Distractions
 

There is a thread on TA posted by an American couple who were pickpocketed TWICE in BA in the course of a few days.

They fell victim to things we have warned about dozens or maybe even hundreds of times here and elsewhere, in the past.

Being squirted with some substance and then "helped" to clean up, while being "relieved" of your belongings is an old classic known all over the world. Here we call the people who perform this scam "mostaceros" ("mustardeers"), because what they spray you with is somewhat like mustard.

Then there is this awful thing of someone vomiting near you, which is also meant to divert your attention.

So, as a general warning, whenever anything strange like this happens, hold on firmly to your belongings, be alert and, most important of all, don´t let anybody come near you, if possible.

The OP in this TA thread, who by now thinks she is an expert on the subject, says: "Taxis are okay if you choose Radio Taxi."

I have explained MANY times that this just ain't so. A radio taxi is just as safe (or unsafe) as any other cab, UNLESS you have CALLED for it, which allows you to identify it, if you have a problem.

I have lived here all of my 70 years and none of these things have ever happened to me. I guess I must be VERY lucky or something else????

Some folks wander around with Tshirts that say "rob me, I'm an American Rube Tourist" (invisible to the rube but visible to locals. Then they become all indignant when pick pocketed.

These same tourists then proceed to declare themselves as experts, speaking with absolute authority about the subject of how to avoid becoming victims of crime in Argentina by doing what they never did....oblivious to the fact that the advice they are giving is just as flawed as the course of action that set up their victimization in the first place.

Yes, but they may also suffer a reaction, like a mini-trauma, that can blow everything out of proportion for them - for a while - and elicit anger, frustration and an inability to have balanced, clear thinking.

It is not easy to be victimized and feel so helpless....and to realize that you could have better prepared yourself and so possibly avoided being the victim of theft. That can result in blame - if not of the perpetrators, of the society or town in which the event took place.

Ah well.

~MarnieWDC

I again hereby move Marnie be named Chief DE for this forum, with drdawggy as her obedient "adjutant". LOL!!!

"Some folks wander around with Tshirts that say "rob me, I'm an American Rube Tourist" (invisible to the rube but visible to locals. Then they become all indignant when pick pocketed."

As the onetime victim of a violent mugging in a large South American city (not BA) and who was left unconscious on the street, I bristle at any suggestion that the victim of a robbery is to blame. I'm no stranger to the ways of Latin America and have years of experience living and traveling in the region, and yet it happened to me.

That's the kind of thing that happens in Río de Janeiro.

In BA, it's comparatively rare.

Jeff, I, too, was a victim of an assault in Quito, Ecuador. Like you, I do not believe I was to blame...and would not want to make a sweeping statement about all victims..but there are those who fail to exercise caution or to do due diligence before visiting a country and have no idea what the dangers are or how to avoid them...and these type of tourists are more likely to become victims than those who take a bit of time to learn about crime in their destination of choice....

travel.state.gov crime/safety entries always wise to review.

I have been robbed in San Pedro Guatemala once at night solo had

a dummy "throw down" wallet walked away lost nothing.

Had my indentity stolen a few years ago in CA/SA

by Colombian Scammer bank who got my PIN changed my address

and ran up $150K on my CREDIT card took me 6 months to

recover my credit and Chase had to eventually eat it all

not me BUT I NEVER travel with debit card and only use

big banks everything of value in my money belt including

passport rooms safes are not safe #1 cause of passport theft.

Still crime/theft quite rare overall safe if careful.

For clueless newbie travelers who do not do their homework

not so much.

Boliviabella.com one of my favs in SA but probably

the riskiest for the clueless other than Venezuela.

A cautionary tale... Caveat Emptor!

katharinaandpeter.info

Thank you, qwovadis.

~Marnie

Qwovadis--thanks for posting that last link. I now understand all the warnings about taxis and the need to take precautions.

Thanks QwoVadis

Scary stuff. In a way I'm glad I didn't read that before I went to Peru; although I tend to follow pretty good safety procedures anyway.

Cheers, Alan, Australia
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/