Do you feel safe in Amsterdam

Sir Niall of Essex-sire · Thu 30th Jul 2009 11:46 am

AmDamMan wrote: One of the major problems is they are taking on too many young recruits who are doing the job because it gives them the chance to feel important and strut about feeling special. They have no life experience and no common sense, all they know is what they've been taught.

Too right, same can be said of the Government.

Grrl_Interrupted · Post by **Grrl_Interrupted** » Thu 30th Jul 2009 11:48 am

Completely safe.

The trick is to blend in, make like a Dutch person. No shouty clothing labels, no obviously British tats on display, no pulling out maps in public, don;t make eye contact with street dealers or dodgies.... and of course, don;t behave like a UK beer lout/footie hooligan.

Just use your common sense, and you will be fine.

One tip; if anyone ever comes up to yo uand asks if you speak English, make out you don't - this is how the beggars and pains in the ass get a hold of you.

I actually get spoken to in French a fair bit these days, they tend to assume I'm French (I'm half French anyway), and not British.

Grrl_Interrupted · Post by **Grrl_Interrupted** » Thu 30th Jul 2009 11:52 am

AmDamMan wrote: it boggles my mind that the police will happily allow smackheads and violent drunk people to go about their business with a 'verbal warning' because they can't be bothered with the paperwork. However, on the 2 occasions i've been on the wrong side of them they've been happy to waste plenty of time filling out a cannabis warning form. Now, if i get caught again with the tiniest amount of weed I go straight to court. Other than the 2 recent warnings i have a completely clean criminal record and have in fact helped the police on many occasions.

I hear that.

I got a caution also, pending full prosecution if I was caught again (fortunately my probation is now up), I was smoking a joint in a field, on a festival day - not the smartest move admittedly, smoking in public. I took my bollocking like a (wo)man though. Minutes prior to my tug, a drunken yob has hurled an empty glass litre bottle, and it had missed my friends' son's head by about an inch, smashing at his feet - he is autistic and was quite freaked out.

Obviously, I mentioned this to the copper taking my details, but did they do anything to the real yob? The one who was almost certain to cause an incident or harm to another?

Did they fuck.

AmDamMan · Post by **AmDamMan** » Thu 30th Jul 2009 12:35 pm

The first time I was caught I was stopped for no reason by two coppers driving from my friends house to my house about 30 metres down the road. They treated me like I was a right criminal. At this time I hadn't been smoking but they obviously got a whiff. I handed over the tiny (about 0.3g) amount I had and the officer gave me a huuge lecture about how although it's only a small amount I still need to be punished etc. etc. I received my first warning.

The second time, I was caught fair and square with a spliff in my mouth by a PCSO, who initially said he was only going to give words of advice nothing official. However when I owned up to having a previous cannabis warning he had to ring his boss who sent out a proper copper. On this occasion I was treated a lot more fairly, and I received my second warning.

Had I not received the first warning from the wanker copper I wouldn't have been too fussed but now being on 2 warnings I have to be so very careful not to end up in court.

As I said I have a totally clean criminal record apart from these 2 warnings. So by taking me to court they could potentially ruin future job opportunities etc. And why? Because I choose to smoke a plant that grows in the ground. Who is the victim? Who else do I bother with my habit? No-one. A complete waste of police time, and the state this country is in at the moment I KNOW they have plenty of more useful things they should be getting on with!

Sorry about hijacking this thread

Sir Niall of Essex-sire · Thu 30th Jul 2009 01:04 pm

As i said AmDamMan, if you read the news today you can see the way the police and other agencies are wanting to go with the enforcement of drugs.

smokedogbaby · Post by **smokedogbaby** » Thu 30th Jul 2009 02:29 pm

i dont think dam is dangerous at all

unless you are the type that scares easily

but ive walked through the rld at 3-4 am many times, and no-1 said shit to me

TwoCanucks · Post by **TwoCanucks** » Thu 30th Jul 2009 08:57 pm

Grrl_Interrupted wrote:Completely safe.

The trick is to blend in, make like a Dutch person. No shouty clothing labels, no obviously British tats on display, no pulling out maps in public, don;t make eye contact with street dealers or dodgies.... and of course, don;t behave like a UK beer lout/footie hooligan.

I don't know if this is meant to apply to women only, but if it is a generalization for anyone then I have to highly disagree.

There's nothing to hide from in Amsterdam, it might be the safest destination I've been to anywhere in the world.

Compared to Paris or London, I would say Amsterdam is Utopia... obviously it isn't, but it's far safer, cleaner and friendlier than any town I visited.

smokedogbaby wrote:i dont think dam is dangerous at all

unless you are the type that scares easily

but ive walked through the rld at 3-4 am many times, and no-1 said shit to me

This was both my and the Mrs' experiences... and I actually slept on a bench one night, right on Haarlemmerstraat and didn't feel the least bit threatened.

Just have confidence in yourself and be aware of your surroundings... same as you'd do walking around your own town.

Peace.

OneForTheRoad · Post by **OneForTheRoad** » Thu 30th Jul 2009 09:20 pm

Sir Niall of Essex-sire wrote:As i said AmDamMan, if you read the news today you can see the way the police and other agencies are wanting to go with the enforcement of drugs.

What would that be Sir Niall? I can see nothing on the bee on drug policies etc...

FenixNYC · Post by **FenixNYC** » Fri 31st Jul 2009 01:34 am

The only times I felt really unsafe in Amsterdam is when I was simply walking down the street, in utter fear of getting run over by a bicycle, tram and/or automobile. The combination of culture shock, high grade bud & my inability to walk straight down the street led to some pretty close calls and potentially devastating catastrophes.

That's the one thing I learned rather slowly in AMS. Walk a straight line or you may get nailed!

I still wake up in cold sweats at night at the thought of that damn little bell ringing behind me!!!

The street dealers were more amusing than anything.

Sir Niall of Essex-sire · Fri 31st Jul 2009 08:25 am

OneForTheRoad wrote:
What would that be Sir Niall? I can see nothing on the bee on drug policies etc...

Sorry dude, heres the link.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8175550.stm

HasjDreamer · Post by **HasjDreamer** » Sat 1st Aug 2009 02:04 am

FenixNYC wrote:
I still wake up in cold sweats at night at the thought of that damn little bell ringing behind me!!!
.

I ALWAYS wanted to buy one of those bicycle bells and carry it while walking to get the slow pokes out of my way!!

Uncle Ron · Post by **Uncle Ron** » Sun 2nd Aug 2009 04:49 am

Amsterdam is a relatively safe city, blend in with the scenery and nobody will pay much attention. Stand out in a crowd and you get what you deserve, wanted and/or unwanted attention. As for the bells, stay off of the train tracks and bicycle paths, quite simple actually.

FlyByNite · Post by **FlyByNite** » Sun 2nd Aug 2009 05:24 am

How not to get hit by a bike and other stuff they forgot to tell you about Amsterdam.

Enjoy
FlyByNite

OneForTheRoad · Post by **OneForTheRoad** » Sun 2nd Aug 2009 09:20 am

Sir Niall of Essex-sire wrote:
OneForTheRoad wrote:
What would that be Sir Niall? I can see nothing on the bee on drug policies etc...
Sorry dude, heres the link.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8175550.stm

Cheers fella, it makes an interesting read...

Sir Niall of Essex-sire · Sun 2nd Aug 2009 09:45 am

OneForTheRoad wrote:
Cheers fella, it makes an interesting read...

No worris dude, any time.