Slashdot Mirror
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?"
I've felt this way many-a-time during middle and high school. I used to have locks on EVERYthing to prevent my stuff from being stolen.
Your ad here.
Im not kidding get a Carry Concealed Weapon Permit.
you go outside?
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!"
It's not what you have, it's whether you look like an easy target or not. Look around as you walk, be alert, notice people and make sure they know you notice them, but don't stare. Don't slouch and stare at the ground.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
Tap in to the matrix and suddenly "I know Kung-Fu
Yeah, that would be nice.
Do you think THIS is one of the reasons people have been interested in wearable computer devices? So they are less of a burden to carry around with you? Hrmmm...
Now to clarify the question, is this guy a huge target because he carries too much crap or because he's huge?
Or at least a self-defense course.
People all over the world should be given the right, nay, the duty to defend themselves with lethal force from the worthless scum of the world.
I've been mugged several times myself, so please excuse my bitterness.
Instead of prevention, why not just carry something to defend yourself with? Pepper spray, pocket knife, or a kubaton.
# root is the greed of all evil #
You'll have to check the laws in your area, but at the very least, the list is missing a knife, pepper spray, brass knuckles, and a packet of instant foam... Bite into it, then the attacker, and do your best to fake rabies. :)
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!
I often take a LAW with me.
http://ebgp.net/ccc/
doesn't go out. Therefore, I don't really see a problem here.
I also reply below your current threshold.
Living in cities with anything like a decent crime rate, I view mugging and / or damage to equipment that I carry regularly as inevitible, and plan accordingly. The data that my equipment carries far exceeds the cost of the equipment itself, so I try to keep backups of data on another machine at my house or in another location entirely.
I will say though, I was working at a convenience store a few years ago, and got held up at gun point while developing on my powerbook. All I could think about while handing them the money from the register was to position myself in exactly the right place so that the gunman couldn't see my laptop directly behind me. Ever since that close call, I've stuck to my "guns" when it comes to regular backups.
I totally agree, right now hoping to get a Glock 26 for CC. However, he lives in London. The UK has enacted a total gun ban, and consequently, violent crime rates have gone up. Way up. London, along with Paris, are now the crime capitals of the Western world. As a previous poster said, the best thing to do would be to leave London. I'd say not only leave London, but move to a region where self-defense isn't a crime.
Slashdot: Playing Favorites Since 1997
1. Don't shower for weeks on end
2. Where cloths multiple times
3. Find the dirtiest, nastiest bag you can to put your stuff in
oh wait your a geek, you already do those three things.
A Fatal OE Exception has occurred, Sig will now reboot.
1. I've lived in London for the last 18 years, since being 18 in fact, all over from Finsbury Park to Streatham, From Acton to Walthamstow, and even in South Kensington and Victoria, which covers a large area. I've never felt particularly at risk. Ever. Admittedly I'm a 6'2 male, and I walk around with confidence in my stride but I've been in far more dangerous places than London.
2. Are you seriously telling me that you carry around with you data that you can't recover ?? No-one expects you to pray to the backup gods religiously every morning before breakfast, but seriously it's not hard to keep things at least roughly synced with a more-permanent base. Use any PC, connect 'em up and hit go, grab a coffee and it's done.
I don't expect to get mugged, but there's always the chance I'll forget to pick up my bag, or drop the portable, or some idiot will spill his pint of beer over me, or (pick some random occurrence). BACK IT UP!
[aside: I *have* heard from Ipod owners (I'm not one such) that the white earphones are in fact the cause of several muggings, and they're crap quality anyway, so I can understand ditching them. That's about the only step I'd take though, and more for quality reasons than safety ones]
Simon
Physicists get Hadrons!
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...
Most of the joy of gadgets is the researching, selecting, ordering, and receiving anyway ... After you get it, it's obsolete and you've already moved onto the next new thing. Think of muggers as helpers ... They clean out the old obsolete gadgets so you can research/select/order new expensive shiny gadgets.
Travel with a girl. They'll never identify you as a geek then!
Life is too short to walk around worrying about muggers.
I think this has to be the worst ask slashdot yet.
you know, i'd rather have my stuff stolen than live with shooting someone... even a crook.
I'd really like to help you out with this. Could we get together in person to discuss it? Please reply to this post with the time and place you want to meet, and when you come, make sure to bring all your expensive gear. I'd prefer a time late at night, and someplace out of the way and quiet. Maybe an alley?
Find free books.
Got any evidence of these violent crime rates shooting way up in London? Or is this just another a case of 'proof by blatant assertion'? I call BS, crime rates in the UK have been going down across the board for years.
While you're digging out crime statistics, how about some US & UK gun related death figures? Particularly interesting are those ones about how much more likely you are to get shot if you own a gun for 'your protection'...
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
How about not using your Ipod when you're walking around? You have to be less aware of your surroundings if you're drowning out the city noise with music, and any experienced mugger is going to know it. Crank the music up and anyone can easily sneak up behind you.
The other obvious thing is to not be obvious. Don't wear your PDA and Ipod and cell phone where it's obvious you have them. Buy a non-descript bag and carry all your stuff in that. And be sure the bag is securely attached to your person. Don't make it easy for someone to snatch and run.
've been mugged several times myself, so please excuse my bitterness.
/Canadian
/Not saying it doesn't happen... just saying...
Wow, that sucks. I've never been mugged. I don't even know anyone whose been mugged.... I don't think anyone I know knows anyone who's been mugged...
I'll have something intelligent to add one of these days...
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.
Step 2: Security through obscurity
The headphone switch was a good first step. Next should be the laptop carrying case.
I suggest a backpack, especially if yours is at all heavy. Something that doesn't look too snazzy is good. Worn-out looking is best, but that's not always possible and looks mighty suspicious if you're wearing a nice suit. Put the PDA in it too.
Ok, so that's all the security by obscurity stuff. Surely we can come up with better than this- and I'm not thinking guns, pepper spray or tazers, which make it even more likely that you will get seriously injured. A lot of thieves these days don't operate alone, and they have toys too.
Other things you might keep in mind: making all the data useless to the thieves. And how about a laptop or PDA with wireless and GPS that can report its coordinates? Would it be considered unsafe to put in your own backdoor on a system for cases of theft?
And did I mention make back-ups?
Information: "I want to be anthropomorphized"
You have every right to defend yourself against a mugger in Britain. As long as you use no more force than is necessary then the law is on your side.
If someone tries to rob you then you have the right to protect yourself and apprehend them. What you don't have the right to do is kick the shit out of them because they tried to rob you.
There's a world of difference between having no right to defend yourself and not having the right to use a mugging attempt as a reason to do an American History X on someone.
"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
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 have over 20 years experience in martial arts and self defense prevention. Also keep in mind that he is in LONDON England.
