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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.
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...
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.
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.
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 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
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.
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.
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.
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