Having watched a lot of these segments over again, I've thought to myself what I would have or wouldn't have done in certain cases. Obviously you never know until you are actually in a specific scenario, but I was just thinking of some things I would hope would click if it happened to me.

- If your car is on fire outside your house don't go check on it. Call the police. (Haunted house case with John Harden)

- If someone has you in a car at gunpoint and forces you to drive somewhere like a bank or whatever take your chances and slam your vehicle into some property (hopefully not property like a building that is occupied) as your assailant probably isn't wearing a seatbelt, stop in the middle of an intersection and try to escape, or if your seatbelt happens to be do a barrel roll out the car LOL.

- If you are held at gunpoint and headed towards a wooded area, might as well take your chances and try to escape.

- If you are running, and you know you are going to be shot at, try running in zig zags to avoid bullets. Better than running in a straight line maybe.


All of these are kind of humorous, but in a lot of these renactments I think "if only he/she did X or Z"

I'm still thinking what the best approach would be to get out of the Henry Rollins and Joe Cool situation. Those two seemed dead from the start.

Don't go to an ATM by yourself late at night.

Not many phone booths around anymore but don't use one after dark when you're alone.

-(Dick Hansen) If you are ever stalked by another driver, do NOT attempt to confront them. Drive to a police station or checkpoint, or as a last resort try to get the police's attention by speeding or something like that.
-(Dexter Stefonek) NEVER spend overnight at a rest area. Choose a hotel, or if you wish to save money by not doing so, pull into a gas station instead.
-(Phillip Fraser) Never pick up a hitchhiker.
-(Matthew Chase) Never go to an outdoor ATM in the middle of the night.

-(Unabomber) Don't pick up wooden spike strips in a parking a lot

Don't attempt to walk anywhere in a blizzard (Frozen Alive miracle segment)

Don't place a classifieds ad for a roommate (Beverly McGowan)

Don't go into the back room (I-70 killer)

Don't videotape the houses I burn down (Omar)

If you go in for a reading or whatever and the guy hosting it, starts asking a bunch of questions about your menstrual cycle: run and don't look back!

Where do I start :rolleyes:

If you go in for a reading or whatever and the guy hosting it, starts asking a bunch of questions about your menstrual cycle: run and don't look back!
Haha good one. But he just wants to align psychic centers.....

Obviously don't hitchhike. I still see ALOT of people doing it. I don't care if it is the middle of the day, don't hitchhike and don't pick up a hitchhiker.

If some weirdo is trying to tell you there's something wrong with your car, wait and pull over into a parking lot with a lot of people (or witnesses)

If an unmarked police car pulls you over and you really don't buy that the person is a real cop, stay in the car and call 911 just to confirm. (I don't know if there was an actual UM case about this but still. Stay the hell in the car.)

If someone tries to carjack you, just give them the damn car. Don't get back in the car or stay in it. Get the hell out. There was a case where I live in Toms River, a teacher got carjacked and the [17 year old] carjacker killed her. She secretly audio recorded everything that happened. His excuse was that he wanted a car and he liked hers. WTF?

Road rage. I have a crapload of it sometimes. If some nutbar is acting like an ass or tailgates you just move over and let the a-hole pass. Don't add anymore fuel to their fire.

If you invite someone back to your hotel room, and they request red wine and want to give you a massage...:lol:

Another obvious is don't use the ATM at night.

If a stranger all of a sudden discovers a large wad of cash just say "oh good for you," and leave it alone. :rolleyes:

Don't videotape the houses I burn down (Omar)


"Don't leave incriminating evidence on a cassette that can easily be traced back to you" was the moral of that tale. ;-)

Where do I start :rolleyes:

For real! :lol:

Don't videotape the houses I burn down (Omar)


Alternately, if you do, make the tape for your buddy Mike or Chris or Jose. Something nice and generic.

I'm still thinking what the best approach would be to get out of the Henry Rollins and Joe Cool situation. Those two seemed dead from the start.
Don't walk around Venice at night would be my suggestion. There are a handful of areas like this throughout L.A. where walking at night is a no-no. I know it was everyday life for them, but it's not a good area at night. I'm not really a fan of walking around late at night (even with friends) unless the area is crowded and there are plenty of safety nets around (i.e. cameras, security guards, etc.) even in areas that are usually perfectly safe.

