So you're in a suburban outskirt of the ghetto (and that's almost all of them these days), you're appropriately swiveling your head, and you realize there's someone uncomfortably close behind you, maybe 20 or 30 feet.

Is it reasonable, rather than make turns and do things to see if he's actually tailing you, to just step to the side (not necessarily tying your shoe, I don't wear tie shoes anyhow), don't try to make it look like you're doing something else, but let them walk on by?

If they're just innocently behind you, just happened to fall in and pace you, they might not even notice what you're doing, so that's OK, once they're past you just go about your business.

If they're NOT innocent, I know the LaFond rules - don't verbalize, don't make challenging eye contact, be as ready as you can be in case he comes toward you...? But where do you look, and how, to let him know you're not easy but avoid triggering an attack...? Once you stop and turn, is your only move to attack?

-LaMano

Great inquiry, LaMano.

20 or 30 feet is a clutch range. If you both walk towards each other three steps and you’re in contact, two steps and weapons should be to hand if not out. I won’t suggest anything I haven’t done.

As far as where to look I like looking perpendicular to him so I can track him via my peripheral vision.

-You don’t turn on him and attack unless you are convinced he’s coming for you and even then, as I have found out twice, you might be wrong. If you make this determination just focus on pinning his weapon hand and don’t be a savage and grab a nail out of the gutter and then his throat—that’s not cool and you’ll feel like a real dick.

-My favorite low-commitment ploy is to cross the street at an odd angle and place to make it become obvious on his part if he is following you.

-When suspicious but having no concrete reason to act, I have stopped and stepped aside, nodding respectfully and that has worked. If you do this and the following person is a young man with pocketed hands make sure you are on the pocket side. They will usually keep the gun hand to the building side so that your body can be used to shield from passing motorists, so you need to be there to stuff it and make it visibly risky for him. In your body language just frame your stepping aside as a courtesy to the passerby, as if you don’t want them to have to step around as they overtake you on the way to their destination.

-Another high stress reaction I like is to cross the street as soon as you get a sense he is getting too close and then walk in the opposite direction.

-Ultimately, the most decisive thing you can do is turn, and walk back PAST him, on the side of the potential weapon hand and get to your destination later. Now, once that is done and you have taken yourself five minutes out of the way, if he turns and follows you, IT IS ON and you must act decisively.

Remember, LaMano, if he is packing a weapon and aiming to waylay you himself, he will hurry up or abort when you make him within 30 feet.

Also recall, that he might be following you to an ambush point where his accomplice awaits. So do look out for a potential second actor and smart phone activity.

Be careful.

Conducting the Moral Autopsy 0f a Nation