It is about the same routine I follow. Specifically the "walk the emergency routes" since muscle memory can help you a lot when under stress.
Missing one point: take a couple of business cards from the hotel with you. Whenever you need to get back, it most often makes it easier for people (cab drivers) to get you there without too much discussion and misunderstandings.
Other points:
- To be sure you have some clean water in your room, bring a few small water bottles.
- Avoid the in house WiFi
- Do not order room service
- Have a family photo / familiar item on your bed stand, so that if you wake up in a panic, you know you are awake and in "your own room"
- Don't invite people into your room
- Personally I like to unpack, even it is for a short stay, since it make me feel more comfortable and less "on the run"
- Give the cleaning people a decent tip (if they are allowed to accept it) on the first possible occasion and make it clear who you are and what your room number is, and what you expect from them (clean / leave alone etc.)
- Use the in hotel services like shoe polishing, tip them well. These people know everything going on
- Order cabs via the lobby
- If possible, let the lobby pay your taxi when inbound
In my experience, the emergency routes are not always open for regular walking. Specifically, the doors involved are unlocked, but also trigger an alarm when opened, so they are not misused. How do you deal with that?
No offense but this sounds neurotic to me. I’ve been traveling internationally for over a decade professionally and never do any of these things. I’ve woken up to a fire alarm in a random hotel in a random country (more than once) and even then, I immediately recognize I’m in a hotel room and traveling for work. Then I just followed signs / people until the alarms stopped.
The only useful advice in there is to know the escape routes from your room, the rest sounds like it would have a net negative effect for the average person.
Choosing your hotel room based on maneuverability in the event of an attack is not only completely pointless if you don't know how to maneuver in the event of an attack, but more importantly, for the average person, running those sorts of scenarios in your head sounds like it will take away more from your mental health than whatever benefits you may get in terms of 10-to-the-minus-x percentage points gains in survival probability.
You do you, but I found most of the advice highly useful, and actually enhancing convenience.
Don't use hotel safe or under the mattress - yup, good advice, seen that before, and definitely need to think about valuables & passport storage at all times anyway.
Book in advance and hand them copies of addresses, docs, passport over the counter - yup, great advice, also means you have a 2nd copy on you, which can be a lifesaver if your phone or primary docs get lost/stolen.
Checking maps and orienting yourself to the surroundings is something I do anyway just to know where I am, and actually allows me to enjoy the sights better since I'm no longer primarily occupied with wondering where TF I'm going.
Having actually walked the exit routes would be incredibly useful in a wide variety of emergencies. Both being able to exit from memory if something happens, and also knowing that one exit is actually blocked. It'd really suck to die because you went out an exit and found it blocked, but could no longer access the other one... I also find that, although I haven't done it explicitly (I will in the future), it's often just handy to know other routes to get to/from the outside - they often wind up being more convenient, especially when carrying stuff.
Asking for 2nd/3rd floor room sounds like excellent advice, especially in unknown foreign areas, off the (vulnerable) ground floor but multiple escape routes in fire or attack. Self-rescue by jumping or down-climbing a bedsheet rope is still very possible in ways that it isn't on floors 4 and up...
Etc... I really don't understand not only rejecting such good advice from a clearly knowledgeable expert, but also taking the trouble to write a post advocating that other people also ignore it. Seems you're insecure in your willful ignorance, and want others to join you; please stop doing that.
What's the downside and carrying a doorstop with you and using it from the inside? I would love to hear.
You sound like the kind of person who doesn't prepare because "oh you know it's so unlikely". In other words, the kind of person who accidents happen to.
Ok. Haven’t traveled outside of the US in a while, but I agree some of this sounds paranoid.
That said, I believe whole heartedly in this:
“Walk out of the front door with the confidence that you know where you are going.”
If you’re overseas and don’t speak the language, the experience can be disorienting. I had my travel wallet picked out of my pocket in a tourist office.
Places like banks, ATMs and hotels are places where pickpockets and robbers congregate. Take 5-10 minutes and watch these areas in large foreign cities and you may notice suspicious patterns.