The Dexter S. situation I had forgotten. I should have remembered that when me and a buddy went traveling across the country in a car about 8 years ago just out of high school. First and foremost it was a stupid idea. Second, we did stop at a rest stop in Colorado which was dumb. At the very least we should have covered the car with newspapers. We didn't come across any real big trouble on the trip, but we easily could have. Never driving across country again unless I'm with at least 5 people. Even so, would never stop at a rest area.

And hitchhiking is ****ing ********. I never understood that even when I was a little kid.

Unsolved Mysteries has pretty much taught me to not trust anybody on the road. From fender bumpers that turn into murder, to abductions that turn deadly...I don't trust anyone anymore.

I think I have better situational awareness.

If a loved one of mine tells me they are getting death threats, grill them about everything. Ask them as many follow up questions about it as you can possibly think of. Tell other family/friends about it.

You'd think that would be obvious. But too many times, I saw interviewee's do next to nothing and once their loved one did in fact end up dead, they would always say, "I should have told someone. I should have found out more when I had the chance."

UM + reading true crime books has definitely taught me that, no matter what the situation, you NEVER EVER EVER EVER let someone take you to another location. If, god forbid, someone forces you in a car, DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to avoid being taken to that second location, where some sort of torture + death are pretty much guaranteed. Crash the car. Act crazy. Risk getting shot. Jump out of a moving vehicle. Try to grab the gun. Interfere with the driver's ability to steer. Make a huge scene. State that your father is the local police chief and BOY is this gonna attract huge publicity. State that you have AIDS or that you are a space alien with magical powers. Do anything at all to avoid getting taken somewhere!

UM actually did directly influence my actions the other day. Some friends and I were going to a casino after work, and the day before I was like, hmm, I'll need cash....I'll just swing by the drive-through ATM on my way out of work (I get off at 10:30pm). Then I thought, NO FREAKIN' WAY and hit up the grocery store's cash back option...in broad daylight lol.

Speaking of not letting you don't know take you somewhere

-(Rodgers Family) Never accept a boat ride from strangers.

Looking back at things I used to do I'm surprised that:

a) I was really that stupid
b) I'm not dead
c) I didn't become part of some sex trafficking deal

I drove to Ontario by myself a few years ago and a lot of my friends said I was crazy for doing so or for even considering it. At the time I was like, it's only an 8 hour drive how bad could it be? I wouldn't do it ever again because Unsolved Mysteries kind of gave me, I wouldn't say paranoia, but the idea that anything COULD happen. The "that only happens to _______ people" mentality pretty much disappeared from my head, so I do have UM to thank for that. The year I went was the same year people on the Maid of the Mist saw dismembered body parts by the Falls. It was an "oh crap" moment for me.

If you're alone in a place you're not too familiar with walk with a crowd of people. Safety in numbers. If the group of people look at you like you're nuts then oh well.

Avoid atms at all costs....especially college station(inside joke). Seriously though about 2 weeks ago someone at a bank down the road from my house got kidnapped from their car in the drive thru atm it was caught on tape.

Do not go to circleville Ohio.

Don't call your child 12 13 14 times a day it is too much. Or get caller ID if your mom calls that much.

Don't frequent truck stops ladies or guys.

Pass through rest stops and if you have an RV don't answer the door without a bazooka.

Don't smoke drugs and limit your alcohol intake.

Don't let your teen daughters date men 10 years older.

Don't pull over a guy with "plug your state militia" written on his tailgate without backup.

Don't let violent felons or dope dealers move in with you even if they are family.

Don't trespass.

Don't answer the door for creepy strangers and if they are named after Dan Marino or Ricky Nelson don't believe them.

Don't take a boat out to sea that has a history of MX problems and watch the weather first.

Be careful at billiard bars.

If you want to run away don't wander in the wilderness.

