Situational Awareness in Transitional Spaces

Violence doesn’t usually come when you’re locked in your house or sitting at your desk. It happens when you’re moving between safe zones—parking lots, gas stations, ATMs, lobbies, and public transit stops. These are called transitional spaces, and they’re some of the most dangerous environments you’ll encounter in daily life.

Predators know this. They hunt in places where people are distracted, carrying valuables, and unaware of what’s happening around them.

At Sentinel Combatives, we teach that survival in transitional spaces comes down to awareness, positioning, and preparation. Let’s break it down.

What Are Transitional Spaces?

Transitional spaces are locations where you’re:

• On the move between one place and another.
• Distracted by tasks like paying, carrying items, or navigating.
• Predictable in your behavior (where you park, how you enter).

Examples:

• Parking Lots: Carrying groceries, digging for keys, head down.
• Gas Stations: One of the highest robbery locations in America. You’re boxed in by your vehicle.
• ATMs: Cash in hand, your back exposed.
• Transit Stops: Waiting alone, often focused on your phone.
• Hotel Lobbies: Strangers coming and going, bags in hand.

The Predator’s Playbook

Criminals look for:

• Distracted targets (phone in hand, earbuds in).
• Encumbered targets (bags, kids, items in both hands).
• Routine targets (same gas station, same ATM, same parking spot).

Their advantage is speed and surprise. Your advantage must be awareness and preparation.

Baseline and Anomalies

The fastest way to raise your awareness is to build a mental baseline: What does “normal” look like right now?

• Baseline: In a gas station lot, normal is people fueling, paying, moving on.
• Anomalies: Someone loitering, circling, watching instead of acting.

The Gray Man principle applies here—blend into the baseline yourself, while spotting those who don’t.

Positioning and Movement

Parking Lots:

• Park under lights, near entrances.
• Walk with your head up and keys in hand.
• Before entering your vehicle, check the back seat and undercarriage.

Gas Stations:

• Fuel during daylight when possible.
• Stand with your back to your car, keeping the pump between you and unknown individuals.
• Keep transactions quick—don’t linger.

ATMs:

• Use indoor ATMs when available.
• If anyone is too close, leave and return later.
• Shield your pin entry and keep your head up.

Transit Stops:

• Position yourself near groups rather than isolated corners.
• Stand where you can see approaching individuals from distance.
• Keep one hand free, even if carrying a bag.

Tools for Transitional Awareness

• Flashlight: Not just for dark alleys—use it as you approach your car at night.
• Mirrors & Reflections: Store windows, car glass—check behind you without turning around.
• Audio Discipline: If you use earbuds, keep one ear free. Better yet, none at all.
• Pro Tip: Use your phone strategically—pretend to talk on a call to deter an approach, but don’t actually zone out on social media.

Final Word: Own the Space Between

The real battlefield for civilians isn’t a warzone—it’s the parking lot, the gas pump, the walk to your front door. Owning transitional spaces means you’re less predictable, more prepared, and harder to ambush.

At Sentinel Combatives, we teach that awareness buys time, and time creates options. In transitional spaces, those options are your lifeline.

📧 Contact: jerry@sentinelcombatives.com
📞 Phone: 828-415-0826