nytraveler

Excuse me - I wasn't the one talking about the women whose puses were lifted "breaking down" (did they have to be hospitalized from the shock?) or ripping the theives' "hearts out with a gardening hoe".

It seems the OP is the one who is out of control.

And I'm not "using" anything - merely trying to provide some perspective.

portiaperu

Mocking someone's misfortune is unnecessary (and very unattractive) regardless of what you may think about the situation.

This isn't an argument that can be won, and certainly not by posting increasingly outrageous statements.

Someone suffered a loss and was upset by it. And that's ok.

P.S. I believe the common understanding of someone breaking down refers to tears, not hospitalization. Crying is a fairly typical response to an upsetting situation. I've experienced it and seen others react in the same way many times.

cherrybomb

This thread is out of control. The same old Paris questions and one time posters signing up to report "thieving" Europeans get tons of posts, meanwhile there are posts here with real travel questions that ignored for this foolishness. I wonder if people actually travel here sometimes.

Hasn't this thread been played to death yet?

LunaBella

Exactly. Let's get back to silently judging people about their shoe choices.

cherrybomb

Indeed. At least it is silent and does not take up bandwidth.

Here is a tip. Wristlets and clutches are quite popular these days. One can buy an inexpensive one even at Target. They make carrying just what you need without taking up space - can sit on your lap at a bar or cafe or dinner and are quite difficult to lose or be picked or be stolen. I use a wristlet clutch At night when I go out whether at home or traveling. I have several that are small yet hold a credit card, id, some cash, iPhone and pack of cigarettes. Quite versitile.

Can this drop please? Please? Snatching an unwatched purse or bag is really not a new scam. Unfortunate. Yes. New. No.

karens

<<Snatching an unwatched purse or bag is really not a new scam.

It might not be new, but it was new to the OP, and perhaps to some others as well.

G_Hopper

Hey cherrybomb-

I often see posts from you complaining about how you're tired of this or that thread. You realize:
1) By posting on a thread you're actively pushing it to the top.
2) You can simply ignore threads you have no interest in.

I think reminders to be vigilant and associated stories are helpful to new and experienced travelers alike.

cherrybomb

G_Hopper, your recollection of my posting content is off base and incorrect, but that is okay, I don't monitor the posting trends of specific people on this site. Either way, there are about a dozen travel specific answers/suggestions that I made in the past week that specifically answer an OPs question(s) regarding hotels, food/restaurants, how to get from A to B, car rental agencies, et al. My complaint here is that the travel specific questions were not being answered, yet threads like this have excessive posts of people fighting over who is to blame for a theft, name calling other posters for being pompous, among other things. What help to anyone is that? Theft happens, what are ways to try to avoid it would be perhaps helpful, no?

In either case, while I am aware that I pushed the thread to the top (where it was anyway), I also posted something of value that related to the topic for travellers who carry purses/handbags that may help them avoid similar theft situations. I will reiterate it:

<i>Here is a tip. Wristlets and clutches are quite popular these days. One can buy an inexpensive one even at Target. They make carrying just what you need without taking up space - can sit on your lap at a bar or cafe or dinner and are quite difficult to lose or be picked or be stolen. I use a wristlet clutch At night when I go out whether at home or traveling. I have several that are small yet hold a credit card, id, some cash, iPhone and pack of cigarettes. Quite versitile. </i>

cybor

Geez, Louise.

sueolsen

It is clearly true that, when traveling especially, it's a bad idea 1) to carry anything you can't live without in your handbag and 2) to let your bag drape over a chair. Concealed money belts are indispensible and as long as I have been disciplined about keeping all cards, passports, driver's licenses, and most money under my clothing, I have not been deprived of important stuff. No only that, I can even drape my bag over a chair because I have nothing but maybe five euros to lose. My money belt becomes practically a layer of skin around my waist. That said, most of us are usually a little weary just after a transatlantic flight and not thinking as straight as we should be. I too was once careless in Milan, about 20 years ago, and was pickpocketed on the sidewalk in front of a 4-star hotel, in full view of the staff smoking in the doorway, who watched the event from five feet away and did nothing to intervene in what must have been an obvious violation of my person. However, the staff at the hotel next door, where I was staying couldn't have been more helpful. (I didn't expect them to provide anything gratis, but it was a relief to hear that they could bill me after I returned home.) And the Hotel Titiano in Rome, where I spent the next few days, was also understanding and allowed me to pay when I returned two weeks later. Perhaps that might not happen in this day and age. However, two years ago in Madrid, my husband was pickpocketed on the metro, and again carelessness was part to blame. The metro policeman at Puerto del Sol directed us to a station near the Plaza de España which is dedicated to helping tourists who are pickpocketed there, with officials who speak most languages who will call a victim's banks, creditcard companies,etc. and open a casefile for about 6 months, in the very unlikely event the goods should be found. In both instances we had our passports in moneybelts, so at least we didn't have to replace those. But being abroad without money and a driver's license is pretty inconvenient. The upshot was that I had to do all the driving around Spain for ten days, which was torture for us both!

spaarne

Surely most of us have had various attempts from pickpockets and luggage thieves. If you travel in Europe it is inevitable and that is a good reason for safety drills like this. Maybe cherrybomb is invincible. In that case cb should not read this thread.

BTW, what is a wristlet?

colduphere

That's funny. Please keep us updated as to how your bag is doing.

clarasong

DH and I divide up the money, put it in a waist belt worn under shirt, together with passport, etc., turned to the front..while keeping a few bills in purse..Purse should be small, long cross-body strap, worn in fron when you walk, with your hand on it..men keep your wallet in the front pocket of your pants, with your hand on it, in a crowded situation..Don't make eye contact, nor let anyone waylay you with conversation...walk as if with a purpose, and you will be fine...Never leave anything in a hotel that you are very loath to lose..zip and lock any bag with the plastic ties, if that's all you have..
Only time we have even been worried was when we were followed in France...they soon got tired of following us, as we were aware of them and kept going in to shops, stopping for a coffee, etc...they left us for easier prey.

suze

parisik~ You joined Fodor's just to tell us about your purse?

janisj

This was topped by someone advertising a purse doohickey - the post was zapped.

colduphere

Thanks janisj. Without your post it looks like I was drinking heavily. I am now but wasn't at the time of my post.

suze

The editors have been doing that lately. When they clean house, they just delete the single offending post, they don't bother with others that refer to it. It's VERY confusing.

janisj

"<i>Without your post it looks like I was drinking heavily. I am now but wasn't at the time of my post.</i>"



suze: "<i> When they clean house, they just delete the single offending post, they don't bother with others that refer to it.</i>"

I've seen it both ways lately - deleting everything after the bad post, and deleting only the bad post.

I think it partly depends on what was posted afterwards and/or how old the thread is. Like I saw one from maybe 2006 that was topped and they nuked everything so it sank back to where it belonged . . .

But you are right - it can be confusing