Travel Safety
Advice and Information

Travel Safety 2 | Robbery Stories
Dangerous Animals | Driving Abroad

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Some Travel Safety advice and incidents over the last few years:

A 2006 Rome pickpocket incident:
Pay special attention to your neighbours when in cramped, pushy situations like getting on to crowded tube trains. Smartly dressed young men are the most likely suspects and often work in pairs, selecting you before you board the train and spotting where you keep your wallet.
In a Bugattempt one smart young man entered the metro car first, then 'accidentally' blocked the way in, causing a shoving confusion, giving his accomplice the chance to barge forward and dip a Bugpocket. Unfortunately for them the Bugpocket was sealed with velcro and the owner was nervously alert with the Bughand hovering nearby - which caught a couple of strange fingers in flagrante delicto. No further action was taken as a metro car is not a good place to challenge a couple of desperate Albanians.
Traditionally thievery in Italy is blamed on gypsies and their fast-moving kids, though these days Albanian and Croatian illegal immigrants are a more popular butt of crime stories.

Padlocks on luggage passing through US airports:
In autumn 2004 the US Transportation Security Administration [TSA] announced that all luggage travelling thru/from/to US airports, whatever the airline, must be either unlocked or locked with approved padlocks. See the TSA website [above] for lock listings.
In Britain, Outdoor Accessories, Travelwithcare and Nomad Travel Stores all stock approved locks.
If you use other locks baggage screeners may break the locks and will not accept responsibility for the damage.
Do not pack valuables in your bags!

France is a Gas!
Mobile Homers beware. French thieves have taken to pumping anaesthetic gas into camping cars, then robbing the vehicles at their leisure while the owners sleep through, waking to a headache and no possessions. Prevention: a] install a gas detector b] only camp at official sites c] don't go to France [but then you'd miss the sights, weather and food!].

Eurostar, Gare du Nord, Paris:
Beware 'kind' men offering assistance at the incomprehensible ticket machines at Gare du Nord station. They usually buy you unusable tickets and charge you a silly price. Make sure you have €uros change and don't accept help from anyone!

Locking suitcases:
Recent problems with an expensive combination lock on a suitcase were solved by popping open the lock with one twist of a screwdriver. And if I can do it, so can anyone.
Furthermore, on investigation, little mass-produced 'travel' padlocks that you can buy from travel carousels at airports and in many shops all used the same key. Thus any half-intelligent, thieving baggage handler/room maid would need to make only a small investment in a couple of popular keys [e.g. the 'Go' brand] to get access to many cases.
Moral: Don't use combination locks and buy your padlocks from a locksmith beforehand, including a spare, and check they require different keys to open them.

Transport troubles...
Unlicensed taxis are occasionally driven by muggers and rapists it seems - a global development as unpleasant reports have arrived from Bangkok [Thailand], Cusco [Peru], Mexico City and Prague [Czech Republic] on the same subject.
The obvious solution, if you can afford it, is always get a cab from a taxi rank or hotel or at least hail one that looks official - with a sign on the roof. Check the driver's photo licence. In Thailand get a taxi rather than the quaint but dodgy tuk-tuks.

Unfortunately crowded public transport in many locations is also a thief's paradise - pickpockets can discreetly extract valuables even from zipped pockets on buses and trams, as Peter Thorpe of Staffs, UK discovered recently in Prague. He points out in The Times that you should be wary while waiting in addition to when aboard as thieves may note the location of valuables before boarding.
Safety should be high on the priorities list, even if it hammers the budget.
Moral: Official taxis and better quality hotel rooms will help preserve your valuables and more...

General Travel Safety advice for most of the world:

1) Low Profile: Wear minimum jewellery, casual clothes, and keep cameras inside a discrete bag. Try to relax and look like you belong there.

2) Danger Zones: Be particularly aware of your safety in crowded areas such as local festivals, markets, crowded tourist sites, railway and bus stations, and of course, on trains and buses. Sometimes it pays to go first class or hire a guide.

3) Stash your Cash: Avoid wallets or purses. Keep enough money for your immediate needs in your (button down/zippered?) pocket, and the rest hidden on your body or, better, inside a *locked bag in a safety deposit box. Have different forms of funds in different places. Remember your air ticket and films are valuable too.
*a little lockable bag, deposited at reception instead of the ubiquitous brown envelope provided in many lower class establishments, will discourage the hotel receptionist from checking on your stash later, or using your credit cards to buy himself a new hi-fi system, or from removing the bottom traveller's checks.

