Earlier quoted context omitted.
What's a "perfectly safe country"?
Hi from Australia!
Australia has a huge gang problem?
Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer
221–230 of 236 posts
Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer
#222Earlier quoted context omitted.
Where do you stop though ? Do you always do the "4 right turns" trick every time you come home to know if you're followed ? it's also free and you never know right ? What's your threat scenario ? If you fear for your life when going in a random hotel as a random civilian I'd highly recommend updating your vacation destinations
>>What's your threat scenario ? If you fear for your life when ... It is not just "fear for your life", it is simply being a bit prepared for the kinds of thefts and emergencies that are not uncommon. It is not like petty thieves preying on tourists only frequent the favelas of Rio; they're in just about any tourist town. The threat and response model is merely don't make it obvious that you're a target, and take a f…
I've never been anywhere I remotely had any chance of being a "target", it must be dreadful to live like that
Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer
#223Earlier quoted context omitted.
>>What's your threat scenario ? If you fear for your life when ... It is not just "fear for your life", it is simply being a bit prepared for the kinds of thefts and emergencies that are not uncommon. It is not like petty thieves preying on tourists only frequent the favelas of Rio; they're in just about any tourist town. The threat and response model is merely don't make it obvious that you're a target, and take a f…
I've never been anywhere I remotely had any chance of being a "target", it must be dreadful to live like that
Right, so you only go where you know everyone and the entire landscape and where everything is, and everyone knows you, so you never look like a tourist.
Or, you are simply oblivious to the fact that when you travel you stick out like a clueless sore thumb.
They say "ignorance is bliss", and you are providing some nice evidence of that.
And no, it is not the slightest bit dreadful to have a bit of self-awareness and situational awareness and take a few trivial measures that take a lot less time than it takes to discuss it.
Enjoy your wilful obliviousness, and good luck with that.
Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer
#224Earlier quoted context omitted.
Hannibal Burgess, the comedian that helped bring attention to the Cosby rapes, has a bit in one of his shows about losing his license while touring domestically. He would have to get to the airport early and would show TSA videos of him performing on YouTube. It was a huge hassle but he was always allowed to get on the plane.
I have a photo of my license in my phone for just in case.
Certainly a good idea. But if someone really wants to see government issued photo ID, that may well not cut it. (But for something like a hotel--maybe?)
Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer
#225Earlier quoted context omitted.
My "don't kill me" money shoots 9mm.
I'm guessing you don't fly often!
Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer
#226Imagine living this miserable a life.
Tell me you've never been to Haiti without telling me you've never been to Haiti.
Plenty of people travel to dangerous places regularly, and I don't think they're necessarily miserable. Some I've met, like physicians who do charity work overseas, find a lot of personal satisfaction from helping people in places most wouldn't think of going even on a bet.
Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer
#227> I find the fire escape plan, and I follow it. 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…
> 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. This is a common balance to ensure you can still evacuate to another stairwell if your chosen one becomes blocked for whatever reason, and providing additional security. Sometimes called « crossover floors ». I guess you co…
Didn’t know that. Glad there’s a good reason. Thank you.
Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer
#228Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well, no, I don't travel that much, but in the last three years I've probably stayed at 15 different places. I don't recall any of them saying the room number out loud. (Not a statistically valid sample, and all that...)
3 years 15 different different places. That's quite a lot, especially during pandemic. About the same as me. You may not have been paying attention. I think people don't think about these things because they don't think it's important. It's hard to remember something that you don't care about.
No, I notice, because I find it a bit jarring. When I was a kid, they'd tell you your room number. Now they write it down and slide the paper at me, and I notice that.
Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer
#229It 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 w…
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.