If you pass out after one pina colada and wake up pregnant...:crazy:

If you pass out after one pina colada and wake up pregnant...:crazy:
See the post from the last page. Speaking of that seg houston was a hotbed for crime back in the late 80s early 90s. UM could have setup shop there and still be making shows about all that crime.

Don't let anyone know where Julie is or who took Jonathan!

:p

The moment that took the cake for me was the couple in the Dennis Depue segment who decided to follow him after they saw that he had a bloody sheet that he was trying to hide. It's amazing he didn't come after them.

Don't let anyone know where Julie is or who took Jonathan!

:p

The moment that took the cake for me was the couple in the Dennis Depue segment who decided to follow him after they saw that he had a bloody sheet that he was trying to hide. It's amazing he didn't come after them.
I remember the first time I saw that seg how tense it was when they went to the yard where he dumped the evidence. And then when he was changing his plates. Some of the most tense moments ever shown. If you have driven in the country before you kind of put yourself in that moment. It's just you and that other car with no one else around.

Don't let anyone know where Julie is or who took Jonathan!

:p

The moment that took the cake for me was the couple in the Dennis Depue segment who decided to follow him after they saw that he had a bloody sheet that he was trying to hide. It's amazing he didn't come after them.
I think this is the segment I was trying to remember the other day. The one where a couple suspected some guy had done something and basically followed him undaunted into trying to figure out what he was up to. It's like they didn't care that they could have been killed or hurt.

If a loved one of mine tells me they are getting death threats, grill them about everything. Ask them as many follow up questions about it as you can possibly think of. Tell other family/friends about it.

You'd think that would be obvious. But too many times, I saw interviewee's do next to nothing and once their loved one did in fact end up dead, they would always say, "I should have told someone. I should have found out more when I had the chance."

Good one.

I forgot a major one. Be weary of false prophets and crazy cult like groups. Curanderos, bad preachers, cons etc.

Don't call your child 12 13 14 times a day it is too much. Or get caller ID if your mom calls that much.

If you want to run away don't wander in the wilderness.

Omg these made me crack up. Bwaha! I can just picture picking up the phone blindly for the 14th time that day....aww man! Mom again! Better get caller ID...LOL

Omg these made me crack up. Bwaha! I can just picture picking up the phone blindly for the 14th time that day....aww man! Mom again! Better get caller ID...LOL
Yeah I was being a smart... Trying to make it fun. I did and still learn a lot from watching the show. But seriously how did we live without caller ID and call waiting? I mean how would you tell your own mom that you need to get off the phone because you are expecting an important phone call? I'm sure we handled it ok lol. But it's crazy how technology has changed us. There were times as a kid that we had no home phone now I can't imagine not having a cell phone with caller ID etc.

I think this is the segment I was trying to remember the other day. The one where a couple suspected some guy had done something and basically followed him undaunted into trying to figure out what he was up to. It's like they didn't care that they could have been killed or hurt.

Even as a kid, their actions in that segment bothered me. You had the guy's license plate number and a good description of the vehicle, plus plenty of damn good reason to assume that he had committed some kind of horrible crime (blood splatter on the inside of the door)...why did you go to where he buried the sheet instead of immediately going and calling the cops? Granted, DePue luckily didn't realize they were following him or come across them going after the sheet, but still...it didn't occur to you that a guy willing to kill at least one person probably wouldn't have too difficult a time convincing himself to kill a couple witnesses?

Again, they seriously got lucky in that situation.

I think this is the segment I was trying to remember the other day. The one where a couple suspected some guy had done something and basically followed him undaunted into trying to figure out what he was up to. It's like they didn't care that they could have been killed or hurt.
Yes. He had a loaded gun on him the entire time. He easily could have shot the both of them. Their actions may have been brave and with good intentions, but they were also reckless. It's definitely not good to follow their example. Thankfully today we have cell phones so you could just phone in suspicious activity you see.

