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The Urban Geek As A Mugger Magnet?
CGP314 writes "I live in London and whenever I travel around, I feel like a huge target for muggers. Usually I take my laptop, iPod, cell phone and occasionally a PDA around with me. As with many geeks, these items hold within them far more value to me than anything I leave behind in my apartment. So I would like to know what my fellow urban geeks do to try and keep their valuables safe while traveling with them. I've switched my iPod headphones from the distinctive white to a boring black as a means of camouflage; are there any other suggestions?"
Look like you know exactly what you're doing, and that you belong exactly where you are. Don't show fear. Don't run past the sketchy neighboroughs. Don't glance around. Strut. Don't look at maps. Don't stare at people, but return their look if given one.
Marxist evolution is just N generations away!
Just like you've done with the iPod headphones, ideally nobody should be able to tell you are carying a laptop, PDA, etc.
I carry my laptop, PDA and minidisk player (yes, it's not an iPod, but it's still worth quite a bit) wherever I go, but because I use a regular backpack to hold everything, I'm as safe as anyone else. I use a sleeve bag for the laptop, with hard padding all around. That way in my backpack, even when surrounded by books, binders and other things, my laptop can take a fair amount of pressure without any problems. I even rode my motorcycle and my bycicle, and nothing happened (no, I did not fall, but the bumps would have cracked a less protected laptop).
The absolute worse you can do is carry a leather Targus bag. It's as close to wearing a "Rob ME!" sticker on your back as possible.
You don't say whether the laptop et al is yours or company property... so I'm assuming the former. In which case I think you can get homeowner's (alt. renter's) insurance that will cover these items.
Then make sure you back them up periodically.
And if there's anything sensitive on them, make sure you encrpyt it.
That should cover all the exigencies.
This is definitely a case of plan to fail gracefully b/c once you get tagged, it's a little out of your control...
One of the cardinal rules of sneaking around is to act like you own the place you're breaking in to. That way it's very unlikely people will question you. The same goes for traveling with expensive stuff-- don't be self-conscious about it, because it will show. The trained thief knows how to discern between the guy nonchalantly walking by (who likely has nothing of value) and the guy casting panicked stares around him (who, in all likelihood, is either loaded or stoned-- money either way).
A lot of people are advocating the carriage of weaponry, and I can't agree with that. Just act calm, like nothing on your person is worth being hassled over, and you'll be fine.
Incidentally, I used to traipse around downtown Erie back in my college days carrying a whole hell of a lot of heavy crap-- typically college books, cell phone, Game Boy, a PDA for a brief time, and other miscellaney. I quickly learned the value of a) miniaturizing and b) wearing clothes with lots of pockets. My favorite winter coat has 10 pockets, 4 of which are positively huge. When I had all my gear in it, including gloves and hat, it must have weighed at least six pounds; I remember it would always tip over whatever rack I hung it on. Something to think about, I guess.
"Why Subscribe?" Good question...
This is an excellent site, lots of free material from an expert:
Tips on how to avoid being robbed
you're going to get a lot of comments like:
- learn martial arts
- lift weights
- grow 14 inches
- carry a gun/knife/mace/morning star/etc
- etc
But seriously, the best option is avoidance:
- avoid looking like a victim - don't carry
things of conspicuous value
- avoid places where you're likely to get mugged
- stay alert - muggers seldom target people who appear very alert to their surroundings and confident
Many years ago I used to rely on fighting to defend myself - but sometimes ended up in fights with people who had *nothing* to loose. Later on I discovered how to simply avoid the places attractive to those people and to be very alert when occasionally there. This works so much better than fighting you won't believe it.
The laptop is the only magnet, and I offer a couple of pointers from my own experience, and that of people close to me:
Really, every little helps.
Same here. I carry my 12" powerbook in my old backpack, wrapped in a big plastic bag in case it rains. Getting stuck in the rain on a motorcycle sucks bad enough, I don't need it runining $1800 worth of computer equipment.
Once I had kids, I got a bunch of diaper bags (for carrying great gobs of baby stuff). Graco makes a kick-ass one that has more padded pouches than I can possibly use. The good part is that it's the perfect size for my Powerbook, headphones, and various other gadgets. I keep a little portable pouch of huggies in the front (cause they're damn useful anyway), just in case I get mugged and need to convince them there's nothing of value to steal.
I get funny looks from clients when I unpack my gear from a blue and pink bag, but ultimately everyone agrees it's a pretty foolproof way to keep unsavoury types away.
