John Astin, the actor who played "Gomez" in "The Addams Family" TV show during the 1960's once described how, as a young starving actor he survived living in one of New York city's worst crime ridden neighborhoods without ever getting bothered.

He said that when he was on the street, he would try (and apparently managed) to look crazier than anyone else on the street.

The right body language will protect you.