If you don’t have a car, you learn to rely on things like the city bus or your local subway system. You may have heard some horror stories about using these offerings, so here are some tips about how to be prepared and safe on public transport.
Uber and Lyft are nice options if it’s just a once-in-a-while thing, but those prices rack up if you use them all the time. So more often than not, I walk. However, sometimes, it’s too far or the weather is too bad for me to enjoy the stroll to wherever my destination is, so the bus it is.
In my city all of the busses are free right now, they just take a little longer. I work from home, so when I go out it’s usually for about 3 hours at a time. I like knowing I have everything I would need if I had to either walk for a substantial amount of time or be away from home for longer than I intended.
What should you have with you to be safe on public transport?
Here are some things you SHOULD keep in your purse
- Coins. I like to keep about 4 dollars in coins or cash with me at all times. Sometimes people will come up to you at bus stations asking for money, and if you feel so inclined you can give them a quarter or so, but say you need the rest for your fare. This lets them know you are on the same level.
- A compact backpack or reusable tote in your bag. I love having these on me. If you keep your purchases in a closed container nary a nosy Nelly can peek in and see what you’ve just picked up.
- A LifeStraw. These things are awesome. Every time I am in a store I’ll see the cold and refreshing-looking waters and be so tempted to get one. Especially after walking for the past hour and having the sun beating down on me. And they’re right there, for just a dollar. Then I remember a bottle of water costs the same amount as a bag of flour which I can use for so many meals. So I take my reusable water bottle and my Lifestraw and go over to the water fountain, fill it up, and it’s even more refreshing. If you can afford the splurge, Lifestraw makes these water bottles that are more discreet for filling up and don’t scream “water filter.”
- Portable charger. I always make sure my phone is fully charged before leaving, but if I need to use it for directions, it’ll die a lot sooner. I like to have my portable charger with me because the last thing I want is for it to die when I might need it for navigation or to call for help.
- Non-perishable snacks. And, no, I don’t mean a can of Spaghettios. Some small things like individually wrapped cheese & crackers, granola bars, or a package of trail mix will help you avoid all the temptations at the checkout counter.
- Any medications you take on a regular basis. I avoid bringing prescriptions unless they’re absolutely essential, as they can look like a high-value target for thieves. I bring Benadryl, a few tums, some seasonal allergy pills, and ibuprofen. I will stick them all into the same bottle because I can tell the difference between all the pills, and add a cotton ball to avoid any rattling sounds.
- A small first aid kit. You can make one using things you probably already have like a makeup bag or pencil case, a variety pack of bandaids, alcohol wipes, antibiotic ointment cream, butterfly closures, a tensor bandage, and superglue. Alternatively, you can buy one like this. It’s more for boo-boos, not for major wounds.
- An activity of some kind. It can be a pen and a journal, a book, crossword puzzles, headphones to listen to music or a podcast, and you can even make a mini portable paint set. This is my preferred activity of late, and definitely helps to kill time on the bus!
These things will make you more comfortable and prepared to be safe on public transit.
What you should NOT have with you to be safe on public transport?
In addition to this list, here are some things you should NEVER keep in your purse or backpack while out walking or using public transport.
Old receipts. There are more reasons than you think not to carry old receipts.
- Hypothetically speaking, if someone were to steal your purse for the credit and debit cards, and saw several receipts from the stores you frequent, that gives them the exact location and the budget. Maybe you do a lot of shopping at Target or Wal-Mart and you spend around 40 dollars each time, this shows the person an amount they can spend, and exactly where to go for their little shopping spree. When they stick to those places, they’re much less likely to be caught. As well as if you were to call the police or your card company and say, “Hey some person stole my purse, and spent the same total I normally would, at the exact store I usually go to,” how do you think they would respond?
- The receipts can also cover the view of the contents of your bag and add clutter. The last thing you want when you’re on the bus or in the store is to have to empty the entirety of your purse to what you need. This shows potential thieves what you’ve got going on in there.
- Finally, these folks will have your ID, and with that, your home address. If you have receipts for expensive things, they know exactly where to go to steal them.
Gift cards. I also very seldom carry gift cards or gift certificates, because those can’t be replaced nor can they be put on hold like a credit card or debit card. You also don’t need any ID or a signature to confirm it’s really yours. When I get one, I will either download it on the store’s app or only bring the gift card with me if I plan on visiting that retailer.
