Overseas travel warnings about USA mount

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: intrptr
Haha,the whole government is one big crime syndicate. "Overall", crime rate in the world is increasing because of US "Hegemony".

I would ask you to post some evidence but your track record of hyperbole does not leave me holding out any hope.

Willfully blind. Some of the best evidence on the internet has been right here. You been here almost twice as long as I.

But I don't expect Romans to see anything UN Roman wherever they travel.

originally posted by: Talorc

originally posted by: olaru12
My profession takes me all over the country. I turn down well paying gigs in the American south.

Sounds pretty idiotic, to be honest.

Great, now some one that knows how to run my business better than i do, to be honest!

One great thing about America is you don't have to take advice from internet seventhirty goobers.




btw.....I stand by my previous position!

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Of course I would shoot him.

I am a white, male, southern, American police officer.

DUH!

Quite personally, I don't see it as a bad thing that tourism slows down. I mean people are constantly bickering about greenhouse gases and the such and pollution and then want to complain about not enough plains flying here? What sense does that make?

On the other side of things all these things being complained about have no larger significance in the US than in other countries. The bigger difference is the media coverage. With the one exception being the zika virus, but in that case, just avoid Florida . . . which is a good habit anyways.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
If you go to Europe, you will die in an ISIS attack.
If you go to Australia, you'll get eaten by a didgery-doo, whatever that is.

And if you travel to the US, you'll be shot because we shoot everyone here.

Don't forget Brazil.

If you Go to Brazil , ALL the above plus some.

a reply to: 38181

Thanks, stick to your own country, Canucks and their drunken idiots piss me off

Lol, and that ⬆️ Is coming from the whiskey state....Or is that a whiskey state of mind...can't tell 🤔

There's that hedonistic reputation we're so proud of.
A bunch of fun loving heathens we are 🍻

Like most travel warnings - you take them into account, maybe be more aware of where and what your planned activities are, but I personally wouldn't allow it to become the ruling rationale for the where and what while traveling around. Kinda defeats and detracts from the experience.


Everyone's experiences are different of course and yes shyte happens. Having traveled through many countries over the years, through many areas of high wealth AND of high warnings...I've rarely encountered any hassles. A keen level of situational awareness is often all you need to keep yourself safe and away from situations before they occur.


Granted it can be harder to maintain a good level of awareness when you're in foriegn and unfamiliar lands and/or focused more on taking in the experience...but on many levels while again we/countries/cultures all have our differences we also have many shared similarities of our shared humanity.
In that regard I personally find things aren't really that foreign or unfamiliar when viewed person to person.


Again shyte happens - and to be fair I've probably encountered more shyte in my life right here in my OWN country...mere minutes from home rather than thousands of miles away.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: DBCowboy
It's not like anyone could actually survive there.

Exactly, have you ever seen the mosquitos in Canadaland? They're like friggin' F-18's.

But they don't carry Zika... according to the Zika Virus Map.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Oh, pish-tosh.

I see foreign tourists here in my neck of the woods quite often. Asians usually, but Europeans quite often, too.

If people want to believe the worst, let 'em. Assuming I can ever afford it, again, I'll go to Europe, despite all the negative publicity certain aspects of society are currently facing...'cause I know not all places are like that, and I'm smart enough to know that, and avoid, as necessary.

If would be tourists coming here are afraid to come, it's their loss, not mine. There's always been a misconception about my (our) country...I was asked point blank once by a lady from England whether or not there had been any Indian attacks recently...this was in the year 2000. I think I offended her when I couldn't help but laugh...she got rather huffy with me. How anyone can remain that ignorant of the world, or of a country you're visiting is quite beyond me.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Oregon or Washington?

Portland and surrounding areas are horrible. Absolutely the worst traffic/parking of any city I've ever visited, and that includes Los Angeles, and the Bay Area. Seattle is in the mix, too. I'm generally in a very bad mood after driving through either metro-area.

Once you get out of Portland though, I find it gets a lot better...

a reply to: seagull

Hahaha

Love it when people ask those kinda questions about your hometown/homeland.


- Had one tourist ask 'where the maoris live as I hear they're cannibals and we don't want to be eaten'...told them I was a Maori...but they would be safe as they were skinny. Not enough meat on em.
The guy was serious. And relieved to know they wouldn't be on the locals menu.

- Had a person, on an Internet forum, ask me if NZ had internet as they were planning to visit NZ but wanted to skype the friends back home. Asked me on an INTERNET forum
I told them 'No. We send smoke signals to Australia. And Australians then transcribe our messages onto the Internet from there. Much like Bob in Canberra is doing right now. Thanks Bob.'

a reply to: alien

Thank for that!!!

Best laugh I've had in a couple of days. Too skinny...



In this age of instant access to information it quite simply boggles my mind that people can be that stone ignorant. Not necessarily stupid (that's forgivable), but utterly, and willfully, clueless to the world around them...

