Thursday, May 16, 2013

Safety steps for female drivers

Friends, after being robbed at the Shell petrol station next to Jalan Duta Toll last night, lost my handbag and personal belongings to that fella who smashed my passenger side window. I had a self reflect on what could I have done to avoid it or reduce my lost, and would like to share with you:

1. Always keep your handbag UNDER YOUR DRIVER SEAT. NOT on the side of your driver seat coz it will be worse if the burglars smashed your driver window. NOT under the passenger seat because motorcyclist can see it. Even when you have to stop to pay (petrol refuel, drive-in) always keep your handbag under your seat. Only take the money or card your need.

2. Before you start fueling, WATCH AROUND YOU & KIOSK OPPOSITE YOURS (behind the pump) just case anyone hiding there with a helmet or a bike. LOCK YOUR DOOR AT ALL TIMES, keep the car key and handphone in your hands at all time. Be vigilant and keep watching as you are fueling. If you see anyone acting funny around your car, sound the alarm immediately.

3. Avoid going station alone at night. When I noticed low fuel warning it was already late, so PUMP YOUR FUEL ON HALF TANK AND IN DAYTME, not when it's depleting. Don't think that it's safe if its a busy station, the station was all packed when I was there but nobody could helped not stopped this from happening.

4. DON'T KEEP YOUR MOBILE PHONE & HOUSE KEYS in the handbag. Keep them in your pocket or leave in car when driving. So if you lose your bag, you still have your phone & key. I was lucky that my phone was not in the bag so I can make all calls right after that. And a smartphone simply contains too much info about us.

5. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR ATM & CREDIT CARD HOTLINE in your phone, and keep a printed list in your car. I managed to cancel all my cards under 15min thanks to having the contacts at hand.

5. ONLY BRING CARDS & DOC YOU REALLY NEED IN YOUR BAG. DONT PUT FAMILY PHOTO IN THERE. It's lucky that I kept my kids cards at home and only bring my maid's photocopy passport. Unfortunately we must bring our IC, but at least keep the lost to minimum.

7. I asked the sarjan who took my report. He said YOU CAN KNOCK THE ATTACKER WITH YOUR CAR WHEN YOU ARE ROBBED. It is consider a self defense.

8. If you are a witness, you dare not help if that attacker has a weapon, you can always help by SHOUTING or HON for attention, REMEMBER THE FACE, THE VEHICLE NUMBER and be a witness so police has higher chance of tracing to them. But if you are macho guys or in group, please lens a helping hand especially when you see single lady, help to keep an watchful eye.

9. SINGLE LADY IS ALWAYS THE PREY according to police. So if possible only pump petrol when you have company in the car, or choose the kiosk that is right in front of station (i parked in middle isle), where the CCTV can reach and patrol attendance can see you.

10. Make sure you have tinting. Although the glass shattered (my tinted window shattered after 2 knocks), the tinting layer held the pieces in place and reduce chances of serious cuts on you.

11. Last point I can think off, FIRST THING TO DO ONCE YOU ARE IN YOUR CAR IS TO LOCK THE DOOR, START ENGINE ASAP. Lucky that my door was locked or the burglar could have done more damage. But it happened so fast that I wasn't even in time to start my engine. Else I would have sped away immediately.

I grabbed on to my bag when i saw the guy pulled it, tried pulling back for few seconds until i realized he could have harmed me with whatever he used to knock down the window, so I let go immediately. Honestly I don't know I should have fight or not, probably I should have fight on and press onto the hon at the same time. However, I would think monetary lost is far better than physical injury.

I have wrote a message to the rep of Segambut right after this incident to alert them on hot spots around that area and requested them to beef up police patrol. The hot spots are: traffic light in front of Plaza Mont Kiara, Burger King next to petrol station in Desa Sri Hartamas and this station at Duta Toll as it is easy escape for the burglar.

But best thing to do is still to stay vigilant at all time. You only have 1 life.

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