| Every weekday morning my daughter gets into her | | | | window? Would you?Thugs and thieves and |
| vehicle to drive to work. I follow her outside, give her a | | | | occasional opportunists are becoming bolder and |
| peck on the cheek and say the same things:"Drive | | | | bolder as their desperation levels increase. Much of this |
| safely. Lock your doors. Put your handbag on the | | | | is brought about by the desperation caused by illegal |
| floor." Every morning we follow this ritual. I know this | | | | mind-altering substances. The increased cravings by |
| annoys her somewhat because of the repetition but I | | | | the addicts makes them more brazen. So, their tactics |
| do it out of concern for her.I follow the same routine | | | | are becoming bolder and bolder.Attacks of these |
| with my wife - drive safe, lock doors, handbag on the | | | | types are becoming more frequent. Another reason is |
| floor. In fact, I tell all the women I care about to do the | | | | the fact that motor vehicle alarms and immobilisers are |
| same thing. In order, here is why: | | | | now so much more difficult to crack. Therefore, a |
| "Drive safely" - well, I believe that if I say this often | | | | desperate person who wants to steal a vehicle has a |
| enough then it has a sub-conscious effect. The | | | | better opportunity if he or she can actually "hijack" one |
| positive message is re-inforced time after time. This is | | | | that already has the ignition key in place. That is, some |
| distinctly different to saying: "Don't have a crash!" That | | | | poor unfortunate person (usually a woman or an |
| makes the recipient focus on the word "crash," which | | | | elderly person) will be singled out for this type of |
| is negative. So I do not implant the word "crash" into | | | | attack.Many incidents have been reported where |
| their psyche. The drive safe message makes the mind | | | | people, mainly women and elderly folk, have been |
| focus on safe driving, which is positive."Lock your | | | | dragged out of the drivers' seats while their vehicles |
| doors" - this, to me, is just being smart. However, in my | | | | are stationary. They are flung onto the road, often |
| travels I am amazed at how many lone female drivers | | | | injured and in danger of being hit by other |
| will sit inside an unlocked vehicle. They still have not | | | | motorists.Please pass this warning on to all of your |
| learned that it is very dangerous to do this. Red traffic | | | | female relatives and friends. Tell them: Drive safe; lock |
| lights, stop signs and give way signs are the most | | | | doors; handbag off the seat.By taking these simple |
| dangerous places. These are the places where a thug | | | | precautions they will be protecting themselves from |
| can enter the vehicle suddenly and without | | | | injury, theft, the cost of replacing or repairing a |
| warning."Handbag on the floor" - at first this might | | | | damaged vehicle and the inconvenience of canceling |
| seem strange - until you understand why. Where does | | | | credit cards, keys and personal information. However, |
| every woman place her handbag or purse when she | | | | the biggest advantage will be the fact that they will not |
| gets into the driver's seat of a motor vehicle? On the | | | | have to endure the fear and ongoing trauma of such |
| passenger seat, of course! This can then be seen and | | | | an event.To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Warn |
| targeted by those who would quickly smash a window | | | | them.You may email or post this article directly if you |
| to remove it while the vehicle is stationary. They do | | | | wish.This article comes with reprint rights providing no |
| not care if the lone female driver is terrorized. And | | | | changes are made and the resource box below |
| who will stop to confront such a brazen attacker, | | | | accompanies it. |
| especially if he or she uses an iron bar to smash the | | | | |