how paranoid should one really be?
 

After reading a bunch of travel web pages, I decided to arm myself with
one of these expensive "slash proof" backpacks. Personally, I think
it's beyond paranoid, but so many people say that they've had their
backpacks or bags taken from them in seconds by someone walking by with
a knife and yanking on the strap. I also got a slash-proof camera strap.

The places I'm traveling are Hamburg (and surrounding areas), up through
Denmark to Copenhagen, Latvia (Riga and Daugavpils) and a one day
lay-over (no pun intended) in Amsterdam.

I decided that the cost of the backpack was easily outweighed by the
replacement costs of the contents it will be carrying. What's the
general consensus around here? How paranoid should one really be?

Regards,
Bruce

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

Bruce Dumes <[email protected]> wrote:

> After reading a bunch of travel web pages, I decided to arm myself with
> one of these expensive "slash proof" backpacks. Personally, I think
> it's beyond paranoid, but so many people say that they've had their
> backpacks or bags taken from them in seconds by someone walking by with
> a knife and yanking on the strap. I also got a slash-proof camera strap.
>
> The places I'm traveling are Hamburg (and surrounding areas), up through
> Denmark to Copenhagen, Latvia (Riga and Daugavpils) and a one day
> lay-over (no pun intended) in Amsterdam.
>
> I decided that the cost of the backpack was easily outweighed by the
> replacement costs of the contents it will be carrying. What's the
> general consensus around here? How paranoid should one really be?

I think you're being too paranoid. Mild vigilance will be all you need
with a normal backpack. Besides, the cities you mentioned don't have a
particularly bad reputation for crime...

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website
"Abominable, loyal, blind, apparently subservient."
Pres. Carter on Ex-Pres. Blair- May, 2007

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

On Aug 8, 3:21 pm, Bruce Dumes <[email protected]> wrote:
> After reading a bunch of travel web pages, I decided to arm myself with
> one of these expensive "slash proof" backpacks. Personally, I think
> it's beyond paranoid, but so many people say that they've had their
> backpacks or bags taken from them in seconds by someone walking by with
> a knife and yanking on the strap. I also got a slash-proof camera strap.
>
> The places I'm traveling are Hamburg (and surrounding areas), up through
> Denmark to Copenhagen, Latvia (Riga and Daugavpils) and a one day
> lay-over (no pun intended) in Amsterdam.
>
> I decided that the cost of the backpack was easily outweighed by the
> replacement costs of the contents it will be carrying. What's the
> general consensus around here? How paranoid should one really be?
>
> Regards,
> Bruce


Someone comes up to me with a knife that's sharp enough to slash the
straps to my backpack? They can have the pack. I don't want anyone
to slash me. Just be careful and don't store all your money and
credit cards in one place. Make sure you have a photo of your
passport.

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

PeterL <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Aug 8, 3:21 pm, Bruce Dumes <[email protected]> wrote:
> > After reading a bunch of travel web pages, I decided to arm myself with
> > one of these expensive "slash proof" backpacks. Personally, I think
> > it's beyond paranoid, but so many people say that they've had their
> > backpacks or bags taken from them in seconds by someone walking by with
> > a knife and yanking on the strap. I also got a slash-proof camera strap.
> >
> > The places I'm traveling are Hamburg (and surrounding areas), up through
> > Denmark to Copenhagen, Latvia (Riga and Daugavpils) and a one day
> > lay-over (no pun intended) in Amsterdam.
> >
> > I decided that the cost of the backpack was easily outweighed by the
> > replacement costs of the contents it will be carrying. What's the
> > general consensus around here? How paranoid should one really be?
> >
> > Regards,
> > Bruce
>
>
> Someone comes up to me with a knife that's sharp enough to slash the
> straps to my backpack? They can have the pack. I don't want anyone
> to slash me. Just be careful and don't store all your money and
> credit cards in one place. Make sure you have a photo of your
> passport.

Storing the photo online is a better idea.

