This page summarizes tips so that you can safely enjoy your trip even in unknown regions.
crime
In many countries you have to be prepared for increased crime. It starts with rich countries like the USA - on the other hand, not all countries in the so-called Third World are necessarily more criminal than Europe. For example, has Bolivia a homicide rate that is below the European level.
One can distinguish between different types of crime, against which there are different defense strategies:
- Crime focused on tourists: occurs mainly in well-known tourist centers. These are mostly bag theft and trick theft as well as fraud, only rarely violent crimes.
- Violent crime: Locals and visitors alike suffer from it. Often these are young people who attack passers-by in dark and confusing areas.
- Scam: In some poorer countries there may be cases of fraud against tourists.
- Organized crime: One only comes into contact with this form of crime in the rarest of cases, especially in countries where there are conflicts anyway, or when one absolutely wants to acquire prohibited intoxicants.
Tips against these types of crime:
Bag theft and trick theft
- Always take care of your own luggage. You should never leave your belongings unattended, especially in traffic centers such as bus or train stations (less so in airports, as there are security guards everywhere). If observation becomes uncomfortable, luggage can in many cases be left in storage locations for a small fee. However, you should keep your valuables with you.
- Another focus of operations are city buses, subways and regional trains. Particularly when getting in and out of the backpack, care should be taken that someone does not touch the back pocket of the backpack. There is also the trick of sitting next to you without arousing suspicion and waiting until you get out. If the traveler then leaves the seat, the thief takes action.
- In some states there are so-called "razor-blade gangs" who cut off the porters from the rucksacks in the crowd (e.g. city center) at an unobserved moment and run away with their luggage. However, these cases are becoming increasingly rare.
Pocket thieves and tricksters make their living by taking the victim off guard. The most popular tricks have been the same for decades. So you are well advised to know these:
- Spitting on or soiling clothing to get close to the victim. When "cleaning" not only the dirt, but also the wallet is removed. In response to the phrase "You are dirty!" one should therefore react directly "allergic".
- Pretending to be a tourist (e.g. popular in Bolivia): The thief pretends to be a tourist, engages the victim in a conversation and hopes to be careless, only to run away with a rucksack or handbag, or an accomplice will join them. This scam is particularly nasty, as every traveler likes to seek friendship from other travelers. A "healthy distrust" is therefore sometimes appropriate without offending the other - a tightrope walk to be mastered.
- Issuing as an acquaintance (especially in Europe, but seldom as it is now widely known): The thief recognizes an alleged acquaintance in the victim and greets him effusively. This distracts them and makes it easier either for an accomplice to take care of their pocket or to take their wallet away from the greeter himself.
Scam
As a tourist, you are most likely to fall victim to fraud if you do not find out about the local conditions. In particular, you should know the prices for common services.
Taxi drivers have a particularly bad reputation. One is well advised to have at least some idea of the distances and possible prices. There have also been reports of robberies by taxi drivers themselves or accomplices in some countries. The solution here is to use a radio or teletaxi service, as you can be certain that only "real" licensed taxi drivers will take you with you. In any case, one should avoid taxi drivers who "look" for travelers in airport buildings, for example.
When changing money, you are sometimes ripped off, both for change and for possible false banknotes. Therefore, it is usually the case that you should never, except in an extreme emergency, exchange your money on the street, and if so, only small amounts.
Violent crime
Violent crime is a major problem in many countries, with large differences between rich and poor. Exemplary cases are about Brazil, Colombia as well as the United States. The locals are usually more likely to suffer from this, but tourists can also be affected.
There are two "iron rules" to be followed:
- Only visit dark, poorly lit and other areas known to be unsafe, especially at night, when accompanied and only without luggage and valuables. Often the locals know the dangerous zones, so you should pay attention to their advice.
- If one is attacked with the threat of armed violence, never resist. Always - at least apparently - give everything you have. Especially in countries with drug problems, the robbers are insane and therefore sometimes extremely dangerous.
More tips:
- In countries with violent crime problems, if you have large amounts of money with you, you should carry it on your skin in appropriate bags and instead carry a medium contribution (around 10-30 euros) in your wallet. If you have nothing to show, the robbers can also become aggressive.
- If you earn well, you should never, especially in tourist centers in poor countries, talk too carelessly about your own wealth with strangers. In extreme cases, you can become a victim of kidnapping.
