alanRow

<<< It's amusing to me that so many people in Europe or the UK have this perception that America is unsafe. >>>

It's because we are brought up on tales of people going to Florida (especially), hiring a car, taking a wrong turning off the freeway and being killed

lawchick

If I have to suffer another posting on this site from someone looking for somewhere "safe" and "clean" to stay for about 300 dollars a night - I'll be ill.

It seems we are all filthy thieves in Europe.

I won't even begin to tell my story again about my car being rammed by rednecks (with guns) outside Texarkana. Talk about duelling banjos.

Yes America is very safe from Pickpocketing (outside major cities) - it's just the other stuff you have to take care about!

Passepartout

A brief tutorial on mortality statistics:

If you divide the number of individuals in a population into say, the number of drug overdose deaths, then each person in that population has a "one-in-x" probability of dying from that cause.

But the people who doesn't use drugs are included in that ratio. See how inaccurate it is to say "your odds are such-and-such"? Because they're not. If you don't do drugs, your odds are exactly zero.

By the same token, statements like "THE MOST DANGEROUS PART of your trip will be the drive to the airport" have to be adjusted for such conditions as whether you drive impaired, the condition of your vehicle, how well-maintained the route is, and whether you wear seat belts.

Your odds of being struck by lightning depend on where you live and how cavalier you are about playing golf in thunderstorms.

The chances of being killed by terrorists are much, much greater in Baghdad than they are in Duluth.

Unqualified, such statements as "Your chances or being hit by lightning are greater than a problem with a terrorist, Muslims" are meaningless posturing.

Buzzy

I live just outside London and the only danger you are in is the danger of paying really high prices for everything. Apart from that don't worry.

missypie

When we were in Paris, it was just a few days after the Madrid subway bombings. One evening we turned on the TV and they were talking about the very high security at the Eifel Tower...there was footage of the place just crawling with soldiers. We had been to the Eifel Tower that same day, and hadn't seen a single soldier. Your sister's friend in the countryside may be relying on sensationalistic jounalism that does not accurately depict the real situation.

Have you ever read the Pulizer Prize winning novel, "The Shipping News?" I'm in the middle of it now. The main character gets a job at a small town weekly newspaper and one of his jobs is to cover car wrecks. They feature a car wreck on the front page every week; if there isn't a new one, they get photos out of their archives to put in the paper.

Maybe there is a media outlet in the UK that has the same philosophy...maybe they feature a demonstration every week, even if there isn't a new one to cover.

Luvly76

I'm sorry to say, I find this all hilarious. I live in a suburb of Los Angeles and I have never encountered "cholos", or black people knocking down my door to kill me (we hear about it enough in the news though) I think most of us take a story and exaggerate it for "drama purposes" just like the media...luvlondon, I will be in London the week of March 19th and if I find a protest in regards to the war I will march along with them if they are headed in the direction of Westminster Abbey.. : ) really, if we pay attention to every fear we would live under ground having our groceries delivered....we all have to die eventually (unless someone knows the secret to eternal life) live you life to the fullest and when your time comes you can go knowing you died doing what you loved, mine is travleing.

mari5

I think you will have a wonderful trip.
It seems as simple as not going near where the protests and demonstrations are taking place. The rest of London will be carrying on normal, as usual.
We arrived in London (3 day visit on the way home to U.S. from an Italian trip) on the very day the war broke out in Iraq. This was about our 8th trip to London. We'd gotten up at 3 AM so just took a bus ride over toward the Trafalger Sq area. There were demonstrations going on further south several blocks, but the streets were blocked off there....and the part of London we were in was very normal.
I have friends who have been to London so much they are "tired of it' and just visit friends in the "countryside".( there are mobility and health issues)
How does the old quotation go?
"When you are tired of London, you are tired of life"!
Another friend lived in London for a year and says she walked out of her door "almost" every day and still never saw everything in London.

luvlondon

Again, thank you for all of your contributions and opionions. I am not sure that I clearly stated or not but I never intended for my husband not to continue on with our plans. I actually was just real tired of hearing the same old song so to speak from my sister. She just keeps it up and continously is telling me not to go. My husband and I have traveled throughout the countryside and on into Scotland and loved all of the places we visited. We just want to spend more time in London because we really did not get to see and do everything we wanted to. The London Eye was not there when we were last there and that is just one of the number of things we want to do. Thanks for all of your help and advice and information.

jewela

Possibly....the posters sister has seen ONLY a small portion of the news we receive here in the states. We tend to get only the top stories from overseas.....just as you, in the UK get only the top stories coming out of the US, unless you actively search for more. Our media over here tend to report only the odd "terror" scares from the UK and Europe. They feel it's much more important to focus on the ramblings of Hollywood types, and the newest residents of Beverly Hills (Posh and hubby David Beckham). This keeps everyone quietly entertained so that we don't pay too much attention to the fact that our own Congress and Senate are doing their best to undermine our country. Thankfully, there are legitimate newspapers that don't really care about Britneys new hair cut....or Anna Nicoles final resting place.