If the day comes that I ever visit your fair country (bucket list item #3), I will, hopefully, not display my own ignorance in such a fashion...by keeping my mouth shut, and my eyes and ears open.

a reply to: seagull

Seattle traffic!
*twitch* *twitch*

Attend a conference in Seattle a number of years ago. We had a rental car. We left it parked up at the Hotel after about the first day...coz even driving you spent most of the time parked up waiting to move forward another half foot...

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: DBCowboy

Oregon or Washington?

Portland and surrounding areas are horrible. Absolutely the worst traffic/parking of any city I've ever visited, and that includes Los Angeles, and the Bay Area. Seattle is in the mix, too. I'm generally in a very bad mood after driving through either metro-area.

Once you get out of Portland though, I find it gets a lot better...

I'm right on the coast. I dread Seattle/Portland traffic and use the train or cabs whenever I can. Interestingly enough, I've never done Uber.

Since I live in Eastern Washington, my exposure to Seattle/Portland traffic is limited. When I have to go to the area, I generally, if at all possible, go around. Even if it does add hours to the trip...it's better for my mental health, and the health of my passengers as they don't go deaf from my constant profane barrages at morons in other cars...or motorcycles...pedestrians...dogs...cats...buildings...etc...

a reply to: alien

That's the idea - just be aware before you leave.

Know about where you're going.
It makes sense. Don't jump blindly into a pool unless you know what's in the water.



Thanks for being here, you and seagull and everyone else, too.

I personally think it's crap and sensationist hype - but USAToday is telling people this.....and I guess some foreign authorities are telling their people this? Reportedly.
Anyway - probably is a good idea for EVERY global traveler to use extra caution. Sadly.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Think it's likely sensationalist media hype too.
Never considered the US to factor high on my travel-threat list...heck even the hard out gang areas aren't too dissimilar from where I grew up...


Like most things - respect is a biggy.
Always found if you respect the locals then they'll respect you. Listen to the locals. Do what the locals say. It's their home...they know what's up.



...such as this quiet conversation riding through LA:

"Hey bit of a heads up...put that phone on silent and put it away. Don't pull it out to check it while riding this train"
"Thanks man"
"Where you from? You sound Australian?"
"Nah man. New Zealander"
"Oh. All Blacks huh"
"Yup the mighty All Blacks"
"Where you off to?"
"Just to ------- "
"That's 5 stops down. Don't look at the signs at each stop. Makes you stand out as not being from around here. Just get up and walk off at the 5th stop like you live here. Keep walking up and out. Don't look around until you get up on the street"
"Cheers man"


Also learnt that when the locals start getting scarce on the street that's your cue to get on up outa there too!

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

In this case, you do have to ask yourself, have any of these people actually been to the places they're warning about?

I'm not a global traveler by any stretch of the imagination, but I've traveled throughout Mexico, all the way down to the Guatemalan border, and all over Western and Central Canada, and I've friends who live all over the globe who I'll trust long before I'll trust anyone in a govt agency, or a newspaper.

Traveling safely is pretty much the same any where. Before you go, learn all you can about the country. If you're staying at a hotel, talk to the concierge or even the wait staff...they'll seldom steer you wrong. ...above all else, eyes open, ears, too, and generally keeping ones mouth shut helps, too. Few people anywhere like noisy tourists who think they know which direction is up...

a reply to: alien

...such as this quiet conversation riding through LA: "Hey bit of a heads up...put that phone on silent and put it away. Don't pull it out to check it while riding this train" "Thanks man" "Where you from? You sound Australian?" "Nah man. New Zealander" "Oh. All Blacks huh" "Yup the mighty All Blacks" "Where you off to?" "Just to ------- " "That's 5 stops down. Don't look at the signs at each stop. Makes you stand out as not being from around here. Just get up and walk off at the 5th stop like you live here. Keep walking up and out. Don't look around until you get up on the street" "Cheers man"

Respect the natives. That Can Not Be Emphasized Too Much!!!

a reply to: alien

Always found if you respect the locals then they'll respect you. Listen to the locals. Do what the locals say. It's their home...they know what's up.

That needs to be repeated... more times than I can get by with repeating it.

Every time I have travelled (admittedly not much outside of a truck), I have done two things: smile to try and put others at ease around me, and depend on the locals. It works! Just the respect of letting them know they're the expert in their hometown turns most people into tour guides.

I can't seem to get NYC out of my head concerning this. I made quite a few deliveries to downtown Queens. Almost every time, it was an all-day exercise getting unloaded, and almost every time I would wind up passing the time talking to locals. Several times I wound up being treated to lunch, just because they wanted to know more about me and where I was from, and weren't put off by my attitude. They would give me tips on how to act, what to order, and other good places to visit if I ever made it back.

Right nice folks in the Big Apple, if you respect them. I bet a lot of our problems trace right back to simple respect rather than racism or bigotry.

One more time:

Always found if you respect the locals then they'll respect you. Listen to the locals. Do what the locals say. It's their home...they know what's up.

TheRedneck