IMDonehere

I think the vast majority of people who are fearful of terrorism are the ones who are most removed from the dangers.

NewbE

You can't possibly be saying that people living in places that get bombed regularly aren't afraid, can you?

Robert2533

" I don't think the US has more scary neighborhoods than France or Belgium, allowing for size, does it?" Of course it does. Just read your local newspaper or watch the local news to find out what's happening down the street.

And hopefully you never run into one of those fools who "stand their ground".

dotheboyshall

After 9/11 we were encouraged by Bush to come to the US to show the terrorists haven't won.

As for myself I've been near (within a few hundred yards) several terrorist incidents including IRA bombings, Tamil Tiger murders and Islamist rocket firing.

The first I knew of any of them was when they appeared on the news several hours later.

People I know were near the 7/7 bombings, until they heard the news they didn't know about them.

In general terrorism is very localised - you may as well not go to America because some kid shoots up a school.

dotheboyshall

<i>You can't possibly be saying that people living in places that get bombed regularly aren't afraid, can you?</i>

How many places in the West are "bombed regularly"?

dotheboyshall

<i>" I don't think the US has more scary neighborhoods than France or Belgium, allowing for size, does it?" </i>

I'm not likely to be killed by someone going postal because their boss slighted them, killed by a family member for no reason at all, killed in a cinema because some kid decides to make a name for themselves, killed in a school because some kid decides to make a name for themselves, shot in a robbery, be shot by a child playing with mommy's gun, shot for no reason at all

None of them require a "scary neighborhood"

justineparis

I recall a poster on another forum saying she had cancelled her trip to Paris( this was just after the Paris attacks) .. but was considering Brugges and Brussels instead..

My point is.. these sorts of attacks can happen anywhere.. the only safe thing is to stay out of all larger cities.. as I have yet to hear about any rural events..

Since I do not plan on avoiding big cities for the rest of my life..( however long or short that may be.. hoping for the former) .. I guess I am in the crowd of " they aren't stopping me".

I am not unaware of the dangers.. but I am also aware of the chances it will happen to me..

Whathello

I knew we would get this kind of talk.

must say that it took 'une bon cubi de vin p

bilboburgler

Since 1960 roughly 1000 people have been killed or injured by terrorism in a population of roughly 60 million.

So on average 18 a year or as we say in the UK b@@ger all as a percentage.

Bring your whole family you are safer in France than being Black in Ferguson

Whathello

I knew we would get this kind of talk.

I must say that it took 'un cubi de bon vin pas cher' some balls to say here that they cancelled their trip.

I'd like to say that I find utter BS to say that terrorists win if we avoid going into Europe. And as for stats, I like to relate stats of accidents/terrorism to medical stats : you get a cancer of the testicle, you get a 98% chance of survival.
I've never seen a man 98% cured. (in this specific case, I am not being sexist, but I don't think women are concerned). You are 100% cured or 100% dead.

Terrorist attacks have the same result : the 31 (I hope it stopped there) deads in Brussels are 100% dead. The ones who avoided the blast are 100% alive. On 11 millions inhabitants + tourists - people away (like me) - multiplied by the nr of attacks (1 in ? years) - you can make your stat. It will not change much for the 31 dead people, will it ?

As for bad areas or hellholes, I have been several times to Molenbeek, there are two areas in Molenbeek : one posh (high ground) and one that was deemed 'normal' before the attacks. Not everybody lives in Beverly Hills in the US either. Some people with low revenues or no revenues still live in our countries. They don't go into high end areas and don't drive a Porsche. Strangely enough the areas they end up living in are areas that don't have quaint / nice homes. Maybe it is related to a low rent. Maybe.

Abdeslam was known (we always know this after) for being some kind of small thug - 'une petite frappe' as we say. He was recruited, did his job, and wanted to escape. He hid in Molenbeek among his thug friends.

So, cubi pas cher, kuddos for telling us, I personally think you took the wrong decision, but it is a decision that only belongs to you. And if it makes you feel better, it is the right decision for you.

FHurdle

My daughter and I will be spending almost a month in Europe this summer. We're flying in and out of Brussels. I was able to book the roundtrip for 54,000 Skymiles, and I'm not letting that deal slip away.

With that said, we will probably only spend a single day in Brussels and for the most part will be spending our time in smaller towns. But we always spend a few days in Paris, and I'm sure we'll visit for at least a couple of days.

Traviata

DH and I were in Paris on November 13th and are here, again in Paris, for what just happened in Belgium........