Identifying items. In these days of dissent, the last thing you want is something that draws attention to your political beliefs and personal philosophies. People have been attacked, or at the very least harrassed, for t-shirts and baseball caps. So keep the buttons, stickers, and logos out of view to be safe on public transport. Being “gray” is more important than ever to stay safe.
Anything that makes you look wealthy. I know what you’re thinking. If you’re wealthy, why are you riding the city bus? Nonetheless, leave the expensive name-brand purses and flashy jewelry at home if you don’t want to look like a beneficial target.
How to be safe on public transport
These tips will help you be safer on the bus or subway.
- Have something for self-defense. Check the local rules and regulations for your area, because the last thing you want is to get in more trouble for maintaining your safety than the person who is causing you harm. My go-to used to be a small knife. BUT with further research, I’ve found that they can stop and even arrest you because you have the intent to inflict harm on others while carrying one if they find it. As well, firearms aren’t allowed on public transportation in many cities. So now what I bring is a more discreet knife, a mini stun gun, and a dyed pepper gel so police can identify the potential attacker. You are worth defending.
- Choose your seat wisely. Often it’s safer to sit near the driver. As well, you can sometimes choose to sit with a person who seems non-threatening, like a mom with a child. That way you’re not left with an empty seat beside you that just anyone can sit in and potentially harass you.
- Know where the exits are. Always check to see where the different doors and emergency exits are in the event of an accident or violence.
- Pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t be so engrossed in your phone that you don’t see what’s going around you. Situational awareness is important.
- Listen to your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable with a fellow bus rider, chances are you feel that way for a reason. Don’t be afraid to set boundaries or even cause a scene. Don’t let your fear of “over-reacting” allow you to silence your instincts.
What are your tips to be safe on public transport?
Are you a regular public transport user? Is there anything you always keep in your purse or backpack when using public transit or traveling on foot? Can you think of anything to not bring with you either? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
Excellent article Rachel. It’s very important to stay aware when walking public spaces or traveling public transportation, at all times. Great tips for EDC too.
If someone really wants to go PRO with “urban survival”, I’d suggest building a “robber’s kit” comprised of a dummy wallet + a cheap/old/fake smartphone.
Put some old, generic cards together with some $ notes, a few fake docs or something, making it credible enough, just to give away in case of robbery or someone picking it. I even add a cheap wired earphone to the fake smartphone to make it look like it’s in use.
Of course keeping the real ones well hidden and safe is paramount, preferably on us (like in a low-profile traveler’s purse). But this strategy has worked before many times.
I also carry compressed towel pills all the time. It lasts indefinitely and has like 1000 different uses. Just love these.
A whistle can work better than weapons at times against most urban criminals and attackers. The loud and distinctive noise draws a lot of attention and usually makes them pause or cease the attack and go away. It can be used in other instances too to avoid trouble.
Some additional items from a guy who grew up on the South side of Chicago, and worked in a nasty area of East Baltimore for several years –
1) Pack your purse, fanny pack and pockets etc. so you make no sound when walking. A large wad of keys and loose coins are not your friend. Panhandlers won’t hear you coming and try to hustle you. A coin purse helps. A handkerchief to muffle items is als o a good plan.
2) Don’t wear perfume or cologne for the same reason.
3) The dummy wallet is a good start. Add an inexpensive money clip (a large paper clip will do) with a 1 dollar bill on the outside and plain paper (cut to the size of the currency) inside. This is another “throw down” item if you encounter an attempted robbery.
4) If you are being robbed, throw the requested item behind the would be robber. When the robber turns to get it, you have a chance to run away.
5) Add a small flashlight to your EDC items. The new LED single cell lights can be used to temporarily blind a potential assailant.
6) A ball point pen can be used to stab an assailant (in the eye is most effective) so you can escape. Keep it where it can be reached by either hand.
Be safe!
Problem with offering a dummy wallet is robber will strike out if he finds your real wallet, I would think?
I would do everything possible to not be shot. Screw the money…
Great article with lots of useful tips! I’m always thinking about things I want to have on me, but I hadn’t really given much thought as to what NOT to have. Thanks for making me consider the flip side!
Great list. I tend to have too much with me. But I never considered why I should have receipts or gift cards. Good thoughts.
All good advice. Thanks for posting. I would add; be careful of what is going on in the community. There are times that I won’t use public transportation. Like now in Minneapolis.