Note: possibly not for the single geek pickin' up hot dates.
Note on note: I crack myself up sometimes.
The world's only surviving livewriter.
After a second of googling, I found this from the BBC.
It paints kind of a mixed picture - violent crime rates up, but only because of reporting changes. At the end it does mention that gun related crimes were up only 2% last year - but around 34% the year before!! And a 48% rise in the use of imitation firearms, so you're a lot more likely to see some kind of gun, it just may not be real.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I think you nailed it. I read an essay a couple of years ago comparing our urban existence with life in the jungle, focusing especially on aggressive and criminal behaviour.
I don't have the numbers but the essay concluded that it's not what you have on you that makes you a better target, it's how aware you are of your surroundings. Think of predators hunting a species further down the food chain. If they have to choose from a pool of available targets they will always go after the ones who present the least chance of reaction. Likewise people who are out to mug you usually notice a whole bunch of minutiae about yourself that you normally wouldn't even think about. Are you walking with your shoulders sagged, are your eyes downcast or wandering without really focusing, are your hands tucked in your pockets or are they and your arms actively working to balance your body, are you walking briskly or irregularly? So on so forth...
Of course someone who's looking at you as a potential target doesn't analyse all this, it's mostly just instinctive or subconscious information processing. Sometimes we get so caught up on the bigger picture we forget about the small details that do have a significant impact.
I live in the UK too, but up in Manchester. I can assure you, white earphones will get you into more trouble up here than it will in London. There are guys up here who can smell an iPod from half a mile and will quite happily hurt you very badly. You're carring a 400 quid walkman. In other terms, it's exchangeable for 100 quids worth of drugs. And you, my friend, are probably a soft target.
Firstly, question whether you need to carry all that stuff. Did you really need a PDA? Most phones these days have reasonable calendaring and bluetooth to synch with my desktop calendar (yes, I'm working on better integration for open source myself), so I use that instead. In the UK, stolen phones become worthless pieces of scrap as soon as you report them stolen, so there is no interest in taking them off you anymore. I don't feel the need to carry 20Gb of songs with me when going down the corner shop for a newspaper either, so don't feel the need for carrying an MP3 player - if I drove, or was commuting for hours every day, I might. If you're not carrying it, it can't be stolen from you. This is the best advice you're likely to get, trust me.
Secondly, don't make it obvious what you're carrying. I carry my laptop in a regular Reebok backpack that I think I first bought when I was still at School (10 years ago). Nobody wants to steal it. I have however stood in many train stations and sat in many coffee shops and realised that with all the bags that were screaming laptop at me, if I'd been quick off my feet I could have made away with perhaps GBP 10k of hardware in less than 30 seconds. White headphones are a giveaway, like I said, so is trying to navigate your way around on a map held on your PDA.
Thirdly, it does all come down to attitude. Act like a dick, you'll get into trouble. Act like you don't belong there, you'll get into trouble. Walk tall, confidently, and stay aware. I've lived in one of the roughest cities in Britain for years (yes, Moss Side is as bad as it sounds), and I have never, ever, ever been successfully mugged. One guy wanted my wallet once and I just laughed and walked by and he didn't come after me. I'm lucky - I'm 120Kgs, 6 foot tall, shaved head and people don't mess with me. I'm used to it. You probably don't want to look like me, and you might not look like a football hooligan. Just walk like you are, see people's body language change around you. Remember this though - if you're alone in a train carriage with a single female CHANGE THIS STANCE - responding to the environment you're in is more important than trying to act like a thug all the time.
Lastly, don't have anything on you that you can't afford to lose. Backups are of course critical. I'm terrible at this, but when I do remember, I have between 3 and 6 copies of important data, held on kit in 3 different continents. The data I value, is data I take care to protect.
Ditching the white earphones was a good first step - I would also suggest not using a fancy case to carry around your laptop - those leather targus bags just scream "look at me! expensive stuff here!"
I would suggest not even using a bag that's *shaped* like a laptop. Use a backpack or something, that has a padded laptop area. Make sure you "rough up" the bag a bit ahead of time (just throw it around against some rocks or something, or the pavement). As with any bag in the city, never let it out of your hand. But if it's not obvious you're even carrying a laptop to begin with, people will be less inclined to want to steal it.
