Security advice for going solo

[Rasa]

Risk if caught? what risk? its perfectly legal to carry around a pocket knife and I did so for a full month and a half across Europe, and trust me I was in no need of using it for self defense, I train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Boxing and Muay Thai, I just felt that if a group of people e tried to mugg me the blade is the best way to scare em off.

-Rasa

[drayman86]

How about one of they travel wallet things ? they go round your waist under your clothes ! think you can pick them up in any travel shop , tiso , army-navy etc ! hope this helps

These blokes seem to have a lot of good advice and products concerning security when traveling:

http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/catalog/

[drayman86]

I travel extensively as a solo. I find Amsterdam no different than any other big city. I’m from Detroit so I find Amsterdam to be very safe in comparison.

If you stay in a room without a safe you can often put personals in an envelope and leave it with the receptionist. They often have safes for this purpose.

Another trick is splitting your money up and keeping it in different pockets. This way if you are robbed chances are good they will not get all your money. Money belts are another option. Try to keep your belongings in a buttoned or zipped pocket, harder for pickpockets to get at. Trust your instinct. When you get that uncomfortable feeling that something isn’t quite right it probably isn’t, so take extra precautions. I always keep my hand on my wallet when walking through Centraal Station.

Even though you are stoned be aware of your surroundings. Be discreet when removing and returning your wallet. Thieves look for an easy mark. Don’t be that guy. Another words, don’t be stupid and you’ll be fine.

compared to detroit, amsterdams wrong-uns must seem like the kind of people u could invite over for sunday lunch , compared 2 where im from (south london) amsterdams red light district is really safe, saying that though ive never travelled out to the estates in the north of dam, heard theyr'e quite dodgy, id take any part of holland over the backstreets of brixton&camberwell

Unfortunately, me and Chilly 1952 could likely tour folks through areas of Detroit that would, simply, make your hair stand "on end". Driving back to my Hamtramck flat while a student at Wayne State, some of the Detroit neighborhoods I drove through were like a war zone; PACKS of huge rats running across the street in front of the car's headlights, and streets with buildings that looked like they were bombed-out during WWII. All this in 1995.

Great advice; be smart, be safe, be aware of your surroundings. Be very wary of pickpockets in terms of wallets, bags, etc.

Be wary of the "teams" or "bumpers", folks that work in two or threes who will jostle/bump you in crowded places to distract, all the while groping you and your bags.

Stick to a routine place on your person where you keep valuables, and get into that habit before you travel, and remember:

No amount of money or stuff is worth your life.

[StonedSince67]

Be discreet when removing and returning your wallet.

someone suggested to me that when travelling i should carry an extra dummy wallet to surrender instead of the real one

the dummy wallet should feel and look like a real one, maybe with a couple 10 euro notes and a few of those fake credit cards sent as promotions and some change to give it weight

[evergrey1968]

someone suggested to me that when travelling i should carry an extra dummy wallet to surrender instead of the real one

the dummy wallet should feel and look like a real one, maybe with a couple 10 euro notes and a few of those fake credit cards sent as promotions and some change to give it weight

Have heard that one as well. The only thing I sometimes do is carry my bank card seperate from my wallet so if the wallet does go 'walkies' then I at least still have access to money. All the other cards in there are either out of date or equally useless - I don't think a Uni Library card or an old Costco one would be much use to anyone other than me.

Have to say, first time I went to Amsterdam, about 2 years ago, I was scared shitless - there was seven of us as well. Seven guys from the UK and we couldn't even find the RLD Look back on it now and wonder what I was so worried about !

[cant_think]

If your someone who could get robbed in your own town, don't go on your own. If your someone whose not normally at risk of getting robbed, you'll be cool.

