Travel Security

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Travel Security, by CapnRick in Argentina

Sir:
Having read Part 1 of an expatriate's explanation of his travel safety preps - and being an avid motorcyclist in South America, I have a couple of cents to add:

Batons are worthless, I'm 6'1" and pretty strong. After having worked as a cop, I can attest that baton strikes are of little utility in a serious fight, holding onto a baton in a fight is a serious mistake, you tend to concentrate on the weapon that does very little actual damage and get swarmed under. I've had to abandon my baton most of the time in a real fight, simply because to retain it I would have been unable to grapple or draw my pistol. Given the serious nature of a physical threat south of the border of the USA, and the typical three or more attacker scenario - a baton will just get you killed. Sure they're cute and cuddly and all, but I have never seen one end a fight outside of some of the heavier "non issue" batons. Unless you're very good at modern arnis or escrima, a baton is a poor weapon choice - especially the collapsible ones. I make sure I have two things when riding down there:

1. Steel-toed boots. You can wear them on any airplane, and they give you a definite weapon when attached to a long leg. What an armored kick to the shin or upper foot of a bad guy will do, I have witnessed many times in close quarter combat. Any other kind of shoe is vulnerable on top and if you have a steel shank as well, you can crush the bitty little bones in their foot with a good stomp.

2. Screwdrivers. The nice slender [6mm diameter] kind with a Phillips head screwdriver . Carry one [loosely sheathed in a length of clothes hanger cardboard tubing] in each jacket pocket. I know one guy who pre-stresses his "ready screwdrivers" to snap away like a prison "shank". A snapped off screwdriver shaft stops a fight [As a motorcyclist,] it's not considered a weapon in a foreign country, and you never have to worry about them being confiscated.

I've been in a lot of scraps with a lot of people. I have learned what works for me, and what seems to work in general, and have gleaned the following:

1. Drunk people don't feel pain.
2. Pepper spray is a nice flavoring to add to a general melee - but a bad choice for individual combat with one caveat: the "Hide it in the hand, jam it in the mouth, and set it off" school. Don't warn the guy, don't wave things around, just jam it in and squeeze. Pepper spray is not an instant incapacitant,unless you get it in the upper-respiratory tract (uncontrollable retching coughs). If the bad guy closes his mouth, you lose your effectiveness. Although trained to aim for the upper chest and face - I always aim for the mouth when it's open. That drops them immediately. Pepper spray to the eyes/nose area will cause discomfort (no matter how many Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) it's rated at), prisoners in jails get pepper sprayed pretty frequently (area contamination) and many criminals train with pepper spray to be able to fight while getting sprayed.
3. If it's a fight for your life, then then there are few targets that will save you quickly enough The throat always gets exposed. I've dropped a few guys with a throat hit, intentional, it's a killing blow. Scrunch up cover your head with your hands and try to wait for the throat opening, then punch it like you were using your thumb to press an elevator button (only hit it, don’t press on it). You're aiming for the windpipe.
4. Punch, bite, poke, stomp - then GET OUT OF DODGE. Don't stick around for authorities, you're the "gringo" you're always considered wrong - without exception there are no reasons to stick around for authorities after you've had to defend your life.
5. There is no such thing as an attack that is only meant to relieve you of your property. All physical attacks are attacks on your life. Period.
6. If you're in a big crowd and you see things breaking out, get out of the crowd by whatever means necessary - and don’t look back.
7. If you're alone, the surest way to figure out if someone is after you - is to run. Plan a short sprint while you get your weapon into your hands. Anybody running after you is an attacker. (See Rule #5)
8. Never, ever drink anything with a stranger - anything and any stranger.
9. Commercial wasp spray is a far better chemical alternative to pepper spray. And they make small cans of carburetor cleaner (BrakeKleen is what I carry) that are about the size of a large canister
of pepper spray - and they blast chemicals out in a huge fog. Any of these two are much more easily explained and replaced in a foreign country.[JWR Adds: I must emphatically warn readers DO NOT use any such chemicals for self defense in the US or in any other First World Country, or you most likely will end up losing most of what you own in a six figure or seven figure civil lawsuit!] Carrying pepper spray and a baton say you're ready for a fight, carrying a screwdriver and can of carburetor cleaner [on your motorcycle] say you're ready to fix something - only you know you're ready for a fight.
10. In the event of any altercation, get over any international border pronto - cut your vacation short - leave! This is easier said than done in most South American countries, as the back and forth for permits to cross a border can take hours. You should always carry government official "lubricant" in sufficient quantities to "speed" your application for a visa. Laws south of the US border are pretty much the same - but law enforcement south of the border is almost universally corrupt. If you know you're going to get arrested, give all your resources to someone else, quickly - and make sure they clear the area until the time comes to collect you from the authorities. The first thing you'll lose any bribe money to the searching hands of the official police. Your friend will need the money to arrange for a lawyer to plead for your release, or to pay a fine. I never, ever hand over my official passport except at border checkpoints - I always use a photocopy. The surest way or a foreign authority to keep you in the country is to keep your passport.

Oh, and it was pointed out to me by a buddy that works foreign security details for the US Department of State that Jenna Bush was the protectee - her possessions are unimportant, and can serve as a distraction meant to mask an attack on your principal. The Secret Service detail that was with her when her purse was stolen, probably saw who took it - and immediately took steps to safeguard her life (even if she didn't know it). The property is irrelevant and was most likely intentionally allowed to be stolen once the act was seen in progress. They have one job, to insure their principal emerges alive. This does not always include their handbags and shoes. Regards, - LDM