I like this: "Situation awareness is the perception of elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future." – Micah Endsley

One situation where I almost always see people with their heads in the clouds – yet one where they should be especially alert – is at an ATM. If there was ever fertile ground for a "situation" to develop ... they're either talking on the cell phone, or absent-mindedly digging through their wallet/purse for their ATM card, or doing both. Certainly not mindful of who else is around, either in plain sight or lurking around the corner.

A recipe for trouble.

Dan