You hear the term ‘common sense’ quite frequently, but we often wonder how common some of these practices are to people. In some of these examples, not too common at all! Many of these practices make sense to us because we’re in the business, but maybe they don’t make sense to most people. We will let you decide. We have never been able to understand why so many people ignore common sense when it comes to their personal security and that of their family regarding home security and self-defense issues.
In our article called ‘The Ultimate Home Security Guide’ we outline the scope of the burglary problem and discuss several tips to help improve your home security.
Let me give you an example. It is a well-established fact that over 30% of all home burglaries happen through unlocked doors and windows. With home burglary happening to almost one out of every six homes, why would people take a chance and not lock their doors and windows? To us it just makes common sense.
And since we’re talking about burglary, we know that people want to have their home looking nice, but don’t do it at the expense of your own home security. Eliminate hiding places around lower-level doors and windows by trimming back shrubbery and plants. Nearly 60% of all burglaries take place during the day when the homeowner is not there, so it is helpful to the burglar to have a hiding place to keep him from being seen by the prying eyes of neighbors.
Another example relates to personal security and personal safety. An elderly woman was returning home after a long day at work. It was about 1:30 in the morning when she heard several men in her apartment complex arguing. Instead of calling police, she decided to intervene and stop a fight before it began.
These men, who were Iraqi and didn’t speak English very well, invited her into their apartment and offered her something to drink which she thought was “lemonade.” That was all she could remember until she woke up the next morning in a pool of blood, apparently from a sexual assault by one or more of these guys. The men were later arrested and charged in what one officer called a “horrific sexual assault.”
We ask “what was that woman thinking?” She was a senior citizen, it was 1:30 in the morning and she was approaching complete strangers. To us it is a perfect example of what not to do. Common sense wasn’t present in that instance.
In our article previously posted here entitled ‘Do You Really Need A Home Security System?’ we make the argument that you don’t really need one if you take several free precautions to improve your home security.
And that is our point exactly. Most of these common sense principles are free. If you don’t already possess them, they are available for the asking. A good example of this is that most police departments will do a free home security survey if you ask and if they have the manpower and time availability.
Our article on ‘How To Avoid A Parking Lot Assault’ contains plenty of free tips that may be considered common sense and some that are more obscure.
Whatever your situation we always recommend that women especially carry a self-defense product with them like this Streetwise pepper spray that’s on a self defense keychain so it is more likely to be with you wherever you go. Don’t just carry it, make sure that you know how to use it. If you are ever assaulted and have to fumble around in your purse finding a pepper spray or are unsure of how to use the pepper spray, those precious seconds can cost you dearly and may mean the difference between surviving and not.
What is your experience with crime and common sense? We want to hear your thoughts.