Um...sorry for being That Guy (aka That Pedantic Jackwagon), but if on Day 4, the tide suddenly goes "waaaayy the hell out there," then you should not simply "keep any eye on it," you should immediately hightail it inland towards the highest ground you can find Most Rikki-Fucking-Tikki.
Yeah, because that "situation" is called a "tsunami". During the Indonesian mega-quake and tsunami on 12/26/2024, a British family was relaxing at the beach in Thailand, when suddenly the 10-year-old daughter Tilly Smith noticed the receding waterline, and declared "There's going to be a tsunami!" Get Grok to tell you the story.
Best definition of Situational Awareness I've read. You really should write a training manual to offset all the drivel put out by the tactical "experts"......
Get "Left of Bang". Amazon, Barnes & Noble are good if you want print. I did a bit of Googling and found a PDF of it on the Interwebz.
Since you are on Substack, as is Patrick Van Horne, you can subscribe to @CP Journal. Most excellent presentations on the topic, with practical applications.
Boss and I were driving through the IZ, and he makes a wrong turn. Rather than admit it, he keeps going deeper into the neighborhood, finally stopping at a four way intersection.
My 'We're going to fucking die' sense has overloaded. I look at him and say, 'Put the truck in fucking reverse and get us the hell out of here. And No, I'm not going to ground guide.'
He responds with 'It's not that bad.'
Me - 'If you don't start backing up right now, I'm trading you for the truck with the locals when the time comes.'
Him - 'How?'
Me - 'I speak more Arabic than you do, and I speak it with a Lebanese accent, not a southern Missouri one.'
It ain't just danger, either. Situational Awareness also lets you see cool critters, neat vehicles, flyovers by say, a formation of F-86s & Mig 15s, beautiful scenery, passing friends, and even the occasion stunningly attractive person.
If you aren't seeing those things, you're not Situationally Awaring right.
There's a difference between "situational awareness" and "scanning for danger."
And oddly enough, it's right in the name. No need to slap fancy "tacticool" definitions on plain English terms.
"Situational awareness" means -- and not to put <em>too</em> fine a point on it -- keeping oneself <strong>aware of the situation</strong> one finds oneself in. That means knowing what's normal, what's clearly not normal, and -- most importantly -- what's close enough to "normal" that a casual/unaware person might <em>think</em> is normal but an informed observer detects something is "off." As you said, it's establishing the "baseline," recognizing when something doesn't fit, and devoting additional attention to those anomalies.
"Scanning for threats/danger" means just that: scanning for threats or danger. The problem is that when one is on the lookout <em>exclusively</em> for active threats and danger, they're nearly always focused on people, and it's terribly easy to overlook things which -- in the case of people -- <em>could become</em> dangerous (but are not there yet) or are anomalous but not dangerous, such as someone suffering a medical emergency. Alternatively, it's terribly easy to overlook non-people hazards, like a freshly-mopped wet floor or a glass door that was open a second ago but has now swung closed. (Y'all didn't see the door close because you were too busy watching the couple that just walked out and wondering if you should be concerned with them.)
Funny how words mean things, and it doesn't have to be rocket surgery parsing what they mean. Who knew?
"Left of Bang" purchased on recommendation. Of the training classes I've taken (voluntarily and semi-vouluntarily), this is the best explanation I've seen so far. 30% of it seems to be malarky ("You should always have your head on a swivel, actively scanning for threats!!!") while most of the rest seems to be excrement (folks regurgitating Jeff Cooper's color code without grokking it in the least).
I particularly like the concrete rules on deviations plus behavior that can and should provoke a response.
"You should always have your head on a swivel, actively scanning for threats!!!"
My Visualization of the Cosmic All feels seen (and threatened). :-)
Kidding aside, it's more a matter of "keep one's schnozz out of one's phone/take nothing for granted/be aware of what's going on in one's environment/if it moves take notice of it," etc.
I ordered a used copy of Left of Bang from Bookfinder.
Exactly. Phones stay in pockets, ear buds stay in cases, and casual observance occurs. Back when I taught martial arts, I used to scream bloody murder about attention sinks in general, and sensory deadening devices in particular.
Concur. I'm not sure I'd trust myself to pay appropriate attention even using a bone-conduction headset, which I prefer to earbuds or headphones (on- or over-year).
