To Blend or not To Blend

[BlueLion]

I think it would be safe to say that many of us hope to live our lives and never have to take another life in a self-defense situation. However, with the world how it is the likely hood of a violent encounter seems to be increasing exponentially everyday. Nevertheless, if you are reading this you are prepared to defend yourself if needed in hopes of returning home to the ones you love. Now, having said that, I am of the opinion that the best fight is the one that is avoided.

Thus, if I can avoid a negative interaction this is the route I would choose. So, I tend to always be performing some type of risk assessment on myself making sure that I am not presenting my self as an easy target. For example, wearing a lot of flashing jewelery, taking out large sums of money, visiting known bad areas of town and things of that nature. So, in short what have most of you done to reduce the likely hood of you being a target. The reason I pose this question is this. By trade I am a therapist and normally I wear a goat tee only no mustache, but what I have noticed since I have removed the goatee and have gone clean shaven just this week I feel like I appear more of a target. This is especially true when leaving the office in suit and tie, and firearms at my job is a big no, no per Uncle Sam.

Finally, there it is, what are your opinions, what are you doing to blend in. As a military veteran I am very confident that I can handle myself, but if I can avoid danger I will.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[gasmitty]

I'm an engineer and have a full beard (only for the past 42 years...), but I walk erect and I present myself as if I have a purpose and a destination. That's a decent deterrent to the casual predator. I don't think the occupation, presence/absence of facial hair, or wearing a tie & jacket has much to do with your likelihood of being a victim, but appearing alert and aware of your surroundings does.

[zonker1986]

I avoid known "Hot Spots" in town, stay away from bars, avoid ATM's at night, drive an inconspicuous vehicle, have a big moustache, work out as often as I can to stay in some semblance of shape, carry two 9mm's 24/7, etc.
I like to appear full of purpose and resolve, and in any potential bad situation, let it be perfectly clear that the bad guys have made an unwise choice in messin' with me long before I ever need to present a firearm.
I avoid confrontations at all costs, but sometimes, when you are the only one present......there is no place to blend.

In that case, its show time.

[dukalmighty]

I'm disabled so as far as not looking like a potential victim,I'm probably like the gazelle with a broken leg on Wild Kingdom trying to move past a lion herd and trying to act like his leg ain't broke,except this gazelle packs a 1911,I also live in a part of the Country where being White is a minority,like 8% minority,so unless I get a lotta sun I stick out.I work at minimizing my risks such as not going to high risk areas of town

[Pistology]

Keep martial skills and fitness sharp. Trains the form to be ready. That's good posture. Cross the street to avoid any suspicious cluster. Avoiding a fight means that if someone raises a fist at you, then you've already lost.

[BlueLion]

Real good points guys. Thanks for the reply.

[glockman10mm]

Maybe its getting older, or whatever, I dont know. But , I could care less and less about taking a life. Thats not to be misinterperpeted to say I am a cold blooded killer, or want/desire to kill, because it is not true. I will avoid if given a chance. But will not hesitate to strike first with the intention of making it the first and last, if some pos takes away my egress options.

I am an individual, with things unique to me, just like everybody else has things unique to them. Makes it difficult to be gray. I am not going to try to "fit in" for anybody.

I dont fit in alot of places now. I wear a cowboy hat, boots jeans, listen to country music, stand erect, speak audible understandable english, and can articulate my thoughts pretty well.

I do understand the spirit of your thread, and understand your idea. Its just not for me. Im not worried about human vermin picking me out in the crowd. If they do, it will only be as rats recognize the wolf.

[WHEC724]

Obeying the rule of the 3 stupids addresses many concerns.

I don't wear T-shirts with a message that could elicit a comment, and fortunately have simple tastes in how I prefer to dress.

I used to like to be the person that drew all the attention when I walked into a room. These days, I find it's much more interesting to go unnoticed and be the observer.

[archer51]

My primary goal in life, is seeing tomorrow. While I don't want to have to use my gun. If the need arises I won't hesitate to do so.

[BadgerJ]

I've said it before but since this thread is here...

