What are "street smarts"? Can I have an example?

Question

My step dad always tells me that other pple have more street smarts then me. I have my own house, an apt I rent, I well paid job, I putting my self through college, and i have a one yr old son. I don't understand why he tells me this. I think I do have street smarts, I just perfer the home atmosphere much better I always have. Can some one please explain this to me. An example would be helpful.

thanks

Answer 1

I think basically street smarts means having common sense.  Knowing whom you can trust, which areas in town are good and which are bad, and how to handle yourself in bad areas of town.  People who are from  inner-city areas generally have street smarts because they encounter crime and danger on an almost-daily basis.  Maybe that's what he means, but I don't know why he would bring that up to you and throw it up in your face.

Being raised in safe suburbs, I don't really have street smarts either.

Answer 2

you put this question in the wrong section but any who...

street smarts is knowing how to react in a situation on the streets for example: say a guy comes up to you and ask you if you want...something and you say yea sure, he tells you to follow him and you do it. thats not street smarts AT ALL thats just plain dumb.  

Now say you were driving home and you r car breaks down right in the middle of the road, that same man comes up to you and says, do you need help, bring your car over here. (he points to a side way) you take your car over there and he checks under the hood or watever and he says ill need to take it to a garage or watever and you DO NOT  let this man take your car somewhere without you in it. That's very wise street smarts :]

Answer 3

Street smarts is the knowledge that one poses that they have not learned from a book/school.  

Urbandictionary.com breaks it into 4 categories

1.Getting Along With Others- Knowing which questions to ask and not asking too many,being polite and friendly, but also being assertive.

2.Common Sense- Knowing who you can trust, which areas in town are good and which are bad, etc.

3.Self-defense-Knowing how to fight and fend off an attacker, especially if you are small.

4.BS-detection-Knowing when people are trying to **** you over, reading their intentions, and knowing that most corporate advertisements are complete bullshit.