- Wrong cops in violent scam gangs can be a problem. Often it is about emptying the bank account with the EC card by being lured into a taxi or private car by such a police officer with the purpose of "checking", for example, the visa at the guard. Iron rule therefore: Police officers are also never allowed to take suspects away in private cars or taxis. always insist on being transported in a patrol car and be loud in an emergency. The presentation of the ID card is not sufficient, something like this can easily be forged - and which tourist already knows which stamp should be on such an ID?
Despite these warnings, one should always keep in mind that the probability of dying in a traffic accident is many times higher than of being the victim of a robbery.
Organized crime
Anyone who comes into contact with this form of crime is, in the vast majority of cases, to blame. Because in unknown countries you should avoid the following things even more strictly than in your home country:
- buy prohibited intoxicants
- go to illegal brothels and venues
- Run shady businesses of all kinds
But showing off your own wealth can also draw the attention of certain uninvited guests.
In conflict and crisis areas, however, bystanders can also come into contact with this form of crime, for example when tourists are being kidnapped in order to obtain ransom money (e.g. in Colombia). The only thing that helps here is to know the regional conditions and to take appropriate precautionary measures, whereby one should definitely seek advice from locals or those familiar with the area.
The police
The times in which police officers were virtually in cahoots with criminals and, for example, smuggled drugs into the luggage of the unsuspecting victim during controls, in order to then demand a hefty bribe, are long gone almost everywhere. By the 1990s at the latest, most countries recognized the potential that global tourism could represent, especially after the fall of the Iron Curtain, and are therefore also aligning the training of police officers accordingly. Some states even have their own tourist police with appropriate foreign language skills, which travelers can turn to in case of problems.
In general, the police should therefore behave in a cooperative manner towards travelers. There are a few exceptions, however. Especially in conservative countries, e.g. in South America, police officers "hippie" -like backpackers are suspect. Even if you don't necessarily have to reckon with serious difficulties if you adhere to the applicable laws, this group sometimes has to undertake penetrative controls in which the luggage is meticulously examined for drugs, for example, or sometimes on the guard come along, where a more precise control is then carried out, in extreme cases including a body search.
The laws of the respective countries must be observed. For example, in some countries you can be sentenced to night detention in a sobering cell and / or a fine for "offenses" that are permitted in Europe, such as alcohol consumption in public. In Muslim countries in particular, worse things can happen - so you should always find out more.
Corruption remains a major problem in some countries. With the Kickback it behaves very differently from region to region, but in general one should refrain from offering "lubrication" yourself - it can result in hefty penalties. The modern dishonest police officer usually simply imposes a "penalty" that does not exist (for example, for drivers), but which is below the normal level for a comparable offense. For example, in Argentina Cases in which, instead of filling out a ticket, the police offer to "pay the fine immediately" and thereby grant a "discount". Such practices are very different depending on the travel area, but in most cases the traveler will hardly come into contact with them.
Traffic safety
In many countries, especially when it comes to car traffic, you have to adapt to other conditions than in Europe. Who with a Rental car or your own car If you have traveled to a country overseas, you should definitely drive with foresight.
First of all, the road conditions in poor countries are often poor. Potholes can lurk everywhere, traffic lights sometimes don't work, and apparent highways turn out to be simple double-lane country roads on which tractors and horse-drawn carts also drive ...
In many countries, the driver's license test is extremely lax - sometimes there isn't even one, you simply apply for a driver's license like an identity card. Of course, this means that drivers hardly know the traffic rules and usually adhere to them even less. You should therefore be particularly careful when driving, one cannot rely on being right. When in doubt, communicate with other drivers by hand signals - this is internationally understandable.
In a few countries, especially crisis areas, the public transport pose a problem, in some African countries as well as in some regions of South America (especially in the crisis areas of Colombia and Venezuela), for example, bus trips are also discouraged, as these are inadequately equipped in terms of safety standards, the drivers are sometimes overtired, and the buses too Can be the target of raids. In the poorer countries of Asia in particular, the otherwise safe railways can also be a problem due to frequent derailments and accidents.
Natural hazards
High mountains
in the High mountains you should consider your own alpine experience and fitness level when choosing a route. Exhaustion and excessive demands - for example by underestimating the walking time - can be fatal in the high mountains. In Tyrol For example, twice as many people die on the mountain every year than in road traffic. Experienced mountaineers also find themselves repeatedly in distress. In particular, changes in weather, which set in very suddenly and surprisingly in the high mountains, represent the greatest danger. Sudden heavy rain can trigger landslides or rockfalls, make paths impassable and suddenly swell small brooks into raging rivers (never in or directly next to a brook bed, even one that has dried up camping!). Hypothermia can quickly be triggered by wet clothing.
