Overseas travel for single, 63, F = stupid?

[Sarah in SC]

What a terrifying story! And I'm sure the Italian guy looked totally reasonable, friendly, etc. They caught him but only after the poor tourist had been killed. What a tragedy! Good reminder Honobob, that travel to foreign countries is not the time to let down your guard, unfortunately, even if you want to mingle with the locals.
Such a sad story. I'm actually surprised that only 22% reported being a crime victim in a foreign country.

[haha]

Originally Posted by Sarah in SC

Such a sad story. I'm actually surprised that only 22% reported being a crime victim in a foreign country.

Crime in a foreign country?

Surely you jest. Weren't you here a couple years ago when many posters assured us that this is pure paranoia?

Of course these people represented a sample of one, likely stayed at the Hilton on Cozumel, and never even read an El Paso or Laredo newspaper. The recent cool thing about Juarez is that people keep finding severed heads along the highway.

Latin America resembles Detroit, except most of us can't understand the language.

I know nothing first hand about Italy, but I know from others and reading that south of Rome it never has been a very safe place.

Ha

[honobob]

Originally Posted by haha

Crime in a foreign country?

Latin America resembles Detroit, except most of us can't understand the language.

Ha

HaHa You speak rap?

Uh, word to your mother.

[Sarah in SC]

I'll let y'all know if I get carried away in a daring midnight raid on our ger (yurt) camp in Mongolia. I'm very hopeful, as I'll be pretty skinny for a gal in that country!


I guess I meant that if only 22% of people reported being crime victims, that is pretty low. Tourists are easy marks for criminals, as they know that they are carrying money and valuables. I was just surprised that the criminal in this story thought that drugging them was necessary to make off with a 70 year old dude's cash.

[honobob]

What scares me most is the lack of public awareness even here in the good ole US of A. I can't remember when I stopped having any concern for someone passed out on the street. I do remember that at one time I would at least speak to the person on the ground and then probably at least make a 911 call for a time after that but it's been a good ten years that I just step around like everyone else.

I saw a Dateline I think where they faked situations to see who would intervene. It was amazing to see what could happen to you or your property in public in daylight without anyone caring. I would expect an old man talking gibberish (english) wandering around a train station would not make for a very sympathetic victim.