Originally Posted by
ESpen36
Excellent point. When you are visiting an unfamiliar place, don't behave like a typical tourist! Standing at a busy intersection with your nose in a map/guide, or glancing around in bewilderment, is like wearing a sign that says: "I'm a tourist; I'm clueless; rob me!"
What you should do is
always walk with purpose, as though you know
EXACTLY where you are and where you are going (even if you really have no idea). Walk at approximately the same speed as everyone else...if it's NYC, it will be about 30 mph.
Then, quickly duck into a store or coffee shop or another protected place where you can pull out your map and reorient yourself in tranquility and safety. If no option exists for getting off the street, at least find a place where you can back into a corner and lean against a building, a little bit concealed from the street action and with your back protected.
The key is, on a busy streetcorner, don't be the poor shmuck standing around wide-eyed with a map, looking helpless. There's nothing pickpockets love more!
And one thing's for darn sure: don't put anything of value in a back pocket of anything! I wouldn't even do that in my home town!
Excellent advice. Especially about "ducking for cover" when you need to reorient. Look around just enough to be sure you find the very next place where you can "hide" and look at a map.
On my few international trips, I've used locks for my backpack, but tried to never use a backpack while "out and about" if possible. I also just maintain an attitude of "if I don't keep vigilant, I'm going to get ripped off".
On my last trip to Manila, I used
Wikimapia to thoroughly familiarize myself with all our planned destinations. I was even able to give the local taxi drivers directions in a few situations (we were staying in a condo rental, not a hotel, very few drivers were familiar with the building). I also could tell when a driver wasn't being honest by taking a long and unnecessary route, etc. The biggest benefit: I never had to use a map in public. I might be better than average at remembering maps, but this should be helpful for anyone. Wikimapia has a
lot more detail than Google Maps, especially in developing countries. Before you go out for the day, peruse your route, get familiar with the roads and buildings, etc, all from your hotel room.