London Safety Issues
Apr 11th, 2008, 04:54 AM
#1
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London Safety Issues
Try...
<http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...tml#safety> Then click: safety and security.
This same information service is also available for other countries.
<http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...tml#safety> Then click: safety and security.
This same information service is also available for other countries.
Apr 11th, 2008, 05:07 AM
#2
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These govt. travel advisories can be quite useful, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office also provide similar information for travellers.
It is probably worth noteing that there is a certain amount of worse case scenario/back covering going on in these things though. To get some perspective it is always useful (and fun) to see what the advice is for places you know well.
For example, here is the FCO's take on the USA.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/3t5x6l
It is probably worth noteing that there is a certain amount of worse case scenario/back covering going on in these things though. To get some perspective it is always useful (and fun) to see what the advice is for places you know well.
For example, here is the FCO's take on the USA.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/3t5x6l
Apr 11th, 2008, 06:30 AM
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I like the bit on the US gov site about the Netherlands:
"Several American visitors have reported experiencing excessive drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, and nausea after drinking alcohol in public areas such as hotel bars and night clubs in several cities throughout the Netherlands. These effects may be the result of unknowingly ingesting drugs, such as flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), hydroxybutyrate (GHB), triazolam (Halcion), scopolamine, burundaga, ketamine and more recently MDMA (Ecstacy), surreptitiously placed in drinks."
Maybe it's just that the beer is stronger here????
"Several American visitors have reported experiencing excessive drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, and nausea after drinking alcohol in public areas such as hotel bars and night clubs in several cities throughout the Netherlands. These effects may be the result of unknowingly ingesting drugs, such as flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), hydroxybutyrate (GHB), triazolam (Halcion), scopolamine, burundaga, ketamine and more recently MDMA (Ecstacy), surreptitiously placed in drinks."
Maybe it's just that the beer is stronger here????
Apr 11th, 2008, 08:32 AM
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I don't believe it - the State Department is in the 21st Century
To quote from the advice on "London"
<<<The need to carry a passport to cash traveler’s checks is also minimized by an abundance of ATMs able to access systems widely used in the U.S. and offering more favorable rates of exchange>>>
To quote from the advice on "London"
<<<The need to carry a passport to cash traveler’s checks is also minimized by an abundance of ATMs able to access systems widely used in the U.S. and offering more favorable rates of exchange>>>
Apr 11th, 2008, 08:54 AM
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I am a bit confused I read the warnings about my country and it seems odd ,, they are not all correct.
It says possesion of drugs here is a serious offense with heavy penalties and jail time,, unfortunately that is not completly true. Possesion of most drugs in small amounts will likely get a person probation,, or a very short sentence at most, as long as the amount is for obvious personal use and not for selling. Everyone knows the STates is much more severe on drug users then Canada.
Also it says medical assess is "rationed" now that is a outright lie. You can go to your doctor as many times as you want, I go about 2x a year, my kids 4 or 5 times at least, no one is ever forbidden assess due to rationing. Now wait times are of course a different issue!!
It also said lane changing without signalling is common, as is tailgating,, well I don't know where they came up with that, we have driven in the STates and its pretty similar, most people are decent drivers and few suck, just like anywhere.
Anyways , it just impressed me as a not very accurate site, since I know they exxagerated on my country, and make up some stuff, now I can believe they did the same about other countries,,,
who writes them?? some overpaid government employee who scanned newpaper articles to come up with his " facts" lol
It says possesion of drugs here is a serious offense with heavy penalties and jail time,, unfortunately that is not completly true. Possesion of most drugs in small amounts will likely get a person probation,, or a very short sentence at most, as long as the amount is for obvious personal use and not for selling. Everyone knows the STates is much more severe on drug users then Canada.
Also it says medical assess is "rationed" now that is a outright lie. You can go to your doctor as many times as you want, I go about 2x a year, my kids 4 or 5 times at least, no one is ever forbidden assess due to rationing. Now wait times are of course a different issue!!
It also said lane changing without signalling is common, as is tailgating,, well I don't know where they came up with that, we have driven in the STates and its pretty similar, most people are decent drivers and few suck, just like anywhere.
Anyways , it just impressed me as a not very accurate site, since I know they exxagerated on my country, and make up some stuff, now I can believe they did the same about other countries,,,
who writes them?? some overpaid government employee who scanned newpaper articles to come up with his " facts" lol
Apr 11th, 2008, 09:03 AM
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Well, I thought the one on Britain was surprisingly accurate.
I bet I'm not the only Briton who followed GSteed's reference expecting a laugh. Instead, you actually got the impression that whoever'd written it had:
a) lived here, and
b) had to deal with American tourists who hadn't.
Trying to compress everything about a country into 3,500 words isn't easy. I thought the Cousins did a pretty good job.
Even if, for some bizarre reason, they describe Britain as "a highly developed constitutional monarchy " but Canada (constitutionally identical) as "a highly developed, stable democracy".
I bet I'm not the only Briton who followed GSteed's reference expecting a laugh. Instead, you actually got the impression that whoever'd written it had:
a) lived here, and
b) had to deal with American tourists who hadn't.
Trying to compress everything about a country into 3,500 words isn't easy. I thought the Cousins did a pretty good job.
Even if, for some bizarre reason, they describe Britain as "a highly developed constitutional monarchy " but Canada (constitutionally identical) as "a highly developed, stable democracy".
Apr 11th, 2008, 09:05 AM
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Once again the USA drives the cold steel of lunacy through the still quivering corpse of satire:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1144.html
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1144.html
Apr 11th, 2008, 11:31 AM
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<<< Once again the USA drives the cold steel of lunacy through the still quivering corpse of satire: >>>
The voice of sanity compared to
http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-c.../Advice/Turkey
which starts
We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Turkey because of the high threat of terrorist attack. Domestic terrorist groups (some with links to international terrorists) have recently staged attacks.
The voice of sanity compared to
http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-c.../Advice/Turkey
which starts
We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Turkey because of the high threat of terrorist attack. Domestic terrorist groups (some with links to international terrorists) have recently staged attacks.