Great article with practical and sensible tips. I’d never thought about the risk in carrying old receipts.
I agree with your assessment. However, now may be the time to consider relocating to a less crowded area where public transportation is not an issue, especially if you work from home. I have lived in larger cities, smaller cities and small towns as well as rural areas. When times are tough I would not want to be in anything bigger than a small town.
“When times are tough I would not want to be in anything bigger than a small town”
the small towns will in some circumstances do considerably worse than the cities. what you probably mean by “in a small town” is being part of a like-minded and like-cultured community – but that’s not something one just moves into.
Bro, why do you always assume ypu know better than other people? Sometimes remote is just remote.
“why do you always assume ypu know better than other people?”
we can let the readers decide.
You are obnoxious.
well there’s one reader’s opinion.
I lived in NYC growing up and my mom told me never to keep my book bag strapped on both shoulders because someone can pull me down to the ground easier and so I always wore the strap on just one shoulder.
She said to keep some of my money separate from my purse or book bag and keep it in my front pocket or in my shoe in case I got robbed. I was also taught to not be so close to the edge of the subway platform in case someone tried to push me onto the tracks.
She also told me to keep my head up and not look at the ground and look like an easy target when homeless guys got a little too close to me because if they felt that I was a pushover they might target me. When I looked at them straight in the face with a pissed off look most of the time they backed off.
I can’t remember the rest at the moment but there were a lot of street smart tips that I just remember growing up with and as a young girl I was always hyper aware of my surroundings. Even though I live in the suburbs now I’m still using the same tactics my mom taught me growing up Just walking from target to my car in the parking lot.
The advice for carrying pepper gel is good for an additional reason. It won’t blow back in your face, eyes, nose, skin and clothes like pepper spray when there’s wind in the wrong direction and you’re outside the bus.
There’s a lot of discussion online about the use of “tactical pens” for defense purposes versus the use of a few ballpoint pens that are sufficiently strong without looking military …like the Zero brand, eg. But consider if the perp later decides to sue you in a “friendly” court for blinding him for life in one eye — and you may not have a witness to back up your story that he was going to do bad stuff to you — would you rather have stopped him with an eye-destroying pen OR would having “caressed” him with a dirt cheap and fully charged pocket stun gun that merely temporarily disrupts his nervous system long enough for you to do a zip tie number on him … be a better and legally safer strategy in the long term? And even if you didn’t bother with the zip tie and just put some distance between you and him.
Welcome to your Mom’s preparedness research and writing community, Rachel. I sense that Daisy’s spirit of energy and integrity is good hands.
–Lewis
Fantastic article!!!! These are all great tips and ideas that will keep people much safer. Thank you for publishing it!!!!!
One of the best articles I have read on staying safe while using public transportation. Look forward to reading more from you Rachel.
Great post Rachel! I feel it is applicable to more than just using public transport. Welcome aboard!
An excellent article. Having grown up in a VERY small town (200 on a good day, 250 if you count the dead) going to school in NYC was a culture shock. I learned from my more experienced, urbanite friends a lot of the tricks and tips you talk about here. Over time, especially in the military, minimalism and sound disciplne were key, in partnership with SA. Now its habit. I looked through my day bag after I read this and found that I still have the many good habits you discuss! And they should be habits….if our foundational actions are not partial muscle memory, we are not well trained. Praises again for a well written advice piece.
Interesting article.
Thankfully I haven’t used public transportation since before you mother was born. LOL And that was the trolleys in New Orleans in the 1950’s. The (dis?)advantages of living in the country.
Only one comment: If you are still living in Virginia, you can carry a pocket knife as long as the blade is under 3 inches long. No permit necessary.
Having traveled a bit, one safety item I learned was not to carry a backpack on one’s back, rather on one’s front. After all, one doesn’t carry one of those wilderness camping backpacks in urban travel, so the ‘backpack’ can also be a frontpack.
It’s been a while since I’ve ridden public transit, I just remembered another advantage of a “frontpack” is that one doesn’t need to take it off as is needed when carrying a backpack when finding a seat, rather one can just sit down and the frontpack is right there in one’s lap.
Under “Listening to your instincts.” I highly recommend the book, “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin De Becker. He was an FBI profiler. The book is geared towards women (in my opinion), but I found it useful as a guy. In a nutshell, he says, if you feel uneasy, forget about social politeness and follow your instincts.