A few others:
1) Look behind you in the hotel hallway before going into your room. (Victims in the Cedric/Frederick Young case)
2) Don't sit in your car with it unlocked looking at things, even in broad daylight. ("Debbie")
3) If someone runs into your house yelling at you to call the police, make sure to shut and lock the door behind them. (Larry George). To be fair, in this case I believe there was very little time for anyone to do anything before he came storming over after unplugging the phone.
4) If a family member says he's going to go with a stranger somewhere, ask for the person's name and get a good look at them if you watch them depart. (Leonard Dirickson)
5) Don't let your partner return to their violent ex's home alone to retrieve their belongings. (Holly Maddox/Ira Einhorn).
6) If your weirdo hippie friend asks you to help him dispose of a large, bulky trunk allegedly full of "secret, Russian documents" in the wake of their ex's disappearance...consider calling the police. (Ira Einhorn, of course)

I find myself being more vigilant. The other day I was driving home from work and there was a couple fighting in the car in front of me. My "UM-ness" told me to memorize their license plate (which happened to be a strange vanity plate) and memorize the make, model, color, and distinguishing marks/decals on the car. Just in case this guy or girl does something not so nice, then I can give a detailed description.

Sometimes I time myself driving to and from work just in case for some bizarre reason I'm ever questioned. So if the detective asks "where were you at 5:17 pm on Thursday the 5th, I can tell them exactly where I was.

Maybe vigilant isn't the correct term, maybe nuts is. hehehe.

Some of these segments have even made me think of always granting a request to police if they want you to take a polygraph test even if you feel like you have nothing to hide in a case. I always get a feeling they'll taint the results if they want. In case the investigators are lazy or are just trying to find someone to blame to get a case closed.

If someone offers me a "protein shake" so I can bulk up, I'll pass every time.

If someone offers me a "protein shake" so I can bulk up, I'll pass every time.

I avoid the doughnuts and the extra spicy chicken my coworkers bring in....

I avoid the doughnuts and the extra spicy chicken my coworkers bring in....
Or the offer to grab you a soda at halftime.

If someone offers me a "protein shake" so I can bulk up, I'll pass every time.
You know that is a wise idea and not just because of the psychopath who could be making it for you. When I first started taking protein regularly i was getting stomach cramps. I thought it was just gas from the protein, but the more I took the more sick I got eventually going to the hospital for a digestive issue. Now the doctor said most likely it wasn't the protein that caused my problem, but he did say that unregulated supplements could have caused it. whey protein was the only supplement that I was taking. So I did some research on whey protein and apparantly most of it is not inspected or regulated by the FDA. I read an article where a celebrity actually had her protein lab tested and they found traces of metal and some type of bacteria from rats. This experience scared the crap out of me.

I cannot be 100% sure what got me sick because I was out of the country and who knows what else may have caused it at that time. but after researching the whey protein contents and lax regulations I only take organic 100% whey protein that is USDA approved.

Don't go in the back room.

1. Avoid rest stops that aren't populated, especially at night. (Dwayne McCorkendale, Blind River etc..)

2. Keep your head on a swivel in parking garages (Su Ya Kim, John Grundhoffer)

3. Don't go to an outside ATM at night (Matthew Chase).

Stop recording when I do stuff to impress that damn Omar.

How about NOT becoming a pen-pal with a prisoner?

Don't go in the back room.
If the lights were off(at night) I used to run in the hall way in a dead sprint to get to my room to turn the light on. too much opportunity for paranormal situations in the dark...of corse that was then when life was carefree ;)... now I keep my doors locked, park in the garage, close my blinds/curtains at night, look around when I get to my car, avoid USA rest stops, don't pick up hitchhikers, I'm sure I missed a few, but you know just the basic adult stuff.

See if you can figure out which segments I'm referring to.
I've actually visited the locations below in New Mexico, Indiana,
Colorado, Virginia and Pennsylvania (even if I couldn't go inside of
the last one).

-No picking up any hitchhikers after I leave a cafe, especially
en route from Alaska to the lower 48.
-No TV watching while at a 200-year-old tavern in Suburban
Philadelphia.
-No walking of dogs in Morro Bay, CA.
-No mountain climbing when in Silver Plume, CO.
-No looking in the sky when in Wytheville, VA.
-No accepting rides while staggering out of a bar near
Nashville, Indiana.
-No looking for beasts on New Mexico Route 80, especially
near certain mile markers.
-No rides to the airport for any Vermont horse enthusiasts
who only deal in cash.
-No phone calls with anyone called "Dark Dante."
-No sacrificing of snails.
-No using $1,000 bills at a convenience store (will I get change?).
-No drinking of sports drinks that possess a burning taste.
-

Well this is what I would do..........

