lincasanova

Just a head's up. He was with his parents on a Tuscany tour and met a nice Canadian girl who was alone. They decided to go out to a club that night. He had walked her back to her hotel, then had not felt threatened, did not see a taxi so walked back to his own hotel at 4.30 a.m.

He is over 6 ft. tall. He was walking briskly but was surrounded by four fellows who hit him in the face, threw on the ground and that's when he thought it was all over. If they had kicked him in the back or chest ( where he has had several serious operations) he might not have lived.

They stole his wallet and Iphone but only gave him a black eye and a huge lump on his hip where he was forced to the ground in the street.

We see again that it can be very dangerous anywhere in the world to be alone at night on the streets of any town.

Do not do overseas what you would not do in your own big city, and then even cross your fingers.

I think it was fortunate the girl had already been taken back to her hotel.

sundriedpachino

What a horrible experience for your friends! Walking alone at night, we all have to be careful. Not a great way to end your vacation.

SloJan2

I do think these incidences are on the rise thanks to the economy.

golfernz1

This is an unfortunate incident and I sympathise with you. I have been to Florence a few times and sometimes walked back to my hotel at night when there were still a few people around. However in these economic times there are going to be opportunists out there waiting for a chance for easy money. I agree with you, always treat anywhere with caution as you would at home. This is advice I always give to visitors who sometimes think because we are at the bottom of the world and small we are okay, not so, I would not walk alone late at night or early morning here where I live.

lincasanova

I am thinking of all the students on these study programs who tend to be out late at night, and the last one to have to go home alone can have it very bad.

I have to admit I have walked later at night when on vacation.. sometimes with my husband, others by myself when I could not find a taxi or felt the walk was so short it wasn´t worth it.

I have to be more vigilant and organized and make sure I don´t get myself into that situation if possible.

Ackislander

It's the 4:30 AM, not the city that is the variable here. If you look at crime statistics, you will see that the vast majority of crimes against the person happen after most of us are in bed.

When I was mugged, I was a student walking my date back to her dorm in time for curfew (remember those?) and was attacked by five townies (another word that dates me) on the edge of the campus. Ten minutes before curfew is a good time to find a student if you should wish to beat one up.

Last spring in the Marais, a friend and I were wandering around at about 1. I realized that a young woman on the same street was shrinking inside herself, obviously terrified by these large foreigners. We knew we were nice elderly men, but she didn't. She was not wrong to be concerned. Then my wife came around the corner, and all was well.

Do you have to stay in? No. Do you have to be careful in "empty" streets? Absolutely.

nytraveler

What happened is very unfortunate - but I agree that the key is the hour and the deserted streets.

Frankly, there is;t anywhere that I would walk home alone through deserted streets at 4:30 in the morning - just too risky. A good reminder to be sure to have a taxi number you can call - or to have the pub/club call one for you - that late at night.

emily71

Sorry to hear about your friend's son. Recently here in DC, there was a case of a young father beaten and robbed walking home alone from a bar in the wee hours of the morning near Capitol Hill.
On vacation, people should use the same judgement as they would at home. The only country that I've heard is safe at night in Japan. Sister and friends walked around and rode the trains with no trouble.

suze

That is a sad story and I sympathize with the friend's son's bad experience. But I also believe (as others have mentioned) it is the time of 4:30am that is crucial in this story. Walking deserted streets at that time of night anywhere is simply not a good idea.

Christina

true, I think it is the correlation between the time and few people being around. So for various kinds of criminals, that is when they most want to strike as there is a better chance of an easy get-away and no one to stop them.

I live in Wash DC area and it does seem like a lot of the crimes I read about occur to people between midnight and 6 am, I mean to people who are out somewhere doing something in the middle of the night (after clubs or who knows what).

nytraveler

There is a big difference between midnight - when a lot of people are still leaving restaurants, cafes and clubs - and 4:30 am - when the streets really are deserted.

We do midnight - or even 1 or 2 am without any problems. IMHO after that it's dicey almost any place and a taxi is necessary.

Aduchamp1

Sorry to hear that. A niece did a semester in Florence and fortunately nothing like that happened.

annw

I agree with the economy comment too, though. As I mentioned in passing on another thread, I was robbed (mugged sounds too strong) by two youngish men within a block of the Brussels-midi/south station at 2 in the afternoon the other day. I wear little jewelry and dress down but a gold chain and Celtic square had slipped outside my shirt and were visible.

The two cased me, because they passed by me once and then I noticed them come toward me again, jerk the chain and pendant off my neck and leg it. DH was with me but 20 feet ahead and we were rolling bags (carry on, but it didn't matter).

Judging from the numerous "cash for gold" storefronts they would have some quick cash after that.