I live outside NYC and do the same when I’m in an unfamiliar neighborhood. I avoid being out in these places after 9 pm as well. Just look at the police blotter, and you see most robberies occur late night and early morning.
I don’t take precautions because I’m fearful of going out. I do it because I know better.
Kind of cool to read but these are not any tips that a normal (non-paranoid) person will need to follow unless they are traveling to some seriously dangerous locations.
Except maybe the tip not to use the hotel safe or leave money under the mattress, those are good.
But do normal people really need to write their name down on pieces of paper and pass them across the desk with a wink to avoid their name being said out loud?
In 2010 I was working at a large hotel / convention center in Nashville, at about 8pm we were preparing for a massive event where a company had bought out one of the venues, the entire hotel was booked solid. In the days prior to this, we had torrential downpours and heavy rain but this was normal, until it wasnt. Out of nowhere we get reports that the underground tunnels in the hotel used for employees to get around were taking in water and it was quickly determined that the cumberland river had overflown after the army core of engineers put a damn down and could not get it back up. I cant begin to explain the chaos that ensued there with that many people and the hotel essentially being on a dead end. 3k guests, likely more than that in employees, all scattering to get to higher ground and out of a bottle neck. Hotel was safely evacuated but the entire place was underwater by the next day. That said, the "orientation" section in this article I think is absolutely necessary.
He doesn’t mention where you should keep your valuables. It’s easy to say where not to, but then offer a suggestion for a safe place to store stuff like a passport or cash.
> But do normal people really need to write their name down on pieces of paper and pass them across the desk with a wink to avoid their name being said out loud?
Every time I check into a hotel, I have my ID and credit card ready to hand to the clerk. They are going to ask for it anyway. I don’t bother with them asking for my name and spelling it wrong when looking up the reservation.
>But do normal people really need to write their name down on pieces of paper and pass them across the desk with a wink to avoid their name being said out loud?
>I think not.
Yes. that makes no sense, if someone is targeting you specifically, they will already know your looks, and a hotel room thief won't care about your name.
There is still the George Kaplan case, but I believe it is a rare one:
I honestly can't think of many times where I actually told my name to the front desk anyway. Usually I have a printout of the reservation or hand them my passport since they need it anyway. It is easier for the front desk to type what they see than try to type what you say or spell out loud, especially in foreign countries that don't necessarily have experience with your name.
This isn't hotel-specific but my tip is the following: Assume your smartphone gets lost/broken/stolen or your wallet gets lost/stolen (or a credit card gets flagged for fraud). Do you know where you're actually staying? Do you have a copy of your itinerary more generally? Do you have backup credit cards and IDs?
I'm not super-fanatical about having printed maps etc. in a familiar city but I try to have backup of everything especially traveling internationally.
For example, a few years back, I somehow managed to lose my drivers license between the limo and the terminal door. It was a short trip and I hadn't bothered to bring my backup travel portfolio. Shockingly, TSA (at least at the time) let me get on the flight after some enhanced screening. But I had a heck of a time getting the hotel--which wasn't one of my usual chains--to let me get a room.
Yeah, actually try this sometime. I do this regularly and it's amazing how often floors are locked from the stairwell, and more than once I have found floors skipped--you take the 4rth floor stairwell down and end up in a basement kitchen or something.
Also he neglects to mention in the "Book online" section that it's always safer to book directly from the hotel website. Fewer middlement. These days their prices are competitive or better than the aggregation sites, and with better terms. Some aggregation sites have little compunction about booking the wrong room, then don't refund things the hotel would if you dealt with them directly.
Hailing from a country which was squarely third world just 25 years ago, this struck me as odd:
> I open my laptop bag as if I am searching for something
Don't make anyone think you have anything of value on you!
Also don't carry a light, easy to steal bag. The laptop goes into your suitcase.
As part of my routine when arriving at a hotel I study the fire exit map, maybe use the local vending machine, paying with coins from my pocket - gives me time to have the elevator all to myself.