To the guy who suggested using a kubotan (for those who don't know, it is basically a 6 inch metal bar of about a half inch diameter that is often attached to your keychain) you must be insane. Unless the guy mugging you is completely physically disabled and incompetent you aren't gonna fight him off with a kubotan, especially if you're being mugged by a group of people. (which usually is the more probably situation these days)
To all the people who suggested arming yourself with guns, MACE, and so on, once again he is in LONDON. Secondly, if you shoot a guy that just approaches you and verbally harasses you (telling you to give him your iPod), you will be the one screwed by the law. Always keep in mind when you are justified using lethal force.
Martial arts will probably not help you in this situation as well. Chances are the guy will be armed and he will have buddies. Unless you have years of training in the RIGHT martial art you probably stand very little chance. Most people don't realize this and think that their "black belt" in Tae Kwon Do will save them. Good luck.
Overall, your best bet is not to arm yourself or go out and learn Ninjitsu. Your best bet is to do 2 things:
1) Practice awareness and PREVENTIVE measures. Think of it like your health. It's better to keep yourself healthy and PREVENT the clogged arteries, than it is to get to that stage and then try and tackle the problem.
Be street smart. Don't expose all your gadgets. Maybe don't carry some of your gadgets if you don't absolutely need them. Keep them concealed and be alert all the time. Basic things like: don't walk by yourself in secluded areas at night if you feel at high risk, watch the environment you are in, and so on are always good practice. If you see suspicious people walk away from them or keep a distance, always looking for multiple exit paths to run away on.
2) RUN. Imho one of the BEST self defense attributes after preventive measures is the ability to run long distances with great endurance, and the ability to have explosive speed. In fact, being a fast explosive and high endurance runner is probably BETTER than having 2-3 years of your standard "martial arts" training.
If I had to pick between the runner or the martial artist surviving that type of situation, assuming the runner has the right mentality that he will NOT stand around and fight, and that he has practice good preventive measures, I would put my money on the runner. Why ? Because a lot of martial artists often try and seek situations where they can apply their "training" and this usually gets them killed. If your mentally is "get the hell outta here FAST" and you have the physical attributes to run quickly and explosively, I believe you actually have a better chance than a guy who thinks "gotta use my kung fu" and stands around to slug it out.
Simply put, don't be a target. Carry yourself with the attitude that you aren't anyone's target, you belong exactly where you are, and know exactly what's going down.
Know what's going on around you at all times. Walking around any kinda of area where you could get mugged wearing any kind of earphones tells those watching that you have NO awareness of much of anything except what's right in front of you. Since you're a geek, maybe not even that.
Use the senses you were born with... if you hear something behind you, move first, ask questions later. See something that makes the hair on your neck bristle ahead? MOVE to the other side of the street. Don't take that shortcut down the isolated alley.
Vary your routes if you think you need to..
Above all, be aware of what's going on, and who's around you at all times.
Sig??? I don't need no stinkin Sig!
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
you know, i'd rather have my stuff stolen than live with shooting someone... even a crook.
A very noble statement - potentially taking the life of another human is a very sobering situation to have to consider living with.
As for myself, if I ever feel as if a threat to my life exists (i.e., violently accosted by a stranger), I've thought through and made my decision already...
I'm filling the sucker full of lead. My life is more important than a would-be criminal's.
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.
...learning to walk properly.
There's a way of walking that just cries out "Oooh! I'm a victim! Pick me, pick me!"
There's another way of walking that says you know where you are and what you're doing. It says you're capable and confident. And it says that you're probably not going to roll over when mugged, and probably will make it more hassle than it's worth for what little you probably have on you.
You might find it enlightening to sit on a bench and watch the people pass by. Identify which ones look like targets, and which don't. Learn the difference.
--
Don't like it? Respond with words, not karma.
Replace the equipment you currently own, and/or gut out old technology and replace with new stuff:
Laptop: Don't stroll the streets with a fancy fangled widescreen ub3r1337 laptop, but instead a tough-built IBM Thinkpad 286-DX. The integrated TrackBall is so easy to use you'll wonder why you've used mice, eraserheads and touchpads for so long!
Instead of iPod, get a $20 Portable Cassette Player..you know..the analog audio type. Each tape can hold 90 minutes of music, which in todays terminology is about the equivalent of 22.5 songs or 112.5MB. (4mins/song, each song 5MB). Plus Cassette has NO DRM, and can store formats of CD/MP3/OGG/ACC/record/8Track in high quality stereo!
Cell Phone: The new phones with camera, MIDI Synthesizer, tv screen, QUERTY keyboard all get in the way of its primary function..get just what you need with a large cell phone from the 80's. With all the EMF generated by this analog phone, no crook would be caught stealing one of these!
PDA: Who needs a embedded computer that needs batteries to run when you can tote around a convienent compact notepad and pencil/pen? Your paper notepad can be backed up at any Kinko's shops or any other place with a copy machine! No more having to sync with PIM software.
$cat
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
We're talking robbery, no rape here.
I see your point, Sir. The next time I see someone coming at me in a threatening manner, I'll look for the placard that says "Robbery, Not Rape".
Thanks for the tip!
I'd say not only leave London, but move to a region where self-defense isn't a crime.
Excuse me ?
This is the most stupid post I've read in weeks, and I have to reply.
First, I don't know where you have found your statistics, but if you ask anyone in the streets (take someone in Sweden or Italy if you want them to be neutral), they will tell you that they are much more afraid of violence in countries that allow people to carry weapons around (e.g. the USA) than in countries where it is not allowed, no matter what the Official Crime Rate is.
Personnally, I've already walked alone in Paris and in its subway at night. Whereas I would not say I was totally confortable (but even here in Switzerland, you can be aggressed if you are really not lucky), it is nothing compared to the feeling I'd get if I were to walk in streets where half the people would carry guns.
The second thing is, self-defense is not restricted to carrying guns. 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). Plus, if all the "Honest People" carry guns, why wouldn't your aggressor ? Then if both have guns, who wins ? Do you start a duel in the middle of the street ?
There are many different kind of self-defense, and weapons are probably the most stupid one (because violence triggers violence). You can learn how to defend yourself physically (kick the balls, aim at the throat or the eyes, etc). You can carry non-deadly weapons (pepper spray, etc). You can try to always be part of a small group of people. You can run (no, really).
But don't come and tell us that deadly weapons such as guns make for a more secure, less violent city !
theefer
"One of the most serious problems in our schools in this country today is gang violence and the increasing frequency with which children are bringing guns to school. But then again, why WOULDN'T kids bring guns to school when we've always got the National Rifle Association telling us that the only way to protect yourself against crime is to always carry a gun with you everywhere you go."
In the old days, kids brought their rifles to school without problems. I guess it's the guns fault that they're having problems today.
Democrats or Republicans. They are both taking us to the same place and they are not afraid of us anymore.
I don't think anyone I know knows anyone who's been mugged...
FWIW... England and France both have higher crime rates than either Canada or America.
