Questions tagged [safety]

Keeping out of danger, risk, or injury. Use with questions about people; when referring to things, use "security" instead.

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Tactics to avoid getting harassed by corrupt police?

In Uzbekistan I was stopped, searched and questioned six times in one day. At the border with Tajikistan, one official tried hiding my paperwork to elicit something from me. In Kyrgyzstan, I was ...
Mark Mayo's user avatar
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160 votes
22 answers
27k views

When traveling to a country with a different currency, how should you take your money?

Recently my wife and I traveled to Italy and before we left we got about 85% of our money in travelers checks and the other 15% we carried on in cash. When we arrived there, no one would take our ...
Darren Kopp's user avatar
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144 votes
8 answers
17k views

Passing through airport security with autism

I am a young adult with autism (Asperger's to be precise). While there are many resources on how to travel with kids with autism, resources on how to do so if you have it yourself are rare to ...
Belle's user avatar
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122 votes
9 answers
65k views

How to escape hip-hop CD giveaway scam in New York City?

Here is a situation I encountered multiple times in New York City streets, lately. Usually at a sidewalk corner where people are likely to wait for the pedestrian crossing "walk" signal, a gang of ...
DavGin's user avatar
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105 votes
8 answers
60k views

How to convince airport security that I am not dangerous when having metallic parts in my body?

I had an operation some time ago and now I have small screws in my shoulder which will not be removed anymore. When I decided to fly for vacation, I supposed that these will may bring me into trouble ...
Uooo's user avatar
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104 votes
18 answers
17k views

How to prevent "Delhi Belly" from eating/drinking locally?

Montezuma's revenge or Aztec two step in Central America, mummy's tummy, or Cairo two-step in Egypt, Kurtz Hurtz in Uzbekistan, Bombay belly or Delhi belly in India. A case of the sh-- or Hershey ...
Mark Mayo's user avatar
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101 votes
6 answers
30k views

Why are there no seat belts on trains?

Long distance trains are travelling at potentially dangerous speeds. However, I have never encountered seat belts, airbags or similar on trains at least in Central Europe, even though this is common ...
tmh's user avatar
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95 votes
1 answer
29k views

Why do cars need to leave their windows half open whilst on the Eurotunnel?

Whilst riding the Eurotunnel with a car, they ask you to keep your windows half open and also to open any sun roofs. What is the reasoning behind this? I've checked their website and FAQ and couldn't ...
Draken's user avatar
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83 votes
11 answers
13k views

How should I deal with beggars in India?

I have heard that it is unsafe to show money or help someone in India. Are there any rules I should respect in order to avoid getting into trouble? How should I deal with these beggars?
VMAtm's user avatar
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83 votes
9 answers
18k views

When to use the emergency brake in a train?

In almost every train there is an emergency brake. I was wondering in which scenarios a passenger would need to pull the emergency brake.
Trevi Awater's user avatar
80 votes
9 answers
7k views

How do you avoid "tourist traps" when traveling to a country where you do not speak the language?

Too many easily accessible restaurants and attractions cater heavily to tourists, and, in doing so, create an environment that they feel will be comfortable to people from other cultures. Spending ...
Beofett's user avatar
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78 votes
11 answers
20k views

Why do flight attendants say in safety instructions that you should put on your own mask before helping others?

I have taken several flights from Emirates, FlyDubai and Saudi Airlines. Why is it announced to put your own mask on before helping others with their mask. I wouldn't do it if I am travelling with my ...
Abdul Hannan's user avatar
73 votes
14 answers
20k views

Is crime an issue in the US countryside, especially for a cyclist?

I have a dream of one day cycling from one coast of the USA to the other. I am aware that cycling on the road can be dangerous, but I've done a lot of it. I know how to stay safe, and I'm not ...
Ne Mo's user avatar
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69 votes
5 answers
38k views

Are there any flights which permits a Sikh to carry a kirpan?

I am a religious Sikh from Jalandhar, India. I have not travelled outside of the country for a single time so far. However, my family is pestering me to take them for a jolly holiday trip to a ...
Sardarji's user avatar
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67 votes
7 answers
21k views

I was allowed to enter the airport terminal by showing a boarding pass for a future flight. Should I be concerned about "security"?

I take the same flight with the same company between two European neighboring countries once a month. My boarding passes are on my smartphone, but as I book my flights months in advance, I often ...
AlexB's user avatar
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67 votes
4 answers
8k views

What rules govern forced removal from flights (due to overbooking)?

I was recently surprised to see a man roughly and forcibly physically removed from an overbooked flight by three police officers because his flight was overbooked. He was reportedly a doctor who ...
WBT's user avatar
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65 votes
8 answers
26k views

What Happens when Passenger Refuses to Fly Boeing 737 Max?

