Originally Posted by
exbayern
I don't think that all people with moneybelts look like 'idiots', but I can think of several people I saw recently who did look completely clueless. A few months ago I was driving through a small German town popular with American tourists, and an older woman was walking along wearing a neck wallet hanging down the front of her jacket, and it looked to be quite filled with things. Now, a small German town isn't likely to have a lot of petty crime, but she looked like such an easy target for a petty thief, or even just someone who saw her as an opportunistic crime of snatch and grab. I just wondered at the lack of common sense of someone who would wear a pouch with money visible hanging around their neck, completely exposed. It was like someone carrying their money and valuables in a plastic bag, entirely defeating the purpose of a moneybelt.
I agree.
If you add up all my trips together, out of the last 9 years, I spent 3 years of my life traveling in foreign countries, from Albania to Zimbabwe. Not once have I worn a money belt.
here is why:
a) its inconvenient
b) it makes you an obvious target
c) I never got why people put their passports there, a thief is not interested in your passport, but if its packed away with cash, they are not going to pick and choose
d) When I go out, especially when booze will be involved, I never carry a wallet, just one card and some cash in my pocket, usually in different pockets too. Its crazy to take all your crap out when roaming around the worst pickpocket places like Italy and Spain. When required by law, like Kyrgyzstan for example, carry a half page copy of passport as well.
I do however, own a couple of these, they are great for storing large bills. If you gonna rob me, you gonna have to take my pants off.