I have an oversized army jacket that I use for when I want to carry gadgets around without a bag. I can easily fit my PDA in there, a small digital camera, or an iPod, all without any bulge. I'm not big on those jackets made specifically for carrying gadgets around, because I mean, come on. If it's a jacket made specifically for carrying gadgets around, it's going to be obvious to any criminal that that's why you have it!
I've lived in London nearly all my life, work in IT, and carry lots of geek toys (iPod, notebook, Archos mp3 player which now serves as file sharer, PDA, digital camera and mobile phone!). I've never had any trouble I couldn't handle. Here's my advice (it works, I've tested it on many occasions!):
1) Most importantly - Never *ever* carry round something you couldn't afford to lose - that means, if you're carrying round data that is important to you - MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A COPY OF IT SOMEWHERE. If it is important to others ENCRYPT IT. I can't stress this enough - in IT, data is nearly always the most valuable asset you can carry with you.
2) Always ALWAYS look confident, focused, and aware of your surroundings. Notice people round you, make sure they know you've noticed them, but don't be aggresive. Your stance should say "there are easier targets than me. Move along".
3) If you do happen to find yourself in the middle of a potential conflict situation (group of youths approach and agressively ask for the time for example) react politely but firmly - don't lose your confidence or look like you can't handle yourself.
If you find it difficult maintaining confidence walking round London, you should join a gym and/or take up a martial art - it can make a very big difference to how people percieve you.
Finally, if you're new to London, give it time. My partner felt very threatened in San Francisco, but has no problems wondering round the worst parts of south east London on her own - it's just a question of being comfortable with your surroundings.
Best regards,
Dan
Do you spend 90% of your time to learn how and when to use those weapons? For geek main weapon is a stuff between his\her ears - but it should be loaded.
I travel a lot in Russia, so i invent some rules for myself.
- Backup your data regularly, to safe place, store some minimum on a CD and on some public host ftp\http.
- have some bucks hidden on you, enough for calling for help
- be ready to loose your gadgets. your brain costs more.
- Learn how to listen and communicate - nobody attacks silently, usually there is a short conversation before. If you're smart enough, you could break attackers intentions with just a few words.
- talk to local citisens - they know local dangerous places. Usually most of local people don't want you to be robbed.
- Learn how to run as hell. It's usefull to look at map before to know where to run and where to find help.
- Do not show your gadgets on public. Use simple cases. I prefer some simple backpack. i put the notebook to simple envelope, and hide it to backpack - now, you can easily get it and take it to the plane. Put other gadgets, your passport, cards, coins, most metall things to a small bag, carry it with you everywhere - it will help to get trough security checks in airports and everything will be easy to find.
- Dont't panic.
And don't actually listen to your iPod so that you can hear the muggers approaching behind you.
Professor Karmadillo Songs of Science
And will the mugger give you the opportunity to calibrate your response so that it's legal?
I say old boy, I didn't know you were carrying a bat. Mind if I fetch my cricket bat, there's a good chap?
The fact of the matter is that the police and government actively discourage the public from defending themselves and have prosecuted numerous people for doing so, including at least two people who will spend the rest of their lives in prison.
You want to know who isn't running Firefox 2.x? They spell it "definately" and "rediculous".
To get mugged in London you really have to ask for it. Although muggers are respectful and tend to only mug teens (for mobiles, etc) - but rarely adults! So as far as I know mugging here is rare. Unless you walk flashing an iPOD or open up the lastest laptop on notorious areas such as Stockwell (I almost got mugged there when young but screamed for attention of by-passers and the guy handed my stuff back), Peckham, Slough, Hackney, New Cross .. etc (you get the idea). :P .. Never had problems there but then again never did those obvious mistakes. Last thing shave your hair - its amazing how people avoid you when you look like a psycho skin-head.
In London you can wear wrist-watches, cool jackets and even golden necklace without fear! When it comes to serious mugging you should try Sao Paulo, Brazil - now THAT is a place that begs you being very street-wise. I use to dress-down so badly when I was last there - the muggers not only avoided me, but ran in fear of being mugged themselves
I was going to europe a few weeks ago, and having heard about several friends' cameras being stolen, I was really worried about my new Nikon D70 camera. I called up my insurance company, and asked them if there was any way I could insure my camera, and they said I could insure my $1500 camera for $30/year, which I did. So, regardless of where I have my camera, if something happens to it, being my fault or someone elses, it is covered under this insurance, which is called scheduled personal property . I don't know if they do it for smaller items, but if you have anything that's quite expensive, you might want to look into this.
