Prague safety
 

I want to alert travelers to Prague to take care using public transportation. My husband and I were in the Prague subway in January, 2007. Four large (over 6 feet) men in their thirties cut us off as we boarded. I slipped under one of the arms barring the way without realizing their intention, but since my husband is quite large he stopped. The next thing I heard was my husband yelling for the man to get his hand out of his pocket. This infuriated the man and he used his forearm to hit my husbnd on the chest with great force while the other men surrounded him. My husband came right back at him with his body and was able to slide past and join me. He wasn't hurt since he was well padded with heavy coat, muffler, etc. The four men then discussed what to do, and got off at the next station, and the last we saw they were running out of the station. The subway car was full, but not crowded, so many people witnessed this incident. I heard one couple discussing it in English. Be careful in Prague.

Too bizarre..

they tried to stop you from getting on the train...

they failed....

they discussed what to do next...

they rode WITH YOU to the next station....

they ran out of the station...

Dukey,
I tried to be brief in my description of the pick pocket incident. The 4 thugs boarded as we did, but rushed up the two stairs and immediately turned towards us not waiting for the passengers to depart. I got on and slipped under the arm of the man who was clutching the vertical steel bar blocking the way not realizing his intentions. I assumed it was a very crowded car, but found it wasn't. All the seats were taken, but few people were standing. There was no reason for he men to be crowding the door. My husband followed me onto the stairs, the door closed. I heard him say excuse me etc. trying to get by, but the men didn't move. The train lurched as it started and everyone standing went forward. Then I heard my husband yell "get your hands out of my pocket." Then some words were exchanaged. The other three thugs said and did nothing, but remained blocking the way. The thief then used his forearm and pushed my husband into the closed door with great force. My husband didn't hesitate and with the full force of his body (250 lb.) bounced back on the thief and pushed past to me. The men kept their backs to us. We had to stand there until the next station. The men got off after saying somethng to each other that we didn't understand. We speak only English. We reported the incident to our hotel as there were no police in the station. The next day we saw several policemen in the museum station.

I've heard of a few incidents like that in the Prague subway, also, I think it is a little dicier than some other European cities. However, I would be interested in knowing what station this was and what time of day?

Also, if you know these guys were discussing it, you are saying they were speaking English to each other? That's the part I find kind of unusual.

Explain dicier city, unable to relate to this .

Dicy = dodgy.

Where DO YOU get these words? Explain dodgy. May I use them in scrabble?

I know these words because I have use for them!

According to the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary:
- Dicey (not the spelling I used) means risky, unreliable, uncertain;
- Dodgy means difficult, awkward, unreliable; tricky, risky.

Whether you can use them in Scrabble depends on what dictionary you agree to use.

One couple (fellow passgengers)was diucussing it in English. OP and her husband spoke only English. But not the thugs. They spoke the language that OP did not understand. That's what I understood.

We were in Prague last year and used the subway several times. Never had a problem but have heard of others who did.

I use a different defense since most crime in these cities is pretty and not violent.

I keep nothing of value in my pockets other than the equivalent of $25.

For level 2 I have a very little pouch that my belt goes thru and slips down the inside of my pants. In there I keep my credit card and about another $50. I use this during the day but it's impossible to have this pickpocketed.

For level 3 I have a money belt containing passports and extra cash. This isn't normally accessed during the day.

I just make the process unrewarding for them. I concede that I am a tourist and they are thiefs. I know my business and they know there's.

Prague's subway system and its safety has been the subject of a number of posts in this forum for good reason. It has a notorious reputation and warnings of rampant pickpocketing can be found in many guidebooks. I am really sorry you had such an unpleasant incident; I agree w/Christina, many Prague subway's stations have a dicey feel.

To clarify pickpocket incident:
Christina, the men were speaking to each other. I couldn't hear what was said but assumed it was about the incident and what was the plan now that they were discovered and thwarted. Thank goodness they left the train at the first opportunity. We boarded at the museun station in old town in the afternoon.
I was prepared for subtle pickpockets, children. woman, quiet men, but to be faced with four large, young men working together and becoming physical in such a public place was alarming.
It was also the first time I have ever seen my husband become aggressive. WE are a family of a father and only females, so I had never seen my husband push, shove, wrestle, etc. before. But of course, he has two brothers and so I am sure growing up he had those experiences.

Meyer, We practice a similar system for carrying our valuables. If the thief had gotten into my husband's pocket he would only have found a magnifying glass used for us old people to read maps.

P.S. to the pickpocket incident:
Purely speculative but I think perhaps the thieves were planning to keep us from boarding and at the last second leap off the train themselves and face us on an empty platform hidden by large columns from the rest of the platform and mug us openly. WE are in our 60's, American and look it, and so seem more vulnerable than some.

Klam,

For many years I just depended on dumb luck. Then I decided to institute the above mentioned protection plan starting with a trip to Spain a few years ago.

Sure enough i was pickpocketed at the flea market in Madrid. I saw it happening. Somebody dropped some change in front of me. I immediately pushed back but didn't know where the person was.

About 30 seconds later an older gentleman came over to me and said thet "somebody" took "this" from me. My wrinkled street map and empty sunglasses case. I guess rather than throw it out they decided to return it.

1 for me. Zero for them.

Klma,

thank for your explanation but one further question...

in your description you say these people &quot;rush up the <b>two stairs</b> and turned toward us..&quot;

Stairs? on a Metro train? Was this, in fact, on a tram car?

The incident occurred on the metro at the museum station, not on a tram which we also used daily. Perhaps it was just one very steep stair. That is how I got under the man's arm, coming from a lower position. It may have been only one stair, but there was at least one stair, maybe two. I am not sure.

I also want to alert travelers to Prague about pickpockets on public transportation.

We were there last week. They are aggressive and are good! (More aggressive than in France, Italy, and Spain!)

Fortunately, on both occasions where I found someone's hand in my pants pocket, I was wearing a money belt.

They work in teams, and before one knows it, you are surrounded. Quite uncomfortable despite any precautions one takes.

Woody

My husband was surrounded by a batch of men inside the tram. He felt his backpack moved and immediately got out of the circle of those men. When those group of men got out at the next stop all together we knew that he could have been a victim. Not so lucky with the Florenc bus station, though. We took the bus to CK but when we arrived in CK, one of our luggage was gone. Police was called but decided not to file complain as we were told that we have to go to the HQ (45 mins. away), wait for an English interpreter which will take at least 3 hrs. We were in Ck just for the afternoon so we just decided to go ahead and see/enjoy the place than waste our precious time going to the police HQ. Would advise not to part with your luggage as the bus company and the police are not very helpful at all in trying to help/solve our situation.