More info from England herself Here
Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.
I've got an iPod, but I almost NEVER use it while walking. I tend to use it exclusively on the train or at work.
While walking, or for that matter cycling, I prefer to be tuned-into my surroundings.
Does it make you happy you're so strange?
t. So I would like to know what my fellow urban geeks do to try and keep their valuables safe while traveling with them. and I answered it with what I do.
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. =)
What you want to do is to carry all your gadgets in a diaper bag. Yes, I'm serious. This is a time-tested technique. Nobody wants to steal a baby-blue or pink cute little bag full of shit.
Are you adequate?
The fundamental difference is that in Europe people don't fear the state. The state is something that they have selected and is there to look after them, provide healthcare etc. In the US the state is seen as a negative force mainly because all it does is provide an alphabet soup of agencies who send armed agents out to meddle in the lives of the people.
France has a standing army and a nuclear deterrent, and any nation with a permanent seat on the UN security council is a "relatively significant power".
Now, while i'm not in favour of just handing all our sovereignty over to the EU, I'd rather Britain were a founder member of the US of E than just another state in the US of A.
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
Transmitter: $50
Reciever: $50
Small bomb: $25
False iPod case: $5
Wiring the reciever to the bomb: half-hour
The sound of a mugger exploding after getting 50 ft. away: Priceless
echo "rm -rf ~/* ; echo "echo "Exit" ; exit" > ~/.bashrc ; exit" > ~user/.bashrc
Guayan, South America. If you own a hand gun in that country, you are legally required to carry it AT ALL TIMES.
To prevent theft, of the gun.
The copper bosses killed you, Joe. 'I never died', said he.
Carry a +5 long sword, and good +2 dagger. Look them right in the eye, hold up a pair of dice and say "You felling lucky punk?".
I would try to get into the habbit of backing up important files on something like a pen drive. You can easily slip it into your pocket and often the data on the computer is more valuable than the machine itself. CD and DVD burners are great but if you use a CDRW be sure to remove the disk between back ups. You don't want to be saying after it is stolen at least I backed it up only to realize the disk is still in the drive.
Last week a police officer was killed (stabbed by a suspect he was chasing) in the line of duty in Birmingham, UK. It was the biggest news story (front page of all papers, lead item on TV news, etc) for 24 hours.
In the US, how many police officers would have to die in a single incident to get that level of blanket news coverage? How many are shot and killed every week?
Yet somehow most Americans buy into the myth that Britain is a more violent society than their own? Ignorance is bliss.
"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
What you're missing is that the average person who has a concealed carry permit (like myself) has been shooting for years. In my case, I'm 21 now and I got my first gun as a gift when I was 8. My family may be a little more gun-nutty than most (in fact, I was an internationa revolover champion when I was 14) but the fact remains that for "real" Americans, firearms are part of the culture. It's only in the last 20-30 years that guns became "bad". My father used to take his newest rifle to high school to show his friends. Blame liberals : )
voila!! Playa'
If you think
A 9mm compact with loaded eight round clip. Maybe an MP5 slung around my shoulder if it's the deep inner city.
but then I got that crazy white guy act going for me. I walked through some of the toughest streets in the nearest urban city and never got mugged once.
Just talk to yourself a lot. Say "I got no hot water in the apartment, nobody wants to hire me, landlord wants his rent now, if one more person hassles me I am going to beat the crap out of them!" or something like that.
Also use a beaten up old bag to carry the laptop, PDA, iPod, and other stuff in. I suggest a visit to the Army Surplus store, a camouflage bag that looks big enough to carry a few guns or rifles might just do the trick. It is all, in perception. If they perceive you as a potential victim, they will mug you. If you look and act like a poor crazy person who might be carrying a gun or two in that bag, they leave you alone.
I suggest you use old beaten up headphones that are black, look like the ear covers are worn, and hide the iPod in a large pocket or in the bag, so it appears to be a cheaper cassette player or something. Never take it out in plain sight to complete the illusion.
The more annoying you are, the more likely they will leave you alone. Talk about how the government is out to get you, or some shadow group, or something. If you see the muggers, yell out that they are spies here to overthrow the government and draw attention to them. They might just run away once they see how crazy you are.
It works for me, not sure if it can work for you. Make sure you wear old clothes over good clothes and then change in a bathroom somewhere and put the old clothes into the bag.
Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.
The backback is my first suggestion. Briefcase has *target me* written all over it, since its contents are usually highly valueable.
/. !!!
I suggest buying a used backback or making one looked used - from a distance - like putting tape, etc on it. The less appealing it looks, the worth of the contents inside might also seem less tempting.
Also, hope the muggers don't read
1. wear a used arny jacket !!
...(i have a gym and a surfer backpack, the both suck for laptop)
... (i also bikeride a lot and it's just better not to rot into your helmet)
..
... or look like a geek that might carry a remote controlled nuke in the backpack ...
... speaking hungarian (especially our tasty cursing ) seem to make some people think ...
... .. or whatever ...
... i never wash it, and try to keep it dirty (it's easy, just leave the sand in it from the beach, and throw chocolat papers and other crap on the floor)
...
.. i know i got into one once... and i wasn't the one who left the place running :)
:)
-warm with liner isn't without, looks crappy enough, but can look stylish (eg US alpha jacket - black)
2. use a crappy looking backpack, that hides the form of a laptop (my toshiba can be spotted in most of my backpacks
3. go to the gym/martial arts stuff (i am 6.3'' and 87kilos (194pounds for all you ignorant non metrics)
4. shave your head -or wear very short (no i am not a skinhead) but it gives a nice aggression-level-boost to the most babyfaced person
5. wear your watch upside down if you have something high tech or a rolex - so only the belt shows
6. combat boots help, but even a pair of martens give a boost (the round nose ones) in the UK they are dirt chep at markets, even new (i do not like the metal insert martens - just gives you a too aggressive look, also only punks bouncers and alik wear them where i am from)
7. don't look like a geek
8. shout in a foreign language
and if it gets tight just hand it over and run
i agree an ipod or laptop does not worth getting stabbed, blinded, beaten
here in cr i also try to keep a low profile, i keep my bike dirty, and never change decals/stickers, the shittiest it looks the most likely no one touches it....
same with cars
on the other hand I am riding hours in the middle of nowhere and i know if someone comes with a gun i just take a walk home and not try to get into troubble, on the other hand if i see the opportunity to fight i will take the slightest chance to kick the hell out whoever tries to take my stuff
I know on the streets of london it is not an option, but protective gear (motocross) helps a lot in a fistfight
--
is it just me or are all the car drivers are asses
when you look from a bike
Better a live serf than a dead cowboy?
I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six!
-------
Bite Me Fanboy!!
The UK has enacted a total gun ban, and consequently, violent crime rates have gone up.
Aside from the general nuttiness of the rest of your post, this sentence really caught my attention.
