These streets aren't soft.

SAN FRANCISCO SURVIVAL GUIDE

This city is beautiful. This guide is the brutal, essential truth to staying safe while commuting or visiting.

Memorize the Four-Step Takedown:
SCAN → MOVE → SHOUT & DEFEND → ESCAPE

1) SCAN — Spot Trouble Before It Starts 👁️The Goal: Kill a confrontation before it begins by seeing the warning signs.

  • Eyes Up, Phone Down: Lift your head! Phone tunnel-vision screams, "Unaware target here!"

  • The 360° Radar: Sweep your eyes 20-40 feet ahead, both sides, and a quick peek behind. Track movement like a ripple in water - look for the source.

  • The Warning Signals: Look for the fixed, 'thousand-yard' stare, clenched fists, aggressive muttering, or anyone deliberately cutting off your path.

  • The Focus Shift: Watch out if an agitated person suddenly drops the noise and goes silent/still, that’s a dangerous shift to focus. Get clear immediately.

  • The "Prey" Posture: If you spot an aggressor, never suddenly stop, look down, or fiddle with your phone. That "prey" posture confirms you as an easy mark. Maintain steady, deliberate movement. You're in control.

2) MOVE — Control the Space, Be Unpredictable 🏃The Goal: Make yourself a hard target - unpredictable, mobile, and distant.

  • Step Diagonally, Not Straight Back: When retreating, move diagonally away. Never step straight back; that just locks you down.

  • Angle to Witnesses: Always steer your path toward groups, people, or staffed businesses. Avoid dark, empty voids.

  • Give a Wide Berth: Circle widely around anyone guarding items or showing clear agitation. Do not violate their space.

  • The "Fence" Rule: Use street furniture (light poles, newspaper boxes, parked cars) as non-confrontational barriers. Never back yourself up against a wall or building.

  • The Volatile Encounter (Rage/Kicking): If someone is aggressively screaming or kicking objects, avoid or disengage immediately. Maximize your distance and lock your gaze away - zero eye contact.

  • Targeted Verbal Abuse: If you are singled out for verbal abuse (but no physical threat is imminent), keep moving away toward a safe zone. Do not engage, do not argue, and do not make eye contact. Your goal is distance and safety.

  • Bus/Transit Tactic: On board, anchor yourself near the driver/staff or the nearest exit. If challenged, use the mass of seats or passengers as your buffer - be ready to bolt.

3) SHOUT & DEFEND — Break the Freeze, Call the Cavalry 🗣️The Goal: Shut down the attack, shatter your 'freeze' response, and compel immediate intervention.

  • Shout Specific and LOUD: Stop screaming aimlessly. Use phrases that force bystanders to act: "Help - he's attacking me! Call 911!"

  • The Lie-Test: If verbally engaged by the Abusive or Delusional person, use a quick, benign lie to promote distance and exit the conversation immediately. This gives the aggressor a "social out" without a challenge. Say it once calmly - e.g., "My partner is right there (pointing to a busy shop)," or "I'm calling the police now" - and then STOP engaging.

  • The Barrier: Deploy your backpack, umbrella, or jacket as a physical shield held between you and the aggressor while you move.

The Abusive/Delusion Wall - If someone is shouting slurs or is clearly delusional and invading your space:

  • Take one decisive step back (diagonally) to reclaim space.

  • Keep eye contact brief - a glance to assess, then look past them (at their shoulder). Do not engage in sustained staring.

  • Use one soft, non-confrontational phrase ("Excuse me"), then STOP talking. Do not debate, do not argue, and keep hands visible.

Pepper Spray Protocol (The Escape Tool): This is for one scenario only: Your escape route is blocked and you feel in IMMINENT THREAT of physical harm.

  • The Moment: Deploy a single, short burst to the face/eyes only when the aggressor is actively advancing (inside 10 feet) or is grabbing/lunging OR is in your face menacing, and won't back off.

  • Action: Immediately drop the can (if necessary to gain speed) and run straight toward a safe zone.

4) ESCAPE — Run Smart, Not Just Fast ➡️The Goal: Reach a secure location and report the incident accurately.

  • Run to Light and Staff: Sprint toward populated or staffed locations (stores, offices, or a bus driver’s cab). Isolation is the fastest killer of your chances for help.

  • Post-Escape Photo: Once you are safely inside a store or transit vehicle, quickly and discreetly snap a photo of the aggressor from behind or the side. This provides invaluable evidence without initiating a new confrontation.

  • The Safe Zone: Avoid dark lots or deserted streets. If followed, keep moving and establish eye contact with a bystander, stating clearly: "That person is following me! Please help."

  • Exiting Transit: If trouble is on board, exit into a brightly lit area. Never step off at a dark or abandoned stop when escaping.

  • Report Securely: Once you are safe, then call 911. Be precise: report the location, the attacker's full description, and their direction of travel.