It does happen as often as it would happen in any other big city in the world.

Just carry a pocketknife with you. If anyone slashes your bag, slash their face!

(that’ll teach those nasty fuckers to mess with ya!)

quote: I was just planning on maybe safety-pinning the zipper to a strap or maybe a small lock on two zippers?

I’d do that at a minimum. You may also want to consider carrying (on a lanyard made of jute) a 12" Machete blade. When you feel the thief commence his or her slashing use your free hand to grab your lanyarded machete and swing it in a swift & clean motion at the offender, therby clearly lopping off the offenders hand in one motion.

Other ideas may include using Kevlar to spray one’s entire bag, and in fact using the Kevlar spray on to coat one’s entire person. Thus, when your skin is impenitrable to a knife, you can’t be robbed.

Seriously…. just don’t worry. Be aware of your surrondings, don’t wear flashy bling, and have a great time. If you act like you would in a mid to large city in the US, you’ll be ok!!

-A

funny suggestions..thanks for sharing your sense of humor

I got bagslashed (and fingerslashed) at a crowded market in Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia. I’ve never heard of it happening in Europe though. Anyway they do this in order not to have to bother trying to open zippers, so in that case your solution is useless. But it may help against thieves who try to open your bag (which is surely more common, though not all that common).

You could always wear a money belt instead of a bag.

Yeah but you can’t really fit a camera, guidebook or water bottle into a money belt can you?

I’ve heard of it happening on Las Ramblas in Barcelona.

I’d say wear your bag in the front if possible?

I’ve never heard of it in london, bag snatching maybe.

quote:
Yeah but you can’t really fit a camera, guidebook or water bottle into a money belt can you?

Camera: Point and click cams are tiny these days and you can easily carry them around your neck and under your shirt or in your pocket.

Guidebook: I just take a little notebook with notes with notes that I’ve made combining infor from guidebooks, the internet and other sources (books, movies, etc). I prefer that to carrying a guidebook and a lot of paper with info that wasn’t in the guide book to begin with.

Water bottle: you have 2 options here. You could get a bottle that you can hang from your belt or (as I usually forget to pack that bottle for some reason) you can also cary 0.5L bottles that you refil when they are empty (I use 1 in cooler climates, 2 in warmer climates) . That only works though if, like me, you often wear cargo pants while walking. You can just put them in the side pockets.
Granted, neither will win you any fashion awards but that’s not what travelling is about. Not to me anyway.

I just hate not having my hands free and unless I’m in colder climates daypacks annoy the hell out of me because they make me all sweaty when I’m walking around with them.
Aside from that, I am usually so distracted by whatever is going on around me in a new place that I’ll forget my daypack after I’ve sat down for some food or drinks (although up till now I have been lucky and have always gotten everything back when that happened).

I always carry around a backpack when I’m at home too so I guess it seems like the most convenient place to put my stuff when I travel too. And besides the stuff I allready mentioned, it usually contains a book to read, my diary, food, etc. etc.

Wearing your bag in front of you is a good strategy to prevent someone opening your backpack on crowded public transport etc., but again it’s irrelevant when we’re talking about bagslashing. I was carrying it in front, with my hand on it – that’s how I got my finger slashed too. Other than not bringing a backpack (which I would highly recommend to anyone visiting the black market in Ulaan Bataar, but in Europe I don’t see any reason to be overtly paranoid), there really isn’t anything you can do against that.

Also – a really good way to get yourself robbed is to walk around a strange city, clinging desperately to your bag whilst looking completely terrified. You might as well paint a target on your forehead.

I just use a 4" thick steel safe with a handtruck to wheel it around. A bit cumbersome, I admit, but impossible to slice open. Just don’t forget the combination or else you’re fucked!

I’ve been to 5 continents and with the possible exception of Australia, Europe is the safest. I’ve heard some bad things about petty crime in Naples and in parts of Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, and on the Paris Metro…but by-and-large, unless you plan on spending a lot of time in the less-developed, less-explored SE countries (Georgia, etc), you shouldn’t have any problems.

The only time I ever felt nervous in Europe during my 2-month trip was when I exited the Tube in London late at night and took the wrong street-level exit, which was dimly-lit and contained Londontown’s entire homeless population. But again, nothing happened.

I would recommend:
http://cs.space.eads.net/sp/images/Splash_Suit.jpg

While it may not defend against knife attacks, at least you won’t have to worry about sunburn at the beach.

Some people prefer a messenger bag to a daypack because they can keep closer watch on the bag, and it looks less touristy.

Unless I’m going to the beach or a long hike or something, I prefer to carry around my little purse-like pouch only. It keeps my hands free and is small but just big enough for essentials like sunscreen, camera, map and notebook, wallet (with current day’s cash so I’m not constantly digging into my money belt in public), sunglasses, etc.

I had a great little bag like that from Eagle Creek that was unfortunately stolen when I got mugged in Costa Rica. I tried to replace it and found out it was discountinued. Ultimately I found it on close-out in another colour (I’d liked the black cause it doubled as a purse).

