If you commute to work in anything other than a tank, you know it's a dangerous world out there.

If you drive, you've likely found yourself trapped behind a vehicle in the left lane with its left turn signal on for the past ten miles. Riding a bike might be a great way to fight off a fierce case of chair-rump and stay in shape, but weaving through heavy traffic is more like a contact sport than travel: you're worth five points if taken out by a car door, ten if seen wedged into the grill of a delivery truck, and fifteen points if that truck was being driven by an albino.

If you're one of the brave thousands, who like a few of the Mac|Life staff, bus it or take the train into work, you'll know that we too have our unique challenges. We endure the patently unwashed, standing face-to-armpit crammed into train cars like sardines; we're subjected to other people's loud, banal 7am conversations, and are subjected to the meandering, presumably one-sided insanity of crazy folk having a conversation with themselves.

And that's just the mornings.

Fortunately a decent set of noise-canceling headphones and your iPod or iPhone puts most of these wrongs to right. Even better - hook those world-beating in-ear honeys up to a brand new iPad and your worries will be washed away in a sea of multimedia boo-yah and productivity the likes of which your fellow travelers have never seen!

Or not.

Those of our readers old enough to remember connecting their iPods to their Macs via FireWire will no doubt also recall the rash of robberies and thefts connected to that revolutionary device when it first came out. Heck, there's most likely someone being rolled for their 32GB iPod touch right now.

Given the iPad's larger form factor, easily recognizable touch and swipe gestures and the gotta-have-it factor attached to all new Apple gear, Cupertino's new latest will no doubt prove irresistible to tech-savvy thugs. Don't believe us? Maybe you'll listen to San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit, who have taken the time to warn their system's users about their becoming a potential target of crime by waving that shiny new tablet around on the train. With more transit authorities in the United States and Canada fast following suit, it's beginning to look like enjoying an iPad on public transit is just as good as pinning a target to your back. For safety's sake, you'll just have to leave your iPad at home, pulling it out only for holidays and funerals. 

Yeah right.

iPad commuters of the world - this is your time! Fear not the beat down, nor the veiled threat of the sweatshirt-swaddled hooligan! Unleash your inner Warrior-Geek and multi-touch your tablets with pride - Mac|Life will show you the way!

1. Hide Your iPad in the Open

The Tao of the Warrior Geek is one of subterfuge. One of the best ways to keep your iPad from being the object of thug’s attention is to disguise it as something else. While we’re all about DIY solutions, there’s a number of great off-the-shelf products out there. Take the DODOcase, for example. Handcrafted in San Francisco, each faux-leather and bamboo case is designed to mimic the look of a Moleskine notebook, right down an elastic strap to keep your iPad nestled away safely when not in use. It looks so convincing that only the hipster sitting next to you will know for sure.

2. Use Common Sense

No, not Thomas Paine’s pivotal argument for American Independence, the other one. You might think you’re just tapping away at your iPad to pass the time you’re forced to wait on a deserted platform for a train or outside late at night for a bus, but in reality, your actions are nothing more than a billboard for Darwinism.

For a Warrior Geek to thrive in a hostile environment, it must be understood that it’s survival of the fittest out there, and the fittest may well be after your iPad. Don’t become another crime statistic: Use your head! When you’re outside of the house, be sure to only use your tablet, not to mention any other expensive electronics devices, in well-lit, well-travelled areas. Most cities with rapid transit systems will have Designated Waiting Areas at every stop the train makes. These areas tend to be monitored with CCTV, and offer emergency communication systems should you run into trouble. Bad guys don’t like that sort of thing.

3. Tinfoil Hats!

To paraphrase Hunter S. Thompson, there’s no such thing as paranoia - It’s all true. As a Warrior Geek, you must be alert to the attentions of others, even while wearing headphones or playing Doodle Jump.  If you think someone means you harm chances are, they do. We meet a lot of people in our day to day lives, and you don’t get that vibe from everyone, right? Go with it: A little truthiness goes a long way. Don’t forget to keep your cellphone charged up in case you need to make an emergency call, and remember that the transit police and security attendants are there to help you should you need it.

Life in Every Breath

As a Warrior Geek, you understand that great gadgets often come with great peril. We’ve discussed camouflage, common sense and paranoia.

Let us now discuss fearlessness.

The money you paid for your iPad was hard-won: Be cautious with your sexy new tablet and minimize the risks of using it in public as much as possible, but never forget to enjoy the fruits of your labour. Boldly venture forth into the world with your tablet!

Just don’t make eye contact with that crazy guy talking to Elvis two seats up on the train. You’re on your own for that one.