4) Wild Cards:
ATMs:
- Ensure no one can see your credit card code number when you key it into an ATM [bank cash machine], or you may find a bogeyman has memorised it and will later steal your card and buy himself some new toys with it.
- If your card doesn't reappear from the ATM, check that there isn't a tiny foil loop blocking its exit - a device known as the Lebanese loop that allows the thief to retrieve your card later.
The latest scam involves thieves putting a thin, clear, rigid plastic sleeve into the ATM card slot. When you insert your card, the machine can't read the strip, so it keeps asking you to re-enter your PIN number.
Meanwhile, someone behind you watches as you tap in your number. Eventually you give up, thinking the machine has swallowed your card and you walk away. The thieves then remove the plastic sleeve complete with card, and empty your account.
The way to avoid this is to run your finger along the card slot before you put your card in. The sleeve has a couple of tiny prongs that the thieves need to get the sleeve out of the slot, and you'll be able to feel them.
General:
- Keep the card in sight at all times, even in shops/restaurants if possible. e.g. Follow the waiter the the till to watch the transaction being processed. On-the-spot card cloning is rampant. Destroy any carbon copies.
- Sign your card immediately you receive it.
- Destroy/shred statements/documents that contain your personal details/account details - don't put them in the dustbin.
- take only the cards you intend to use so you can see more easily if a card goes missing.
- inform your bank of travel plans so a] they don't stop your card in the wrong place b] they can monitor suspicious activity.
- Keep receipts and check against statements regularly.

5) It's your Bag: Never let go of your shoulder bag. When walking, it goes across your body, resting in front of you, or under your armpit, but not over your shoulder. When sitting, take it off by all means, but put your arm or leg through the strap. The same goes for your camera. When sleeping in a bus, train or vulnerable room, lock your bags up, and then lock them to something immovable. Bag snatchers are not uncommon in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and Greece, in addition to more obvious places like Turkey, Peru, Brazil, Jamaica.
*a light bike chain & lock can be handy if doing a lot of train time. On trains make sure you can see your bag the whole time, especially when approaching a station, or have it locked down.
* some backpackers put light chicken wire inside their packs to protect against slash & grab razor merchants found in South America

6) Speak the Language: Apart from making life easier, a small grasp of the language will also help you to develop protective relationships, to earn a degree of respect from lightweight thieves, and to slip into the background more easily. It's smart to read up on local culture and traditions too.

7) Safety in Numbers: Travel in pairs if possible. If not, be wary but not paranoid, of friendly local people. Most of the time they will be genuine.

For more safety tips go to Travel Safety part 2

Also see Travel Robbery Stories | Dangerous Animals

For up-to-date terrorist information:

please check the excellent Foreign Office [FO] world travel safety site [Yes, Americans too!]. But note that Government warnings tend to be extremely cautious. Read the papers, watch the news, judge for yourself - travelling when things are a little hairy means fewer tourists, more room availability, less cost, more cool. Life is a gamble...

The pictures above show two places where the Bugcrew have been robbed [non-violently].
Left, Cuzco market, Peru. Right, Kuta beach, Bali, Indonesia.

Credit Card Fraud on Brits, worst places in '04 according to Barclaycard:

1] France

2] USA

3] Spain

4] Ireland

5] Germany

6] Switzerland

7] Italy

8] Netherlands

The cities where you have most chance of being robbed, information from the Daily Telegraph:

1: Kingston, Jamaica
"Crime against tourists is increasing despite government efforts."

2: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
"Crime levels remain high, exacerbated by police corruption and inaction."

3: Cape Town, South Africa
"Street crime remains serious and guns are a part of everyday life."

4: Mexico City, Mexico

5: St Petersburg, Russia

6: Buenos Aires, Argentina

7: Bangkok, Thailand

8: Washington, USA

9: Rome, Italy

10: Athens, Greece

Countries where Brits have most chance of getting into trouble or sick and asking help from the British Embassy, according to the UK Foreign Office:

- Thailand [ x5 more likely to die than when visiting India.

- India

- Greece

- Spain

- Czech Republic [probable cause: Stag Parties!]

Generally problems are caused by cheap flights delivering visitors lacking in both preparation and travel insurance. Exotic travel is serious business, be prepared!