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website
"Abominable, loyal, blind, apparently subservient."
Pres. Carter on Ex-Pres. Blair- May, 2007

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

"Bruce Dumes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> After reading a bunch of travel web pages, I decided to arm myself with
> one of these expensive "slash proof" backpacks. Personally, I think it's
> beyond paranoid, but so many people say that they've had their backpacks
> or bags taken from them in seconds by someone walking by with a knife and
> yanking on the strap. I also got a slash-proof camera strap.
>
> The places I'm traveling are Hamburg (and surrounding areas), up through
> Denmark to Copenhagen, Latvia (Riga and Daugavpils) and a one day lay-over
> (no pun intended) in Amsterdam.
>
> I decided that the cost of the backpack was easily outweighed by the
> replacement costs of the contents it will be carrying. What's the general
> consensus around here? How paranoid should one really be?

The main place you're at risk is the airport, and from baggage handlers
rather than itinerant slashers. These days most cops take a very dim view
of people meandering about airports with sharp knives...

I assume that you don't intend doing any serious walking about with the
back-pack.

With any luggage what happens when you load features onto it is that the
weight goes up.

Can you live with your projected load plus an armoured rucksack?

--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

> With any luggage what happens when you load features onto it is that the
> weight goes up.

This thing is surprisingly well made (should be for the money). It's
actually lighter than my regular backpack.

Bruce

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

Bruce Dumes <[email protected]> wrote:

> > With any luggage what happens when you load features onto it is that the
> > weight goes up.
>
> This thing is surprisingly well made (should be for the money). It's
> actually lighter than my regular backpack.

You won't need it. Violent theft from tourists is extremely rare in
these countries.

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website
"Abominable, loyal, blind, apparently subservient."
Pres. Carter on Ex-Pres. Blair- May, 2007

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

On Aug 8, 6:21 pm, Bruce Dumes <[email protected]> wrote:
> After reading a bunch of travel web pages, I decided to arm myself with
> one of these expensive "slash proof" backpacks. Personally, I think
> it's beyond paranoid, but so many people say that they've had their
> backpacks or bags taken from them in seconds by someone walking by with
> a knife and yanking on the strap.


Where, in Rio de Janeiro or Nairobi?

You're going to some of the safest cities in the world. No one gets
their bag slashed in Hamburg or Copenhagen. The worst thing that
happens in any of the cities you're visiting is pickpocketing (in Riga
and Amsterdam), so just watch out for that and you'll be fine.

> I also got a slash-proof camera strap.


The only thing you really need is a money belt.

> The places I'm traveling are Hamburg (and surrounding areas), up through
> Denmark to Copenhagen, Latvia (Riga and Daugavpils) and a one day
> lay-over (no pun intended) in Amsterdam.
>
> I decided that the cost of the backpack was easily outweighed by the
> replacement costs of the contents it will be carrying. What's the
> general consensus around here? How paranoid should one really be?


How paranoid depends on where you're visiting. I've been to places
like Mexico and China where I was very careful about theft. But there
would be no reason to walk around Japan or Switzerland with a
slashproof backpack. Almost all of Western Europe is very safe. A
good way to avoid problems (and this includes losing things or getting
them damaged as well as the possibility of theft) is not to carry
valuables on your trips in the first place - don't take a laptop if
you don't really need to, for example.

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

"David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1i2jwc9.1eqp74piyu1zxN%[email protected]...

> Storing the photo online is a better idea.

I load the lot onto a memory stick, along with my 'portable apps' suite and
fasten it to my mobile phone.

When travelling I wear it around my neck with the phone and chip dropped
into my front shirt pocket.


--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

William Black <[email protected]> wrote:

> "David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:1i2jwc9.1eqp74piyu1zxN%[email protected]...
>
> > Storing the photo online is a better idea.
>
> I load the lot onto a memory stick, along with my 'portable apps' suite and
> fasten it to my mobile phone.
>
> When travelling I wear it around my neck with the phone and chip dropped
> into my front shirt pocket.

To be extremely pessimistic, that could all be stolen. I advise an
online solution as well. It's easy and safe to do.