As most are unfortunately aware the Boeing 737 Max 8 is receiving very bad press after two fatal plane crashes in five months. China suspends commercial operations of Boeing 737-8 planes At the time ...
Augustine of Hippo's user avatar
59 votes
10 answers
24k views

When walking on the road, is it safer to walk in the same or opposite direction as the traffic?

I don't know this question will qualify for this site or not, but, I have this question. When you are walking on the road anywhere (any country, city, etc), Which is safer? Walking in the ...
Prabhanjan Naib's user avatar
59 votes
4 answers
16k views

Can I stay in the airplane toilet during landing?

For safety purposes all airlines make you go back to your seat when you are in the toilet just before landing. But, what if you really had to go and don't come out even after persistent knocking. ...
Prometheus's user avatar
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57 votes
7 answers
27k views

What are the legal consequences for a tourist who runs out of gas on the Autobahn?

There are many international travelers and tourists that enjoy driving cars on Germany's Autobahn every day, some of them would be unaware that running out of gas on the autobahn is illegal. ...
Ali Awan's user avatar
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56 votes
9 answers
21k views

Is it OK for an openly Muslim person to travel to the United States post-2017?

My friend and I are planning our first overseas trip together and we're trying to decide on where to go. We're from Malaysia and my friend is a Muslim who wears a hijab. We're considering going to the ...
Muou's user avatar
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56 votes
9 answers
16k views

Is it dangerous to go to the USA as a Russian now?

I am a Russian student and I have been dreaming about visiting California and living in LA for a while, and I decided to take this trip on my summer break. I have already accumulated enough money for ...
Algon Janer's user avatar
55 votes
11 answers
17k views

Where should I leave my passport and electronics if there is no safe in my apartment?

I will be travelling to Barcelona soon. We are renting an apartment for a week through Booking. The apartment has no safe to keep personal belongings in. No cleaning service will enter the house ...
Summer's user avatar
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54 votes
11 answers
18k views

When the road is blocked by animals, what's the proper way to proceed?

When the road is blocked by animals, what's the proper way to proceed? Should I wait, honk, drive/walk near the animals to try to convince them to move away from the road, or is there some more ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
54 votes
3 answers
7k views

Does it make sense to use a kayak or canoe in Venice?

By does it make sense I mean whether it is at all legal, safe to an acceptable degree, technically possible (and at least a bit enjoyable) to use own canoe or kayak in the water canals of Venice. I'd ...
Pavel's user avatar
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53 votes
8 answers
8k views

What are good security tactics for sleeping in airports?

Sleeping in airports is something I've found myself doing more often than I ever expected, and while I have no issue with sleeping on the floor or chairs or whatever, sometimes I have valuable stuff, ...
Mark Mayo's user avatar
  • 159k
52 votes
10 answers
20k views

Can I stop a fellow passenger from using their cell phone during take off?

What can I do for my personal safety when I see a fellow passenger use their cellphone after the instructions to switch off mobile devices is given? On a recent flight in India, I was seated next to ...
happybuddha's user avatar
  • 8,441
51 votes
20 answers
17k views

Traveling in Europe Solo - 18 years old. Feasible?

My dream is to spend a month in Europe after graduating high school. Based on my situation, I will have to travel alone since there is no one else here who would be able to make such a trip. I am an ...
Alekxos's user avatar
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51 votes
5 answers
145k views

Can a tourist buy a gun in the USA?

This came up as a discussion. With recent incidents in the news, it's often argued by some members of the public in the US that guns are a requirement for safety, and that everyone should have the ...
Mark Mayo's user avatar
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51 votes
1 answer
4k views

What facility was our bus blocked from observing in northern Iran?

Recently on a bus trip from Rasht, Iran, to Tehran, Iran, the driver's assistant came down the bus aisle, ordering all the curtains closed on one side, and for a few minutes we were actually forbidden ...
Mark Mayo's user avatar
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50 votes
2 answers
8k views

Who was this persistent person at Shanghai airport?

About 10 years ago I traveled to Shanghai. When I got off the plane, a guy in plain clothes came up to me and indicated he could take me to whereever I needed to go. I was planning on taking a taxi ...
pacoverflow's user avatar
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48 votes
3 answers
24k views

Can I wear a bulletproof vest while traveling on British Airways from Heathrow?

I'll be wearing it all the time anyway once I arrive at my hostile destination but how about wearing it during the flight? It makes sense to wear it in case someone try to hijack the plane.
Ulkoma's user avatar
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48 votes
4 answers
9k views

How can I locate a missing person abroad?

A good friend of mine is currently traveling through Europe by himself for a month. We've been chatting pretty regularly throughout the trip, but since Friday no one I know has heard from him. We're ...
David K's user avatar
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46 votes
2 answers
5k views

Is it dangerous to go to Île de Noirmoutier using the pass?

