Avoiding Pickpockets in Europe?

#51
Herb Stoner said:
I had company apartments in Prague and Lugano, Switzerland. The latter was one of the coolest places I've been and totally off the radar screen for most from the US. (Most Americans go to Como and turn around - missing amazing places less than 20-30 minutes away.)

My company had operations in / near Paris, London, Peterborough, Napoli, Turin, Karlsruhe, Basel, Warsaw, and a couple of other places where I spent a fair amount of time. Prior to that I did a couple of stints in Tel Aviv consulting for Israeli banks - great place!
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Both Prague and Lugano are great. We were in Prague this last January. Met a Hungarian couple at the Christmas market that were on their way to Amsterdam from Budapest and we had a few drinks and socialized with them. Great fun.

Lugano is gorgeous. Palm trees in Switzerland ? Who'da thunk it. Our favorite thing to do is get some wine, snacks and all day passes for the Swiss ferry boats and ride around the lake all day.

If you haven't done so already, you should ride the "FART" (train) from Locarno to Domadossola. It's a pretty "quaint" train and it takes you through some beautiful scenery and rustic Italian villages before dropping down into the valley where Domodossola lies.

I'm mostly an Alps/mountain kind of person. But if I had to live in a city, it'd be Luzern. The other big Swiss cities don't do much for me, other than perhaps, Zurich.
 
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#54
diggler1833 said:
Italy was one of the worst experiences for me as well. Everyone wanted to 'help' you do the most basic thing... then they all held out their hand and stated that they "worked for tips". The history was cool, but the culture didn't allow the juice to be worth the squeeze. I'm sure we have cities here like that too though (can only imagine an Anglo-Saxon tourist in Atlanta).

Only the street peddlers in Cartagena were worse.
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I had an experience like that, arriving at Denpasar Intl. Airport, Bali, Indonesia. You arrive at almost Midnight from Guam after a 5 hr flight. Totally exhausted. . You survive Immigration, and the inbound security x-ray of your carry-ons.. You then go down to baggage claim, (before Customs), and you find that an airport "Porter" has already collected your baggage and put it on a cart for you. They keep control of the cart. Before you can argue with them, they tell you they are there to help you through the process, because they know you are "tired." It seems OK because they are helping you negotiate the Customs station, which is immediately next to and in view of baggage claim area (more on this later).

After Customs, they then take you over to the "Currency Exchange." And the problem there is, you're so tired, you don't see that the exchanger is giving you a small number of very high value bills (i.e. "Benjamins") as opposed to maybe some smaller $1.00 or $5.00 equivalent bills). You walk away, and that's when the Porter, (still in control of your baggage), hits you up for a tip.

Now, you could very easily wrest control of your baggage from the porter immediately as you arrive at baggage claim. It's your baggage, after all and you have the claim checks for it affixed to your ticket (hopefully). The problem being, as I said above, the Customs station is immediately adjacent to and in view of baggage claim. If you take back your baggage from the porter before going through Customs, the porter can signal the Customs officer to give you a "hard time" as you go through. Lessons learned: Have some smaller Rupiah (Indonesian Currency) bills already with you before you arrive. Otherwise, you'll be giving that porter 10 times what they should be getting for their service.

And, it doesn't stop there. When you arrive back at the airport for your return flight home, the porters are there at the check in area ready to take your checked baggage from you to send it through security scans, etc.

Not this time, dude! :mad:
 
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#57
Atomic_Lobster said:
I avoid pickpockets in Europe by not going there
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I would, as well, but there is a bit of shopping I need to do there that I can't do, elsewhere. Things they make there but they never export. If there were a "buying service" that bought the things I need and then ship it to me, that would be great. I'd pay all the expenses that service incurs. It has to be way cheaper than flying all the way there and back, just to pick up a few items.

Sadly, no such service exists, I believe. :(
 
#64
Threadcutter308 said:
I live in the suburbs of seattle. I'd rather go anywhere in most Western European cities than I would most major American cities. It ain't that bad.
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True that , its generaly quite safe but , pickpockets are a feature of popular turist destinations and turists are prime targets. But some common sense its all you need.