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website
"Abominable, loyal, blind, apparently subservient."
Pres. Carter on Ex-Pres. Blair- May, 2007

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

"David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1i2jxvv.1nq00s61lc5arsN%[email protected]...
> William Black <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> "David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:1i2jwc9.1eqp74piyu1zxN%[email protected]...
>>
>> > Storing the photo online is a better idea.
>>
>> I load the lot onto a memory stick, along with my 'portable apps' suite
>> and
>> fasten it to my mobile phone.
>>
>> When travelling I wear it around my neck with the phone and chip dropped
>> into my front shirt pocket.
>
> To be extremely pessimistic, that could all be stolen. I advise an
> online solution as well. It's easy and safe to do.

1. If that lots goes I'm stuffed anyway.

2. It's all backed up on a couple of PCs that are available if necessary.
The data can be FTP'd to me.

3. The folding cash is somewhere else.

4. So is the plastic money...

--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

William Black <[email protected]> wrote:

> "David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:1i2jxvv.1nq00s61lc5arsN%[email protected]...
> > William Black <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> "David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >> news:1i2jwc9.1eqp74piyu1zxN%[email protected]...
> >>
> >> > Storing the photo online is a better idea.
> >>
> >> I load the lot onto a memory stick, along with my 'portable apps' suite
> >> and
> >> fasten it to my mobile phone.
> >>
> >> When travelling I wear it around my neck with the phone and chip dropped
> >> into my front shirt pocket.
> >
> > To be extremely pessimistic, that could all be stolen. I advise an
> > online solution as well. It's easy and safe to do.
>
> 1. If that lots goes I'm stuffed anyway.
>
> 2. It's all backed up on a couple of PCs that are available if necessary.
> The data can be FTP'd to me.

That can take time. Having an online solution is quickest- why not have
it in addition?

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website
"Abominable, loyal, blind, apparently subservient."
Pres. Carter on Ex-Pres. Blair- May, 2007

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

> After reading a bunch of travel web pages, I decided to arm myself with
> one of these expensive "slash proof" backpacks. Personally, I think
> it's beyond paranoid, but so many people say that they've had their
> backpacks or bags taken from them in seconds by someone walking by with
> a knife and yanking on the strap. I also got a slash-proof camera strap.
>
> The places I'm traveling are Hamburg (and surrounding areas), up through
> Denmark to Copenhagen, Latvia (Riga and Daugavpils) and a one day
> lay-over (no pun intended) in Amsterdam.
>
> I decided that the cost of the backpack was easily outweighed by the
> replacement costs of the contents it will be carrying. What's the
> general consensus around here? How paranoid should one really be?

Amsterdam is probably the worst, particularly the area around the
railway station.

============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk =============Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760
<http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/> for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975
stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

On Aug 8, 3:46 pm, [email protected] (David Horne, _the_ chancellor
(*)) wrote:
> Bruce Dumes <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > With any luggage what happens when you load features onto it is that the
> > > weight goes up.
>
> > This thing is surprisingly well made (should be for the money). It's
> > actually lighter than my regular backpack.
>
> You won't need it. Violent theft from tourists is extremely rare in
> these countries.


I am glad to hear that tourists are well behaved in these countries.
But what about violent theft against tourists? That's what OP is
concerned about.



>
> --
> (*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgatehttp://www.davidhorne.net- real address on website
> "Abominable, loyal, blind, apparently subservient."
> Pres. Carter on Ex-Pres. Blair- May, 2007

Re: how paranoid should one really be?
 

On Aug 8, 8:08 pm, PeterL <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Aug 8, 3:46 pm, [email protected] (David Horne, _the_ chancellor
>
> (*)) wrote:
> > Bruce Dumes <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > > With any luggage what happens when you load features onto it is that the
> > > > weight goes up.
>
> > > This thing is surprisingly well made (should be for the money). It's
> > > actually lighter than my regular backpack.
>
> > You won't need it. Violent theft from tourists is extremely rare in
> > these countries.
>
> I am glad to hear that tourists are well behaved in these countries.
> But what about violent theft against tourists? That's what OP is
> concerned about.


Actually, there is probably more of a danger of theft from tourists in
Amsterdam than from locals. Amsterdam had the only hostel I've seen
in Europe where they assign you a large locker with a padlock for your
stuff - they had a problem with backpackers who spend all of their
money on drugs, and then during the day when everyone else is out of
the room go through other travelers' bags to find cash or find
valuables to sell.