cato.. funny you should mention the meter police.. they are not police.
therefore, many people do not pay these types of parking tickets...
but they are trying to close the loophole on that one, too.

turns out that a real parking ticket must be signed by a real policeman, so the notices(tickets) left by meter readers on cars are supposedly not 100% legal.
so many people were refusing to pay them. (of course, the public gets all this info from the fine lawyers there to help non law-abiding citizens avoid unpleasant consequences.)

at least this was the strange story awhile back.

maybe something has been done about it.

Can't they send the crooks to prison barge off the Canary Islands?

seems most of them aren´t stealing "enough" to be imprisoned.

what they are doing is petty crime with no jail sentence.

if one is careful, it is unlikely you will be robbed.
however, as mentioned, these people are on a mission from the time they wake up. and they are good, and thrilled at how easy it can be. so, make it hard for them.

BRR- thanks. I have been thinking about this question a lot and here are a few more hints.

8) Don't give money to street beggers.

9) If you are ever outnumbered by "nice inquisitive kids," get out of there fast. This is not so common, but child pickpockets are definitely an element of the problem and they work in teams.

10) Keep your attention trained on you and not someone around you. If you are paying attention to your friend and her stuff, yours might end up disappearing. Also, though there is lots to see in Europe, thieves know that and that is why they hang out at main sights: high traffic and no one is paying attention to themselves.

11) Vigilance is not nearly as important as physical contact. If you can see your purse, then you will simply watch it get stolen, but if you have your hand on it you have a much better chance of keeping it.

When I list all of this, it seems like a lot, but actually, it is what I do on a daily basis. The problem is that many tourists don't have to have those high levels of vigilance on a daily basis at home, which makes travel seem intimidating and violent. It isn't. . . just be aware and keep risks to a minimum.

As for the Spanish legal system, yes, there is a huge problem and it is getting worse. I was talking to a friend the other day who said that people who came here to "sobrevivir" (survive) had all of his support. He even said "if they steal a wallet so they can eat, I say good for them." Then I reminded him about how he had actually cried the last time his bike was stolen and asked if he would have smiled had he known it had been an immigrant. He told me to shut up. Then he said "touché." It is like Dukey said. . . it is a big deal if it happens to you.

Which brings me to my last point. . . even if someone gets "nothing" from you, having your space and belongings violated is a very upsetting thing. Maybe they just get a map or a cheap shirt, but that is not all they get. . . you lose that confidence that you had that what is yours is yours and what is theirs is theirs. Yes, it rips off a layer of baby fat and exposes you to a cruel reality, which I think is an important part of growing up, but it is eerie and uncomfortable just the same.

laclaire, you sound much wiser and more mature than your years tell us.

laclaire- you give excellent advivce.

others- avoid the simple mistakes, like draping something (purse) over the back of your chair in a cafe. or going into your wallet in public to give change to panhandlers.

Thank you both.

12) carry your purse on the building side (not the street side) of your body. Vespa riders like to yank them off your shoulder and you could really get hurt.

I don't know about Spain, but at least here in central Florida, we don't have any crime. Ok, maybe we had 37 murders this year, but that's not like real crime, is it?

alas, even in Mickey Mouse land, crime can happen.

dave

Thanks laclaire for the many tips. Still, now I'm really FREAKED out about crime in Madrid / Barcelona, both places which I will be visiting next week :(
I was really looking forward to the holiday - I'm from Asia and this trip to Europe is already costing me an arm and a leg...and now I hear that Asians (especially Japanese, which I am not - but who can tell?) are big targets of petty crime. How can I disguise myself to not look like a tourist? or avoid taking out my camera/street map when I am wandering about town? It's all getting really stressful...
Plus Ramblas, Plaza Mayor,the El Rastro are all on my list of must-sees :(

Hi ST,

And your response to all these thoughtful replies is?

momo_2, relax - the petty crime in Spain is not nearly as bad as it sounds. You'll be in a large, bustling city with many other tourists who'll be taking pictures and looking at maps, just like you, and a large percentage of them will be Asian. We were in Madrid a few years ago, and never felt threatened. Late one night, 3 elderly 'Gypsy' looking women were trailing closely behind my wife's pocketbook. A motorist pulled up to us and shouted 'watch out for the Gypsies' is Spanish. We all had a good laugh, and let the 3 grannies walk past us.