I used to carry an emergency high-value banknote in my back pocket so that in case the worst happened I would at least have some money on me. The thieves that robbed me in the past never wasted time on full checkups.
For a Security site, the are quite hostile for declining their cookies.
I will not get redirected to the article but to mainpage and the search doesnt work :/
Rather than a doorstop, I usually prefer a super grip lock [0] -- an extremely corny as-seen-on-TV product that you can lash around a door knob that uses simple physics to make the door impossible to open with the key on the other side. Naomi Wu mentioned this and Deviant Ollam has too. The basic premise is that it's less destructive than most "security door stops" and hotels tend to get angry if you destroy their carpet. And of course, traditional door stops don't keep the door closed very well unless you wedge them well.
As a normal business traveler I have been in more than one "smoke filling up hallway" situation and found fire exits locked or barricaded to prevent ingress. I think a LOT of this is reasonable.
The "know your area before you step out and don't look like a confused person standing in the middle of the street when you exit the hotel" part is also really good for not being immediately marked as a tourist.
Here are a few tips for regular people:
Check-in early (by phone or via web, if you need to) because the best rooms are allocated on first come basis.
Always insist on a top floor room otherwise you'll be constantly disturbed by a heard of elephants walking across the under-engineered floor above you.
Avoid the ground floor, for the reason above, and, also it tends to be where they put the most likely trouble makers, groups and smokers (who'll noisily leave and enter their room throughout the night for regular nicotine fixes).
Make an official complaint for the slightest of disturbance, budget hotels are built on the cheap with a contingency for refunds factored in - you'll be surprised how easy it is to get a full refund and/or a complimentary breakfast.
If you hear a fire alarm do not hesitate to vacate the building and stop for nothing, construction standards meet the minimum fire safety regulations and no more. This means the building can lawfully burn to the ground in less than an hour, and a few have done exactly this.
Top tip, have a short nap as soon as you arrive. It helps alleviate that 'first night in a strange bed and can't sleep' problem.
The most interesting advice here is to leave the TV on with a do-not-disturb sign. I think people will be less likely to rob you that way. All the other advice is kind of whatever, like not being on the top floor in case someone is sweeping for you floor-by-floor.
The problem is that in a lot of hotels the power of the whole room shuts down the moment you remove the key card from its slot. I guess you would need to ask for a second key card.
Yeah, it make it seem like someone's present, so thieves of opportunity will pass you by. It works at home too.
The floor thing is twofold; one, a lot of hotel ground floors are quite busy with passers-by, higher floors should only have guests and occasional staff. But the author also mentions that fire ladders can still reach the 2nd or 3rd floor; if you're higher up, you have to be able to go down first. You're cornered if you're on the top floor.
I think not being top floor is just like if there's a fire you know what I mean or if there's some sort of attack top floor you are stuck.
Personal I like the top floor cuz you can't hear people banging around on the floor above you and it's normally a bit quieter... But now I'm going to rethink it. :) :P xx ;p
This guy neglects to mention wearing a bullet-proof vest when checking into a hotel, which makes me think he hasn't really thought this through. What if someone were to open fire on you while you're checking in to the hotel?
I've stayed in traveler lodging well over 100 nights (U.S. and Canada) in the last two decades, mostly in motels that I drove to. Motels alleviate a lot of these hotel safety/security problems because they are not usually right in a city center, there is minimal staff, all the rooms usually have direct access from the parking lot (no lobbies, elevators, or hallways required, depending on size of the motel) with high visibility, and you can use your vehicle for backup storage (credit card, cash, external disk drive, extra car key). Many times I have made sure that if either my room/person is robbed, or my car is stolen (but not both) I could still recover and continue my trip.
Of course, many business travelers don't have the luxury of driving where they need to go, but for tourists, it's worth considering. You usually don't even need to make a reservation, you just find a spot around the time you are ready to stop driving for the day.