1. Carry with a partner who also carries, and work out specific scenarios - getting in and out of the car tops the list. The synergy of two pairs of eyes, two different types of innate reaction types (she's an 'immediate', I'm a 'considered'), being able to cover each other, having two pairs of hands.
2. Designate jobs. In the car the person in the shotgun position is the 'designated lookout and shooter'. We switch. The shotgun's HG is always immediately available (no digging around at 4:30 waistband position) and also has the camera and cellphone ready. Shotgun waits until the driver is ready to exit the vehicle when parked before getting out of the car and gets out first and scans the area.
3. Designate roles - in times of danger, such as waiting in the car and realizing that something went down in the 7-11 we've decided the person waiting will NOT go in the 7-11 to rescue but will remain in the car, ready to do the 'getaway'. If something goes down, one calls 911, one not engaged may access the camera, or cover the other, or stay hidden, it depends on the situation. But we're always thinking 'don't duplicate' as in don't both draw and shoot - one draw and low ready the other shoots (as needed). One is a shooter the other the spotter, so to speak. Still working on this;
4. If exiting a store in GE (Gravest extreme) - one goes to the car the other waits and covers them, then they rendezvous and escape. We have a 'code' and will leave the contents of the cart and leave if the code is called, no questions asked;
5. Redundancy - if one partner forgets the camera or the tac light (or even their HG) the other always has theirs. So built-in redundancy. If possible we might even carry a spare mag for the other person's HG - still pondering this.

Just some random ideas on the 'blending' concepts. :)

[Stubborn]

Personally I don't think facial hair or lack thereof has much to do with it. I believe moreover that someone who walks confidently, alert, head up, shoulders back, making eye contact with all he passes exudes the "air" you want to convey.
I'm here, I know you're here, and I'm watching, and I can and will take care of myself.
Just my $.02

[Ishmael]

I believe everyone should be on the lookout to minimize their chances of being victimized, but this:

However, with the world how it is the likely hood of a violent encounter seems to be increasing exponentially everyday.

...is not true. Check out the graphs on this page. After a massive spike through the 1980s and early 1990s, violent crime rates in all major categories are down to about 1970 levels. Results vary in specific locations, however, such as when your neighbor is a drug dealer, etc. (For that matter, on-the-job deaths of LEOs are also way down, historically speaking:

This particular measure of police safety - felonious killings - is remarkably lower than a few decades ago. After the 1973 peak of 134 murders, these killings began a relatively steady decline through the mid-1980s, when they initially bottomed out at around 70 a year. Those figures continued slowly downward, such that during the 1990s the average was 64 and in the 2000s lower still at around 48. The high in the past two decades was 79 in 1994, while the low of 41 was very recent - 2008. As a result, we might see increases in killings from time to time simply because of natural year-to-year variations, but you'd have to look all the way back to 1961 to find a lower figure than the 41 in 2008.

Despite attention-grabbing headlines, we also should bear in mind that today there are more than twice as many sworn police officers as there were serving in the early 1970s.

There is no surer way to be misinformed than to watch TV news.

[bigmacque]

I'm an engineer and have a full beard (only for the past 42 years...), but I walk erect and I present myself as if I have a purpose and a destination. That's a decent deterrent to the casual predator. I don't think the occupation, presence/absence of facial hair, or wearing a tie & jacket has much to do with your likelihood of being a victim, but appearing alert and aware of your surroundings does.

This is actually a very good comment. I travel frequently, and have for years had need and reason to travel to New York City. Prior to some massive cleanups that city had areas, areas very close to popular tourist destinations and spots where you'd need to be to do business anyway, that were less than safe and often downright crummy. I listened to people tell me for years that it sucked to travel there, to be careful, to watch yourself all the time, yada, yada, yada.

I never experienced one problem. But I always walk purposefully, striding forward and with my eyes up and open and not wandering around, window shopping, not even checking out an azz or two along the way. I think my demeanor and presentation probably went a long way towards keeping people from considering me a target.

[BadgerJ]

Thinking the world has become more violent based on your job (ER attendant?) or the TV is called 'Central Tendency' in psychology books and it's a real phenomenon and is related to becoming overly 'sensitized' due to increased exposure. It causes an over reaction.

On the hair and beard, I just went clean shaven and it troubles me because I'm somewhat androgynous and having both ears pierced, and fairly lean, could be mistaken for the opposite gender (lol) in some situations. (*)

But I realize I probably look totally masculine and just a bit metro and not at all like a victim to other people. I just tend to look too closely at myself and feel inappropriately vulnerable or something. Just takes some time to get used to your new appearance, I think. Don't sweat it.

(*) it's my girlfriend's idea - piercings and shaving...

[Old School]

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund: Latest Memorial Fund Research Bulletin

Latest report nationwide on LEO deaths.

A considerable increse in firearms related deaths this year .

OS