But then, I’m a girl. Purses blend in.

Money, credit or debit card, travelers checks, passport in money belt beneath clothes.

Small camera hanging from neck under baggy shirt.

Backpack with water, notebook, sunglasses, light sweater, and things easily replaceable if stolen.

Oh, and a couple of euros in my pocket to not be digging on my money belt half the time like segacs says.

That works for me.

Thanks for the pre-travel mockery and advice! I’m leaving in a week so small things are turning into (seemingly) big worries.

Why doesnt that damn Rick Steves just create a daypack sized money belt? I think I might be on to something. I’ll call it the "daybelt." Any buyers?

Oh yeah, that "daybelt" idea would be real inconspicuous under clothes, especially for us women wearing tank tops and summer skirts… LOL

i’ve heard of it happening, but haven’t had any personal experience w/ it.

quote:i’ve heard of it happening, but haven’t had any personal experience w/ it.

which is pretty much the definition of the urban myth – a la gas attacks on trains, waking up in a bucket of ice with no kidneys, etc..

Two words: Meat cleaver.

Yes this happens..and for sure in Italy. It happened to me, or they tried to. Luckily I speak Italian to while they were walking behind me talking about their plan I answered back in Italy and turned into a store. One was going to distract us while the other was going to slash my friends bag. It was nice to know that they were going to use the knife on me….just my bag. Just keep your bag in front of you on the side..and be aware.

While in the Venice train station 4 years ago, I was catching my night train around 10pm when i passed by a man who was sitting beside a post on my way to the washroom. I barely gave him notice when he suddenly jumped up and made a lunge at me, grabbing my arms. I reacted quickly and swung my daybag at him, hitting him on the arm which knocked him off balance, made a dash for the ladies room and barricaded myself into a stall. WHen i came out (after calming down), I saw that he was lying on his front side on the ground, handcuffed and had three italian officials nearby. That gave me some reassurance that there are security personel around, but also made me aware that I can fight back- even though I’m a petite female.
Some tips- be aware of your surroundings at all times. Fight back if you have to. Don’t look like a tourist if you can help it- the suggestion about leaving the guide books at home and make a book of the info you need is a great and essential tip. THose night trains- book a couchette if you can- its only a few more dollars, you get a good night sleep and you can lock the door.
And watch out for pick pockets- usually moms with babies who will distract you while their kids run around grabbing stuff. (Saw this in Barcelona)
IF you are grabbed, to get away do what they won’t expect- push yourself into their grab and simultaneously twist away- ie. grabbed on the shoulders- put your arms up, push your body slightly inwards and twist away past them. Pushing yourself inwards also works for arm grabs. (These are basic self defense moves I have learned from work as an inner city nurse).

It can happen yes, but remember you can be mugged anywhere.
Be aware and have fun!

Fighting back when someone has a knife might not be the smartest thing to do. Though I did punch the guy who slashed my bag, but that was just a reflex, and we were in a crowded place so he was hardly going to cut me up I think.

I had it happen in Caracas. We’ll they sliced a little cooler bags strap and dude passed it off to his mate and they ran off with it. Slick and quick, I wouldn’t have even known if I didn’t happen to notice a movement in my long hair.
Fuckers!
I’m sure they thought they were getting a camara but they got all my rolls of used film from my nice (until that incident at the end) long trip around Venezuela.

A case in Mexico was very famous, a girl got mugged and fought back, and in the struggle they banged their heads and he got a wound from that. She’s now in jail because the fucker has a scar which prevents him to get a job as a model and stuff like that, he can prove she injured him, but the girl can’t prove he grabbed her ass.

I don’t know if fighting is the best thing, it works in some cases, it doesn’t in others, but as much as we may plan how to react, instinct in many cases helps us win the battle.

My mate says that the Gypsies in Prague stick handgrenades into peoples backpacks to blow them open, a friend of a friend of his had his legs blown off. As he was lying bleeding, a squad of Gypsies made off with all his boxers and things.

Fortunately he had a leg stash which landed in Budapest (along with his foot and ankle) so his money and passport were alright.

He’s ordered sheets of boron carbide body armor for next summers trip to Grozny, I here the Chechen pickpockets use flamethrowers to melt open back packs, and in Dagestan they drop Neutron warheads, kills you but your backpack remains intact for them to collect after the fast neutron stream dies down.

My tip, metal safety mesh and lead shielding or……..

….. JUST STAY AT HOME YOU TWAT!

quote:
Oh yeah, that "daybelt" idea would be real inconspicuous under clothes, especially for us women wearing tank tops and summer skirts… LOL

unless you wear mini skirts or really tight skirts you won’t notice a money belt underneath it. I have no idea what a ‘daybelt’ is though so that may indeed not be a good idea.

quote:
Fighting back when someone has a knife might not be the smartest thing to do. Though I did punch the guy who slashed my bag, but that was just a reflex, and we were in a crowded place so he was hardly going to cut me up I think.

Seraphim, you should’ve kicked him in the balls. Do that to any mugger/thief and they’ll be down for the count!