I used to work for a three letter agency. We had employees that would travel to various developing countries. Due to concerns with competing nation states they'd be issued new laptops that were completely blank save a word processor and web browser (no useful information/ trade secrets on them).
The laptops would be weighed prior to departure and upon return. There were cases were laptops came back heavy. They were heavy because someone got access to the hotel room and soldered equipment directly onto the board.
When traveling, keep your devices with you. You'd be surprised what might interest a foreign government. You don't even have to be directly involved, you could simply be an affiliate of the actual person of interest.
One of the most important: stuff a towel into the door handle to prevent under door attacks. This is the most common attack vector. Plenty of YouTube videos on this (see: deviantollam)
I was robbed at gunpoint at a hotel once and in the aftermath have my own tactical "lessons learned" on the topic of hotel safety tips... which I am happy to share with you fellow HN travelers:
* Don't check into (cheap) hotels at 2am, criminals prowl at night looking for easy targets.
* If you do, be on extra alert for idling or lurking cars with headlights on at hotels in early morning hours, it is indeed a greater threat indicator than in daylight hours
* Minimize your movement outside your room when it's dark. It's not necessarily a boost in your security profile to go back out to your car to bring in your forgotten laptop from the trunk back into your room
* If someone does have you at gunpoint and wants your money, do what your mother said and just give it to them, you can always make more money later. No regrets.
* When a criminal takes your wallet, appeal to a shared fear of cops by asking for your driver's license back, you may still lose your cash but get your ID and credit cards back if they don't have a clear plan/motive to fence them... huge hassle savings (hat tip to the divine inspiration that brought this to my lips in that moment, it worked)
* If you do lose all your credit/debit cards (+cell phone), one benefit of reporting your situation to the cops immediately is that when they come and take your statement and open a case (however unlikely it will be solved), they may give you a card documenting and showing your case #. That card can come in as handy evidence backing up your "sob story" in conversations the next day with strangers you meet if you now find yourself in a strange city with no resources and no friends looking to get a free meal or other assistance (while promising to pay the stranger back of course). Conversely, a stranger telling you a sob story of them being robbed can be asked to produce such evidence.
Not a safety tip, but also (to me) one more interesting lesson from the experience (which happened in my early 20s):
* Trauma is a real thing. Your body can react to deadly threats afterwards in ways you cannot control. The next day after being held up, I literally could not enter a new room without my head moving/turning to scan entrances/exits for threats. I tried to stop my head moving repeatedly and could not! I literally could not control my body.
After a little while of experiencing this, I found myself asking myself "Well, do I need to embrace this new behavior as a needed lifestyle adjustment? Or do I work to go back to my old ways?".
I chose to work to go back to my old ways as this was a bit of a one-off situation (and in hindsight it was), but it took about a week of continual effort to regain control of my mind+body behaviors. I can easily see someone in different circumstances facing different tradeoffs remaining traumatized.
> they may give you a card documenting and showing your case #
It’s always a good idea to ask for the incident number whenever you go to police for something or for any BS interaction with them. Make sure there’s a paper trail when you’ll need it.
>By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. If you do not agree to the use of cookies, you should not navigate this website.
That's absolutely noncompliant with EU regulation, and seeing such an attitude from a security publication is a real shame.
Keep your most valuables on you; else, hide them. Still no guarantee for a determined burglar, but they will be on edge and if it's not an easy snatch (e.g. by going straight for the hotel safe, which they probably will have done before) they won't want to hang out.
It's why the "do not disturb" and putting on the TV thing also works, it makes on-edge burglars doubt whether someone's there. And doubt is enough to discourage opportunists.
Your own bag, locked with a good lock. The threat model is convert entry; someone who's willing to carry your bag away can probably open the safe anyway so you're not losing in real security.
[+] [-] WelcomeShorty|3 years ago|reply
Missing one point: take a couple of business cards from the hotel with you. Whenever you need to get back, it most often makes it easier for people (cab drivers) to get you there without too much discussion and misunderstandings.