I've had people make the argument that Bone Conduction is okay, because it's not covering/occluding the ear. The problem isn't the hearing, it's the listening. The music/podcast/whatever being played on your bone conduction headphones is going to distract your attention whether you can still hear outside noises or not.
Fortunately I grew up with afternoon re-runs on the tv, while I was doing my homework. The goings-on on the tube were easy to turn into merely background noise.
It's why I can't do "books on tape" in the car. I miss too much of the book as I end up actively engaged outside, trying not to get in wrecks and such. "Wait, what? It's on a totally different topic. How many chapters did I miss?"
And remember in your evaluation of ‘normal’ one of the things most forget is whether you qualify as normal in that environment. If not how will other’s evaluation of you likely impact the situation.
Excellent write-up and excellent points. I might have to start counting discrepancies as a method.
Also, I think of SA (situational awareness) in more than simply self-defense terms.
First, it's a key driving skill. Seeing what's out there (including behind you and approaching) lets you adjust subtly to what's going on, instead of slamming on brakes or jerking into the other lane. For one instance, I have numerous times maneuvered into the other lane rapidly (while signaling!) because I saw hints in the driving of the car in front of me that they were abruptly going to slow down. And I could maneuver because I already knew there was no one back there to impede me. Slowing down and preparing for the parking spot further from the door because the driver coming the other way is giving hints they'll pull into the one you were thinking of. (And thereby, not having to back up - dangerous in a parking lot - or go all the way to another aisle.)
It also lets you see things happening around you that are not threatening and might even lift your spirits. The little kid in the cart that makes a silly face at you in the store - and brightens your day. Seeing a woman who has finished unloading her car and is going to walk all the way to the cart return, but you're intercepting her path and can take the cart inside (since that's where you're going).
In the not-lifting realm, maybe your attention sees the guy starting to have a heart attack, and you can catch him before he smacks his head on the ground, and call 911 to boot.
Lastly, an alert posture - not head-down in your phone, looking around casually, etc. - is a great way to make malefactors decide to choose someone else for their shenanigans that day.
Speaking of seeing the guy starting to have a heart attack; a couple years ago a woman in line at Home Depot asked my husband if he was ok, he said he thought the costco pizza slice he just had wasn't agreeing with him, she then asked if he was maybe having a heart attack, he thought just the pizza, but the next night things being no better, he went to the ER and was wheeled off to have stents put in because he was indeed having a heart attack.
Every time I hear the phrase: Situational Awareness and I think about Perfect Getaway. :D How that entire movie is simply being AWARE of what is going on around you. Need to rewatch it now. ;) But I feel like it's exactly this, simply paying attention to what's not normal vs what is, so that when the danger arrives it's flashing red lights immediately.
The "flashing red lights" bit made me think of a common phenomenon: people slowing down abruptly when they see the cop 200 feet ahead, parked by the side of the road.
If he's going to pull you over, he's already tagged you, man. Your SA was way too far behind. But, much like the dog barking at the mailman, they will reply "But I haven't gotten a ticket yet." SMH
As a instructor for NYS Pistol Licensing, I'm obligated (by NYS curriculum) to "instruct" in Situational Awareness. To put together the course material, I read and incorporated Van Horne & Reiley's material from Left of Bang. Its about the most complete and concise compilation I have found on this topic.
I also incorporated those principles in to Safety Talks as an Occupational Safety Professional. If you are aware of hazards, you can control hazards; that includes GTFO.
Regarding that far receding tide; I may be an alarmist, but I wouldn’t keep an eye on it. I would immediately relocate to higher ground, preferably quite a way back from the coast and the incoming tsunami.
Good. Generally applicable. Perhaps you can delve into establishing baselines more since our greatest risks are often in the unfamiliar environment such as the urbanite driving Route 66 for an adventure or some fat older man wandering about West Africa for business. ;)
Um...sorry for being That Guy (aka That Pedantic Jackwagon), but if on Day 4, the tide suddenly goes "waaaayy the hell out there," then you should not simply "keep any eye on it," you should immediately hightail it inland towards the highest ground you can find Most Rikki-Fucking-Tikki.
Yes, but you get the point.
'Twas a good use of dry, black humor, sir. ;)
Hard for me to think of "dry" while contemplating that scenario. I congratulate you. 😉
Point firmly gotten, no worries.
