Holiday Travel Safety -- Be Paranoid And Be Safe
Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2011
by Octavia Hansen
Octavia Hansen
Some people think they'll be alright since they are just visiting some place. Security should be practiced everywhere -- next door, down the street, the next state or on another continent. Be paranoid, it will save you a lot of heartbreak and time. Ever try to replace your driver's license or bank card? It's hard. Might was well just re-apply and start from zero.
Keep your wallet somewhere else. Pockets are nice when you are in familiar company, from a thief's point of view, it's a pot'o'gold. Don't think an inside pocket, pants pocket or coat pocket is safe. You gotta think like a thief. Anything hard to get to isn't worth their risk. There are flat travel pouches made to wear under your clothes. Underwear is also a great place. A zippered coat pocket just means you'll lose a coat along with your wallet. A sock or a boot is wonderful for a key or a flat wallet -- rarely will your feet be over your head and your hands are free.
Leave stuff home that you do not need. I knew a man who carried every key he ever used with him at all times. This was a ten-pounder ring that did NOT fit into any pocket, but he carried it. So when this ring left his side, he couldn't even get back into his own house, much less start the lawn mower, check his post office box or release his bicycle. All this from the excitement of Europe!
This goes for credit cards, too. Macy's is NOT a world store. There's not one in the desert or the mountains of the United States. Unless you are specifically going to a store designated on the credit card, don't carry extras not used anywhere else. Your wallet will thank you for this.
Keep an eye on your luggage. I'm still amazed how many people will take out a map and turn their back on their luggage in a foreign land, at a tourist stop, at an airport or train station. Most luggage is the same -- black, no marks, no tags. It's easy for anyone passing by to snag your case and cut away any identifying ribbons or tags while still walking. Eddie Murphy's movie "Coming To America" shows his massive amounts of luggage just outside the door of his new apartment -- seconds later, it's gone and all the people passing by are wearing his clothes.
Extreme real life case: Flutist James Galway was relieved of four (count 'em, FOUR!) custom made solid gold flutes off the top of his luggage trolly in Switzerland a few years ago -- and he only turned his back for a second!
Don't let ANYONE keep your passport, even overnight. There is no reason for this to be out of your hands, even if you are arrested you'll get it back. A valid American passport is worth your weight in gold to anyone wanting to come into this country. And it's very time consuming and expensive for you to get a replacement, especially when you are out of the country.
AND . . . If anyone takes your passport out of your sight for any reason, when it comes back to you check that it's yours -- IMMEDIATELY. Too many people ASSUME that the outside cover of the passport means the guts are inside. Maybe. Maybe not. Do you want to be stopped by security at your own border when YOU can't get back in the country with what you thought was your passport?
Understand the money before you go. Deal with banks and reputable money changers. There are a lot of people offering a better deal -- that may not be a better deal for you. Do you recognize foreign currency? A lot of things have changed in the past few years. Some currencies have been replaced and the old stuff is worthless. Again, keep your money safe, American dollars are usually worth a lot more than the local stuff.
One more thing about money and your wallet. Be careful where you count your money. A 'grab and run' is easy for fast local kids anywhere. They know the territory, they have friends, they are quick. They can reach through a car or bus window, they can snag something off a street side table. One time my mom insisted on counting and organizing her bills on a New York City subway platform. Geez, why not just throw it in the air and see who wants it? A agile teen-aged kid was staring holes into the bills, then looking at the exit. I could hear the gears in his brain clicking -- can he grab the wad and hit the exit before anything happens? He finally looked at me. I made direct eye contact and slowly shook my head 'no.' I was ready. Good thing mom had me, any other time she wouldn't have had me, the money or the wallet. Thanks mom, for being such a target!
Beware giving out your address and vacation information. Just because you exchanged addresses in Belgium, telling them you're in Europe for 2 months, does not mean they don't have a friend waiting to break into your house in the States, and they have 2 months to do it! If you must give an address, give a neighbor or a friend's address. You can correct it later.
DO NOT proclaim you are an American Citizen. If there is any difficulty with police, criminals or scary types DO NOT announce in a loud voice that you are an American. This is like throwing a cow into a river full of hungry piranha, or better yet, throwing gasoline on an already volatile situation. Only show your American passport when necessary. Americans have a crappy reputation abroad -- that you are rich, that kidnapping or killing you will make a political statement, or they just hate Americans -- though they still want our t-shirts, blue jeans, music and catchy electronic gadgets. Go figure!
Write your name and contact info inside your suitcase, or put in a postcard or sign with this information. Include your phone number. On the odd chance that your suitcase has fallen into the hands of an honest person, give them the opportunity to return it to you, especially if it was lost in the same city you missed it. It could turn up at your hotel the next day.
Have a carry-on bag with one change of clothes and keep it with you at all times. This includes extra glasses (if you have any) and at least 24 hours worth of pills and medication. If for any reason you are separated from your group or transport, you won't be completely unprepared. This can really help in an emergency -- no one exiting a plane can run to the back and claim their suitcase.
DON'T buy great big bottles of water. Any bottle of water will not get through security and unless your family or friends will help you drink this completely, buy small bottles at the time you will use and finish them. It's not economical but throwing away unused water is a bigger waste.
Take a book or magazine you can throw away. You need to keep your hands free, a book is great for waiting but when the going gets long or tough, be ready to dump stuff to make your life easier.
Get a brief case, courier bag or handbag with a strap to go diagonally across your body. This leaves your hands free. This also makes it difficult to steal while you are attached to the bag. it's NOT fool proof. Since it's not actually touching your body, it's still easy for someone to open a compartment and rummage through without you knowing it. If you have a jacket or coat, wear it under the garment.
Be ready to go through Security! THERE IS NO EXCUSE! You know the drill. No matter what, you WILL have to take off your shoes, a belt, jacket, get ready to show your camera, a briefcase, a back pack, throw your keys in the cup with any change, watch or jewelry that you KNOW will set off the alarm. When you are ready, it'll only take a minute to keep you and everybody safe. Running late? That's tough! You knew this ahead of time. No one runs through the airport anymore -- you are NO exception to ANY security check. Again -- there is no excuse. You can't tell me you haven't traveled before, you MUST have had this experience.
Anything you do for safety will make your journey adventurous in a good way. You get to keep your stuff and have a great time laughing and singing . . . instead of trying to explain in a language you do not speak or understand, that it's really you, you really are an American citizen and you want to go home.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Good job as always with your unique comment. Lots of good information and stuff I have not always thought about.
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