How to lose someone when you are tracked abroad
Revealed: How You Can Lose Someone When You’re Tracked Abroad…and the One Thing You Absolutely MUST NOT Do
Safety is key when exploring unfamiliar cities and countries.
Unfortunately, scary situations can arise from time to time, for example if you feel that you are being followed.
It’s easy to panic in these scenarios, but certain steps can be taken to stay safe, author Paul O’Donnell reveals in his book Man up! 367 classic skills for the modern man.
In the book, which is a compilation of solutions to problems people face in everyday life, the American writer explains how you can lose someone if you are followed.
First, O’Donnell suggests you investigate your suspicion and see if you are actually being followed.
Certain measures can be taken to stay safe if you feel that you are being followed abroad
He writes, “Behave a little erratically – stop to look at a shop window, a house or a garden – and see if your tail tries to keep up with you. If the person you suspect is following you stops (a shop window is a handy mirror to keep an eye on the person), walk through and stop again; if he or she stops again, you’re probably being followed.”
O’Donnell also recommends that you walk halfway down a road before turning around and slowly going the other way. This allows you to confirm whether the stranger is definitely following you, and also allows you to take stock of their appearance.
He says, “If your tail twirls with you, make a note of the person’s age, hair color, and height (measure visually against a building doorway or street sign) so you can identify them to police if necessary.”
O’Donnell says if you’re driving and you suspect your car is being tracked, you should take similar steps to definitively determine if you’re being followed. If the car behind mimics your actions, you can assume that your hunch was correct.
He says, “Turn on your right turn signal, slowly round the corner, then straight ahead. If you’re still in doubt, take two right turns and pull a U-turn center block. On the highway, slow down gradually until you reach 40 mph (64 km/h); anyone who doesn’t follow you will pass you in 60 seconds.’
Once you’ve made it clear that you’re being tracked, there’s one thing you should absolutely avoid, according to O’Donnell.
If you think your car is being followed, take two right turns and pull a U-turn center block. If the car behind mimics your actions, you can assume that your hunch was correct
He says, “If you feel that the person following you is a threat, don’t go home no matter what you do; you don’t want them to know where you live.’ With this logic in mind, it’s unwise to return to an Airbnb or vacation rental you’re staying at until you shake your pursuer.
Instead, the author recommends that you “drive or walk to the nearest police station or police car and explain your suspicions.”
He also suggests going to a crowded place, such as a mall or department store, to blend in with the crowd.
Travel safety consultant JC Lightcap – who wrote The safety handbook for travel – has more tips for losing a suspected pursuer. He told the travel advice site ‘1,000 Travel Tips’ that you need to find security personnel in a hotel lobby who can contact the police for you or get into a taxi to put some distance between you and the pursuer.
Man up! 367 classic skills for the modern man by Paul O’Donnell is on sale for £10.