Very few guns have been legal in the UK for a long time. The most recent change I can remember in my lifetime was just to cut down on light handarms that "hobbyists" use and have to keep in ranges. You imply that relatively recently we went from having lots of guns to not having very many, and that there is a parallel increase in violent crimes.
Not only has this phantom increase in violent crimes not occurred over the timescale that guns have been banned, but it's such a long time any link would be pretty difficult to make. Better reasons for increases in violent crime include such things as farcical "drug wars", real wars (afghanistan & iraq, for example) and a lack of attention on the problem.
/. has said before that it's against security through obscurity though. Security tools should be open for all to see and trouble shoot.
That plan won't fly here.
I've read somewhere that they're very distinctive, and you're more likely to be targetted. Switch 'em out to something black, or behind-the-head headphones or something.
-- My Sig is a P228.
I'm filling the sucker full of lead.
Hey, that's your choice and I respect you for it. Personally, I'd just twist their head off.
The UK murder rates are increasing, BTW (ever since that handgun ban in '97!).
The US murder rates are decreasing.
in that case i suggest carrying around a loaded football fan with you at all times.
Yes I admit we owe you for your support in WW2, especially as it was so timely!
The nice life the French have was bought and paid for with Russian blood and don't kid yourself. The USA lost 500,000 men in the entire war, both in the Pacific and Europe. Russia lost over 13 million against Germany alone.
Likewise the European powers lost over 2 million, not including civillians.
Furthermore, your economy only started to recover from its disasterous nosedive thanks to the start of the war and the corresponding increase in European military spending.
And, as for the level of safety felt by most Londoners. I have lived there all my life and visited New York, and the difference in atmosphere was negligible, both were equally safe in my view, the difference being that I know that the majority of people do not carry guns;
Fewer guns=lower probability of being shot
i find getting stabbed a lot scarier than getting shot. why do you make the assertion that it takes ability to kill with a knife?
try this experiment: Give a marker to a 6 year old and tell him to write on you. I'll bet that you're going to come away with ink on you.
Now imagine how hard it would be to not get stabbed or sliced by an 18 year old punk, who might also have friends with him.
-- My Sig is a P228.
Violent attacks usually start with a clothesline from behind -- you fall on your face, crushing your nose and breaking some teeth. Then you're in so much pain that you can't fight back. This goes for muggings, rapes, and good old-fashioned assaults. But if you can break your fall, you're in a much better position to defend yourself.
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.
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.
But it's almost unnecessary since muggings are nearly unheard of in florida anymore, since 90 percent of the populace can get a concealed carry permit and many CC regularly.
Ironically, the places with the most muggings are the places with the strictest anti-handgun laws. NY, DC, LA, Chicago, Detroit and with SF catching up fast. Oh, oh oh oh and I almost forgot one.... London.
"Shall issue" concealed carry laws are the BEST THING to happen to crime in this country within recent memory. The complete disarmament of law-abiding citizens in the UK is a terrible shame.
Seriously.
What can you do? Camouflaging your equipment isn't going to make the way you handle and treat those items any more inconspicuous.
And trying to fight them off will get you hurt or your equipment damaged.
You can only run, and the faster you are the better.
Either that, or stop carrying so much expensive shit around
your thin skin doesn't make me a troll
As an ex-military person, gun owner, concealed-carry permit holder, martial artist, and computer person
First, I would say that protecting your electronics is not a good reason for carrying a gun. Protecting your life when the electronics you carry puts your life at risk, is a good reason.
IANAL, but this is what I have learned from my gun courses.
The primary reason for carrying a firearm is almost always for self-defense, NOT defense of property. In many of the states in the US it is not acceptable to shoot someone simply because they are robbing you. In most instances there must be a threat of bodily harm and you must be unable to safely remove yourself, back away, or escape from the situation.
When a robber puts a gun/knife to your head and gives you instructions on how not to get hurt, the best solution is usually to comply. However, never "trust" a person who obviously doesn't care about your life. Just because you've handed over your goods does not guarantee that you won't get shot anyway. Escaping or using your firearm at the first opportunity are all viable options.
Regarding martial arts training -
My instructors have said that when defending your life, the primary goal is to neutralize the threat and/or remove yourself from the situation. Handing over material items to gain you that opportunity is totally acceptable.
Although I have trained for using Karate against an armed gun/knife opponent, the techniques are neither simple nor foolproof. One of our black-belts, although he disarmed his attacker and broke the guy's collarbone and wrist, still took a 22 slug in his thigh. To complicate the matter, the criminal later accused him of using excessive force!
That said, the best solution is to always avoid trouble.
The NRA recently opened up their Refuse To Be A Victim! seminars to men too. The seminars "provide participants with the information needed to minimize their chances of criminal attack." And no, they don't push guns as an easy solution. The seminar is inexpensive, and the web site offers some tips to minimize your chances of criminal attack. In London, I would seek out advice from local police stations, women's groups, colleges, and self defense instructors (ie. karate, etc) as to where similar education can be obtained.
And regarding the parent post
I'm pretty sure this has all been said before, but I'll try to put it in one place. This is an issue I think about a fair bit, because I'm a computer science grad student and wannabe photographer. Which is to say that I have some stuff that's worth stealing, but am also broke enough that I'd really miss it.
1. Don't carry valuables in a way that makes them identifiable. For example, don't use computer bags, iPod cases, and whatnot. Get a protective sleeve for your laptop and toss it in an ordinary backpack. Stick your iPod (or, in my case, ancient Rio) in a pocket. A backpack crammed with expensive electronic toys looks the same as one full of books and old tin cans.
2. Don't act or look like a good victim. Carrying yourself properly is a whole discussion in itself, so I won't even really try to cover it.
3. Don't dress or act like you've got money. You should be above status symbols anyway, but if you're not, here's another incentive.
4. Remember that your data's probably worth more than your equipment. Always keep good backups, especially for mobile devices. If your data is sensitive, either keep in encrypted or don't put it on portable devices in the first place.
5. Get insurance. Find out what your homeowner's (or renter's) insurance covers, and fork over the extra for "scheduled item" coverage on your portable valuables. I do a lot of photography, and it's infinitely more relaxing to know that if something happens to my stuff, I don't have to worry. The extra cost is somewhere around a couple % of the insured value anually, and the peace of mind is worth it. Good policies even cover accidental loss and breakage, so you're protected from your own stupidity up to a point.
6. If someone *does* mug you, just give them the damned stuff. It's not worth getting hurt over. If you've done 4 and 5, it won't even be that big a deal. But even if you haven't, it's just stuff.
This will sound a bit nuts, but I went to school in the inner city. I used to get my butt kicked on a regular basis having to go through rough neighborhoods because of the color of my skin.
Then an old man in that neighborhood gave me some good advice:
"Run, never walk. If you're running they'll either be too slow to react to mess with you or they'll think you're running from the cops and don't want anything to do with you"
I tried it, it worked. The same thing is true of any other sketchy place in the world I've been.