Oh, and by the way, I'm back from europe, and my camera is fine. =)
I was walking home with a friend in the University district of Seattle. We had been drinking and were in a good mood. Both of us looked like the sort of scruffy characters who wouldn't have squat on them. Because I felt safe a.) because I was with a friend, and b.) because Seattle in general, and especially the U district are usually crime-free, I didn't follow my own advice. I wasn't paying attention to my environment. Six big guys jumped us. The biggest jumped out from behind a bush, leading with a fist full of quarters right to my face. I was wearing glass glasses, and a shard of glass went clean through my left eye, completely destroying it.
Ironically, neither my friend nor I had any money on us.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
No, thats not really an appropriate assesment. Suppose a mugger attempts to rob you, and further suppose you're lucky/skillful enough to punch them in the face and disarm them, kocking them to the ground in the profess. In the US, you'd have no problem if you kicked them in the head in order to knock them unconcious while you waited for the police. In the UK, however, you might face serious problems (since some would argue you should have just run like a mutha').
So the question is this: should the system encourage or discourage behavior on the part of the victim that would enable the police to remove a criminal from the streets?
"Stumble before you crawl"
Try searching for UK sites about "Tony Martin" in your favourite search engine.
He was a farmer, so was permitted to have a gun to shoot animals, but he wasn't allowed to use it to defend himself against a burglar.
South Ken is cosy and middle classed but I wouldn't choose to live in Finsbury Park, Streatham, Acton or Walthamstow, (though I wouldn't expect to be mugged if I did).
A mistake some tourists seem to make is staying at hotels in King's Cross or Sherpherd's Bush. DON'T DO IT, both these places are dives with more than their fair share of 'social problems'.
Yes. One of the pieces of advice I saw recently in a "cycling through bad neighborhoods" page was "if someone worries you, make eye contact, just long enough to make it obvious that you could identify him if it ever came up.
A friend of mine was in asia somewhere with his Tai Chi school, walking around sightseeing. He said he saw a handful of guys up above, in an ambush type layout. He made good, solid eye contact with the leader, looked confident and ready, and the leader waved off the group.
There are targets walking by all the time. They'd rather take on the one that won't cause trouble. You probably shouldn't actually cause trouble if confronted, nothing is worth getting hurt over, but if they think you might, they'll just wait for the next guy.
Taken from this site:
Advocates of gun-control advocates sometimes cite a 1995 study of concealed-carry policies by three researchers from the University of Maryland. The study looked at five urban areas and found that in four of them, the handgun homicide rate rose after a concealed-carry law had been enacted. But David McDowall, one of the authors, says that the small set of data limits the conclusions to be drawn from the study. He also states that there is no evidence permit holders commit crimes. The study is a classic illustration of how changing the parameters of a "before-and-after" analysis can change the results. For each city, McDowall and his colleagues averaged the yearly crime rates from 1973 until the year before the law went into effect, and compared that figure to the average rate of all subsequent years. If, instead, we compare the year before the law went into effect with the most recent year for which we have complete data (1994), then the homicide rate declined in three of the five cities.
The UK murder rates are increasing, BTW (ever since that handgun ban in '97!).
The US murder rates are decreasing.
OK, so your hypothetical man on the street is completely ignorant. What is that supposed to prove?
I'd be interested to know how many times people really defend themselves with their guns (and what is the ratio against "gun accidents" for instance).
Average annual incidence of self-defense actions involving firearms, 1987-1992: 82,500 (USDOJ)
Annual accidental fatalities involving firearms, 1993: 1543
Unintentional firearms-related injuries, 1993: 21,385 (CDC)
The numbers stack up pretty well, I'd say. And that's not even taking into account that the incidence of firearm-related accidents has decreased dramatically in the last decade.
Er, yes. That's my point. Self defense is so devalued in the UK that it is illegal to pepper spray someone. It's unbelievably ludicrous that someone (a disabled man in this case, mind you) cannot even carry something to give them even a miniscule amount of protection.
Don't worry so much about keeping your valuables safe. Keep yourself safe, keep your data safe, and protect your investment in those valuables.
Plenty of people have covered the "don't look like a target" angle. So let's address some other things you should do:
Find the local police's web site and read their advice on how to avoid getting mugged. Look at their crime statistics and figure out where the *truly* dangerous parts of town are (for mugging) as opposed to the places where you currently don't feel safe.