Other points: - To be sure you have some clean water in your room, bring a few small water bottles. - Avoid the in house WiFi - Do not order room service - Have a family photo / familiar item on your bed stand, so that if you wake up in a panic, you know you are awake and in "your own room" - Don't invite people into your room - Personally I like to unpack, even it is for a short stay, since it make me feel more comfortable and less "on the run" - Give the cleaning people a decent tip (if they are allowed to accept it) on the first possible occasion and make it clear who you are and what your room number is, and what you expect from them (clean / leave alone etc.) - Use the in hotel services like shoe polishing, tip them well. These people know everything going on - Order cabs via the lobby - If possible, let the lobby pay your taxi when inbound
I do not miss traveling professionally.
[+] [-] kqr|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] graderjs|3 years ago|reply
I like the stuff about personal photo next to the bed as well as using the in-house services and tipping. That's smart man!
[+] [-] FractalHQ|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ramblerman|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] t_mann|3 years ago|reply
Choosing your hotel room based on maneuverability in the event of an attack is not only completely pointless if you don't know how to maneuver in the event of an attack, but more importantly, for the average person, running those sorts of scenarios in your head sounds like it will take away more from your mental health than whatever benefits you may get in terms of 10-to-the-minus-x percentage points gains in survival probability.
[+] [-] toss1|3 years ago|reply
Don't use hotel safe or under the mattress - yup, good advice, seen that before, and definitely need to think about valuables & passport storage at all times anyway.
Book in advance and hand them copies of addresses, docs, passport over the counter - yup, great advice, also means you have a 2nd copy on you, which can be a lifesaver if your phone or primary docs get lost/stolen.
Checking maps and orienting yourself to the surroundings is something I do anyway just to know where I am, and actually allows me to enjoy the sights better since I'm no longer primarily occupied with wondering where TF I'm going.
Having actually walked the exit routes would be incredibly useful in a wide variety of emergencies. Both being able to exit from memory if something happens, and also knowing that one exit is actually blocked. It'd really suck to die because you went out an exit and found it blocked, but could no longer access the other one... I also find that, although I haven't done it explicitly (I will in the future), it's often just handy to know other routes to get to/from the outside - they often wind up being more convenient, especially when carrying stuff.
Asking for 2nd/3rd floor room sounds like excellent advice, especially in unknown foreign areas, off the (vulnerable) ground floor but multiple escape routes in fire or attack. Self-rescue by jumping or down-climbing a bedsheet rope is still very possible in ways that it isn't on floors 4 and up...
Etc... I really don't understand not only rejecting such good advice from a clearly knowledgeable expert, but also taking the trouble to write a post advocating that other people also ignore it. Seems you're insecure in your willful ignorance, and want others to join you; please stop doing that.
[+] [-] warinukraine|3 years ago|reply
You sound like the kind of person who doesn't prepare because "oh you know it's so unlikely". In other words, the kind of person who accidents happen to.
[+] [-] xtiansimon|3 years ago|reply
That said, I believe whole heartedly in this:
“Walk out of the front door with the confidence that you know where you are going.”
If you’re overseas and don’t speak the language, the experience can be disorienting. I had my travel wallet picked out of my pocket in a tourist office.
Places like banks, ATMs and hotels are places where pickpockets and robbers congregate. Take 5-10 minutes and watch these areas in large foreign cities and you may notice suspicious patterns.
I live outside NYC and do the same when I’m in an unfamiliar neighborhood. I avoid being out in these places after 9 pm as well. Just look at the police blotter, and you see most robberies occur late night and early morning.
I don’t take precautions because I’m fearful of going out. I do it because I know better.
[+] [-] esperent|3 years ago|reply
Except maybe the tip not to use the hotel safe or leave money under the mattress, those are good.
But do normal people really need to write their name down on pieces of paper and pass them across the desk with a wink to avoid their name being said out loud?
I think not.
[+] [-] jamisteven|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jraby3|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mcculley|3 years ago|reply
Every time I check into a hotel, I have my ID and credit card ready to hand to the clerk. They are going to ask for it anyway. I don’t bother with them asking for my name and spelling it wrong when looking up the reservation.