His other book, “Protecting the Gift” is what and how to teach your children what to do in various situations. (The “gift” in this case is your kids.) What parents forget is when your child gets lost, everyone is a stranger so who should they approach?
Good article!
Good article if you use public transportation. But I do not and would also not sacrifice carrying my EDC pistol. To many nuts out there.
Sorry to say, but those mini, so-called “stun guns,” are worthless. Try it on your self. Pure – useless – junk. Even an actual, real electronic stun device (not a toy), like a Taser, is only effective about 1/2 the time, and it’s expensive, and you only get one shot.
Save your money and buy another knife or more pepper spray. And for Pete’s sake, AVOID the gel formulations as mentioned in this article. They take the longest to take effect of any of the formulations – again, almost to the point of being worthless. The fastest acting are the fogs and sprays. If you’re concerned about limiting cross contamination, the foams are better than the gels, though not as good as the fogs/sprays. Also, if you have to use it you’ll probably get a little yourself, so try a small exposure beforehand – that way you’re prepared to work through it.
Even better, add some defensive physical skills to your repertoire. A tool-focused approach to self-defense, with some physical skills, is less than optimal. Take care.
One more comment on the pepper gel: Sure, it helps avoid cross contamination, BUT when I said it’s the slowest of the formulations to take effect, I mean like 30 seconds to a minute, which if you know anything about these kinds of situations is – FOREVER. Way too long to be useful.
If cross contamination is such a huge issue, go for a foam instead. But don’t think that either is going to be enough to prevent cross contamination in a small enclosed space like a bus.
You NEED to know how you’ll react to spray if you carry it yourself, or if you’re one of the few that may have an anaphylactic reaction. So many good reasons to try a small exposure on yourself first. If you don’t want to get sprayed (totally get it), spray a little on a cloth and just apply to the corner of your eye. This will give you enough exposure to rule out an allergic reaction and give you a sense of what to expect.
OC spray is an excellent tool. But there are some nuances to understand that make a big difference.
Certified OC spray instructor here. Good luck.
Informative! Thanks:)
I like the Lifestraw idea. Sit near the back door because the front of the bus is reserved for elderly and handicapped. I avoid window seat or any seat where someone else can block my exit route by sitting next to me. Place something on the seat because the homeless and drug addicts ride the bus too. Bus drivers will tell you that drunk boys will piss right there on the bus, no kidding. Avoid touching rails. I do have a backpack but working my way into a bug-out bag.
per Rachel’s article:
“…now what I bring is a more discreet knife, a mini stun gun, and a dyed pepper gel so police can identify the potential attacker. You are worth defending.”
per ariel:
“AVOID the gel formulations as mentioned in this article. They take the longest to take effect of any of the formulations – again, almost to the point of being worthless.”
The author did not mention pepper gel for anything but marking the bad guy — and not depending on it to shut him/her down. Criticizing her for something she did not say or intend … trashes your credibility.
per ariel:
“Sorry to say, but those mini, so-called “stun guns,” are worthless.”
I ran a search on this question on DuckDuckGo.com to see what commentary would pull up:
Is a pocket-size stun gun really effective?
For anyone who wants to explore this topic in some detail, there were many search hits. I didn’t find anybody who agreed with ariel’s assessment of uselessness. In addition to whatever nerve interruption they may or may not create, they can provide a very scary buzz in front of a bad guy that might just help dissuade him/her from bothering you. And a fully charged device can provide many (not just one) zapping lights and noise. You get a lot more than just one button push. Scaring off an attack is very much a win.
There is also a stun gun alternative that’s built into a very strong flashlight. Mine is labeled for police use. That’s an interesting alternative for after dark traveling when temporarily blinding a bad guy with that ultra-strong flashlight feature might be worth adding to one’s “tool bag.” That could substitute for having to get close enough for physical contact with the stun gun feature.
I especially like Fabian’s mention of carrying a good whistle.
My apology to Rachel for sloppy proof-reading. Here is my corrected sentence with the missing word in all caps: “I sense that Daisy’s spirit of energy and integrity is IN good hands.”
–Lewis
This ad came in today for this battery-powered mini-sized alarm. It fits this article’s topic very well.
The Hootie, loud alarm & strobe light
https://gethootie.io/blog-this-gadget-is-making-women-feel-safer/
–Lewis