Get a laptop lock (if you don't have one already). Lock it to your desk at work, and to something immobile if you're at a hotel that doesn't have a safe in the room.
Prepare for the worst. No, that doesn't mean arming yourself with all sorts of weapons. You are not your laptop's bodyguard; you don't need to take a bullet (or knife wound or whatever) for it. You can't keep it on your person at all times. What if somebody steals it from your apartment, your luggage, your desk, etc.? (You don't take it with you to the bathroom do you?) What if it gets damaged in an accident? Are you going to use your pepper spray to help you rescue it from a burning building?
Get insurance (renter's or homeowners) and cover all your stuff. Do the math and set the deductible to a reasonable level like $250 or $500 so you're not paying a high premium just in case your iPod gets stolen. Write down the serial numbers of your equipment so that the police (and eBay, etc.) can be on the lookout for your stuff.
Do backups periodically. An external hard drive or CD/DVD burner isn't that expensive compared to how much it would cost to replace your data. Get in the habit of backing up your valuable stuff. Don't procrastinate backups until you have the ultimate automated backup solution in place; just set aside a time every week to do it manually if that's what it takes. Get in the habit of separating your vital data that needs frequent backups from your less important data (MP3s) that don't need to be backed up constantly. Theft and damage aren't the only risks to data - hard disks WILL crap out after a few years; it's just a matter of when, and carrying them around with you everywhere puts them at additional risk due to wear and tear, unstable temperature and humidity, not-necessarily-clean power, etc.
Use encryption where it makes sense. If somebody gets their hands on your laptop and has hours and hours to look through your files, is there anything on there that you need to protect? There probably is. The whole hard disk doesn't have to be encrypted but maybe a couple of folders do, or maybe your whole documents directory (the one that gets backed up most often and doesn't include huge files like music and movies and downloads). If you use a modern OS there is probably a really easy way to get an encrypted disk image or home directory set up that is mostly transparent when you use it.
Look into software that helps with stolen computer recovery. There are apps that will install in a very stealthy fashion that will phone home via modem or internet to the vendor. Report your laptop stolen and when it checks in, the vendor will figure out where the laptop is (via IP or phone lookup) and contact the police. There are things you can do (such as setting a BIOS password, and setting the boot order so that the hard disk boots before the CD) to make it really difficult to reinstall the OS on the computer so that these apps have a better chance of doing their job.
Weird. I don't know about you, but the standard UK stereotype in my part of the country is "stodgy if sometimes rowdy".
Yet, when I was actually there, the level of random violence was absurd. We're talking about a country with 5th generation unemployed. I had the distinct displeasure of witnessing a "glassing" in Edinburgh. I've never seen anything like that in the US and I've been in a few tough spots.
Admittedly, US teenagers are particularly foolish about violence. They tend to slowly work themselves up to displays of violence. Facing off, insulting each other for a while, followed by pushing and shoving until someone throws a punch. More agrressiveness ensues and then someone tries to find a way to bow out while saving face. It's like watching one of these Nature Channel specials on primate territoriality or aboriginal ritual combat.
The US version is foolish and immature. You really shouldn't get in a fight unless you want to cause permanent damage or death. The Brits realize this, but a disproportianate number of them seem to want to cause permanent damage. Take your pick, juvenile delinquency or random acts of criminal sociopathy. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. The flip side is the Brits don't have school shootings. Mortar fire in airports, but no school shootings.
Personally, I suspect violence is a bigger problem in the UK then in the US - in the US we're just a bit more afraid of the violence that does exist. It doesn't matter, though. In the end it's a matter of degrees.
My personal suspicions aside, I realize that most members of most modern societies have at least some respect for the social contract. Discussions about who respects it more or who respects it least are foolish - every country has their layabouts and malcontents, people who feel powerless and don't grok reasonable escalation. Governments respond to it differently - on the one side they crush the violators (or perceived violators) under a steel boot, on the other they encourage fellow citizens to take responsibility for one another and act appropriately. Most countries try to strike a balance between the two extremes, but many definitely lean in one direction or the other. It's up to each individual to decide which approach they prefer. Trying to convince people that your preference is better is like trying to convince your roommate that blondes are superior to redheads or vice versa.