I heard that there are two possibilities to get to the island of Noirmoutier. You can either use a bridge, or you can use a pass through the water, which is only drivable if the tide is low. Is this ...
AutoDemolisher's user avatar
44 votes
10 answers
28k views

What is the easiest place to cross the US Rocky Mountains, going to Oregon, in a large truck?

I'm working on the arrangements to move my household. I will need to drive a large moving truck from Kansas to Oregon in early June. I'm concerned that driving such a large truck through the ...
indigochild's user avatar
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44 votes
6 answers
10k views

Are drivers from mainland Europe likely to end up in an accident when driving in the UK?

I have a European license and would like to rent a car in the UK for a trip to the countryside. The only thing that worries me is driving on the left — it seems that one would need quite a bit of ...
JonathanReez's user avatar
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43 votes
9 answers
25k views

Coronavirus affected co-passenger; what to do?

I am flying this week from Munich to London, and Bavaria just got the first contaminated person, who now has the Coronavirus 2019-nCoV after interacting with Chinese colleague. Two cases of the novel ...
gsamaras's user avatar
  • 6,706
42 votes
5 answers
15k views

Being separated from one's young children on a flight

I recently flew with Thomson and I was separated from my 3 year old child on the flight home. He was sitting a row behind and across the aisle from myself. I asked several times if we could be moved ...
Emma-louise's user avatar
42 votes
9 answers
15k views

Driving in the UK for the the first time - rules & to-dos that are different to India

I'm planning on renting a car in the UK for my trip through London, York, Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland. Having driven in Mumbai, India, I understand there must be things I should keep in mind, ...
Satej S's user avatar
  • 531
42 votes
5 answers
4k views

Is it safe to travel in Japan considering the nuclear situation?

Are there any areas that should be avoided and are there any steps I should take to protect myself from radiation?
victoriah's user avatar
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42 votes
7 answers
8k views

Is it safer to drive up or down a dangerous mountain road?

Let's say you want to visit cities A, B and C, which are set in a triangle, so you can choose to travel A-B-C-A or A-C-B-A. The roads from A to B and A to C are fine, but the one between B and C is a ...
lambshaanxy's user avatar
  • 99.6k
41 votes
8 answers
10k views

Why do we fasten seatbelts for turbulence?

I have a hard time imagining turbulence strong enough to throw people out of their seats or flip an airliner upside down. Does this sometimes happen? Is there some other reason we wear seatbelts ...
jbyler's user avatar
  • 521
41 votes
6 answers
11k views

What are the rules to be aware of on a road with a sign that indicates rocks might fall?

I'm from Flanders and I don't have a driver's license. These signs are rather rare in Flanders, but I see them frequently as a passenger alongside the Spanish coast, in the Valencia province. The ...
Nzall's user avatar
  • 5,442
41 votes
6 answers
76k views

Is it dangerous to drive through Death Valley?

I planned to drive through Death Valley with a rental car during end of May or beginning of June. Now a friend of mine told me that this is a little bit dangerous, and that a lot of rental companies ...
RoflcoptrException's user avatar
40 votes
3 answers
6k views

Why do travel advisories vary so much between countries?

I'd like to visit Tamanrasset and the Hoggar Mountains (see also this question), so I was happy to see that the FCO no longer advises against travel there: Source: FCO. The Foreign and Commonwealth ...
gerrit's user avatar
  • 56.4k
39 votes
1 answer
6k views

Passenger rights during a flight

Recently I faced an extraordinary situation during my flight inside the EU. A very large group of passengers (80% of all passengers, mostly men, probably football fans) already quite drunk during ...
Milla's user avatar
  • 413
38 votes
7 answers
8k views

Is it safe for a foreigner to travel to Russia these days? [closed]

In the light of all the recent happenings, and especially the Brittney Griner detention, is it safe for a foreigner from a western European country to visit Russia as a traveler? The question is ...
Захар Joe's user avatar
38 votes
6 answers
9k views

Is flying 60 short flights per year harmful to health due to additional radiation? [duplicate]

For the fifth year in a row I flew approximately 60 times. Most of my flights are within Europe, so an average flight is quite short (~1000 km, ~2 hours). I am concerned about negative ...
Andrey's user avatar
  • 570
37 votes
8 answers
12k views

Is tea and coffee on the street safe to drink in India?

There are many street tea/coffee sellers around India, and although the water has been boiled at some point, often the pots are out for a long time. The clay cups are also lying around in the dust. Is ...
fredley's user avatar
  • 3,672
37 votes
4 answers
7k views

How to deal with a fear of driving?

I've just graduated college and landed a job in the US that will eventually involve me driving long distances to meet with clients. These trips will likely involve three hours of driving on highways ...
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