The choice to come or stay away is certainly personal. For us, it was easy......we are NOT staying away. Nothing in life is guaranteed, so you may as well live it the way you want to live it and be WHERE you want to live it..............

vincenzo32951

>>My tour guide this morning in Milan was quite dismayed by the U.S.State Dept's travel warning as it will mean a significant drop in business. She said after the Paris bombing business dropped by 45%.<<

If you read the State Dept's "warning," you'll see it's fairly perfunctory -- sort of a general "be careful" -- and just announces the security precautions you should expect to encounter.

Let me suggest to that tour guide that it's not the warning that mostly accounts for the drop. It's the act of terrorism.

nola77382

I live in a city plagued by gun violence. I'm much more worried about dying from gun violence on my streets, at a movie theatre, a church or school than I am from terrorism. In the US, gun violence is our big problem but we aren't doing anything about it. So I will keep on travelling. In reality, I'm far safer in Europe than in my home town.

wanderful

Nothing is going to stop me from going to Amsterdam and Paris in six weeks. Europe isn't going to be any safer a year from now or five years from now, and I'm not going to stop living until I get an okay-sign-to-travel from so-called anti-terrorism experts. (Actually that likely will never happen because the idiot television media relishes ratcheting up the fear factor to drive ratings.)

For that matter. I won't stop taking my downstate trips to New York City because of possible terrorist attacks. There's no bigger target in the world than the Big Apple, and NYC Police Commissioner William Bratton knows that.

I live in America where my chances of being shot or blown up in a movie theater or sports stadium or rock club or convenience store are much greater than being killed abroad. Life is a gamble and you look at the odds and play.

As a few other grey-haired posters have suggested, advanced age plays a factor in travel decision-making. I'm in my sixties and I plan to make the most of the time I have left. I still have the opportunity, energy, and funds to go abroad, and I'm off. I don't have the time to wait around because other factors — forget about terrorist threats — may easily intervene to end my traveling days.

I do feel a measure of sympathy for younger people who now have to live under this shadow of terrorism when considering their travel plans, especially to Western Europe. I remember a time when I didn't have to think at all about a possible terrorist assault. Back then my only concerns were things like holding on to my passport and packing the right items. Talk about nostalgia.

LuvToRoam

Wanderful, Amsterdam was the first leg of our vacation last year, Awesome! Have a fabulous time, we loved it.

I think people have to do what is right for them. I was so fearful of flying over the ocean it made me physically ill. Then 9/11 happened. That was meant to strike fear into the hearts of everyone and make them change the way they live, go about their days, etc. For me (being the person I am-contrary ) it was life changing. I'll be damned to be scared of living by cowards that blow up innocent people. We were on a jet plane heading to France the following April and that began a love affair with Europe that holds steadfast to this day.

Our granddaughter leaves for Spain tomorrow. Her Mom is a nervous wreck, but nervous to herself, not to our girl. And yes, we have been instrumental in the attitude that travel is good. She is young and excited for this grand opportunity to see new things and old things and use this second language she has studied for years.

Indeed we have to be aware and we have to be careful, that is life today, in America and all over the world. We do not live in a big city near us because they are plagued with stupid crime and a criminal element the city fathers don't seem to be able to get a handle on. Personal choice. We research where we are going to stay before we go, that is simply being smart. But by far, the crime here really does surpass the crime one might come across in Europe.

We have not run in to "American Haters" anywhere on our travels, as a matter of fact, we have formed friendships that would never have been possible if we would have just stayed put. We do intend to "keep on traveling" as long as these legs of ours hold out.

It is off to Vienna for a week in late August and then 2 glorious weeks in Slovakia. Can't wait!

Whathello

For those who like stats, here (in french) figures of the drop in visits to Paris after the attacks.

Globally the French went 9% less (but it followed a consistent increase for 5 solid months).
The guys who most cancelled their trips were :
NL : - 40% (of course they are close so can reschedule easily);
CH : - 21%
Belgians : - 15% - we're closer than the Dutch so can reschedule but are less coward ... (

Russians dropped by 35% (but this a year trend) and Japanese - 30% (they are said very sensitive to safety).

China increased by 25% (and are twice as many as the Japs...) and US dropped by ... 2% -> good guys there.

http://presse.parisinfo.com/etudes-e...rd-fevrier2016

powhatangal

I just got home last weekend from Paris and already have plans to return there this November. My friends and co-workers have said they are glad I'm home safe and then they ask when I'm going back.

raebly14222

My trip is schedule in May, I am still going. I lived and witness the attack in NYC.

I just feel that its a trip, I have been looking forward to and cancelling it is not an option

NYCFoodSnob

Some people are more afraid of death than others.