pause also checks to see if anyone comes out behind you. As you start through the parking lot does and individuals start to walk an intercept course to you.
Have the same set of lights been following you since you left the Mall, following you into your subdivision and onto your street?
Most people don’t take the time to learn this stuff because the individual threat level is low - until your number comes up.
I generally agree with you, but even in my humdrum life, there have been multiple events where I’ve been surprised by threatening events that I should have been aware of as they were unfolding. My wife and I accosted by some “brothers” in a parking lot in Palo Alto at night; another “brother” shaking us down for money in Palo Alto; two “brothers” walking the opposite direction on a downtown Columbus, OH sidewalk intentionally shouldering my friend and I hard as we passed; getting “knock-out game” slugged by a “brother” in Ithaca, NY when I was 13. Luckily none of these turned real violent or life-threatening, but there were serious enough to make me a LOT more aware of my situation and surroundings, especially when near urban “bruthas.”
I used to be that way. Grew up in the occasionally hazardous section of life. Went to college to get out of that life, and get out of those habits. Part of the process of civilization is trying to move that section of the world to the sidelines. We still need some people to have it. But let’s face it, most of us will make it to our 80s and die boringly without ever once having stepped foot in the intense subsection of reality.
When I hung out with dope fiends and criminals I’d run into that. But not since I got out of that world.
It is a good practice, but one must also avoid boxing themselves into a corner with no escape. A corner with a convenient exit nearby is ideal.
“Once an Eagle” sounds good. Just checked on Amazon and there are only four hardcovers available and three of them are above $300! Decided to buy a used copy for $3 + $4 shipping. Thanks for the recommendation. It has 83% five-star reviews — about the highest I’ve ever seen.
Zanshin.
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