We look around, but what about UP?

You can't live on yellow all day every day. Could someone jump out of a tree and jack me up? Sure. The chances of it? Slim. Chances if they did it that they'd be on the ground too? Better.

Dudes could climb into my bedroom window at night, even up 3 floors, but I don't lock my window at night. Why? Risk assessment.

If you spend your time looking at reflections in mirrors, checking trees and looking behind you all the time, you're going to trip and land on your face. ;) Being aware is not the same as being paranoid.

As a heads up, even in the jungle I never had someone jump out of a tree -- stupid monkeys that would steal our cigarettes and throw crap at us? Yup. Tree climbing hoodlums? Nope. Sure, look up in the trees if you feel the need, but when you're scanning for SA, you should be watching for danger, not expecting it. There is a huge difference.

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Originally Posted by claude clay

those who equate being observant with stress are either missing the point ( way wide) or have some other under lying condition

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that's what I tried to say earlier. Thanks CC for saying it better.

I always am looking where I am going well in advance of getting there. Part of the routine is to look at the area from a distance & not to just confine my scan to the ground, but anywhere a threat may present itself. I think saying that BGs are too lazy to work is very untrue. They are very hard workers and very big risk-takers. If they put their energy into solving world problems we would eradicate disease, war, & hunger nearly overnight. Instead they put their energy into foolishness.

Upper story windows are more of a concern than trees, but you never know what will end up in a tree...

Never underestimate your opponent. That is the quickest way to end up in trouble.

I don't see a problem with incorporating elevated areas into your general observation of areas. There are elevated areas other than trees, such as low roofs and other possibilities. That doesn't mean go nuts with it.

Cops are/were notorious for looking under everything, but not looking up. When I was doing field officer training I would run a problem in an industrial area where the officers saw a susp (me) run between two buildings about three feet apart. I would run a few feet and chimney up about 15-20 feet. They would walk under me without observing me, then I would yell, "Bang, bang, you're dead."

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Originally Posted by 357and40

I always am looking where I am going well in advance of getting there. Part of the routine is to look at the area from a distance & not to just confine my scan to the ground, but anywhere a threat may present itself.

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That's part of SA... make no mistake, I'm observant of my surrounds. But you have to admit, a BG in a tree would be quite visible, and one heck of an anomaly. This does not apply in war zones.

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Originally Posted by 357and40

I think saying that BGs are too lazy to work is very untrue. They are very hard workers and very big risk-takers.

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I will agree in the case of professional criminals. Not in the type that are gonna stick you up. The professionals rarely get caught, and they too practice risk assessment. Especially the risk-reward ratio. The semi-professionals get caught more frequently but are more interested in high stakes scores for the risk taken. Robbing an individual is not likely to be high stakes. This applies less in high tourist areas, but there we're dealing with purse snatchers and pickpockets. In high tourist areas, there are crowds. A man, even with a gun, is unlikely to try it when he's outnumbered. (Jared Loughner-type-psychos aside).

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Originally Posted by 357and40

If they put their energy into solving world problems we would eradicate disease, war, & hunger nearly overnight. Instead they put their energy into foolishness.

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I suppose it wouldn't be the first time a criminal got the Nobel Prize.

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Originally Posted by 357and40

Upper story windows are more of a concern than trees, but you never know what will end up in a tree...

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Maybe in Bosnia, or Kabul. But I don't worry too much about snipers in windows here.

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Originally Posted by 357and40

Never underestimate your opponent. That is the quickest way to end up in trouble.

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Don't over estimate him either, lest you need Prilosec and Procardia to keep the gut in check, and the blood pressure down.

While Gloves' training would benefit the cop on the street and many in our armed forces; we citizens shouldn't be chasing bad guys in urban warfare zones.

I'm not saying the guy with a rap sheet a hundred entries long isn't gonna stick you up... he might even try novel approaches. But let's face it... He hasn't been caught that many times by being innovative and progressive in his methodology.

Now all that said, if you go around showing your big bill roll, and letting a few folks see your carry piece... maybe a semi pro will lie in wait for you in the park you frequent, hanging in a tree like a leopard until you walk into range... Or maybe one has rented a house on your block and he's setting up his sniper hide on the second floor.

Sorry.. just don't see it... but to each their own.

I like the line about the first time a criminal got the Nobel hahaha

I am not saying to go crazy with worry every time you step out of the house, just do not let your guard down & that SA is not just making sure that 5 feet in front of you is clear but examining the big picture everywhere you go is never going to get you killed. I do not carry a gun because of the things I can think of but rather because of the things that might not readily occur to me...

Overanalyzing a simple act would stress me out more than the act itself.

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Originally Posted by Rotorblade

Good SA doesn't mean that every excursion outside your home needs to be treated like a combat mission into enemy territory.
I think that if your looking for bad guys in trees then you aren't enjoying life. Stay aware, not anxious and stressed out!

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Great common sense advice...

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Originally Posted by Phoenixx6

When driving do you look at the overpass? You should, sometimes cops sit up there. They sit up there specifically because people usually aren't paying attention to what's going on up there. Soldiers are looking for kids with Russian made shape charge hand grenades. Everyone wants neither cops nor handgrenades on their overpasses.

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A few years back, a woman was killed on I95 south of Fredericksburg, VA by a cinderblock dropped off an overpass. I don't believe they ever caught those responsible, but it was definitely deliberate, not some freak accident.

Ever since then, I've made it a point to pay attention to what's happening on the overpass whenever I approach one, especially those without fencing.

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Originally Posted by claude clay

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and concerning trees--it is yet another good reason to never give your gun to a monkey.--->.

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But I have been training my trunk monkey for weeks to shoot my glock27. He's getting pretty good, but still wants to drop the gun when ever he sees a bananna. Any one else having this problem?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee3L9BQQ4Gs

-----> seems that the city tree monkey of the 1960's has greatly evolved.

morphing into the muchly smarter trunk monkey. yet i shall greatly miss the companionship of sharing the front seat with

'right turn, Clyde' to the newer dash button activated system of today. progress is relative...and i always look up cause
some of mine are still there.:icon_neutral:

Yes, I look up just as much as I look around and I am not anymore paranoid about threats coming from above than any other direction. It takes no more effort and I have made it regular practice. As soon as I dismiss the fact that it is a possibility is when I'm going to realize that I shouldn't have.

The way that i see it is if you choose to be aware of what is above you, good for you. If not, then, good for you too. :smile:

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Originally Posted by Rotorblade

I think that if your looking for bad guys in trees then you aren't enjoying life. Stay aware, not anxious and stressed out!

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- Plus, even if you look up the tree, there's no guarantee that you'll actually see the attacker in the tree.

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Originally Posted by tokerblue

- Plus, even if you look up the tree, there's no guarantee that you'll actually see the attacker in the tree.

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:35:

Didn"t you learn anything from the Dukes Of Hazzard. You always have to look up or you would miss Bo and Luke escaping from the jail and making their way to Coters garage to get into the General Lee.