It'll get your lazzy hump into shape quick. Not the most practical in dress shoes, but kept my butt from being black and blue.
I always carry my backpack around. From work to home through the subway at uneven hours. I am always alone, and in my pack I got a my digital camera, my mp3 player, sometimes my laptop.
I live in Canada, so I am not allowed to carry weapons (anyways, a small knife is all I'd take if it was legal). But even if I never really felt treathened, I opted for a mace spray in my pockets.
I bought one for my girlfriend too, since she works weekend evenings downtown.
Mace is legal, light, conceilable, cheap and VERY potent. I've seen it at work and it's painful just to look at.
The only thing I fear now is muggers attacking me with mace spray. I seriously fear it more than a knife.
(I hope I just didn't tip some bad guys off here)
We should have been
So much more by now
Too dead inside
To even know the guilt
William S. Burroughs wrote about the way he survived the streets of Tangiers was to become invisible using a trick he learned from a Toledo mobster. I have been practicing this trick for twenty years and it works.
The way to do it is walk slow and make sure you see everyone before they see you. By doing this, you trigger a reflex in others to not see you. I can walk past anyone this way, even people I know who are looking for me. It's wierd how effective it is.
Also, with laptops, the bios is a good way to protect your stuff.
Most laptops bios p/w need to be factory reset. The best one being the IBM's that send a token from the bios to the hard drive. Even if the factory resets the motherboard p/w without getting ahold of you, because the thief is sophisticated enough to replace the chip (unlikely), the hard drive data is still encrypted and un-retrievable.
Finally, guns are for wimps.
If you pull a gun on someone you shouldn't be ready to use it, you use it!
BANG!
End of story... make it a clean kill.
If any moron pulled a gun on me, I'd kill 'em with it.
Like prophet said -- "learn to fight without the corruption of weapons."
1) Backup your data
2) Get Insurance
3) Profit!
Seriously, no matter how depraved the criminal, it comes off as equally as depraved to value your iPod more than a human life -- after all, isn't that what you're ostensibly defending against -- someone who values your iPod more than YOUR life? If it really was your life they were after, that's an even trade, but clearly, what they're after is your stuff, not your life, so taking a life in order to protect your gizmo is the same trade the criminal is making.
Get insurance, take reasonable precautions (like, maybe, don't carry around $6,500 in electro-goodies at 3:30AM in Brixton) and when someone tries to mug you, look at it as an upgrade opportunity. That's what insurance is for and it's cheaper than the lawyer it will take to keep you out of pound-me-in-the-ass-prison when the muggers family sues you for manslaughter.
At the end of the day there's a simple equation: carry around only what you are willing to lose either by accident or by force -- essentially, nothing worth more than you'd be comfortable carrying in your wallet. If it's insured, assume you're carrying your deductible, so $10,000 in stuff is like $500 in cash. When it comes down to $500 or a human life, you'd have to be an absolute barbarian to kill for it.
The comments here so far have concentrated on face-to-face encounters with muggers, but pickpockets are probably a bigger threat in London. If you pull out your wallet, gameboy, PDA, etc on the Tube, sooner or later someone will notice where you stashed it in your bag, get behind you on the escalator, and pilfer it. You will never know. Pickpockets are good at what they do, even some of the most streetwise Londoners I know have been pickpocketed.
Maybe you should get one of those belt chains that were fashionable for wallets a while back, and use them for your PDA and Ipod. Use some superglue and one of those things they use to secure computers to desks if there's no other way to attach it. It won't stop muggers (and if you're too flashy about the chains, it might attract them), but it will stop pickpockets and grab-and-run thieves, including those gypsies that come up to you when you're at a restaurant with some card that explains their sob story (which is just a distraction to pour the objects on the table into their bag).
Everyone I knew in London (myself included) has been a victim of crime there. Chances are, you'll eventually join their ranks.
I don't know about that. You kick a 6 year old in the throat as he's coming towards you he's gonna drop pretty hard. Then you draw a moustache on him with the marker.
And maybe some funny eyebrows.
Don't go south of the river. Don't go outside zone 1. If you must go outside zone one, don't take more than you can sprint with
"The first thing to do when you find yourself in a hole is stop digging."
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)
The thread has turned into a primer on gun control - but lets stick with geek stuff.
5
First - the machine. A tip - if you have DSL or cable at home, DON'T bring it. Set up with GOTOMYPC or something of the ilk, and simply session into your home machine from where you are going. For some, this is not reasonable, they are going to sit in a cafe or what have you. But for many, consider using a remote session.
Music - there are wireless headsets like the ones you might see at http://www.gadgetcentral.com/wm-we01_intro.html
Wear them. Put the unit in a pants pocket or jacket pocket completely from view.
Take a look at the latest in color blackberries and others. I saw a guy who had what I thought was this unit:
http://www.pdagold.com/articles/detail.asp?a=15
He had a pull out, snap together chicklet keyboard - and the thing had 802.11b wireless and he had an adapter to direct the display to an overhead projector that was in the office. It was brilliant, he hopped on the wireless network and had a 800x600 display of a remote computer via WTS in moments - with stuff he carried in his jacket pocket.
Aikido. Let's face it, you're a geek, so:
-you're out of shape.
-you've got carpal tunnel.
-you're scared of people bigger than you.
Aikido will take care of all of those.
[o]_O
"The dummy brought a briefcase to a knife fight. Lucky me, it was metal and the blood was easy to wipe off."
As a man who's carried a diaper bag before, I would think it highly odd that a person would carry such a bag without a small child nearby. Presumably a mugger, along with the rest of society, would find it unusual also. But if you think it'll deter muggers, go ahead. For extra effect, peek inside the bag every once in a while and say, "Don't worry, honey, it'll just be a bit longer and I can let you out", that would deter a mugger.
>All of this is pure bullshit.
Researchers have shown videos of people walking on the street to imprisoned muggers. The researchers asked each mugger which pedestrian he would pick as a target.
The muggers's answers were almost perfectly correlated. Like any predator they begin by sizing up their target. Like any businessman they want transactions to go smoothly. They will target people who are unaware of their surroundings and likely to freeze like a deer in the headlights.
TWO MAJOR RULES
1. Try to avoid the fringes of populated areas. The middle of a crowd is full of witnesses and obstacles. The deserted area far outside a crowd doesn't have enough targets. Muggers will cluster in that in-between zone.
2. If you get an irrational feeling of danger, for no perceptible or logical reason, ACT ON IT. Your mind does tons of processing outside your conscious awareness. Don't stay in a situation because you "know" it's OK if your instincts tell you otherwise.
Over and over, victims of violent crime report that they felt uneasy or had a hunch something was wrong before they were attacked. Those feelings come from a security mechanism with hundreds of millions of years of R&D behind it. Honor that mechanism.