As an aside, do you know how often concealed carry permit holders commit crimes compared to the rest of the population? Hardly ever. While there's not much data on actual firearms crimes committed by CCW permit holders, there is data on revocation percentages. Since permits are revoked upon conviction for any violent crime, with or without a firearm, as well as many other reasons firearms crimes are merely a subset of that already small percentage. That percentage? .5%. One half of one percent. (Accoring to this article)
"Personal Defense" ammunition typically refers to hollow point bullets which are designed to expand once penetrating the target. The expansion of the bullet transfers all the energy to the target causing massive damage. Non defense loads are usually FMJ (full metal jacket) which have a solid lead core. These bullets will pass straight through the target.
I actually got mine at Target for $30.
It's an "Eastpak" grey canvas backpack that looks, on the outside, like any other generic backpack that'd otherwise just have schoolbooks and the like in it. But on the inside, there's a reinforced and padded sleeve for a laptop to be fastened into. It's served me well, both with and without the iBook inside, for almost four years now.
cya,
john
Imagine all the people...
I would reccomend carrying a self defense too of sorts, but the vast majority are now illegal in the UK. My best advise for a defense tool for you is a heavey metal flashlight, such as a Maglite, which can be used as a club or a fistload impact weapon. Another possibility is a very high-power flashlight such as an Arc Flashlight, which has a candlepower in excess of 33 Lumens. This is bright enough to blind a person momentarliy allowing time for escape. Also, don't use those iPod headphones, it's like wearing a big, flashing, "MUG ME" sign. Here's some more Self Defense issue with the restrictive british weapon laws in mind. A guide to Self Defense in the UK, Defending Yourself in Britain, A Guide to Expedient Weapons,
Ironic that it was an Englishman who said that "There are lies, damned lies and statistics".
Last year, according to the US law enforcement website, PoliceOne.com, there were nearly 150 federal, state and local law officers killed in the US. (Incidentally, 60,000 officers were assaulted, and 20,000 suffered injuries as a result.)
The exact number of officers that were murdered isn't given, but it's at least 56 (52 were shot to death; two suffered fatal beatings; one was stabbed to death; one was strangled). How many of the other deaths were murders isn't clear and I won't begin to speculate how many of those who were struck and killed by vehicles were hit accidentally or intentionally, etc.
The source also states that there have been 54 consecutive years in which more than 100 law enforcement officers have been killed in the performance of duty, and that more than 1,600 officers have died in the last 10 years alone.
(By the way, that 100+ deaths per year for 54 years completely contradicts your quick googling. Either your source is wrong or the PoliceOne.com website is wrong. Somehow, I don't think that it's the PoliceOne.com that's in error.)
Now let's compare that data to that of the source you quoted, a BBC News story from early 2003.
In 30 years, 70 British officers were killed in the line of duty, 14 of them in the year that you mention, 2002. However, as the story doesn't provide a breakdown, it's impossible to say how many of those deaths were accidental and how many were considered murders. Also, in the context of 30 years' worth of data, 14 deaths in one year seems like a statistical anomaly; after all, this is a fifth of all the deaths for the 30 year period.
So, for the 30 years up to and including 2002, 70 policemen died in the UK, and during that same period at least 3,000 died in the US (of course, that figure is the lowest possible number: remember, at least 100 US police officers died every year for the last 54 years).
And for last year, 2003, at least 56 US police officers were murdered. I'm not sure what the UK figure was (and I have looked for it) but I will bet you my life savings and all my worldly possessions that it's in single figures, probably even less than five.
Doesn't look too good for your argument now, does it?
The lesson here? Next time you call bullshit, at least have some proper data to back up your claim.
"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
I am a touring musician and have written this bullet-point list of tips and tricks for laptop musicians for avoiding getting pick-pocketed:
- colored backpacks = tourist or student
this was a surprise to me but a policeman at the police station near where I was mugged said that backpacks with any sort of color on them are most prone to being pick-pocketed or stolen for some reason...the only conjecture he made was that it is mostly tourists who carry backpacks and the buyer usually chooses a colored bag so their luggage is distinctive when picking it out of a group of similar luggage (i.e., the baggage carousel at all airports)...so I sold the backpack I have (it had an orange outer shell on it) and purchased one which is pure black...more on my new backpack later...
- NEVER wear a what's called a 'fanny-pack'
these are packs that you wear around the waist like a belt that can hold wallets and credit cards and money...they were originally marketed to bicyclists but became popular with tourists as well...this is target #1 for pickpockets...fanny-packs = credit cards and money...don't wear them and if you own one throw it away unless you use it while bicycling...they're useless...
