Safety in Argentina

[QuakHunter]

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the secular portion of all Easter celebrations has been cancelled.

[El Perro]

Looks like I'm not the only one to suffer a stolen phone. Anecdotal evidence points to an upswing in snatch and grab lately, including a noticeable increase in use of moto's and some strong arm tactics. I have been told by a number of my porteno friends that there is a definite increase in cellphones being swiped on the street. Some of the thieves on motos or working in tandem with a moto involved. The word is to be extra cautious when talking on your phone in a public place and to avoid, if possible, using your phone when walking around town. This info is from portenos reporting on portenos being victimized.

A word to the wise.

[Aqualung]

From experience, where the trannies install themselves the chicas don't take long in leaving. For some reason they can't compete!

No, Dog, you don't look like one of the Bush girls, no one can look that bad!

[El Perro]

A chica I went out with from Madelein last Friday was fuming! The trannies on Cordoba had tried to rob her cell phone.

Seems to be more and more bad tranny stories in that area. As for cellphones, some enterprising thief stole mine out of the inside of my jacket while it was on the back of my chair at the Victoria tenedor libre. Apparently while I was sitting there! I didn't think I looked that much like one of the Bush girls.

[Aqualung]

A chica I went out with from Madelein last Friday was fuming!

The trannies on Cordoba had tried to rob her cell phone.

[Stan Da Man]

I think this picture is of the Trannies that are robbing People.

When will it stop?

Good one. I'll be on the lookout for those three later this month.

They look suspicious!

[QuakHunter]

I think this picture is of the Trannies that are robbing People.

When will it stop?

[Darkie66]

I can only agree with Wild Walleye. Have been walking around Buenos Aires now for over a week and although I have not been threatened in anyway caution is always adviced. Blending in whith the locals as a tourist is never an easy thing. Have talked with locals and even they advice to be carefull at any time. Making copiesand scans of your documents is always handy cause you can access the internet almost on every corner of the street and it doesn't cost much. But Buenos Aires is a great city and a must to visit. For those coming to BA take a small umbrella as it started raining today and might do so for the next few days.

Enjoy all!

[Thomaso276]

Here is a webpage from a big ad today in the Clarin. Apparently it will allow users to pinpoint where they were victims of robberies. Of course, the page is down and cannot be accessed at this time!

www.mapadelainseguridad.com

[HairBalderman]

Sound advice, Walleye.

[Wild Walleye]

Safety is a combination of common sense and luck.

Big cities, all big cities, no matter where they lie, have bad elements within them (actually, it's more a function of human nature than of cities themselves--since cities are inanimate) They are also great places to enjoy.

Don't be fooled into thinking that the bad elements are confined to the worst neighborhoods, they are not. For instance if some dirt bag robs somebody outside a crack house in an s-hole neighborhood, he's not likely to come away with much. After trying this many times, the dirtbag (even the dumbest) will learn to take the bus to a nice neighborhood where people tend to have more money / valuables on their person while they are walking around.

Real world example: recently, a gentleman (I don't know him so I really do not know that he is in fact a gentleman rather than just a plain old man) returning to his home (in one of the nicer neighborhoods in BAs -- across the street from an embassy) on Libertador early in the morning, was accosted, robbed an shot (not mortally) by a small group of nere do wells. Things like this don't happen often in Bas but they can and do happen and are locale-independent.

Most of you guys have been around the block a few times and have traveled to interesting and different locales. Who among us hasn't stumbled or wobbled through the streets of Recoleta or SoHo or along the banks of the Moskva (or some other nice neighborhood) at three or four in the morning thinking nothing of our well being (because we are too focused on trying not to fall down or puke on our shoes) Further, I suspect that we've all had a scrape or two that, in hind sight, we realize were situations we could have avoided if we had our antennae up for self-preservation.

There are a few things we can do to help improve our own personal safety while enjoying the great cities of the world. Be aware of your surroundings, try not to stand out as a target (I. E. Keep valuables out of sight) and try to avoid places and situations that court disaster. When traveling internationally, it makes sense to keep a copy of your passport and the means (I. E. A credit card with room and some cash) to get home in the hotel safe. You can also upload a high-res scan of your passport to the web and access it anywhere. Do your homework about what is really going on in the city and plan a little to avoid problems (hire a driver or plan to hit the bar near the hotel last so your not stumbling too far—or wait until you're back the hotel to really tie one one) etc.

BAs is a great city. Be safe and enjoy.

WW

[El Perro]

Righto. I like my chances of not getting shot, maimed or kidnapped in most areas of Capital Federal, but snatch and grab is pretty prevalent here. In just over two years here I have witnessed maybe ten snatch and grab incidents, (including having my rented cell swiped off my belt (stupid! Most of them along the cafes on Pelligrini between Paraguay and Lavalle, and also in Recoleta Village. If you sport expensive watches, leave your cell out on a table, or if you have cash on the table waiting to pay a check-you are asking for trouble. The thieves are usually young, faster than you and in their element a hell of a lot more resourceful than you. Take a few minor precautions and you cut down the chances of getting ripped off tremendously.

[El Aleman]

You are both right - BA is much safer than, say Sao Paolo or Joburg, but shit happpens. And not putting your fancy cellphone in front of you or having your wallet stick invitingly halfway out of your seat pocket sounds like good advice - in Paris, Rome, San Francisco, Berlin, Prague, and, of course, Buenos Aires. That sort of petty crime is anyway. My Lawyer (the Argentine one) got his notebook stolen on Madrid airport.

So, just use normal caution. Thing DO happen.

[Aqualung]

Do not bring up this safety issue for BA any more.

BA is probably safer than most US or European big cities.

Taxis are SAFE.

All apartments, clubs and restaurants on the lists on this website are safe.

Relax and have a good time.

Living in Rio.

With a lot of different security.

Isola - BA is much safer than most other cities of it's kind. There is no doubt about that but sticking our heads in the sand and pretending that nothing happens here is stupid.

Walk around with an expensive watch on or leave your fancy cell phone on the table in front of you or your wallet sticking half out of your back pocket and you will soon be relieved of them.

It's true that there are less chances of being robbed at pistol point than other places (while in the safety zone) but whether your wallet was picked out of your pocket or taken at gun point the end result is the same - you don't have your wallet any more!

And, though I say stickups are not frequent, it doesn't mean they don't happen! They do - and they have happened to clients of mine!

Informing the mongers of what is happening or what can happen to them is not to frighten them but to keep them alert.

[Isola2000]

Do not bring up this safety issue for BA any more.

BA is probably safer than most US or European big cities.

Taxis are SAFE.

All apartments, clubs and restaurants on the lists on this website are safe.

Relax and have a good time.

Living in Rio.

With a lot of different security.