Italy robberies, 97 per 100,000 people;
Ireland had 58 per 100,000,
England and Wales had 89 robberies per 100,000.
Robbery in the U.S. remains much higher, including, again, in states including Nevada (217.5), Indiana (107), Maryland (164), New York (120) and Texas (116).
In D.C., that number is an astonishing 556 robberies per 100,000 people.*

2025-08-05_21h07_52.png
 
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#65
Mr.BR said:
True that , its generaly quite safe but , pickpockets are a feature of popular turist destinations and turists are prime targets. But some common sense its all you need.


Italy robberies, 97 per 100,000 people;
Ireland had 58 per 100,000,
England and Wales had 89 robberies per 100,000.
Robbery in the U.S. remains much higher, including, again, in states including Nevada (217.5), Indiana (107), Maryland (164), New York (120) and Texas (116).
In D.C., that number is an astonishing 556 robberies per 100,000 people.*

View attachment 8741778
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Yeah, it's just not that big of a deal. Have been to Europe at least 30 times and I've never been nicked. There's always a first time for everything, but it hasn't happened yet.

Not a big fan of central and Southern Italy. Was in the Milan train station and the hair was standing up on the back of my neck re; scammers and pickpockets. And, I was standing right next to a couple of Cops. Couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Have spent time in Northern Italy/Sud Tirol and feel perfectly safe there.
 
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#66
Threadcutter308 said:
Yeah, it's just not that big of a deal. Have been to Europe at least 30 times and I've never been nicked. There's always a first time for everything, but it hasn't happened yet.

Not a big fan of central and Southern Italy. Was in the Milan train station and the hair was standing up on the back of my neck re; scammers and pickpockets. And, I was standing right next to a couple of Cops. Couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Have spent time in Northern Italy/Sud Tirol and feel perfectly safe there.
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For me, the problem area was the French Riviera (Cannes). From the moment I stepped off the train (On a Fri. evening) I was being harassed by the locals hanging out the Taxi Stand. I guess I didn't yet know the rules on how not to dress like a tourist. That, and all the 2 weeks worth of baggage I had to haul around. Thankfully, I found a nice cab driver who took me straight to my hotel. I remember there being a "yellow jacket" nest right outside the entrance. Ugggghhh. But, as I walked around the next morning trying to snap some pics (which I should never have done), it was clear they did not want me there. First, the morning (7-9a local time) is when the "seniors" Come out to enjoy the "topless" beaches.......) :eek: Trust me, it got better around 2p when the young ones came out. But I truly found it difficult to find a place to eat lunch. Almost all the restaurants told me immediately, they were "closed" (even with a full crowd in the place). Thankfully, I found a small place where the guy was willing to seat me, if I could just get past his GSD that kept coming up to me, wanting to eat me alive. Even the carousel in the middle of the plaza was being guarded by French National Police and you had to show ID to get near it. Wasn't worth it. Didn't bother.

I left Cannes Sun. Morning on the train to Rome and was glad I was outta there.
 
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#67
Threadcutter308 said:
Yeah, it's just not that big of a deal. Have been to Europe at least 30 times and I've never been nicked. There's always a first time for everything, but it hasn't happened yet.

Not a big fan of central and Southern Italy. Was in the Milan train station and the hair was standing up on the back of my neck re; scammers and pickpockets. And, I was standing right next to a couple of Cops. Couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Have spent time in Northern Italy/Sud Tirol and feel perfectly safe there.
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I have spent some time in Europe for work and family and I have never had an issue. With that, I also don't do dumb stuff.
 
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#69
Fx51LP308 said:
Define "dumb stuff" please. :unsure:
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Like falling for the honeypot in NOLA and expecting to not wake up off of the main street in an alley way in New Orleans naked. We sent a van to recover the poor British Soldier that experienced that one once the NOLA PD contacted us.