- ALWAYS file a police report
when your credit cards are stolen the thief knows full well that they have a limited amount of time to use it before the owner discovers it is missing and calls the card companies to cancel the accounts...in this period of time they usually rush into a jewelry store and buy an expensive piece of jewelry - but not too expensive where it gives them away...usually a couple of thousand Euro...and they will do this in a couple of stores until the card gets turned down...they then have purchased a booty which they then fence for cash...so it's a good bet that your card will show a purchase no matter how quick you are in reporting the card(s) stolen...an official police report will be needed to dispute any illicit charges made to your card(s)...I know it's painful to sit in a police station for hours and be treated like a criminal but it is absolutely worth it in the end...it is difficult to dispute illicit charges with most credit card companies without a police report...get one, don't even think about it...
- distribute your valuables
this means: don't put all your money and credit cards in one place (like your wallet) but spread them out in various hiding places (more on this later)...for example: cash, credit cards and passport should be kept in separate places in your backpack or on your person...also, hotel's have safes in the room which are free...keep valuables in different places since PP's usually operate in one quick move which means they get one chance to get at the goods and flee...
- money belts, neck wallets and shoulder wallets
personally I hate neck wallets...the string cuts into my neck and usually I have too much stuff to carry to keep it all in a single pouch around my neck...a passport, plane tickets, cash, credit cards, drivers license, etc. all start to weigh a lot when wearing them around your neck all day...and money belts are a pain to get to when your fumbling for money while buying a train ticket or need to present your passport in a hurry...I did some searching and I found a 'shoulder wallet' which fits like a gun holster...all your valuables are located just under your left pectoral/breast and are easily gotten to...I typically wear a T-shirt under a denim shirt so I wear the shoulder wallet over my T and under the denim shirt...when I need to get to money or passport I just reach into my shirt and grab it from a Velcro pouch under my left arm...the downside to wearing a money belt or waist wallet is that they can be pick-pocketed by experts...they just cut the back of your belt, distract you and pick up the fallen money belt...volia! a neck wallet is good but gets heavy after a while and is awkward to get to when carrying luggage since you need two hands to manipulate it...a shoulder wallet is good because you c
Mod parent up, that's an insightful post.
;)
:)
Another point worth making is that backpacks, especially in crowds (such as London's Oxford Street when it's busy), are a thieves favourite. The method is known as "dipping" as it basically involves the thief dipping their hands into the backpack or pack's pockets - you won't feel this as the pack isn't close to your body (like, say, your jeans pockets is).
NEVER put valuable items such as wallets, mobile phones, etc. in the outer pockets of a backpack: either use the "security" pocket if it has one (my Da Kine bag's got one that sits up against the small of your back and is partitioned from the main space), store them in a better location such as in the inner pocket of a zipped up jacket, or at least put them right at the bottom of the main compartment of the pack and place an item of clothing or something over the top. Common sense really, but you'd be surprise how many people don't think...
As for cameras, taking the minimum gear necessary and making them look mucky with tape (zinc oxide apparently works well, but electrician's tape's good too) is a good idea, though you'll have trouble hiding that big white "look at me, I'm a pro!" Canon 70-200 2.8L - saying that those lenses are so solid you could probably just beat the mugger around the head with it
Oh, and a large pet dog such as a rottweiler or doberman goes remarkably far in stopping you being mugged. Who'd have thought!
Keep a dummy wallet in the "obvious" place with old credit cards and a few bucks. Keep the "real" wallet safely hidden.
If someone asks, give them your dummy.
-------- -------- Support Wesley Clark for president!!!
Hydro-shock is actually legal, and different from what you said. It is hollow point, but has a rod down the center that will slam forward on impact to help the bullet continue on it's path (it adds a little extra momentum after the initial impact)
Me, I usually use a backpack-cooler combo back. It's the perfect size for my Powerbook, miniDV camera, digital camera, snacks, a jacket, sunscreen and anything else you might want to lug around. The cooler insulation makes great padding for the contents, it just looks like it's got peanut butter sandwhiches in it, and I can relax a lot easier than with my pricey computer bag.
i d= 3&step=2
For those who are interested, mine looks like one of the Roundabout coolers from this page:
http://store.ca-innovations.com/merchant.ihtml?
I believe I picked it up at a Long's some time ago.
-Elentar
The wheel it turns, around and around, with an ancient rumbling sound.