I was gonna say this. I float a lot better than I did 45 years ago, but run much slower so I'm bugging out with the first "what the heck...?"
Now that I think about it, that's probably good policy in general for old/slow/weak bodies.
Yeah, because that "situation" is called a "tsunami". During the Indonesian mega-quake and tsunami on 12/26/2024, a British family was relaxing at the beach in Thailand, when suddenly the 10-year-old daughter Tilly Smith noticed the receding waterline, and declared "There's going to be a tsunami!" Get Grok to tell you the story.
Saved a hundred or more.
My thoughts exactly.
Best definition of Situational Awareness I've read. You really should write a training manual to offset all the drivel put out by the tactical "experts"......
Get "Left of Bang". Amazon, Barnes & Noble are good if you want print. I did a bit of Googling and found a PDF of it on the Interwebz.
Since you are on Substack, as is Patrick Van Horne, you can subscribe to @CP Journal. Most excellent presentations on the topic, with practical applications.
Boss and I were driving through the IZ, and he makes a wrong turn. Rather than admit it, he keeps going deeper into the neighborhood, finally stopping at a four way intersection.
My 'We're going to fucking die' sense has overloaded. I look at him and say, 'Put the truck in fucking reverse and get us the hell out of here. And No, I'm not going to ground guide.'
He responds with 'It's not that bad.'
Me - 'If you don't start backing up right now, I'm trading you for the truck with the locals when the time comes.'
Him - 'How?'
Me - 'I speak more Arabic than you do, and I speak it with a Lebanese accent, not a southern Missouri one.'
Truck went into reverse and out we came.
It ain't just danger, either. Situational Awareness also lets you see cool critters, neat vehicles, flyovers by say, a formation of F-86s & Mig 15s, beautiful scenery, passing friends, and even the occasion stunningly attractive person.
If you aren't seeing those things, you're not Situationally Awaring right.
Exactly right. Life is much better when you're paying attention.
There's a difference between "situational awareness" and "scanning for danger."
And oddly enough, it's right in the name. No need to slap fancy "tacticool" definitions on plain English terms.
"Situational awareness" means -- and not to put <em>too</em> fine a point on it -- keeping oneself <strong>aware of the situation</strong> one finds oneself in. That means knowing what's normal, what's clearly not normal, and -- most importantly -- what's close enough to "normal" that a casual/unaware person might <em>think</em> is normal but an informed observer detects something is "off." As you said, it's establishing the "baseline," recognizing when something doesn't fit, and devoting additional attention to those anomalies.
"Scanning for threats/danger" means just that: scanning for threats or danger. The problem is that when one is on the lookout <em>exclusively</em> for active threats and danger, they're nearly always focused on people, and it's terribly easy to overlook things which -- in the case of people -- <em>could become</em> dangerous (but are not there yet) or are anomalous but not dangerous, such as someone suffering a medical emergency. Alternatively, it's terribly easy to overlook non-people hazards, like a freshly-mopped wet floor or a glass door that was open a second ago but has now swung closed. (Y'all didn't see the door close because you were too busy watching the couple that just walked out and wondering if you should be concerned with them.)
Funny how words mean things, and it doesn't have to be rocket surgery parsing what they mean. Who knew?
"Left of Bang" purchased on recommendation. Of the training classes I've taken (voluntarily and semi-vouluntarily), this is the best explanation I've seen so far. 30% of it seems to be malarky ("You should always have your head on a swivel, actively scanning for threats!!!") while most of the rest seems to be excrement (folks regurgitating Jeff Cooper's color code without grokking it in the least).
I particularly like the concrete rules on deviations plus behavior that can and should provoke a response.
"You should always have your head on a swivel, actively scanning for threats!!!"
My Visualization of the Cosmic All feels seen (and threatened). :-)
Kidding aside, it's more a matter of "keep one's schnozz out of one's phone/take nothing for granted/be aware of what's going on in one's environment/if it moves take notice of it," etc.
I ordered a used copy of Left of Bang from Bookfinder.
Exactly. Phones stay in pockets, ear buds stay in cases, and casual observance occurs. Back when I taught martial arts, I used to scream bloody murder about attention sinks in general, and sensory deadening devices in particular.
