It’s been said that you can pick your seat; and you can pick your friends; but you should not pick your friend’s seat.  … Or is that nose?  Same same.

When you go into a restaurant, bar or coffee shop do you pay any attention into which seat you decide to plunk yourself?  Or do you normally just take whichever one is closest?

From a crime avoidance and security standpoint there should be a very distinct methodology to which seat you choose.  Whenever possible, try sit near the rear of the dining room so that you have a great view of all that is happening within the whole room.  This also ensures that people will not be seated behind you – and unless you have eyes in the back of your head, you’ll want to have domain awareness in the entire area.

In addition to the location of the table or booth, select a seat that will give you a direct view of the exterior door.  If someone with ill intent should enter the room you’ll want to see this the moment it happens so that you can react if necessary.  If you sit with your back facing the door you can’t possibly have the level of awareness needed for personal safety.

Rumor has it that Wild Bill Hickok always sat with his back to the wall too, so no one could sneak up to shoot him!  Even since the mid-1860’s this crime avoidance practice was common place among some.

Clearly only one person will be able to occupy the prime seat as discussed above.  If you are dining with another person, then who gets dibs on the door facing seat?  Ideally if you are on a date, the chivalrous thing would be for the man to take this seat – signifying he has your back.

So as not to sound sexist or give the femi-nazis cause for debate, perhaps the politically correct thing to say is whoever is better equipped to react should a threat present itself should be the one who takes the prime seat.

One last thing: just don’t forget that after you pick your seat, you should really wash your hands!

Be Safe!