zootsie either didn't read or didn't believe the posting about my sister-in-law being violently mugged early on a Sunday morning in Madrid - sorry but it does happen here and in Barcelona and in previous discussions of this there were many other incidents as well.
Yes before my sis-in-law got mugged i too thought it would never happen - and she is a travel savvy person who has traveled in Europe for many years.
Be careful and beware - if you don't invite a mugger by wearing expensive jewels, etc. you'll be a lot better off.
IMO opinion anyone who says crime is overblown in Madrid simply does not know of which they talk! - No matter how well intentioned it was IGNORE those remarks.

As for tips on how not to look like a tourist while reading a map - map out your route for the day before you head out. Put directions or a map on your Palm or handheld instead of relying upon a map. Do what you can to limit your need to pull out a map in the middle of the street. If you need to look, duck into a shop or stop for a coffee somewhere.

As for dealing with other things that may make you look like a tourist, you're on your own!

And as for the residents of Spain not dealing with crime, I witnessed a shocking scene while on my honeymoon in Barcelona. A somewhat overweight man was carrying what appeared to be a laptop in a bag. A group of younger, more agile men circled him, snatched the computer and ran off. The poor overweight man didn't stand a chance - he started after them shouting in Spanish. Three or four individuals took off after the theives, apparently trying to stop them. The theives, however, were crafty and had deployed blockers to stop those who chased after them. One of them even tripped the poor man and knocked him down. Very sad, indeed. But, my point is that others did try to help the poor fellow.

Hopefully others will help but don't count on it - my sister-in-law was mugged right when shopkeepers nearby were opening their shops and though they stood and stared no one did anything, including calling the police i guess.
I'm sorry but this incident and very verifiable other incidents that are too rife to occur without authorities turning a blind eye really upset me and everytime the subject comes up i'll chime in. Perhaps a loss of tourism dollars or euros will cause a bit of due alarm. I've even talked to local Madrilinos (sp?) who never take the subway for fear of crime.

momo_2: I want to reassure you that you will be fine if you are cautious. Not all muggings and robberies can be stopped, but the droves of tourists have gone and with them, a lot of the robbers. A lot of them go home in the Winter and Fall. Yes, Japanese (and thusly, Asians in general as Spaniards cannot distinguish)are targets because they always have nice electronics and tend to carry around a lot of cash. But, I don't think that is going to make you any more likely than your regular casual blonde tourist.

Thanks all for your replies. There's another thread started by someone asking about whether it's safe to be dragging luggage and taking the public transport from airport to hotel. My hotel's about 400m away from the aerobus stop in Placa de Espana. Any advice on whether the area's okay to walk around?

When my husband and I were in Madrid this past April we were robbed at the Starbucks by the Callao Metro Station. We had let our guard down because we'd already been to Paris, Venice, Florence and Rome with no problems with thieves, and we were in Starbucks, a place that reminded us of home and made us feel comfortable. I sat down at the bar with my purse in front of me (it only had my jacket and guidebook in it, my money was in a pouch under my clothes). My husband got up to use the restroom and failed to tell me that he had left the digital camera and video camera hanging on the back of my chair. Throughout the entire trip I had never hung my purse behind me on my chair, as I knew that was too easy for thieves to grab. Unfortunately, my husband didn't know that rule. While he was in the restroom I felt someone lurking behind me, so I grabbed my purse and pulled it closer to me. Too bad I didn't know that my valuable electronics were right behind me getting stolen. When my husband got back from the restroom he said, "where are the cameras?" They were long gone, although a guy sitting two seats down from us who'd probably seen the whole thing and been an accomplice in the matter was staring at us in a creepy manner. We went to report the crime at the police station, and in the space of an hour saw about 20 other tourists and locals who'd also been recently stolen from.

We weren't just upset about losing about $800 worth of electronics, we also felt completely weak and powerless--basically like victims. Just like Laclaire said:
"Maybe they just get a map or a cheap shirt, but that is not all they get. . . you lose that confidence that you had that what is yours is yours and what is theirs is theirs.... it is eerie and uncomfortable."

I guess the best advice is to assume that there is always someone around watching for their moment to take advantage when your guard is down. Because when you're in crowded touristy areas, there probably is.