1. If you find a 2,000lbs solid gold Buddha, keep your mouth shut.
2. Situational Awareness (failure of this is literally in every episode).
3. No to hitch hiking
4. If you see a UFO, just keep on walkin'
5. Be more involved in your children's life.

See if you can figure out which segments I'm referring to.
I've actually visited the locations below in New Mexico, Indiana,
Colorado, Virginia and Pennsylvania (even if I couldn't go inside of
the last one).

-No picking up any hitchhikers after I leave a cafe, especially
en route from Alaska to the lower 48. Phillip Frasier
-No TV watching while at a 200-year-old tavern in Suburban
Philadelphia. General Wayne Inn
-No walking of dogs in Morro Bay, CA. Hugh Harlin
-No mountain climbing when in Silver Plume, CO. Keith Reinhard
-No looking in the sky when in Wytheville, VA. Danny Gordon
-No accepting rides while staggering out of a bar near
Nashville, Indiana. Clarence Roberts' drifter
-No looking for beasts on New Mexico Route 80, especially
near certain mile markers. David Stone
-No rides to the airport for any Vermont horse enthusiasts
who only deal in cash. Brian Brophil
-No phone calls with anyone called "Dark Dante." Kevin Poulsen
-No sacrificing of snails. Mann Family Ghost
-No using $1,000 bills at a convenience store (will I get change?). John Grundhofer
-No drinking of sports drinks that possess a burning taste. Gilbert Ortiz
-
:cool:

For the love of God, DON'T get drunk and sit in The Chair!!! :)

I go jogging usually around 5am, and the other morning I was walking to the park when I saw two men walking towards me. You know how you can tell when people are walking "purposefully," like they're working out or they are headed somewhere in particular? Well, these guys were walking non-purposefully, just kind of lolling around....my b.s. meter went off and I immediately turned in the other direction and hauled ass across the street.

Who knows what they were doing heading into a park at 5am, but I wasn't about to find out

When I go running outside, partly thanks to UM I *never* wear headphones and am constantly looking around and seeing who is coming my way.

Don't mess with CW Roddy.

This was probably mentioned before, but don't get a lift from a group of ex in-laws that hate you.

Don't accept a 'cold remedy' from a doctor you just met at a bar.

I always pause before taking Nyquil from a bottle that's been opened.

If you want to visit somewhere to connect with a past life, leave your hypnotherapist at home.

I've mentioned this before but the Gretchen Burford segment has sort of scarred me for life in regards to driving.

Therefore, it is mandatory that I lock my car, which is basic common sense anyway. But I also have the need to peek in the window before entering the car to make sure there is nobody hiding in the backseat with a knife. Even if it's the middle of the afternoon and I'm in a grocery store parking lot, I have to check the window. It's become a natural reflex.

As a little kid, that was the first ever UM segment to give me a nightmare and that image of him quickly popping up from the back seat and covering her mouth has always kind of stayed with me. :eek:

If you're a treasure hunter, and you find a secret cavern or otherwise mysterious entrance into something, for the love of God, don't dynamite it shut!

By the way, if you're a treasure hunter, find a new hobby. You'll just get frustrated.

And, if you're eating pizza at a pizza place, make sure the place has a reputable name and not something random like "Somebody's Pizza." Chances are, the owner is a nutcase.

Don't answer the door lol.

Going with bikers on your own is absolutely dangerous so don't willingly do so

Going to buy a book? Take someone with you

Wear a helmet on motorcycle

Give my life savings to someone I met two weeks ago, who promised to marry me (75% of Fraud segments, 50% of Wanted segments).

If someone proposes marriage after a week of dating, run away and don't look back, because they either have two other spouses out there, wants your money, or both at the same time.

If someone tells you to burn money because it's evil and you're possessed by Satan, laugh at them and then call the cops.