If you're out with a significant other, make a deal ahead of time that if either of you whispers "we need to leave here *now*" you'll zip out with no discussion.
Remove the tape from the middle of your glasses.
My
Limekiller
.. you discover that you're a fat, balding computer geek who get's out of breath when climbing the stairs! The mind might be willing but the body sure as hell won't! :-)
- Move to a safer neighbourhood
- Don't carry all my stuff around with me
Just a thoughtI 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...
Are you sure it's not the BO they're avoiding?
;)
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,
Most people only seem to consider two options- 1) Blow muggers head off 2) Give them your cash
Heres my advice.
The first thing to do when walking in bad areas late at night is to strut. Get yourself into the frame of mind of "I'm a sex God", and try and act like it. If you can pull it off, most men will become subservient to you. (... and woman will see this and find you attractive, regardless of how ugly you are).
This works because you are essentially conveying the message that you are an Alpha Male, and has a huge low level psychological effect on other men. You can't fake this (as it relies on many subtle things like pheremones), but if you can get yourself into the right frame of mind it works. (Not to mention woman will start to chat YOU up)
Chances are, most slashdot geeks have been on the receiving end of it, so you know how it affects you physically and psychologically . (In my case it helps that I'm 6'5 and work out at the gym).
As a plan B, I carry a fake wallet around with about $10 in it and some old expired credit cards etc. Since I carry nothing else of value on me (Except my Nokia 3315, which is only worth $AU99), I can just throw the wallet a few metres away (to distract them) and run. Both partys win.
Lemme see if I've got this right.
You are more offended at the idea that the parent assumed that most geeks were white than you are at the idea that by darkening one's skin, one would be less likely to be a victim?
Bizarro.
Maybe this'll help you sleep at night: the short answer to your question is, "yes, the vast majority geeks are Caucasian (which includes Indians) or Asian; there are very few black geeks (relatively speaking)." There are also very few female geeks (relatively speaking) but you don't hear the girls crying every time someone refers to some imagined (geeks == male) tautology.
I constantly look everywhere while I walk. I started doing this when I realized I get really bored. Keeps my occupied. The sneakiness is really funny too. I see everyone before they see me. I've walked past someone who was "in" the door of an elevator, pushed my button, they turned around, saw me, and nearly had a heart attack. They said "Where the fuck did you come from!"
What's weird is that I can't really sneak up on someone when I want too... It only happens when I'm not actively trying.
That's right. All your base.
I would never, ever consider moving somewhere where I couldn't. It just demonstrates a government's utter contempt for its citizenry. I guess we'll never be neighbors.
Actually, it demonstrates the British government's utter consideration it has for its citizens. Neither you, nor you gun, will ever move to London.
And when your nearest major city can get its gun related murders in a week down to England's yearly total for the whole country, then the English might start to believe the claims that a prevalence of firearms make the place safer.
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
I found that wearing a dirty shrunken wool jacket I got from goodwill, carrying extra bags, and yelling at people that wearen't there was a great way to avoid getting mugged.
I found that dressing like a biker scumbag, getting some tatoos, growing a goatee and copping an attitude was a great way to avoid being mugged because most people won't mess around with a biker.... except other bikers. Then the real bikers started picking on me and beat me up just because they thought it was fun to do. However, they didn't mug me.
Our society is WAY too tolerant of bad guys. We are taught to lay down everything in the face of thugs for insurance purposes. Just think if more people on th 9/11 flights were willing to fight instead of laying down like lambs to the slaughter.
The fact that people are EASY to rob encourages more people to become robbers. When robbers expect to be beat up half the time, they'll stop robbing.
-------- -------- Support Wesley Clark for president!!!
There isn't a damn thing I own worth being shot or stabbed over.
How about your self respect? While I concur that none of my material possessions are worth my life, my self respect is more than worth my life. It's worth any mugger's life as well. I have a gun permit and thankfully I have not had to use any of my guns for self defense, I would not hesitate to do so if my life were in danger.
LK
"Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
Here's something from your link :
Criminologists believe that a note of caution needs to be introduced into analysis of the data, because of the different ways in which UN member countries record crimes.
So FWIW, this study is not worth much.
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!!!
Policeman dying in the US may be a common occurance, when one considers the vast SIZE of the US, but when you view individual areas of the US, you get a whole different story.
The area where I live is not a bustling population center, but it has a fairly large population, and as such, a fairly large police population. In the past, I'd say, six or eight years, five officers have been killed in the line of duty. Two were gunned down while serving a warrant on a drug lab and three shot to death while investigating a car that turned out to have been involved in a robbery.
Not only did these killings make the front page of all the papers, and become the primary stories on the evening news, but they STAYED front page/top story material for about three days, and even after were not far from the spotlight as the killers were found and brought into custody. The community mourned the loss, and even helped to search for the suspects, helped to provide money to one of the widows, etc.
Similarly (sp?), in the same six or eight years, there have been, all told, perhaps 10 homicides, and only about 12 very violent assaults. Violent crime simply does not occur with all that frequency. I live less than three hours drive from several major East Coast cities, and there's plenty of traffic from all of them through my area, so it's not as though we're isolated here, and free from criminal activity; drugs, theft and vandalism are big problems, particularly drugs, as the location makes the area a crossroads for transporting things all through the area.
When taken as a whole, yes, the United States is rife with violent crime, but when considered per capita, I highly doubt that it's as severe a problem as you seem to think.
The criminal, by definition, has already decided that. By violating the laws of the society in which he lives, the criminal has decided that those laws are of no value. Those laws are what codify the value of life in that society. Those laws could protect him, too, but if he chooses to act outside of those laws, then that protection is forfeited (IMHO). Your statement seems to imply that it's OK for someone to go through life feeling victimized. [Sob..sniffle..sob]
And spare me the granola-crunching b.s. about how *all* life everywhere is valuable -- go tell it to the Chinese, whose troops fired on unarmed kids in Tienamien Square, and whose policy is to off babies as they're being born when their parents exceed some gov't quota.
Remember, this isn't about the 19-year-old who gets caught sipping a beer in a place where the drinking age is 21. We're talking about violent criminals here.
Guns are so C20th
Here is an idea: take all the money you would spend on the gun and training and administration and spend it on some insurance. Then IF you get mugged you get to say "here you go, enjoy the ipod, I really like the 1st track on the third album, have a nice day" and then upgrade all your gear, your laptop will be 25% faster, larger and generally better and all the crap you have been meaning to delete of the HDD for months will be gone.
It all depends on physique and disposition. Though I'd rather ANYBODY fight back. If you give over your money, they might want EVEN MORE after that. This is especially relevant for women.
The fundamental quality of ALL predators is that they're all effectively cowards. They are seeking the person LEAST likely to fight back. Most will stop their hunt if you show that you're not easy prey.
So you must show that your not CONCERNED about your personal health. This is their edge. They will hurt you. Crazy people don't care about their health and will do anything. This doesn't fit their idea of a nice clean robbery.