Again the above post illustrates how rife the problem is in Madrid - 20 others at police station and this was probably a fraction of those robbed who don't report it.
Seems should be easy for Madrid cops to pose as tourists and quickly snatch the perpetrators - publicizing this dire state of affairs hopefully will sooner or later hurt Madrid in the tourist pocket and something will be done.
I mean really why are Madrid and Barcelona so so out of control in this regard? Don't locals care?

You've gotten some great advice so far but I'll just add some specific examples of what I do to keep myself from being a victim, especially as a tourist in a big city. These things become second-nature after a while.

1) Don't look like a tourist

- Wear clothes like the locals do. In the countries that I've visited outside of the U.S. I've found that it's REALLY uncommon to wear shorts. Jean shorts or khaki shorts make people notice you. Wear jeans or khaki pants and if it's really hot, roll the pant cuffs up. This is true for men and women. Additionally, baseball caps and white tennis shoes are American looking. Clothing with words or large logos on it is also very American/Canadian looking. I recommend wearing plain Tshirts, long sleeve or short sleeve, or polo shirts or sweaters. Anything without writing or logos on it.

- Unless you're taking a photo, put your camera away

- Stick to well populated areas. You might still get your stuff stolen, but you shouldn't be harmed physically.

- Read your map in your hotel room or a bathroom stall. If you need to open it in a touristy area, have it already folded so that the section you need is visible and it's folded to about 5 inches by 5 inches

- Don't speak your native language loudly. If you're traveling with someone, speak quietly when you're talking.

- Fanny packs, to me, scream "American tourist"

2) Keep as much as you can in your pockets.

- I only wear clothing with large pockets. I keep my camera in one of my front pockets, completely hidden, and my passport, a credit card, and some cash in my other front pocket. Then, I try to wear a larger untucked shirt which covers these pockets.

- I never carry a purse or a fanny pack. If you have to do one or the other, opt for the fanny pack so that your arms are completely free. You can always place your hands over your fanny pack (which should be over your belly, not at your back) for added security.

- If you have more to carry, then bring or purchase a coat or jacket with pockets that has zippers and tie that around your waist with the less valuable items in those zippered pockets.

3) Wear comfortable shoes

- If you need to run away, you're not in shoes that will slow you down

- If someone's stealing your stuff at least you are steady and won't fall over if they yank your purse/bag from you

4) Look confident

- Don't look like you don't know where you're going

- Don't make eye contact with beggars

5) Always assume that a stranger who is talking to you wants something from you, like your money.

- If someone approaches you and asks for directions or for the time, make sure you're in a well-lit area. If you feel like they're not sincere, it's ok to say "I don't know. Sorry" and walk away.

- Don't let people lure you away from light or a populated area for any reason

- Try to pay attention to movements around you. Is someone walking too closely behind you?

6) Ask several people the same question to ensure you have the right answer.

- If you ask the hotel concierge how to get somewhere, you probably have a reliable answer. But if you ask strangers on the street where something is, they might think it's funny to lie to the tourist. In Paris once, my friend and I were looking for the Hard Rock Cafe. I told him we'd find someone reliable to ask. He didn't listen to me and he went and asked two waiters at a different restaurant. He came to me all sad "They said there IS no Hard Rock Cafe in Paris." I said "Of course they'll tell you that. If they tell you where it is, you'll leave. If they tell you there isn't one, you'll stay and eat at their restaurant and they'll make more money. Let's go find a neutral person to ask, like a shoe store owner."

7) Lock your doors. Lock your hotel door as soon as you enter the room. Lock your rental car doors, all of them, as soon as you get in the car. We have friends who had this happen to them TWICE on the same trip to Barcelona:

- They were at a stoplight. The light turned green, but the car wouldn't accelerate quickly. Someone had punctured one of the tires so they couldn't go anywhere. Someone else opened the back door and stole things out of the back of the car while my friends were in it.

momo 2 - there's a difference between a Japanese tourist taking pictures with little awareness of surroundings or possessions, a disoriented, recent immigrant (Asian or other), and someone as yourself who can look aware, less vulnerable. I am also Asian. People usually ask ME for directions, whether I'm in the States or Europe. It's all in your posture, your walk.