Places You've traveled to, but didn't feel safe in.
Apr 18th, 2008, 03:36 AM
#21
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We managed to get into some fairly unpleasant areas on the outskirts of Paris. We walked really, really quickly. The only place we've felt very unsafe was Florence--after we witnessed a mugging and a motorbike drive-by purse snatching on the same morning. This was about 10 years ago.
Apr 18th, 2008, 04:43 AM
#23
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The son of a friend of ours got into what he thought was a taxi (it even had a meter) at the Caracas airport. Just outside the airport the "taxi" stopped and a man with a gun jumped into the back seat.
They roughed him up a bit--just some bruising and minor cuts. Drove him to a very poor part of town. Took his wallet, watch and wedding ring, stripped him of his suit and shoes, and drove off with his luggage and laptop computer.
The local residents came out and helped him as soon as the robbers took off. He was very grateful for the kindness of the poor (in terms of money and possessions) people who helped him. As a gesture of thanks, he did contribute to a local community fund.
They roughed him up a bit--just some bruising and minor cuts. Drove him to a very poor part of town. Took his wallet, watch and wedding ring, stripped him of his suit and shoes, and drove off with his luggage and laptop computer.
The local residents came out and helped him as soon as the robbers took off. He was very grateful for the kindness of the poor (in terms of money and possessions) people who helped him. As a gesture of thanks, he did contribute to a local community fund.
Apr 18th, 2008, 04:51 AM
#24
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In St. Petersburg, Russia (not Florida) we were warned upon check-in to be careful with our backpacks and passports. Thinking we are always careful we didn't allow it to deter us from our usual get out and walk everywhere attitude.
Well, my husband was jumped while we entered an internet cafe. I entered first, then 3 guys sandwiched my husband and wrestled him to the ground for a bulge in his jacket pocket which was our camera. He punched them and when another man entered the lobby they ran off. After that we left everything in the hotel safe before venturing out.
The hotel clerk explained that by far the street crime is against your property and not so much bodily harm. He said the fact that my husband fought back with his fists probably stunned the pickpockets.
Well, my husband was jumped while we entered an internet cafe. I entered first, then 3 guys sandwiched my husband and wrestled him to the ground for a bulge in his jacket pocket which was our camera. He punched them and when another man entered the lobby they ran off. After that we left everything in the hotel safe before venturing out.
The hotel clerk explained that by far the street crime is against your property and not so much bodily harm. He said the fact that my husband fought back with his fists probably stunned the pickpockets.
Apr 18th, 2008, 05:06 AM
#26
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Nowhere in Europe but I don't venture into downtown Orlando if I can help it.
My husband felt unsafe in parts of Ft.Lauderdale and he's 6'4", 200 lbs!
NOLA has never held any fears for me either, but I haven't been there for about 8 years.
My husband felt unsafe in parts of Ft.Lauderdale and he's 6'4", 200 lbs!
NOLA has never held any fears for me either, but I haven't been there for about 8 years.
Apr 18th, 2008, 05:39 AM
#28
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Verona! I hated going alone because there was constant touching and grazing by men. They wouldn't back off even if you said it in multiple languages. Funny thing is they weren't even Italian men.
NYC is not scary, just stay away from anywhere that isn't Manhattan and your fine. I lived here and wasn't scared.
NYC is not scary, just stay away from anywhere that isn't Manhattan and your fine. I lived here and wasn't scared.
Apr 18th, 2008, 08:58 AM
#29
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From other posts and what I hear, in general, the crimes committed on tourists and pedestrians in most other countries outside the US don't usually involve a weapon and almost never end in murder.
Not true in the US. The criminals and thugs here demand this thing they call "respect". They have decided that just looking at them or telling them to leave you alone or accidentally cutting them off in traffic or turning them away from your party are offenses punishable by your death and they are more than willing to do it. Or they could just decide that your property or money should be theirs and taking it is just fine. There are hundreds of thousands of victims each year and any of them can tell you that "feeling safe" here is an illusion. Absolutely unbelievable.
Not true in the US. The criminals and thugs here demand this thing they call "respect". They have decided that just looking at them or telling them to leave you alone or accidentally cutting them off in traffic or turning them away from your party are offenses punishable by your death and they are more than willing to do it. Or they could just decide that your property or money should be theirs and taking it is just fine. There are hundreds of thousands of victims each year and any of them can tell you that "feeling safe" here is an illusion. Absolutely unbelievable.
Apr 18th, 2008, 09:08 AM
#30
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There are parts of every big city where I have felt unsafe, I am not blinded by the tendency to think all is wonderful because I am on vacation.
There are parts of my own city where I won't venture alone or at night.
There are parts of my own city where I won't venture alone or at night.
Apr 18th, 2008, 09:35 AM
#31
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I was repeatedly told by business associates and by the hotel I was staying in not to venture outside my Guatemala City hotel without an escort.
Driving to Amman (in Jordan), signs in the Roman alphabet stopped, Mrs F + I stupidly failed to learn basic Arabic beforehand and found ourselves alone in the middle of a Palestinian refugee camp.
We once got pissed off with the KGB in Uzbekistan and staged a sit-down protest against them so they immediately caved in. And I got shipwrecked off the coast of Turkey once.
But the only time I've ever really felt unsafe was getting lost in Jordan (I really ought not to drive without learning the language), taking a wrong turning and seeing:
- a hundred yards ahead of us, a bus covered in Hebrew markings
- on every side of our narrow road (including the land between us and the bus, skull and crossbone signs. Trickiest bit of reversing I've ever had to do.