[+] [-] jaclaz|3 years ago|reply
>I think not.
Yes. that makes no sense, if someone is targeting you specifically, they will already know your looks, and a hotel room thief won't care about your name.
There is still the George Kaplan case, but I believe it is a rare one:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_by_Northwest#Plot
[+] [-] starky|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ghaff|3 years ago|reply
I'm not super-fanatical about having printed maps etc. in a familiar city but I try to have backup of everything especially traveling internationally.
For example, a few years back, I somehow managed to lose my drivers license between the limo and the terminal door. It was a short trip and I hadn't bothered to bring my backup travel portfolio. Shockingly, TSA (at least at the time) let me get on the flight after some enhanced screening. But I had a heck of a time getting the hotel--which wasn't one of my usual chains--to let me get a room.
[+] [-] tomcam|3 years ago|reply
Yeah, actually try this sometime. I do this regularly and it's amazing how often floors are locked from the stairwell, and more than once I have found floors skipped--you take the 4rth floor stairwell down and end up in a basement kitchen or something.
Also he neglects to mention in the "Book online" section that it's always safer to book directly from the hotel website. Fewer middlement. These days their prices are competitive or better than the aggregation sites, and with better terms. Some aggregation sites have little compunction about booking the wrong room, then don't refund things the hotel would if you dealt with them directly.
[+] [-] Tade0|3 years ago|reply
> I open my laptop bag as if I am searching for something
Don't make anyone think you have anything of value on you!
Also don't carry a light, easy to steal bag. The laptop goes into your suitcase.
As part of my routine when arriving at a hotel I study the fire exit map, maybe use the local vending machine, paying with coins from my pocket - gives me time to have the elevator all to myself.
I used to carry an emergency high-value banknote in my back pocket so that in case the worst happened I would at least have some money on me. The thieves that robbed me in the past never wasted time on full checkups.
[+] [-] jhoelzel|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Scoundreller|3 years ago|reply
https://archive.ph/gSBMp
[+] [-] raverbashing|3 years ago|reply
I do care about my privacy (and safety), thanks
[+] [-] Shank|3 years ago|reply
[0]: https://smile.amazon.com/Super-Grip-Lock-Deadbolt-Accessory/...
Edit: I could be misremembering if Naomi Wu used it or something similar, but I think I'm right. If you know correctly, let me know.
[+] [-] Loranubi|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ev1|3 years ago|reply
The "know your area before you step out and don't look like a confused person standing in the middle of the street when you exit the hotel" part is also really good for not being immediately marked as a tourist.
[+] [-] dazc|3 years ago|reply
Here are a few tips for regular people: Check-in early (by phone or via web, if you need to) because the best rooms are allocated on first come basis. Always insist on a top floor room otherwise you'll be constantly disturbed by a heard of elephants walking across the under-engineered floor above you. Avoid the ground floor, for the reason above, and, also it tends to be where they put the most likely trouble makers, groups and smokers (who'll noisily leave and enter their room throughout the night for regular nicotine fixes). Make an official complaint for the slightest of disturbance, budget hotels are built on the cheap with a contingency for refunds factored in - you'll be surprised how easy it is to get a full refund and/or a complimentary breakfast. If you hear a fire alarm do not hesitate to vacate the building and stop for nothing, construction standards meet the minimum fire safety regulations and no more. This means the building can lawfully burn to the ground in less than an hour, and a few have done exactly this.
Top tip, have a short nap as soon as you arrive. It helps alleviate that 'first night in a strange bed and can't sleep' problem.
[+] [-] threatofrain|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] SwiftyBug|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Cthulhu_|3 years ago|reply
The floor thing is twofold; one, a lot of hotel ground floors are quite busy with passers-by, higher floors should only have guests and occasional staff. But the author also mentions that fire ladders can still reach the 2nd or 3rd floor; if you're higher up, you have to be able to go down first. You're cornered if you're on the top floor.
