A purported ex-secret service agent has revealed his top tips for keeping safe while you’re in public – and some of them may be surprising.
The important information was shared in a new TikTok video this week posted by Scott Bryson, who claims that he worked in the United States Secret Service for many years.
Although he is now retired, he still takes to social media to share his tips and tricks – and this time was no different, as he urged everyone to be ‘observant’ while outside the home.
The first tip that he shared in the video was simple – and that was to always make sure you put away your phone when you park your car and go into a store.
‘Stay off your phone, same thing, going in, going out,’ Bryson said. ‘Stay off your phone.’
Next, he gave an important pointer for people in the parking lot, stressing the importance of being aware of your surroundings.
‘Ladies, especially you, listen, when you’re parked here… if you come out and there’s a car parked right beside you, and I mean super close to the line or something like that, that should be a red flag,’ Bryson shared.
‘Is there somebody in the car? Is it a minivan? Has it got sliding doors? Is it an SUV? I’m not saying you can’t go get in your car, but just pump the breaks, okay?’ he continued.
The important information was shared in a new TikTok video this week posted by Scott Bryson, who claims that he worked in the United States Secret Service for many years
‘Just take it easy, take a little look around, don’t just willy-nilly get in the car. It might be fine, could be something, I don’t know.’
For his third tip, he suggested learning up against your car while pumping your gas at a gas station, and making sure you are not distracted by your phone.
‘Now you’ve cut your 360 down to 180, where you can see,’ Bryson explained.
‘If someone approaches you, and they’re up to no good, spray them with the gas,’ he continued.
‘That’s not cool, I wouldn’t wanna be sprayed with gas, they’ll probably run off.’
Finally, his last suggestion was about where you should sit in a public place, like a restaurant or movie theatre.
‘When you’re in a restaurant, don’t sit with your back to the door’ he instructed.
‘Be able to see the door. Know where the exits are,’ he said.
‘Stay off your phone, same thing, going in, going out,’ Bryson said. ‘Stay off your phone’ (stock image)
Bryson explained that the same thing applies at movie theatres and churches – you want to sit on the end.
‘If you’re a fighter, you can get up and go fight. If you’re not wanting to fight, that’s cool too, you can run, but you gotta be able to get out, right?’ Bryson told the audience.
‘Don’t be stuck in the middle of the road,’ he concluded.
In the comments section of his post, many even shared their own tried-and-true public safety tips.
‘Leave yourself a way out when driving. Don’t stop too close when stopped at traffic light. Always be able to see tires of car in front of you… This gives you a way out most of time,’ one person wrote.
Another user typed, ‘Don’t go in to convenience stores with the windows covered with ads. People need to be able to see from the parking lot what’s going on inside.’
‘When I feel unsafe walking to my car, I set my car alarm off until I get close. Make everybody stop and look,’ someone else commented.
