secret codes

[bushidomartialarts]

so the story about that french pilot got me thinking.

how many of you have pre-arranged codes with your loved ones? a couple of examples of what i mean:

back in college, my brother and i agreed that the word 'wallet' meant 'be ready, i'm going to make a move'. the difference between 'man, give him the cash' and 'here mister, take my wallet' was huge.

my wife speaks spanish and japanese. i can stumble through the rudiments of both. we've never yet been in a situation where we can't use one or the other to communicate privately in plain sight and hearing. we've used this a few times to discuss whether a situation is safe and create a plan of action.

anybody else work with or teach this sort of thing?

 

[still learning]

Hello, This is a great IDEA! Thank-you for sharing this with us! Having simple codes for certain situtions.

It would be interesting to see what others have out there? and for what situtions?

=========

We do alot of Ulua fishing ( which can be all day and night till the next day). We hang a bell(large kind) and set the ratchet to hear the line on the reels screem. When some one get hook-up....we yell "STRIKE" and everyone goes running to the poles. (strike is not consider a secret code). But everyone knows someone got fish on the line. .......Aloha

 

[tellner]

We have a couple which translate to things like "General quarters! Prepare to repel boarders!" and "Hit the deck." Most of them are in English. A couple are in Swahili.

 

[donna]

My older kids(18,20 and 21) have a code they text to each other to check if everthing is OK. One will text "Marco" and the reciever has to text "Polo" back if everything is allright. They use this when someone is going out late or away on holidays. If they dont get an answer or a wrong answer,Like no!, within a certain time frame they then follow up with a phone call.This is a quick way of looking out for each other without getting embarrased in front of their friends.

 

[Drac]

Hello, This is a great IDEA! Thank-you for sharing this with us! Having simple codes for certain situtions.

Not a bad idea..My only concern would be that in a crisis situation one party might forget the code word..

 

[MJS]

so the story about that french pilot got me thinking.

how many of you have pre-arranged codes with your loved ones? a couple of examples of what i mean:

back in college, my brother and i agreed that the word 'wallet' meant 'be ready, i'm going to make a move'. the difference between 'man, give him the cash' and 'here mister, take my wallet' was huge.

my wife speaks spanish and japanese. i can stumble through the rudiments of both. we've never yet been in a situation where we can't use one or the other to communicate privately in plain sight and hearing. we've used this a few times to discuss whether a situation is safe and create a plan of action.

anybody else work with or teach this sort of thing?

I dont do this, but its certainly not a bad idea. :ultracool

 

[tshadowchaser]

This is something I have not done. Usualy those I am with know by the look in each others eyes or the body posistioning what is going to happen next.
I do recall a phrase used by one of my instructors that simply ment "with all your hart" which translated to "kick the **** out of whom ever was in frount of you"

 

[bushidomartialarts]

Not a bad idea..My only concern would be that in a crisis situation one party might forget the code word..

that's a really good point, drac. like all other self-defense things it's a matter of repetition and crisis.

my wife and i have used the language thing while under what we thought was imminent attack (being followed closely and observing a group of young men loitering up ahead -- this on a trail in china with nobody around for miles). among others. never had trouble remembering.

but then she and i have practiced the important phrases often. repetition is the mother of skill.

 

[Laurentkd]

I had a couple friends who were brother and sister (twins). When we were at a party, or just hanging out with friends if one said to the other "do you smell strawberries?" It really meant they wanted to go, either because of not feeling comfortable, or just because they were bored. After finally being told that it was code (after going on and on about my new strawberry scented shampoo to my friend!) I thought it was a great idea, and my little sister and I implemented the same thing. It was never needed for a really serious situation, but it was good to know that if something did come up we could tell each other quickly and easily.

 

[BrandiJo]

we sort of had this when i was a kid, anyone other then my parents at the door or who was picking us up from school had to know the code or we wernt to go with them. It came in handy when my mom had a car accident and we had to have an aunt we had never met pick us up from school
​

 

[still learning]

Hello, Wal-mart has a CODE:ADAM ...means a lost child...every employee stop what they are doing and help to look for this lost child! ( a descrition is always given) ...blue dress...etc..

Lots of stores have a code for (fight in the store). ..........Aloha

 

[Xue Sheng]

My wife is Chinese so yes, yes I do.

 

[Carol]

Hello, Wal-mart has a CODE:ADAM ...means a lost child...every employee stop what they are doing and help to look for this lost child! ( a descrition is always given) ...blue dress...etc..

Lots of stores have a code for (fight in the store). ..........Aloha

Good call. Codes can be worked out for individual offices too. Mass Emergency Management Agency recommends that offices have a code phrase such as "dial 1999" as a signal to drop what you are doing and evacuate the building.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I just remembered we have a code (actually a lot of them) in my office and one in particular for someone that is just.. Well... not exactly getting it no matter how many times it is explained

ID 10 T

 

[grydth]

I have a couple of code phrases which have saved me from a violent death more times than I'd care to count.

I say to my wife," Yes, dear" or "You're right".:angel:

 

[ArmorOfGod]

Excellent thread.

The only thing that I have done over the years is tell my wife to move to my right or left side. I say it without looking at her and quietly. This is not really a coded message, but I do it discreetly enough that she obeys and moves to that side.
We were in Atlanta a few years back and I used it twice when people were walking up to me (at night) asking for money. Thank goodness they were non-violent pan-handlers, but my wife did what I told her to and that put me between her and the other person.

AoG

 

[KeeblerElf]

I work in childcare and we have a message that puts the entire building on lockdown. All anyone has to do is push a button on the phone and say soap and we lock the building and call the police. Thankfully we've never had to use it.

 

[MBuzzy]

Most military bases have duress words in case someone is forcing you to bring them on base.

Not exactly code with loved ones, but it works.

 

[Jade Tigress]

so the story about that french pilot got me thinking.

how many of you have pre-arranged codes with your loved ones? a couple of examples of what i mean:

back in college, my brother and i agreed that the word 'wallet' meant 'be ready, i'm going to make a move'. the difference between 'man, give him the cash' and 'here mister, take my wallet' was huge.

my wife speaks spanish and japanese. i can stumble through the rudiments of both. we've never yet been in a situation where we can't use one or the other to communicate privately in plain sight and hearing. we've used this a few times to discuss whether a situation is safe and create a plan of action.

anybody else work with or teach this sort of thing?

This is not something I have ever considered, but I think it's a good idea and something I should give more thought to.