TRAVEL SECURITY
by Caroline M. Jackson
"It was 9.30 at night and I had just
come into London from Paris. I went to an open telephone kiosk in Victoria
Station to phone my brother-in-law. I was really concentrating on the task
in hand . I placed my purse on the metal shelf while I dialed his number
from the phone book held in one hand and put my money in with the other. In
less than 40 seconds, my purse with airline tickets, money, travelers
cheques, glasses and passport - every single thing I needed to get me back
to Vancouver the next day - had vanished. It was very traumatic."
Marie Bruce, West Vancouver
" I was just nearing the top of the
escalator in the Paris Metro when the young man ahead of me stumbled causing
his glasses to fly off onto the ground in front of me. I bent down to
retrieve them for him and thought it was odd they were devoid of lenses. A
few minutes later, I discovered an accomplice had nabbed my wallet from my
back trouser pocket. It was a long, frustrating and fruitless night at the
gendarmarie."
Dr. David Anderson, Glasgow
"It was our first day on the Big
Island of Hawaii. We parked our new 1998 rental car and walked to a remote
beach. The welcome sun beat down and the surf pounding against the lava was
music to our ears. Suddenly a Park Ranger hove into view and we were
informed that our car window had been smashed and the contents of our trunk
stolen. Paradise was shattered."
Hamish Jackson, North Vancouver
The forgoing scenarios are every traveler's
nightmare . While some incidents cannot be avoided, the wise traveler can do
much to ensure a trouble-free vacation or business trip.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND CARDS
"Security is the cornerstone of
traveling; expect the worst and you won't be phased by it." is the
advice of Fraser MacDonald, owner of Gulliver's travel accessory stores.
"If you're in London on a five star tour through Europe and your
passport is stolen on your first day in Paris, you will be unable to go on
to Rome with the rest of your tour. Instead, you will be stuck in Paris at
your own expense while you apply for a replacement passport at the Canadian
Embassy. You might only be issued a temporary passport which only allows you
to travel directly home from Paris making it impossible for you to return to
London to use the other half of your flight ticket."
Michelle Gagne, Media Relations Manager with
BC Tel recommends that travelers "guard their calling card very closely
and treat it like a credit card." She also suggests:-
- to reduce theft, new BC Tel Calling Cards
do not display a personal Identification number. Customers now call a
toll-free number to select their own easy-to-remember personal ID number
- be aware that "shoulder surfers"
can steal your calling card number by watching the numbers you enter on
a public pay phone before making a long-distance call
Some tips:-
- make photocopies of all your documents,
airline tickets, cards, prescriptions for medications and eye glasses
and your trip itinerary; leave copies with a trusted accessible friend
and your travel companion
- keep travelers' cheques and your receipt
listing serial numbers separate
- carry a small amount of local currency for
taxi fares and tips on arrival
BAGGAGE SAFETY
In her book "Tilley Travel Tips",
Alison Tilley has some pointers to ensure your suitcase arrives intact at
your final destination:-
- remove all old airline tags not related to
your immediate travel
- remove hand-straps before placing luggage
on conveyor belt
- attach tags both inside and outside your
bag with your name, your business address, and your complete phone
number. Avoid using your home address.
- make sure the check-in agent puts a
correctly coded destination tag on each of your bags
- select luggage with combination locks, or
buy a small padlock and lock the zippers shut. Have your partner carry a
spare key.
- if you're concerned that your baggage may
not make the connecting flight, ask the ticket counter agent for
"door storage" which means your bags will be last on and first
off
- try to make your bag distinguishable from
others by using brightly colored ribbons or tape.
Peter Evans, Manager, Security &
Emergency Planning for Vancouver International Airport has succinct advice
for travelers: "Don't even put your bag or laptop computer down to get
a coffee or a newspaper. We are not immune to theft and we also don't want
to provide someone an opportunity to insert something into that carry-on
that should not be transported on board an aircraft." Experience has
shown that airport thieves often work in teams of three to five individuals
and will target the inexperienced traveler. "They will cause a
distraction - perhaps involve you in a conversation. Once they've stolen the
property, they'll hand it off two or three times to their accomplices in a
matter of seconds." Another concern is when passengers are approached
by strangers and asked to transport small packages or 'urgent' legal
documents. "In no circumstances should a traveler accept such
items" emphasizes Evans. He also suggests that passengers allow
themselves enough time at the airport, "People don't make good
decisions when they're under pressure."