Don't sleep with a school superintendent if both of you are married.

Don't wash your car in a do it yourself car wash late at night. My mom did it in broad daylight and even then those places were creepy.

Don't take a job at a convenience store where the boss makes you work the graveyard shift alone.

Don't get involved in your friend's marital problems.

Do not trust your money with little old ladies that bake fruit cake, no matter how delicious it is.

Even though you are desperate, never go with a self proclaimed mystic to a bridge with life savings who throw money over the bridge

Don't go into the back room.

Don't befriend homeless people.

Don't marry a 16-year-old. People will still be laughing at it on a message board 30 years later.

Don't videotape the houses I burn down (Omar)

BUT HOW WOULD OMAR LOOK AT IT AND KNOW WHAT YOU WERE DOING DURING HIS VACATION?! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Don't buy these coins.

Don't answer a man who asks "You think you're pretty smart, don't you?" with "Well, maybe" when the man is holding a firearm.

If my girlfriend/wife suddenly starts giggling weird and wants to get a little rough in bed, just go along with it. She's not possessed, she just wants to spice things up. And if she IS possessed, why shouldn't the dead get to have a little fun, once in a while?

Never get a license plate that says "PAKR HUGS" (because I'm not a 49Rs fan)

Never let anyone see my motorcycle.

NEVER become an MIA in Southeast Asia.

Never, under any circumstances, give anyone a ride anywhere, whether I know them or not, because they'll murder me or I'll become a suspect in their disappearance/death.

Never wear contacts AND glasses together.

When I inevitably wind up in a psych ward, inform them that I am not to be told of any calls from anyone calling themselves "L'Enfant."

If your name is Omar, don't take a week's vacation and leave your construction business in the hands of a pyromaniac.

If you work in a bank, don't give a cash advance to anyone, no matter how religious their appearance is.

Don't board a boat with the name spelled incorrectly (if that's what it was.)

Don't drive a car with a carbon monoxide leak.

Don't buy a mysterious trunk from a yard sale without opening it up first.

Don't jump off of a bridge in Rhode Island, even if your husband wants to do it too.

Don't be skinny, you won't disappear into a crowd.

Don't ever use the phrase, ''it's a wonderful store. Let's build it together''.

Don't ever use the phrase, ''it's a wonderful store. Let's build it together''.
If you need a job and don't use drugs, move to Georgia.

And hitchhiking is ****ing ********. I never understood that even when I was a little kid.

I cant remember the last time I saw a hitchhiker. I guess we can thank cell phones for that.

I cant remember the last time I saw a hitchhiker. I guess we can thank cell phones for that.

I guess it depends on where you live. Maine, for example, still allows hitchhikers on every road as long as its not a highway, so I see them all over when I'm up there.

Don’t listen to people that claim to be a prophet or a god

Don’t let someone else mix your protein shake.

Don’t eat “spicy” fried chicken that a co worker brings in.

Do not to stop at rest areas.

Hitchiking=Murder

Avoid 18 wheelers, armoured vehicles, ATM queues, bank lobbies, and railroad tracks/crossings.

Don’t take free boat rides.

Don’t front money to someone you are freshly dating.

Don’t date twins.

Do not associate with prison folk.

Don’t believe someone when they say they are taking your sibling for a joy ride.

Basically don’t trust anyone!

Do you believe I have the power?

No.

Do you believe I have the power?

No.

No, because you're not Snap.

I can't remember if the Ann Corricelli/Lena Marie Wilson segment was on the edit DVDs, but I feel like I saw it for the first time on Amazon and I can't get enough of the terribad acting.

It's a gem.

Do you believe I have the power?

No.
If you quote I am the power X 3...the beast could come out.

Never trust a "financial wizard" who can offer you an 16 to 19% interest in your investments

Never go into business with someone calling herself The Countess.

Never talk that trash talk in anyone's house, especially if the house is a run down shack in the Louisiana swamp inhabited by unsavory characters.

Don't pretend you're Mohammed Ali and get into all that "wrasslin' and dumb stuff" in a dive bar at closing time.

Taking a job on the graveyard shift at the convenience store is just not worth the pay.