Otherwise? Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka lately, the Shankhill Rd in the 1990s: Providence always protects us truly feckless.
Driving to Amman (in Jordan), signs in the Roman alphabet stopped, Mrs F + I stupidly failed to learn basic Arabic beforehand and found ourselves alone in the middle of a Palestinian refugee camp.
We once got pissed off with the KGB in Uzbekistan and staged a sit-down protest against them so they immediately caved in. And I got shipwrecked off the coast of Turkey once.
But the only time I've ever really felt unsafe was getting lost in Jordan (I really ought not to drive without learning the language), taking a wrong turning and seeing:
- a hundred yards ahead of us, a bus covered in Hebrew markings
- on every side of our narrow road (including the land between us and the bus, skull and crossbone signs. Trickiest bit of reversing I've ever had to do.
Otherwise? Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka lately, the Shankhill Rd in the 1990s: Providence always protects us truly feckless.
Apr 18th, 2008, 09:47 AM
#33
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I think the most scared I have been was in the Mexican desert near the US border years ago when I came upon armed Mexican police marching a blindfolded man off into the desert. I have never thrown a car in reverse so fast in my life.
Apr 18th, 2008, 10:04 AM
#34
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Some info that I found interesting, sent to me by a friend who was planning a Caribbean trip. They did take the trip, reasoning that most murders involve criminals killing other criminals mostly in the drug trade. Much like in the USA and, I would think, some other countries as well.
"High rates of crime and violence in the Caribbean are undermining growth, threatening human welfare, and impeding social development," according to a new report by the World Bank and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The report, "Crime, Violence, and Development: Trends, Costs, and Policy Options in the Caribbean," says that murder rates in the Caribbean are higher than in any other world region.
In the Caribbean murders occur at a rate of 30 per 100,000 people. In Eastern Europe, murder rates are about 17 per 100,000, in the USA, around 7.
"High rates of crime and violence in the Caribbean are undermining growth, threatening human welfare, and impeding social development," according to a new report by the World Bank and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The report, "Crime, Violence, and Development: Trends, Costs, and Policy Options in the Caribbean," says that murder rates in the Caribbean are higher than in any other world region.
In the Caribbean murders occur at a rate of 30 per 100,000 people. In Eastern Europe, murder rates are about 17 per 100,000, in the USA, around 7.
Apr 18th, 2008, 10:18 AM
#35
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Mexico...not a place to wander out side the expected tourist areas and, judging by news reports over the past 15 years, not a good place for Canadians to be the victim of crime...pretty soon you find out you are being cast in the role of perp!
Apr 18th, 2008, 10:33 AM
#36
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I've never been to Mexico and have no desire to go. All of the bad crime stories I've heard involve the police more than they involve the criminals. American friends of mine were robbed while on vacation there and the man was stabbed -- the police had no interest in helping them.
I'm not so pollyanna-ish that I think there are crime-free places but I don't want to go where I can't even get help from the police.
And yes, LJ, you're right. Canadians haven't been having a very good time of it in Mexico in the past few years. It's not a place where I want to spend my tourist dollars.
I'm not so pollyanna-ish that I think there are crime-free places but I don't want to go where I can't even get help from the police.
And yes, LJ, you're right. Canadians haven't been having a very good time of it in Mexico in the past few years. It's not a place where I want to spend my tourist dollars.
Apr 18th, 2008, 11:04 AM
#39
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The only place that really fits the description is Honolulu Hawaii. I was out one night. All my friends left and by the time I headed back to the hotel there were only large groups of locals on the corners. As I walked past one group the started saying, "Watch out haoli, watch out." I grew up in San Diego and many of my friends returned from Hawaii with broken arms or jaws from interactions with locals.
I've been to Japan, Korea, Phillipines, Australia, New Zealund, American Samoa, England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Germany, Netherlands, Austria and Italy (maybe a couple of others) so far and that's the only time I worried for my safety.
One other comes to mind. In line at Burger King in Miami a person came in and showed a knife and said, "I'm first in line." So maybe Miami qualifies also.
I've been to Japan, Korea, Phillipines, Australia, New Zealund, American Samoa, England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Germany, Netherlands, Austria and Italy (maybe a couple of others) so far and that's the only time I worried for my safety.
One other comes to mind. In line at Burger King in Miami a person came in and showed a knife and said, "I'm first in line." So maybe Miami qualifies also.
Apr 18th, 2008, 11:13 AM
#40
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No place has made me feel unsafe. However, in the early 60's a friend and I (we were two 2 females between junior and senior year in college) traveled around Europe and did a fair amount of hitchiking to places public transportation wouldn't go. Twice we wondered what we had gotten ourselves into but came out unscathed and were back at it the next opportunity. considering how many rides we hitched, two worries does not seem bad. (We did not tell our parents that we had hitched and left them in blissful ignorance to think we got everywhere by train or bus.)
Interestingly,I did mention a few hitchike stories at a family gathering recently. My dad who is in his 80's did not blink an eye but my niece and two nephews were appalled.
My friends are appalled that I do the picking up now. There is a college just outaside of my town and often I see students hitching back from town and always pick them up, sort of returning a forty plus year old favor.
Interestingly,I did mention a few hitchike stories at a family gathering recently. My dad who is in his 80's did not blink an eye but my niece and two nephews were appalled.
My friends are appalled that I do the picking up now. There is a college just outaside of my town and often I see students hitching back from town and always pick them up, sort of returning a forty plus year old favor.