In the high mountains, it can also get very cold in midsummer and in southern latitudes, especially at night. The solar radiation is also much stronger than in the lowlands, which can lead to sunburn and sunstroke.
In general, in the high mountains, rescue can only reach people in need with difficulty. Communication is also difficult, as GSM reception is often poor or non-existent in sparsely populated areas. In many countries there is also no such well-organized mountain rescue service as in the Alpine region.
Wild and dangerous animals
Also from the Animal kingdom threatens potential danger for travelers. In many natural areas there are wild animals that view humans as prey or threat. Most dangerous, because they are extremely strong, are probably the bears in the Arctic, especially the polar bears. In areas with polar bears, you should take a weapon with you and be able to use it when you go on excursions into unfamiliar terrain, unless private individuals without a guide are prohibited from doing so. The same applies to some tiger species in Asia (especially in the Ganges Delta, where accidents occur again and again) and, to a lesser extent, to lions. Most other big cats, such as pumas and leopards, on the other hand, usually run away in front of humans and only attack in rare cases - nevertheless, one should of course not provoke these animals and take precautionary measures.
In contrast, hippos are very dangerous, they do not see humans as prey, but defend themselves immediately if they feel threatened. According to some reports, they are considered to be the most dangerous animal of all. Other seemingly peaceful animals, such as seals and sea lions, can also be potentially dangerous if provoked.
Poisonous snakes are found in many areas of the world. However, they only attack when they feel threatened. Sturdy shoes and being careful where you step are therefore mandatory in areas with snake problems. This is particularly true of bushland covered by foliage or palm leaves.
Scorpions and spiders, on the other hand, are usually overestimated in terms of toxicity. Not even the most venomous species of scorpion, and even less venomous spiders, are usually capable of killing a healthy adult human with their venom - so there was with the Sydney funnel spider (Atrax robustus), which is usually referred to as the most dangerous spider on earth, only 13 deaths since 1927, and none since the availability of an antidote. In contrast, children as well as the elderly and sick people (especially people with cardiac arrhythmias) are also affected by less toxic species, such as the black widowswhich are common in subtropical areas all over the world are endangered. A spider bite or a scorpion sting should definitely be treated by a doctor if there is even the slightest suspicion that it might be one of the dangerous specimens. The ones often portrayed in the tabloid press as "murderer spiders", widespread in Europe Thorn finger, but also the terrifying tarantulas are harmless and their bites are comparable to a wasp sting.
Tips
- Almost all accidents with animals can be avoided if they are treated with respect. Provoking or disturbing is absolutely taboo. This applies equally to predators and small animals such as scorpions. Almost all of them flee from humans as long as they can.
- In areas with large predators, it makes sense to always announce your presence by making noise. In this way, the animals know that a person is nearby and usually seek the distance. Most accidents with bears happen because the animals feel threatened and therefore attack in defense.
- No way you should feed wild animals! For example, problems arose in North American national parks because tourists had allegedly fed trusting grizzly brown bears. After the animals got used to being cared for by humans, they became more and more intrusive and accidents occurred. But even with smaller, harmless animals it is ecologically a deadly sin to get them used to food, as this does not correspond to their species-appropriate conditions.
- Scorpions, snakes or spiders that chase people belong in the realm of fable. These animals should be treated with the same respect as any other animal, then they will flee or not be bothered by the human presence. Attention should be paid to individual species that feel disturbed even when "getting close" (mostly snakes, but also some scorpion species and the banana spiders in Brazil) and can attack. If you know about their presence, you shouldn't provoke them and avoid them if possible. In areas with lots of snakes, it is a good idea to hit the ground regularly with a stick in front of you when walking. Snakes feel the vibration and have enough time to run away. This means that they cannot be pushed into a corner (e.g. between a person and a rock face), so they have to see the attack as the only way out.
Conflicts and wars
In principle, only experienced people should travel to such areas.
In the article Travel warnings it describes which travel areas the German Foreign Office is currently warning of. In the case of less significant conflicts, such as regionally limited civil wars, such a warning is usually not issued. Such conflicts are always mentioned in the section safety instructions both Country and travel information of the Foreign Office.