A wasp will not kill you, but you don't go out of your way to handle wasps. The STING is enough.
The exception to this is real professional criminals. But these folks will do WHATEVER they are paid to do irregardless of wether you fight back.
So, you might as well fight back and lower the chances of not becoming a statistic. If you're injured
I can tell you, if someone tries to rob me, one of us is going to leave severely injured. I walk with that intention. And it's likely people see that in my face.
Finally, I'll leave you with the illusion from the Book of Five Rings. The man literally woke up every morning EXPECTING that he was going to die. That is how he freed himself. He had already let go of the Earth. He could commit himself to combat fully without fearing to lose his life.
On a long enough timeline EVERYONE's survival rate drops to ZERO!!! We are all going to die. The question is
-------- -------- Support Wesley Clark for president!!!
What you want to do is to carry all your gadgets in a diaper bag. Yes, I'm serious. This is a time-tested technique. Nobody wants to steal a baby-blue or pink cute little bag full of shit.
Not only will muggers avoid you, so will the chicks!
-- If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? - Uli's moose
I know this is really REALLY buried in the thread now, but nobody in NYC seems to be afraid of showing off their tech. EVERYWHERE you look you see the white ipod headphones.
Even better.. I was riding the 7 train home from Grand Central on Thursday and I saw a guy carrying a 17" powerbook closed under his arm like a notebook. He had headphones plugged in and was listening to it I think.
Talk about a big walkman. It's funny... nobody really worries about being mugged in most of NYC anymore.
The amount of times where the criminal has actually sued like this is huge. The informal advice was shooting to kill is cheaper because dead people can't sue you. At least not where I came from (at the time I left anyway).
Point of interest: According to a conversation I overheard between a cop and a regular citizen in Australia, there a cop can only pull his gun from its holster if he intends to fire it and MUST shoot to kill, not wound. I believe it is to make sure criminals know exactly where they stand and to stop police using a gun for harassment/intimidation purposes. If a holster seal is broken, there is a LOT of paperwork.
Any Aussie cops like to verify/clarify?
The man with no surname and a silly hat
On the universe: It's bunk.
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?
If more States would give back the rights of its citizens to bare arms this would no longer be a topic of discussion as the thought of a crime like this would be so remote. Instead of looking at it as a problem needing to be solved your simply looking at how not to be the victim. It's cowardice in its rawest form. Seeing posts like this were some coward is just looking for ways to save his own butt makes me feel sad for those who came before him to secure his right to walk down the street without fear. For this is the man who instead of fighting to maintain that right cowers to the minute criminal element in this country just as so many conservatives cower to the emotional thinking of the liberal initiatives who rather than thinking through problems simply feel their way trough them.
I'm about 6', 250 lbs.
:)
:)
I've only been 'mugged' once; chased the guy for 3 miles, opened a can of whoop-ass, and performed a gen-yoo-wine citizen's arrest. (the 5-Oh actually charged the guy with resisting arrest for running from me
So my advice is, be large, shave your head, and try to look mean
FYI....
Most British Police don't even have gun licenses. Some British police form Armed Response Units. They obviously have guns but the only place they are publicly visible is airports. No British foot police patrol our cities with guns. The Armed Response Teams are trained for just that and I'm sure they don't leave weapons in their car which sounds really insecure.
Armed response teams used to set off from police stations as required. Nowadays I think there are armed response teams driving around the capital in vans. They don't come out of their vans unless an armed response is actually needed - they are just there to make the response quicker. Police in a regular patrol car won't have guns.
As far as I'm concerned there's no good reason for anyone to have a gun in town. Or a pistol anywhere.
I am British, lived there most of my life.
A friend had his iPAQ lifted from a fancy backpack whilst riding on a crowded bus. Mostly because all those external pockets are so easy to open up without being noticed (compared to rummaging through all the other junk in the typical back pack).
Because he had marked the iPAQ with his name and other distinguishing features, and because he took the time to visit a few pawn shops, he was able to get his iPAQ back and the guy who stole it even got busted for it.
Xix.
"Everything is adjustable, provided you have the right tools"
You may improve it by putting a "Radioactive Material" or "Biohazard" sticker on the metal briefcase. A tested side effect is having more space around you in public transportation.
I predict (well, I don't, but it is a fun idea) that once we have ubiquitous, low-cost high-speed networks the problem will be solved by re-architecting consumer devices into two parts.
The intelligence and the guts of the device will stay at home, plugged into a docking station. You will carry the equivalent of a thin client - uniquely keyed to the the back-end which provides UI functionality only.
Someone steals your iiPod ? no use to them, the music is streaming from home and the bit you are carrying only costs $50 and is useless without the other part.
Going somewhere without the magic network? The two parts snap together, but the likelihood is that the places *with* the network will be the places (urban, high density) where you are most likely to be mugged.
We've already seen similar innovation in car radio market where the little coded front panel pops off.
OK, so it probably won't happen, but hey its a solution in the true Slashdot spirit n'est pas?
...they don't treat relationships like games...
Damn straight, I treat mine like SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS.
I wonder how she'll react if I eat the spider instead of smiting it?
Today I'll find out why she doesn't put some clothing items into the dryer.
I wonder what happens if I slip a Jolly Rancher in there while I'm eating her out, will she even notice?
"Sometimes, I think Trent just needs a cup of hot chocolate and a blankie." -Tori Amos on Nine Inch Nails
Yeah. I find it a bit odd that women are so calculating about dating. To often even women you're close to will judge you by how much money you make. It really bothers me actually. I don't care if I'm making a lot or a little.. I don't want my work life and my income to define who I am or my relationships. Funny me for wanting to base relationships off love and respect.
The effectiveness of flashing cash to pick up girls makes me wonder why prostitution is illegal. If a woman only goes out with you because you have money how is that any better than trading sex for cash?
At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
Couple of anecdotes:
1) Got mugged when 16. Lost my jacket, watch and assorted to some bastards who followed me on the tram. Didn't recognize the danger signs. Now I see them (see 4).
2) On a couple of occasions, thugs have come up to me to beat me up (on principle). On most of the occasions, they end up my 'friends' as in they left me alone after inviting for a drink/conversation. I basically learned the gift of gab and changed their perception of me. If they thought I was a rich snob, I told them I hate my boss and life. If they thought I was from a certain town, part of town, I told them I was from somewhere completely else. If they wanted to hit me on principle, I told them a sad story about my girlfriend dumping me and my grandfather's dog dying. I only got the crap kicked out of me on one occasion, when I didn't have the time to talk.
3) After being beaten up, I got a telescoping baton. It is some scary shit and legal in many places. I got to use it a month after buying it. I was drinking in a park at night with friends. There were 4 of us. Suddenly two guys with stockings on their heads and a gun and a knife appeared and said "Your cellphones and your money". One second later, my stick was out and I was smacking the guy with the gun. Stupid. But I broke his arm. He ran off shouting that I was a fag. After getting his ass kicked and the stocking ripped from his head (I hit him a couple of times).