Concur. I'm not sure I'd trust myself to pay appropriate attention even using a bone-conduction headset, which I prefer to earbuds or headphones (on- or over-year).
I've had people make the argument that Bone Conduction is okay, because it's not covering/occluding the ear. The problem isn't the hearing, it's the listening. The music/podcast/whatever being played on your bone conduction headphones is going to distract your attention whether you can still hear outside noises or not.
Fortunately I grew up with afternoon re-runs on the tv, while I was doing my homework. The goings-on on the tube were easy to turn into merely background noise.
It's why I can't do "books on tape" in the car. I miss too much of the book as I end up actively engaged outside, trying not to get in wrecks and such. "Wait, what? It's on a totally different topic. How many chapters did I miss?"
Reading? A whole other story.
I don't even like hoodies for that reason.
And remember in your evaluation of ‘normal’ one of the things most forget is whether you qualify as normal in that environment. If not how will other’s evaluation of you likely impact the situation.
Excellent write-up and excellent points. I might have to start counting discrepancies as a method.
Also, I think of SA (situational awareness) in more than simply self-defense terms.
First, it's a key driving skill. Seeing what's out there (including behind you and approaching) lets you adjust subtly to what's going on, instead of slamming on brakes or jerking into the other lane. For one instance, I have numerous times maneuvered into the other lane rapidly (while signaling!) because I saw hints in the driving of the car in front of me that they were abruptly going to slow down. And I could maneuver because I already knew there was no one back there to impede me. Slowing down and preparing for the parking spot further from the door because the driver coming the other way is giving hints they'll pull into the one you were thinking of. (And thereby, not having to back up - dangerous in a parking lot - or go all the way to another aisle.)
It also lets you see things happening around you that are not threatening and might even lift your spirits. The little kid in the cart that makes a silly face at you in the store - and brightens your day. Seeing a woman who has finished unloading her car and is going to walk all the way to the cart return, but you're intercepting her path and can take the cart inside (since that's where you're going).
In the not-lifting realm, maybe your attention sees the guy starting to have a heart attack, and you can catch him before he smacks his head on the ground, and call 911 to boot.
Lastly, an alert posture - not head-down in your phone, looking around casually, etc. - is a great way to make malefactors decide to choose someone else for their shenanigans that day.
Speaking of seeing the guy starting to have a heart attack; a couple years ago a woman in line at Home Depot asked my husband if he was ok, he said he thought the costco pizza slice he just had wasn't agreeing with him, she then asked if he was maybe having a heart attack, he thought just the pizza, but the next night things being no better, he went to the ER and was wheeled off to have stents put in because he was indeed having a heart attack.
Even if you are not good at "situational awareness" you can keep your smartphone in your pocket when out in public.
Every time I hear the phrase: Situational Awareness and I think about Perfect Getaway. :D How that entire movie is simply being AWARE of what is going on around you. Need to rewatch it now. ;) But I feel like it's exactly this, simply paying attention to what's not normal vs what is, so that when the danger arrives it's flashing red lights immediately.
The "flashing red lights" bit made me think of a common phenomenon: people slowing down abruptly when they see the cop 200 feet ahead, parked by the side of the road.
If he's going to pull you over, he's already tagged you, man. Your SA was way too far behind. But, much like the dog barking at the mailman, they will reply "But I haven't gotten a ticket yet." SMH
As a instructor for NYS Pistol Licensing, I'm obligated (by NYS curriculum) to "instruct" in Situational Awareness. To put together the course material, I read and incorporated Van Horne & Reiley's material from Left of Bang. Its about the most complete and concise compilation I have found on this topic.
I also incorporated those principles in to Safety Talks as an Occupational Safety Professional. If you are aware of hazards, you can control hazards; that includes GTFO.
Regarding that far receding tide; I may be an alarmist, but I wouldn’t keep an eye on it. I would immediately relocate to higher ground, preferably quite a way back from the coast and the incoming tsunami.
As usual, I read here and learn something.
Read Left of Bang last summer. It was extremely educational.
Left of Bang is a great read. It was recommended to a class I took at Gunsite Academy, and the instructors STRONGLY recommended we read it.
Good. Generally applicable. Perhaps you can delve into establishing baselines more since our greatest risks are often in the unfamiliar environment such as the urbanite driving Route 66 for an adventure or some fat older man wandering about West Africa for business. ;)