Terrorism in Europe
 

My husband and I are scheduled to take a trip to London and Paris in 3 week. Am a little nervous about the increased alerts in Great Britian. What does everyone else think? Would any of you cancel your trip?

No.

No me. I feel less safe where I live.

Well, living in NYC - which has been on high alert since 9/11 - no going to europe would not faze me I would avoid only active war zones.

I fly out on Tuesday night for London. I have had a few niggles, but mostly my attitude is if you're shot, you'll never be hung. (An old saying from who knows where) Just hope it is quick if it's my time to go.

I flew to London on the first Virgin Atlantic flight after 9/11/2001 -- Actually the first flight after the ones needed to repatriate those stuck on the 'wrong' side of the Atlantic when flights were suspended)

I also lived in the UK back when the IRA regularly tried to blow up significant bldgs.

no I wouldn't cancel.

I generally feel much safer in the UK because they have been doing major security for decades -- American security forces are semi-newcomers.

I can't say what you should do, or what your comfort level will be, but my first European trip was to Germany, a little over 3 weeks after 9/11. We flew out of NY. Most friends said they would cancel the trip if it was theirs. I was concerned, a bit worried, but we went and everything went well.

The increase in the threat level in the UK is interesting, but something you need to take with a grain of salt. The US Department of State issued a Worldwide Caution back in April. The threat to the UK is real, but not something I would worry about, at least not at this time. ISIS is a little more threatening overall then was the IRA, ETA, or even Al-Qa’ida, but hopefully the EU and the US have learned from past lessons.

No one can assure another of their safety under any circumstance but are you going to live your life filled with fear?

I saw the second plane hit the Trade Center, my building was engulfed twice by the debris when each Tower collapses, I and breathed in the remains of other humans for three months and I will damned if I will be intimidated by cowards who go after unarmed civilians. Because that is what they want.

IMDonehere: Well said!!!

Thank you John.

I will be in Paris and London from 10/1 - 10/19 and would not let the increased alerts stop me from going. After all, I could be hit by a truck on the way to the airport.

IMHO the risk of being run over by a taxi is much higher.

Well said, IDH.

I flew in & out of London quite a bit during the IRA era; left Bali a couple of hours before the first bombing & returned a fortnight after the 2nd.

I wouldn't go to an active war zone or put myself in a situation where I was a conspicuous & easy mark in a gritty or alienated environment / district. There are a few pockets in my own city where I wouldn't go alone at night. I'm reasonably sure there would be one or two of those in your own town/city, OP.

Other than that, I go when and where I like. An escalation of the security scale in a city the size of London would not deter me from going there.

I have a pretty good sense of awareness & intuition, which has served me well so far. A raised Security alert might nudge that up a notch, no bad thing wherever we are, I think.

I'm a fatalist - think my chances of being caught up in a terrorist act are roughly the same as winning the Lottery.

Security alerts are intended as a guideline to anyone with responsibility for such things to move to a particular stage in their emergency planning - <i>precisely</i> to keep things going as normal for everyone else.

A "severe" warning means you may well have to go through more frequent and thorough security checks, bag inspections and the like, because the powers-that-be are picking up signs that something is in the wind. It doesn't mean mayhem is lurking at every corner or on every plane.

These aren't instructions to the general public to head for the hills, or bunker down at home. You could, of course, but would you necessarily be any safer from the risk of a car crash, or dying of boredom?

If you cancel then it is a small victory for terrorism. They will have terrorised you into not doing what you want, without ever having to do anything directly to you.
If enough people behave like that then it is a big victory for terrorism.

IDH and the rest of New York stood up to the terrorists. Britain stood up to the IRA bombs and the subsequent terrorist attacks. By carrying on as normal you are helping to beat them, just a little but still helping.

Excuse me but cancelling your trip would not be a "small victory for terrorism." Might as well book tickets to Syria if you feel that way.

We had several people on this board announce they were changing plans to visit Israel and Turkey in recent weeks and nobody told them it was a victory for terrorism or even that they were doing something unnecessary despite the actual low risk to tourists in both countries.

I have no idea what supposedly "standing up to terrorists" means since now there alot more terrorists than before living inside the countries that supposedly stood up to terrorism.

Personally I am more afraid of traveling in US cities and any place where people think it is the right thing to do go give children automatic weapons and let insane young men buy them at Wal-Mart and load up on ammo online.

However I do recognize that terrorists generally have a better grip on what they want and how to do it and are willing to work very hard at it so I pick my travel spots with that in mind and my airlines and airports as well. I have no intention of foolishly dying on behalf of the US or UK "war on terror" which has been an international disaster. If people think I am "helping terrorists just a little" by facing reality instead of fairytales that is their problem -- and I will bet my next air ticket that there are plenty of places they themselves avoid because of terror risks.

If anybody really wants to stand up to terrorism Malaysian Airlines could use your help.

Debbie, in GB you will probably not even realise there is any change, the regular bobbies on the beat will still not carry guns, some of them may have cameras on their webbing and you will be able to see their security numbers and their faces. At the airports/major railway stations you will see police with body armour and guns but again that is usual. I doubt if the queues for security at airports will be any longer.

Just to avoid confusion, jokes about bombs etc do not go down well at airports or security posts. :-)

Within London your choice for travel is shank's pony, bicycle, taxi, bus or tube. Each of those has their own risk and pleasure. If we get a suicide bomber say then Londoners will switch to the first three until the whole place quiets down. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_...ondon_bombings

You'll be fine

I thought that David Cameron spoke forcefully on the subject in his recent remarks:

“Adhering to British values is not an option or choice. It is a duty to those who live on this island. In the end it is only by standing up that we will defeat extremism.” Well said.