Street Smarts is a section detailing about the dangers of nightlife, how to keep yourself out of trouble, and some wise tips in getting around D.C. Here are some thoughts to make sure that everyone has a safe and fun time downtown. Click the images below.

• If you're not sure exactly where the club is and, especially, if you're not familiar with the entire area, please do not drive there alone. If you must, it would be a good idea to bring a cell phone in case you have to call a friend or the club to redirect you in case you end up in a shady neighborhood.
  
  
• Trust your instincts. If getting out of your car in a certain place or a certain building or person/people really gives you the creeps, it is probably best to avoid them. However, it is not necessary to have a panic attack every time you venture into a non-upscale area. Most folks, even in not-so-nice places are just going about their lawful business.
  
  
• I would judge the following behavior as truly suspicious: Someone following you for several blocks, someone walking too closely beside or behind you in a non-crowded situation,of course, any stranger who tries to touch you, threatening words from two or more people toward a single person, and any sort of dangerous car games (ie chicken or someone trying to run you off the road).
  
  
• I've found that some signs that you're not in the safest of neighbor- hoods are: lack of good lighting, lots of abandoned buildings, little business presence outside of the occasional liquor store or carryout, small children and single women on the streets after midnight, and, of course, the presence of prostitutes and open drug deals or use. The homeless are generally not an indicator of a shady neighborhood. They tend to hang out where they are likely to get the most money from people and that happens to be in club, restaraunt, and business districts and at Metro Stations. I always see more homeless in Georgetown than near the Navy Yard (SE).
  
  
• If random old men approach you in a nightlife district offering to find you a parking space or to watch your car while you party, you are not obligated to have them do those things or give them money. These are usually just homeless people or scam artists who want to make a few dollars. I've never known anyone who had themself or their car harmed by ignoring these guys. In a few minutes, they'll just find someone else to bother. However, if parking is terrible and one of them does find you a space or truly helps you in some way, it is probably only polite to tip him and a dollar or two should be enough.