Maybe someone here remembers more of the details of this case.. but I recall something similar happening in Oakland where a burglar broke into a mans house and was confronted in the living room with a knife in one hand, and stolen goods in the other. The homeowner then attacked the burglar with a bat and seriously injured the man.
The homeowner was then arrested and faced charges of assault with a deadly weapon. The whole community was up and arms and I think the DA finally dropped the charges.
But the parent is right.. are all the legal fee's and associated hassle really worth an ipod? I mean, by all means - if your life is in danger, protect yourself. But is it worth killing some homeless, drug addicted teenager who is trying to scare you into giving up your favorite new gizmo?
Some western states alow handguns to be worn openly. Just strap on your old six shooter Tex. Of course they limit where they can be carried just like concealed restriction: Govt buildings, any place that sells alcohol, Govt. buildings, schools.....
Professional Politicians are not the solution, they ARE the problem.
A water/mercury filled hollowpoint would indeed be a frangible round. :)
In fact, the only real difference between them and a standard hollowpoint is that the fragmentation occurs far more violently.
An unfilled hollowpoint simply breaks apart whereas a hollowpoint filled with a non-compressible liquid A - has more kinetic energy in the first place and B - imparts a much greater percentage of that energy into the fragments.
Mercury simply adds lethality. Even a flesh wound will introduce enough mercury into the bloodstream to cause death due to heavy metal poisoning in the relatively near future. (Not, however, soon enough to be immediately useful).
I did a little searching and it appears that these rounds work better with lower velocity (or at least lower rate of spin) weapons.
"Internet lore" has it that the filler liquid can vaporise due to friction at high rates of spin and cause the round to come apart either in the barrel or shortly after exiting.
(But I'm not about to conduct any experiments to find out!
And you should be extra careful if someone starts a fight right in front of you (or otherwise act in a very noticable way). They like to put on a good show for you while a third man dips his hand in your backpack. If you see someone acting strangly - tournaround!
Tony Martin shot a 16-year old unarmed burglar in the back as he was running away. He'd already successfully defended his property, but I guess that wasn't enough for him. The jury didn't think it was enough either and found him guilty. Funny thing: the burglar's mate also got caught in the leg by a couple of bits of shot. He sued Tony Martin for "loss of earnings".
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors - Plato
So this stratagem of yours works by insuring that the guy following it is serving the mandatory 5 years for possessing a firearm in the UK? I'm not so sure that is helpful!
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
you can draw a katana pretty quick and that 4 foot plus depending on your height.
:).
:-)
:). Maybe draw while rotating your body so the partly-drawn blade intercepts his knife... you never know - he might be slow and clumsy :) But it's an urban legend anyway. I've heard varients of this story from so many sources. Perhaps it actually happened, who knows, I tend to think it probably didn't.
Ok, this is wierd. I often hear people say katanas are long, but all the ones I've seen are short (~3 foot blade plus handle), and from what I've read, the correct length is the blade tip is off the ground when the arm is relaxed and the grip is at the tsuba. That means that 3 feet is a pretty decent length for a samurai-style katana (Japanese tend to be shorter than me, especially a few hundred years ago
I've seen pictures of much longer ones, but these were all noted as "blades this long are etremely rare", presumably on account of them being more unweildy than the evolved length.
Or did you mean a katana is 4 feet including the grip? (From the context, it sounds otherwise, but never trust the context
And while I agree 3 feet isn't that long, if the mugger is already up close and personal, it's still too long
British police carrying firearms is being common in the big cities, and all police forces will have an Armed Response Unit. They'll also have truncheons and something Mace-like, and there are currently Taser trials being conducted.
I talked to a police detective after my fiancee was burglarized, and he told me that the absolute best things to steal are
- money
- drugs
- guns
- jewelry
Jewelry can be broken apart and resold easily, or pawned unaltered. Guns are tremendously salable on the black market in societies that curtail their legal purchase. Drugs and money, well, money's money, and often it's used to buy drugs in the first place. All these items can be concealed about the person, too---an advantage that small electronic devices share, but they're nowhere near as profitable as the above listed.I keep myself safe by using technology that's five years behind the curve: my laptop is a Pentium II/300 with 64MB. My WiFi AP has more horsepower.
This is not my sandwich.
I'm not certain what London laws are concerning carrying swords; don't you have to be in one of the guilds or something to get away with it? but if that's an option.....
If you decided to wave it around in a public place, you'd be shot at by an armed response unit as if you had a gun. Also considered a deadly weapon.
Information wants to be beer.