Personal safety is like insurance. They are both subjects of considerable debate and a little anguish, yet become salient in very few situations. Thus nearly everyone’s experience is purely anecdotal, and it is truly hard to assess what is prudent or works well.
When I tell people that I travel the world full time, a very common reaction is “Isn’t that dangerous?”, or “I wouldn’t feel safe doing that”. Some really compelling research, which of course I cannot find again, demonstrates that, for a number of reasons, Americans are safer traveling that they are living in the US.
I engage the world with the presumption that nearly everyone is basically honest and means me no harm. All over the world people have been marvelous to me, have helped me, have taken time to direct me, and have otherwise delighted me by just being interested in what I am. The observations below are intended to be the low hanging fruit of security, and are not in any way cynical.
I have suffered no assault more damaging than harsh invective (update. I was assaulted…in good old Georgia, USA. Ironically at the bitter end of a discussion about safety). I might have unknowingly dodged a few more serious interactions and, if I have, I would like to think that a small part of that survival is based on a few simple ideas. But I do understand that truly anyone in any place can be whacked out of the blue.
My personal safety philosophy is based on the following ideas: moving swiftly, choosing confidently; picking light over dark; lowering physical profile; confronting suspicious behaviour; avoiding sketchy gatherings; fleeing from high risk groups; alarming my hotel room; acknowledging security staff; buying from hyper local street vendors; controlling information, alert words. Bonus points at the end.
In detail:
- Moving swiftly. My base walking rate is 5km/hr. It is physically difficult for the vast majority of the world to keep up with me. I employ this to great advantage in the country and in the city. In essence, I am not a casual target – people have to be prepared or else I am gone before they develop a plan or the resources to hurt me. Additionally anyone who is tracking me is immediately obvious because to gain on me they are moving much faster than the crowd.
- Choosing confidently. I spend a fair amount of time trying to figure out which direction I should be heading. But I will not signal that to the crowd. I do not stop at intersections, pull out my phone and look around – inviting attention. My preference is always to blow through an intersection, scanning the options, then stand against a wall to consult a map. There is no penalty for doubling back.
- Light over dark. Given the almost unlimited flexibility that full time travel allows, I nearly always arrive in a destination in the morning or early afternoon. Lots of super early train and plane departures. My thought here is that bad people are basically lazy, and tend not to whack people before a leisurely lunch. Also, it is much easier to navigate the many, many poorly lit parts of the world and spot sketchy people when the yellow disk of death is in the sky.
- Lowering physical profile. Everything I wear and carry is monochromatic, non branded and modest. No national flags, no bright sneakers, no revealing Travelsmith tourist wear. Nothing is of obvious value, and it does not stand out in a crowd. Coupled with moving swiftly I am come and gone before being approached.
- Confronting suspicious behaviour. This involves identifying people who are pace matching me, then stopping and watching them. Either they stop and reveal intent, or keep walking and thus be in front of me. Alternately a few random turns in streets quickly exposes if someone is merely strolling or actually following me.
- Avoiding sketchy gatherings. At the macro level this means skipping Arab Spring demonstrations, Lebanese riots, Mexican Femicide protests. At the micro level I avoid being drawn into conversations with lads in Belarus about local leaders. Always consider the over/under equation – do I need a photo of people challenging the government (no); do I want to make a point about something that I know nothing about to some people who might see me outside (no).
- Fleeing high risk groups. Let’s say that you find yourself in Lomé, Togo on Election Day. The city is bolted down because the last time there were elections 500 people died. If you are walking down a road and there are 10 young men coming the other way, turn around and move away perpendicularly as fast as is prudent.
- Alarming my hotel room. I prop a chair against the door, or hang a breakable or tinny thing from the door handle whenever I feel that I am in a remotely questionable place. I am not a woman, but if I were I would definitely carry a DoorAlarm everywhere.
- Acknowledging security staff. In my experience the vast majority of travelers ignore security staff – they are just part of the background help. I choose to make eye contact and greet and thank (the presumably very poorly paid) security everywhere. In poor regions I make sure to pick up a cold drink for them to present on my return to the hotel. My experience is that this delights. I enjoy the charity, and my selfish interest is that they might give me a pointer if I head off in the wrong direction.
- Local street vendors. Those women by the side of the road, selling tortillas/kvas/cassava/khat see and know EVERYTHING. Stop at the first three outside the compound and buy something, adding a compliment. They might steer you away from a poor choice, or inject advocacy if you are getting rumbled. In my experience the fiercest figure in the world is an angry Carib woman.
- Control information. In less polished places your taxi driver will want to know where you are sleeping so he can sell you a ride ‘maybe later? Tomorrow?’ I would prefer that he does not know where to loiter. The very few times that I take a taxi I try to get out at a landmark near, but not at, my destination. Similarly, the guide from the ruins wants your phone number to stay in touch. I used to jump through verbal hoops to try to deflect the inquiries, but now just say ‘no thanks’. There is simply no upside for me.
- Alert words. When traveling with other people I agree on a signal word (usually this is the given name that they never use). We agree that if we hear this word spoken, we will follow the subsequent suggestion without question, avoiding the time wasting audible debate that comes with abrupt changes of plan. If I see or sense something that makes me uncomfortable I use this name, and then suggest that we [turn left, finish dinner, leave now, etc]. It sounds like normal conversation and results in immediate action. Plenty of time afterwards for debriefing and debate.
Bonus points. These are more focused on money transactions, but can leach in to security issues.
Walking away from the airport in Cotonou, Benin a moped pulled up beside me. “Remember me? I work at Customs in the airport. Would you….?”. Walking out of a hotel in Cairo “Hi, I work at security at the hotel. Remember me? – my sister is…”. We are trained from youth to avoid causing offense. Now I listen to the pitch, then say ‘no thank you’. Do not try to be creative when the second, third, and fourth appeals are made – stick to the simple script.
Practicing English. The most charming and most benign approach used by many people. Does not matter if it is a 12 year old kid or a 50 year old adult, after strolling together up a nice dirt road for a while, it will routinely end with the touch ‘I need a football’ or ‘money for medicine’. And a curse if you do not fork over cash.
Add me on Facebook. Guides, drivers, kids. There is no upside for me to have a rando friend from Romania, but there is considerable upside to a less scrupulous person who now has access to your FB friends.
”My friend. Hey! German? My friend! Where you from?”. The most exhausting intrusions of my personal space are these relentless calls for attention: literally up to 100 times a day in some zones. The goal is generally to get you to stop and engage. Wave, smile, keep moving. Even when I shake hands and the other person grips, I smile and keep moving.
The US Consular service offers the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). The idea is that you tell them which country you are traveling in, and they send you a kind note if it gets particularly shooty or disasterish.
Perhaps go to places with guns