Stay in public areas, be aware of your surroundings, it is easy to tell if you are in a shitty section of town (if you can't figure it out, you really can't be helped and I need some money from you for my Nigerian Prince friend).
 
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#70
stefan73 said:
Like falling for the honeypot in NOLA and expecting to not wake up off of the main street in an alley way in New Orleans naked. We sent a van to recover the poor British Soldier that experienced that one once the NOLA PD contacted us.

Stay in public areas, be aware of your surroundings, it is easy to tell if you are in a shitty section of town (if you can't figure it out, you really can't be helped and I need some money from you for my Nigerian Prince friend).
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Ah. Gotcha.

I had a rather interesting NOLA experience myself. My first travel there. It was for Microsoft "Tech Ed" 1995. (i.e. "Before" Katrina). Once I checked into the HIlton on the Riverwalk, I went out there for the first time. All the music and stores got to me, I guess. It was very hot, and I was sweating like a pig.

Thankfully, the nice little "slushie" station on the walk caught my eye. I walked over and saw the different flavors, etc., and I saw an "Ice tea." Wow, I thought. "Just what I need to quench my thirst." I ordered an Ice tea "slushie."

A "Long Island..." Ice Tea slushie..... :eek:

Yup, it was a "Frozen Daiquiri" bar. There are a ton of them all over the French Quarter. I didn't really think about it because I assumed that I'd be "carded" if alcohol was being served. I wasn't that old/grey/fat yet. Nope. The server just plopped it right in front of me and took my money.

About a half hour later, and after walking on the outer walk itself for a bit, I sat down on a bench and started to feel the effects,. Of course, having never even been "tipsy" in public, I didn't recognize the symptoms. I thought I was actually being sick (ie. Heat Exhaustion). Thankfully, I managed to get back to my hotel room (nearby) and plopped down on the bed for what turned out to be a 3 hours sleep off.

When I awoke, It was 1hr until my dinner reservation, but I was sober. again. The large slushie cup was still on the table., but melted. Before I threw it away, I was able to recognize the smell of the alcohol in use (definitely Vodka and some others). And then it hit me. Needless to say, I never got one of those "ice teas" again!
 
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#72
Fx51LP308 said:
Ah. Gotcha.

I had a rather interesting NOLA experience myself. My first travel there. It was for Microsoft "Tech Ed" 1995. (i.e. "Before" Katrina). Once I checked into the HIlton on the Riverwalk, I went out there for the first time. All the music and stores got to me, I guess. It was very hot, and I was sweating like a pig.

Thankfully, the nice little "slushie" station on the walk caught my eye. I walked over and saw the different flavors, etc., and I saw an "Ice tea." Wow, I thought. "Just what I need to quench my thirst." I ordered an Ice tea "slushie."

A "Long Island..." Ice Tea slushie..... :eek:

Yup, it was a "Frozen Daiquiri" bar. There are a ton of them all over the French Quarter. I didn't really think about it because I assumed that I'd be "carded" if alcohol was being served. I wasn't that old/grey/fat yet. Nope. The server just plopped it right in front of me and took my money.

About a half hour later, and after walking on the outer walk itself for a bit, I sat down on a bench and started to feel the effects,. Of course, having never even been "tipsy" in public, I didn't recognize the symptoms. I thought I was actually being sick (ie. Heat Exhaustion). Thankfully, I managed to get back to my hotel room (nearby) and plopped down on the bed for what turned out to be a 3 hours sleep off.

When I awoke, It was 1hr until my dinner reservation, but I was sober. again. The large slushie cup was still on the table., but melted. Before I threw it away, I was able to recognize the smell of the alcohol in use (definitely Vodka and some others). And then it hit me. Needless to say, I never got one of those "ice teas" again!
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NOLA is a wild place. I felt bad for that young Soldier, luckily his rear end was intact and not sore. It was a pain for them to get the passport and everything straightened out. Lots and lots of paperwork! I am not sure what was slipped into his drink, I never got to see the report following the incident. I did warn then about the "honey pot".
 
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