Socializing Safely in Sin City

Socializing and safety reminds me of nature. In ancient times, people studied the movements of animals to create fighting styles that increased their personal safety. There are modern ways to accomplish the same. Envision of a group of gazelles converging on a watering hole while cheetahs crouch in high grass yards away. The smartest gazelles are in the middle of the pack, placing many targets between themselves and potential predators. This may sound somewhat corny, but we (humans) herd to nearby watering holes just like the gazelles.

With tons of bars, lounges, and mega clubs packed into several square miles, Las Vegas is a “social haven” for locals, tourists, and socialites. This town is still growing and growth has its pains. Those pains occasionally occur in the form of unsavory characters. There are many ways to increase personal safety when socializing, but there are two methods that are simple, efficient, and increase convenience.

Separation VS Isolation
Occasionally when socializing, two individuals decide to break off from the group for a private conversation. You have to be careful when dealing with strangers that want to isolate you. Separation and isolation are not the same. On the terrace of a club, or a couch a few yards away you are separated. When you are on a stairwell just outside the alternate exit however, you can’t be seen or heard. That’s isolation. When I was on patrol, my sector-beat included the University Medical Center (UMC). Dispatched to UMC multiple times weekly, I completed preliminary sex assault investigations prior to making a call to detectives. From memory, I can tell you that two things usually occurred before the majority of the victims were attacked. They were at a social outing and they allowed themselves to be isolated by a stranger. Never allow yourself to become isolated.

The Middle of the Pack
Put yourself in a place where interactions with the dregs of the Las Vegas Valley would be highly unlikely. Think of it as implementing social barriers between the creeps and weirdoes and yourself. You’ll notice in nature that the cheetah rarely catches a gazelle from the middle of the pack, it usually gets one of the stragglers that are almost alone in the back of the herd.

Pink Elephant Games
Recently I came across a way to implement both methods with great ease in the form of a company called Pink Elephant Games. The company appears to facilitate a safe and more enjoyable alternative to bar crawling. Dubbed a “fun, new and wacky event company that will deliver just what your inner child and inner college student has been yearning for,” Pink Elephant Games was founded by Heidi Keller Rosen. She is also the founder of “Get Out! Las Vegas,” a singles club she created in 2004 after moving to Las Vegas from New York. “The great thing about “Get Out!” is that there is some social responsibility because you are a member and will see these people again,” said Heidi. In addition, Heidi’s staff meets with and screens to people that attend the “Get Out! Las Vegas” events.

The Pink Elephant staff is kicking off their first event this Saturday August 1st with a Pajama Party Bus. I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic when Heidi told me about the rolling Pajama Party, (Pajama Parties in College were legendary!) but then I remembered how much drinking and overall craziness occurred at those parties. Heidi mentioned that individuals are not likely to “act up” in such an environment. Pink Elephant events are monitored by the staff and as with her “Get Out! Las Vegas” outings, the attendees will be delivered to an area where taxis and restaurants are accessible and impaired subjects will be encouraged to get a ride or grab a bite to eat instead of driving.

The first five individuals that visit Facebook, become a fan on the Pink Elephant Games page, and mention this article on personal safety and socializing will receive free admission to the Pajama Party Bus event this Saturday August 1st.

To increase safety while socializing, you can implement a couple of simple methods or find a company that does it for you. Anyone with public or personal safety questions, please email them to john@living-las-vegas.com.