HOTEL SAFETY
Susan Kavanagh, Public Relations Director of
Hotel Vancouver suggests that "At the point of reservation, women can
always request rooms close to the elevators so they don't have to walk down
long corridors." She also points out that "In many of Canadian
Pacific's city hotels, we have what are called 'swipe' cards so that as soon
as you check out, that card is no longer valid in that room."
In his classes, Fraser MacDonald of
Gulliver's teaches that the most vulnerable point is when you are entering a
hotel room:
"You're loaded down with suitcases and bags and you've got the key in
the lock. You think you're safe because you've made it to your room. Most
hotels have automatic door closures but many do not latch and will only go
back to rest on the door jamb. If anyone has followed you up from the lobby,
you are vulnerable." Bearing this in mind, Fraser advises that as soon
as guests have struggled into their room that they budge the door closed
then secure it perhaps using a portable deadlock. He also strongly
recommends that women use a bell hop to show them into their room and to
ensure nothing happens in an elevator or corridor.
Another place for breach of security can
occur on check-in. "This" says Fraser, "often happens at
conventions where people tend to get excited and when they've spotted a
friend they haven't seen for ages and one yells across the lobby: 'Hi
Charlie, how're you doing? What room are you in? Charlie answers, '419' and
the other person responds, 'Well, I'm in 421' How about we meet in the lobby
in an hour's time and we'll paint the town red." "What they have
done," says Fraser, "is communicate to anyone who wants to hear
that two rooms are not going to be occupied and for how long."
Some highlights from Amex's traveler safety
tips:
- when making reservations, ask what
security measures are enforced
- look for key cards or keys without room
numbers, secure locks and peepholes in the doors
- make sure the desk clerk is discreet in
relaying your room number
- check that the room windows and doors to
adjoining rooms are secure, that the phone works and note the nearest
fire exit
- keep the "Do Not Disturb" sign
on the door to discourage intrusions while you are out
CAR SAFETY
To avoid being a target, the following safety
tips are recommended by the RCMP and outlined in a leaflet distributed by
Speedy Muffler:-
- in an underground parking lot, walk to
your car with your keys in your fist, get in, lock the doors and drive
out as quickly as possible
- when leaving your car, put the passenger
seat forward so you can see anyone in your back seat on your return
- before you get into your car, circle it
and look for any obvious problems such as flat tires, damaged headlamps
or missing wiper blades. Any of these could leave you stranded on the
highway
- car breakdowns are probably the most
common occurrence from which women become vulnerable. Always keep your
car well maintained and drive with at least half a tank of gas,
especially in winter
- pre -program your car phone to dial your
local and provincial police and emergency numbers you will need
- be sure to get (or make) a Call Police
sign you can put in your rear window
- do not raise the hood of your car. It
brings more attention to your distress and gives attackers a better
opportunity to attack you
- no matter whether it's a man or a woman,
if someone walks up to you, stay in your car and roll your window down
only enough (no more than an inch) to talk back and forth . You'd be
surprised what little space it takes to reach right in.
- consider purchasing smooth, non-flared
locking buttons for your car doors
AIRCRAFT SAFETY
Christiane Forgie, Corporate Communications
Officer with Air Canada has the following suggestions:
- ahead of time, check with the airline's
policy regarding the transportation of any pressurized canisters
- take note of the location of the nearest
exit door
- keep your seat belt fastened - even
loosely - as much as possible
Lastly, Christiane points out that when a
passenger confirms a flight, it is to their advantage to give the
carrier a contact telephone number in case the plane is delayed in a
snowstorm. "Also," she says, "the airline will do what it
can to reschedule your connecting flights."
Fraser MacDonald summarizes it best:
"If you're prepared for the worst and something does happen, it
will be like water running off a duck's back."
To find out more about travel safety,
pick up a copy of BCAA's brochure entitled 'Playing it safe' at your
nearest BCAA office