[Pauli Wallnuts]

1 trick iv'e seen these people use is to call out at random & when someone turns around they lock onto them, just ignore them, or when someone asks you something just shrug your shoulders & mumble something back in a made up russian accent, thats actually really funny. 1time i did piss 1 of these guys off was when he said cocaine, i replied cocaine? he started walking beside me & my pals, he said ' u got money' i replied 'no u buy from me' trust me he didn't like that, but there was fuck all he could do about it, me & my mates would have kicked the shit out of him & his partner in crime if they tried anything

[FenixNYC]

1 trick iv'e seen these people use is to call out at random & when someone turns around they lock onto them, just ignore them, or when someone asks you something just shrug your shoulders & mumble something back in a made up russian accent, thats actually really funny. 1time i did piss 1 of these guys off was when he said cocaine, i replied cocaine? he started walking beside me & my pals, he said ' u got money' i replied 'no u buy from me' trust me he didn't like that, but there was fuck all he could do about it, me & my mates would have kicked the shit out of him & his partner in crime if they tried anything

Me & my friend started fucking around with them too.

The exact same guy would approach us every day asking if we needed "coke, crack, ecstacy" so by the fourth day when he approaches us, before the words could even leave his mouth I say "coke, crack" ecstacy" to him. He looks at me like , confused as high holy hell and asks me "You got?". So I tell him no, and he then proceeds to ask if I need any coke, crack or ecstacy.

He was persistent, I'll give him that.

We asked another guy who kept approaching us what he charged for a kilo and what his rates were on Flintstones vitamins. Got the same look and he swiftly left us alone.

[squiggy]

Am I the only one who has made the assumption that Jesscass is a female

I was thinking the same thing However, male or female, I'm a female that travelled solo to Dam in April. I felt really safe and not once threatened in any way. It's just about basically using your common sense like u would at any time. I would carry your cash and card on your person but in seperate pockets, just in case u lose 1 u have the other and make sure that u put them in the same place all the time, I've found this helps u 2 remember where they are and be more aware of them, especially when u r stoned If u have a camera or anything else I would carry a small bag with them in, preferably a back pack, easier 2 carry around Don't let the worrying ruin ur trip, you'll have a great time and want to go back again and again

[Sir Niall of Essex-sire]

Risk if caught? what risk? its perfectly legal to carry around a pocket knife and I did so for a full month and a half across Europe, and trust me I was in no need of using it for self defense, I train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Boxing and Muay Thai, I just felt that if a group of people e tried to mugg me the blade is the best way to scare em off.

-Rasa

I didnt mean the suggest you cant handle yourself, i do not know that, nor do i really care

However man it was just a suggestion, knife crime is growing, police forces are cracking down on it. The only time it is legal to carry a knife in the UK is

knives where the blade folds into the handle, like a Swiss Army Knife, aren't illegal as long as the blade is shorter than three inches (7.62 cms)

and old bill tend not to fuck around when knifes are involed. I dont think the Dutch laws are too different, i could be very wrong though man, do you have any clue? Also the idea if a group of people are trying to mug you and you pull out a blade, it wont scare them off, they will most likely pull out blades themselves and go to town, those who carry knifes are more likely to be victims of knife crime man.For someone asking for advice when traveling solo in europe, telling them to tool up is something i wouldnt advice.

I can see your point man, but the dangers and risks of knifes outweight the benifit of carrying one.

Peace man.

Sorry i didnt provide the goverment sentaces for the Netherlands, the UK ones are

the maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is four years in prison and a fine of £5000

I dont know about the Dutch Laws are that different, like i said though man i could be wrong, feel free to correct me man.

[Pauli Wallnuts]

i know that if you are caught in the NL with an open knife (unfolded or standard blade) you will be in a lot more trouble than if it is folded into the handle, saw it on 'amsterdam uncovered' on bravo

[liquidSwords]

Risk if caught? what risk? its perfectly legal to carry around a pocket knife and I did so for a full month and a half across Europe, and trust me I was in no need of using it for self defense, I train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Boxing and Muay Thai, I just felt that if a group of people e tried to mugg me the blade is the best way to scare em off.