[+] [-] graderjs|3 years ago|reply
Personal I like the top floor cuz you can't hear people banging around on the floor above you and it's normally a bit quieter... But now I'm going to rethink it. :) :P xx ;p
[+] [-] jononomo|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] zoltar|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] PopAlongKid|3 years ago|reply
Of course, many business travelers don't have the luxury of driving where they need to go, but for tourists, it's worth considering. You usually don't even need to make a reservation, you just find a spot around the time you are ready to stop driving for the day.
[+] [-] burner123240|3 years ago|reply
I used to work for a three letter agency. We had employees that would travel to various developing countries. Due to concerns with competing nation states they'd be issued new laptops that were completely blank save a word processor and web browser (no useful information/ trade secrets on them).
The laptops would be weighed prior to departure and upon return. There were cases were laptops came back heavy. They were heavy because someone got access to the hotel room and soldered equipment directly onto the board.
When traveling, keep your devices with you. You'd be surprised what might interest a foreign government. You don't even have to be directly involved, you could simply be an affiliate of the actual person of interest.
[+] [-] throwsec7492|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gregw2|3 years ago|reply
* Don't check into (cheap) hotels at 2am, criminals prowl at night looking for easy targets.
* If you do, be on extra alert for idling or lurking cars with headlights on at hotels in early morning hours, it is indeed a greater threat indicator than in daylight hours
* Minimize your movement outside your room when it's dark. It's not necessarily a boost in your security profile to go back out to your car to bring in your forgotten laptop from the trunk back into your room
* If someone does have you at gunpoint and wants your money, do what your mother said and just give it to them, you can always make more money later. No regrets.
* When a criminal takes your wallet, appeal to a shared fear of cops by asking for your driver's license back, you may still lose your cash but get your ID and credit cards back if they don't have a clear plan/motive to fence them... huge hassle savings (hat tip to the divine inspiration that brought this to my lips in that moment, it worked)
* If you do lose all your credit/debit cards (+cell phone), one benefit of reporting your situation to the cops immediately is that when they come and take your statement and open a case (however unlikely it will be solved), they may give you a card documenting and showing your case #. That card can come in as handy evidence backing up your "sob story" in conversations the next day with strangers you meet if you now find yourself in a strange city with no resources and no friends looking to get a free meal or other assistance (while promising to pay the stranger back of course). Conversely, a stranger telling you a sob story of them being robbed can be asked to produce such evidence.
[+] [-] gregw2|3 years ago|reply
* Trauma is a real thing. Your body can react to deadly threats afterwards in ways you cannot control. The next day after being held up, I literally could not enter a new room without my head moving/turning to scan entrances/exits for threats. I tried to stop my head moving repeatedly and could not! I literally could not control my body.
After a little while of experiencing this, I found myself asking myself "Well, do I need to embrace this new behavior as a needed lifestyle adjustment? Or do I work to go back to my old ways?".
I chose to work to go back to my old ways as this was a bit of a one-off situation (and in hindsight it was), but it took about a week of continual effort to regain control of my mind+body behaviors. I can easily see someone in different circumstances facing different tradeoffs remaining traumatized.
[+] [-] Scoundreller|3 years ago|reply
It’s always a good idea to ask for the incident number whenever you go to police for something or for any BS interaction with them. Make sure there’s a paper trail when you’ll need it.
[+] [-] graderjs|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tomcam|3 years ago|reply
I use this novel device called a "smartphone" to snap a picture
[+] [-] ThePowerOfFuet|3 years ago|reply
That's absolutely noncompliant with EU regulation, and seeing such an attitude from a security publication is a real shame.
https://web.archive.org/web/20220921122023/https://www.secur...
[+] [-] lbj|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Cthulhu_|3 years ago|reply
It's why the "do not disturb" and putting on the TV thing also works, it makes on-edge burglars doubt whether someone's there. And doubt is enough to discourage opportunists.
[+] [-] andreareina|3 years ago|reply