However, we recently had news of several hundreds of "terror cells" operating in the UK...so, if that is the only bit of news the sister read.....well, you can see why she made the comment.

The poster, luvlondon, said she's from Texas....I am a Texan as well,currently living in Houston. The largest city in Texas. We have plenty of crime, but it does not stop us from going about our daily business. Crime is just something we have all learned to live with on a daily basis.

So, luvlondon, my advice to you is to go, enjoy, and as soon as you return home, start planning your next trip to London.

Libby123

Hi, I have a sister who's younger than me and everytime I plan a trip she comes up with some "worry". Drives me crazy and feels as if she wants to ruin my trip. This time, as I get ready to go to Mexico, it's "aren't you afraid of all the drug dealers". I think that she is afraid because she has never been abroad and she and her DH are very "high maintenance" travelers. I also think she doesn't like me to be so far away. I have started sharing my coffee table books about the places I've been. I find that now that she sees just how beautiful places are, she's lightened up quite a bit. Anyway, I figure it's her problem, not mine. Don't let your sister stop you, life is short

missypie

I'm not much of a worrier on my own trips, but now that I think about it, I have worried about others. DD has a friend who goes to visit her grandparents in Turkey. I worry about her because Turkey is so close to Iraq. I'm sure that if it was my own trip for which I'd done a lot of research, I would not be worried about my destination.

Lawchick I have been frightened by my fellow Texans, too. Once, driving through Houston, we were following this pickup truck with a fully loaded gun rack that was covered with the most hateful bumper stickers I've ever seen. It scared me to just be near them on the road!

Apres_Londee

luvlondon: two words- Call Display.

And when your sister starts nagging you about London, just get distracted and stop paying her any attention. Whatever the real issue is, I'm sure you don't need that sort of negativity dragging you down.

It sounds like you have a lovely trip planned. You'll have a wonderful time in England with your friends. Don't waste another ounce of your energy over your sister's naysaying. Life is too short.

ira

Hi Luv,

Muslims have been demonstrating in London for decades, if not centuries.

If you happen to come upon a demonstration, walk in a different direction; not for fear of your safety, but because traffic will be held up for some time.

cigalechanta

I have friends in London and they inform me that there are no protests going on. Your sister need to educate herslf with the news instead of listening to someone in the countryside who most likely hates London, I suspect.

sandypaws3

luvlondon,
My husband and I will be taking the Eurostar to London for a daytrip, and meeting friends who live near Cambridge. Their son lives in London, and I don't think they'd be meeting us if they thought it was dangerous. Of course, they'd really be worried about their son if they thought that. I think the news exaggerates everything.
Sandy

nona1

This enquiry was really more about an irritating sister with a strange friend than safety in London. I'm glad to hear that you took their comments with a pinch of salt, but it is sad that your friends have been worried by it. How to deal with it? Show your friends this thread and next time your sister starts, tell her to shut up!

PatrickLondon

I've just realised you're coming in November. One way to work with your sister's anxieties might be to tell her the weather's likely to be too b*** awful for the kind of people who like street demonstrations to be outside anyway.

luvlondon

I appreciate everyone's helpful replies. Again, I knew I could count on my Fodor friends and expertice. Nona1 and Patrick London you both say what my mind was thinking on how to deal with my sister. I think I will probably wait until the November 13th or 14th to let her know we are flying out of Houston on the 16th. Not much she can say then....Maybe I will send her a postcard from London the morning we get there. BTW Jewela...I live in a city (Nederland.... which is near Beaumont if you have ever heard of either. I go to Houston on a regular basis to go shopping. Thanks also for your input. I need to add that everytime my husband and I have gone to Washington, DC of course there are ALWAYS protestors is front of the White House. We both are young middle aged adults (54 and 56yrs. and well traveled so I'm confindent we know how to act when we are in a city or country that we are not from. We both just hang loose and fly under the rador so to speak. I wonder if I need to repeat this to my sister. To end my post I have to say out of all of the wonderful places we have been...I always feel that London is my home. I am confident that our friends will love London too. We are all British history buffs.