-Rasa

I didnt mean the suggest you cant handle yourself, i do not know that, nor do i really care

However man it was just a suggestion, knife crime is growing, police forces are cracking down on it. The only time it is legal to carry a knife in the UK is

knives where the blade folds into the handle, like a Swiss Army Knife, aren't illegal as long as the blade is shorter than three inches (7.62 cms)

and old bill tend not to fuck around when knifes are involed. I dont think the Dutch laws are too different, i could be very wrong though man, do you have any clue? Also the idea if a group of people are trying to mug you and you pull out a blade, it wont scare them off, they will most likely pull out blades themselves and go to town, those who carry knifes are more likely to be victims of knife crime man.For someone asking for advice when traveling solo in europe, telling them to tool up is something i wouldnt advice.

I can see your point man, but the dangers and risks of knifes outweight the benifit of carrying one.

Peace man.

Sorry i didnt provide the goverment sentaces for the Netherlands, the UK ones are

the maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is four years in prison and a fine of £5000

I dont know about the Dutch Laws are that different, like i said though man i could be wrong, feel free to correct me man.

That is exactly right, anyone who thinks it would be clever to carry a knife is largely mistaken. I've become a victim of knife crime losing some1 that is as close as a little brother to me.

If you carry a knife with no intension of using it, then its more than likely you will end up in some kind of confrontation with knife present, not a nice outcome either way.... RIP CJ HENDRICKS x

[Rasa]

First off, it was in fact a foldable pocket knife probably 3.5 inches, and I would feel a lot safer if one of those haggard ass dirtbag drug-dealers in the RLD tried to mug me if I had my blade, im not saying you should stab someone, im just saying think about it this way: if you were in this instance the mugger and you were weaponless which im sure most of the bonehead drug dealers in the RLD are and you were gunna try and rob a tourist and they whipped out a knife and just said "Fuck Off" what are you gunna do, try and rob them when they are armed? of course I understand there are pros and cons to this but the reason I carried one always was because I was carrying my necessities on my back for over a month, I wasnt staying in hotels where I could leave my shit I just had a tent and a huge ass backpack and im sure as hell not letting anyone take the damn thing. I realize that the consequences in terms of law could be severe if authority were to bust you with a knife out but if you informed them that you only had it out in self defense against a mugger im sure they would understand. Just my two cents, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I agree with alot of what you guys are saying.

-Rasa

[Sir Niall of Essex-sire]

Cool man. I appreciate your viewpoint, i just dont know if i could tell if a dealer had a blade by looking at him. I would think that most people are tooled up if they selling drugs on the streets. In that case its a guess, i wouldnt wana risk getting a blade in the guts on a guess.

You'd be surprised how the old bill would take it, pulling a knife out is a serious offence, i doubt they would be very considerate to you. Dutch old bill are pretty hardcore man.

Knifes only lead to bad places. Im sure if you have studied as much martial arts as you said theres no needs for weapons.

I would not advise any vistor, solo or otherwise, to amsterdam to carry a knife. I dont condone carrying blades.

[Pauli Wallnuts]

First off, it was in fact a foldable pocket knife probably 3.5 inches, and I would feel a lot safer if one of those haggard ass dirtbag drug-dealers in the RLD tried to mug me if I had my blade, im not saying you should stab someone, im just saying think about it this way: if you were in this instance the mugger and you were weaponless which im sure most of the bonehead drug dealers in the RLD are and you were gunna try and rob a tourist and they whipped out a knife and just said "Fuck Off" what are you gunna do, try and rob them when they are armed? of course I understand there are pros and cons to this but the reason I carried one always was because I was carrying my necessities on my back for over a month, I wasnt staying in hotels where I could leave my shit I just had a tent and a huge ass backpack and im sure as hell not letting anyone take the damn thing. I realize that the consequences in terms of law could be severe if authority were to bust you with a knife out but if you informed them that you only had it out in self defense against a mugger im sure they would understand. Just my two cents, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I agree with alot of what you guys are saying.

-Rasa

1of my favourite films is bronx tale & a line in that film is ringing in my head while reading this, 'anyone can carry a gun, but its when the other guy pulls out a gun, then we find out who the real tough guy is'