If anything, in an area such as you describe your level of self-awareness should increase five-fold. Without absolute paranoia setting in, take stock of the people, the place, the vibe. Humans have been walking the planet for thousands of years, your body is pretty good at sensing danger if it is attuned to it's surroundings and not focused on facebook. If it don't look right, it probably ain't right. Pass on that stop or the path you are on and move safely on to the next one.
Sadly, we have become a nation of "wired zombies." Just look around the next time you are anywhere; walking into Costco, at the gas station pumping gas, at your Doctor's office in the waiting room, etc... Everyone is intently staring into their telephones or gabbing away with a faraway look in their eyes; young and old, rich and poor, it doesn't matter. People who are distracted like this are completely oblivious to what and who is around them. It is this victim that people who intend to rob or rape look for, and it is this victim who can't even give a rudimentary description of the suspect(s) to the responding officers/deputies when they are jacked for their wallet, phone, car keys, jewelry or worse.
If you are aware, you are literally two steps ahead of the next guy. If you are armed, aware, and confident in your firearm and abilities should trouble seek you out; then you are ten steps ahead. It's dog-eat-dog thinking; but if the next guy chooses to make himself a pushover for a crook by focusing on something other than his surroundings, then so be it. A smart person knows how to handle such situations; a smarter person knows how to handle them, but knows even better how to spot and avoid them.
Stay safe!