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How Does One Become "Extra" Vigilant??

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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 11:23 am
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How Does One Become "Extra" Vigilant??

In the wake of the London bombings, all the talking heads on TV are asking that we all become "extra vigilant".
Here's one definition of vigilant:

Vigilant \Vig"i*lant\, a. [L. vigilans, -antis, p. pr. of

vigilare to watch, fr. vigil awake: cf. F. vigilant. See

Vigil.]

Attentive to discover and avoid danger, or to provide for

safety; wakeful; watchful; circumspect; wary. "Be sober, be

vigilant." --1 Pet. v. 8.

[1913 Webster]



Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant. --Shak.

[1913 Webster]
So I understand that to be vigilant is to be wary, watchful, attentive, etc.
This probably makes sense, even prior to the terrorist events of recent years, while traveling.
But how does one notch up personal vigilance to a higher level?
Do you plan to be "extra vigilant" in the months and years to come?
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 11:26 am
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Good question, how?

Here in El Paso we get the occasional idiot who calls in a bomb threat for the international bridges
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 11:29 am
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You see those messages on those electronic signs on the freeways in the Baltimore/Washington area. Be alert for suspicous activity! Ok, what defines suspiscous activity on the road?
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 11:48 am
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Originally Posted by Superguy
You see those messages on those electronic signs on the freeways in the Baltimore/Washington area. Be alert for suspicous activity! Ok, what defines suspiscous activity on the road?
Driving at or below the speed limit?
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 11:51 am
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Originally Posted by Superguy
You see those messages on those electronic signs on the freeways in the Baltimore/Washington area. Be alert for suspicous activity! Ok, what defines suspiscous activity on the road?
Call in the guy in front of you who cut you off or refused to let you merge Tell the DHS that he or she was using a video camera to film the Woodrow Wilson bridge construction or something ... and looked possibly middle eastern in descent...
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 11:55 am
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Originally Posted by ralfp
Driving at or below the speed limit?
That'd probably flag you as being suspiscous.

The default traffic speed limit in the Baltimore area is 15-20mph above the posted speed limit.
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 11:55 am
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Call in the guy in front of you who cut you off or refused to let you merge Tell the DHS that he or she was using a video camera to film the Woodrow Wilson bridge construction or something ... and looked possibly middle eastern in descent...
Lol!!! ^
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 11:55 am
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Originally Posted by exerda
Call in the guy in front of you who cut you off or refused to let you merge Tell the DHS that he or she was using a video camera to film the Woodrow Wilson bridge construction or something ... and looked possibly middle eastern in descent...
ROFLMAO!!!!
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 11:58 am
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Originally Posted by Superguy
You see those messages on those electronic signs on the freeways in the Baltimore/Washington area. Be alert for suspicious activity! Ok, what defines suspicious activity on the road?
In the Balt/Wash area ... using turn signals, allowing someone to merge safely, not talking on your mobile while driving ... the list goes on and on

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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 12:53 pm
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Originally Posted by Superguy
You see those messages on those electronic signs on the freeways in the Baltimore/Washington area. Be alert for suspicous activity! Ok, what defines suspiscous activity on the road?
In downtown DC, anyone who can actually drive in the roundabouts in a manner that doesn't scare you, must be suspicious or must have travelled in "troubled lands" a bit too much to not be suspicious.
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 1:01 pm
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
In downtown DC, anyone who can actually drive in the roundabouts in a manner that doesn't scare you, must be suspicious or must have travelled in "troubled lands" a bit too much to not be suspicious.
I'd go a bit farther and say that anyone who drives in DC would be suspicious. Most people are smart enough to take the Metro.
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 1:28 pm
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LOL! All these responses cracked me up. I will be extra vigilant by not crossing the border between MD and vA.
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 1:41 pm
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Originally Posted by Superguy
I'd go a bit farther and say that anyone who drives in DC would be suspicious. Most people are smart enough to take the Metro.
ROTFLOL. Generally true and advisable. However, 1) some places in DC are not readily metro-accessible (especially at certain hours); and 2) for some travel between downtown DC and Northern VA (or MD for that matter), the Metro is unfortunately often a bad option.

I will be extra vigilant by watching the news from overseas.
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 4:02 pm
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
ROTFLOL. Generally true and advisable. However, 1) some places in DC are not readily metro-accessible (especially at certain hours); and 2) for some travel between downtown DC and Northern VA (or MD for that matter), the Metro is unfortunately often a bad option.

I will be extra vigilant by watching the news from overseas.
Yeah, I know. My wife and I learned our lessons driving in DC.

Here's another one:

Only crossing the 14th Street bridge ONCE trying to get where you're going to go. If you can accomplish that, you've obviously staked out the bridge.

That bridge has the nickname in my family as "that damn bridge ... again!"
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Old Jul 7, 2005 | 7:50 pm
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Originally Posted by Superguy
Yeah, I know. My wife and I learned our lessons driving in DC.
I lived there for five years. In the first week I learned that a yellow light means accellerate, green means only three more cars. Anyone who stops on a yellow is obviously suspicious, since they are trying to cause a pile-up.
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