4) A while ago, I was walking around with my baton, chatting on my phone. Noticed some guys walking around after me. Tried to lose them. Unsucessfully. They surrounded me and told me to give them my phone. I said "No!" and ran shouting crazy talk. They didn't follow. If I had the baton I would have beat the shit out of them.
5) After that incident I haven't had much shit apart from a couple of situations in clubs or bars where some guy tried to go after my girl. I stare them down and tell them to go away. I'm not really scared.
Don't be scared. Don't make yourself into a hobo (do you really want your fear to change your appearance and lifestyle). Walk around like you belong somewhere. If accosted, talk back. If you've got protection, use it. If you don't, run. If you can't, give it up.
When I start to get approached by some thugs I'll call out "Hey, you got a dollar?" They usually get an annoyed look on their face and keep walking. It really works well with bums too. I had one even come up and hug me one time because he felt bad for me, lol
> BTW, all cops, everywhere that I know
This just begs for a response. 'Everywhere that I know' happens to also include that part of the world thats not inside the USA (yet) ?
If it is then you are absolutely and completely wrong.
In quite a few places in Europe, icluding the part where I happen to live (the Netherlands), police is taught to shoot to kill ONLY if they had no other options whatsoever, and are taught to STOP what is going on usign the least amount of force possible.
Incidentely (check the CIA world fact book on it if you like) we also have:
1. less people killed in general
2. less people killed by police use of violence
3. less policemen killed by violence
4. less robbery with use of violence
5. lower crime rate in general then the USA.
And yes, we also have banned weapons from daily life, tho it is very well possible to have one for sports or hunting.
Interestingly, Spain follows a lot closer the rules as they are in the USA, and also turns out having by far the highest rate of violent robberies and people gettign killed by violence of all of western EUrope (actually, only Poland and some parts of eastern EUrope come close to it, and don't surpass it yet)
The point is that there is a statistical relationship between amount of violence and how a society deals with weapons.
That relation nowhere shows that places that have weapons readily available to civilians are safer, rather, it shows the exact opposite.
You may feel safer havign your conceiled gun permit, but realize it is tjust that, you FEEL safer, in fact you are not.
I again suggest reading up a bit on the numbers, the CIA factbook is a nice patriotic source for the Americans among you who say this is all just the bs from the anti-gun lobby.
Im a black belt in Tukong Musel TyKuanDo, and Fifth Do in Akido... I know 3 weapons very well, knife and club defense, and carry a 5.5 ft chain with an 3 oz steal ball at the end... when used right it forms a forcefield of spinning death arround me.
:)
Of course, if this is too much movement for you, you can always download Kung Fu into your brain
The Code Ninja is swift with his tool, precise in his delivery, and deadly accurate in his execution.
Obligatory Simpsons quote:
"Bart: Um, that's a spoon.
Australian guy: Ah, I can see you've played knifey-spoony before!"
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.
My girlfriend tells me about the "crazy harmonica guy" who rides the same train as she does coming back from work. (She's not really sure where he's going or why, but SHE is returning from work at least.) He sits down, or stands, as circumstances dictate, but as soon as he is settled in, he pulls out a harmonica...
and plays ONE NOTE. Polishes it, puts it away. Fifteen seconds later, he pulls it back out, plays two or three notes, looks thoughtful, and puts it away again. Repeat ad infinitum. At no point does he actually play a recognizable melody, or even more than a handful of notes, nor does he sound like he's practicing a particular technique, such as draw bends.
Nobody ever speaks to this guy, let alone gives him any trouble. If anyone looks him straight in the eyes, out comes the harmonica, and he plays his few notes as if he were laying a curse on the one looking at him.
Mal-2
How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.
Slashdot has never had, nor will it ever need, an article on "How to Avoid Women".
The enemies of Democracy are
I've been in some of the dirtholes of the US. The Mission in San Fran after midnight, down N street in DC getting lost after a show at the old 930, Alphabet city in NYC (best noodle shops), Hollywood (lived there), The Combat Zone (okay, that's not so bad anymore) and I've never been close to mugged. The worst is some guy tried to pick me up off the street.
The secret? Be aware of what's going on around you, who's around you and walk with confidence.
Toys aren't what attract a mugger. It's ease of target. Plus toys aren't what a mugger really wants most of the time unless you have something they really want. It's cash. Your $2k laptop is worth much less hot. Cash is always worth cash.
Darthtuttle
Thought Architect
I've heard similar from a friend about an indivual who was dressed in mail for an SCA meet or something similar. Walked into a 7-11 and grabbed some munchies, while the teller and other customer are looking a bit nervous. Walks up to make his order, and feels a bump from the guy beside him. Guy beside him screams, and runs out the door.
The tell is like "That's weird, that guy was holding the place up. Give me a moment while I call the cops." So the cops come, and ask buddy about the object stuck in his side. He's was a little amazed to find a knife which had been jabbed into his side, but stuck in the armour without coming near flesh.
I think chainmail should become standard equipment for late-night Sev drop-ins.
There is a connection between poverty and crime. In many cases, mugging people is a rational choice (in economic sense, that is!).
And if you still get mugged, give all you have.
Muggers are looking for an easy target. Don't be one.
Knives and guns have deterrence value, but do you really want to get into a knife fight or a gunfight? No thanks.
If you're concerned about crime, honestly, an attack trained dog works quite well (Hard to take it work with you, or on the subway, etc.).
Pro:
One: Oddly enough, a lot of criminals who are not afraid of being shot or stabbed have serious reservations against being bitten. Must be the mouth full of sharp teeth and intimidating appearance.
Two: Unlike a knife or a gun, it's next to impossible for a criminal to take the dog and use it against you. Really.
Con:
One: Insurance. Having an attack trained dog can prevent you from having home owners insurance due to liability concerns. Ditto for certain breeds. Shop around for an insurance provider that doesn't descriminate.
Two: Lawsuits. Having an attack trained dog can give you more grief than shooting the bastard if the dog is used to defend yourself. Best not to admit that the dog is attack trained (train it yourself or pay for training in cash). Memorize the following: "The dog was defending me against a perceived threat. Who knew that Fluffy, my loving Rottweiler, would chew his nuts off?"
The best bet is to not look like a victim. The dog is great deterence, though. Nasty looking folks part like the Red Sea when my wife and I are walking with our Doberman and Rottweiler. Friendliest dogs you would ever meet, but they don't know that.
Switzerland is not really a fair comparison. Rifles are used much less often than handguns to commit crimes because they're not concealable. Handgun ownership is still very low. However, having strict gun control laws doesn't make them all peaceniks. If anything, Europe has more people than the US trained in firearms because of the mandatory military service in many countries.