Hair vs Shaved

[dennislevy]

OK; I typed in my email and spokeo had my address in the US from more then three years ago. I m not all that impressed.

When I lived in Bogota.....I was robbed by a gang of pickpockets in March 2009, other then that I ve never had a problem...and that was my fault.

Since then, Ive travled all over Colombia by  bus, I ve hung out for hours in internet cafes in poor neighbohoods in cities that most gringos havent gone to....I don t stay in fancy hotels and nothing has happened. I ve found that if I m respectful, people will treat me well. 

Look, I live here and since what happened in Bogota, I m reasonably careful...but Im not going to spend my life looking over my shoulder. Last night at 10.30 PM I walked to a store three blocks form myhotel, bought some pop and chips and came back and there was a group of 10 Colombian kids 15 to 20 years old sitting in the park.

And I said, buenas noches caballeros and they.....

said

buenas noches.....   

[Researcher]

  I typed in my email address at spoken and it didn't have squat on me but its good advice Gromit.My wife is extra cautious when we travel to visit her family so I see your point.


        Researcher

[euforia51]

There are companies and software programs that harvest and sell your information.  Think posting a personal photo is harmless?  Take a look at one such company and type in your email address and I think you'll be surprised at just how much information they have on you:

http://www.spokeo.com/email-search

Gromit ... this is a pay site. Any information that is divulged here needs to be paid for with a membership; which is kind of a bummer. So just because it appears that nothing comes up with your e-mail address, doesn't mean it's not there.

This discussion is turning into an updated version of being street smart ... which is actually a good reminder of where your head should be with regards to posting personal info, itineraries, and the like.

Dennis ... you mentioned being robbed in March, 2009. Why was this your fault?

[Gromit]

Gromit ... this is a pay site. Any information that is divulged here needs to be paid for with a membership; which is kind of a bummer. So just because it appears that nothing comes up with your e-mail address, doesn't mean it's not there.

Understood.  My point in mentioning that particular web site is that there are companies out there that gather personal information and one of their sources is what people willing divulge on the internet about themselves.  Personally, I think it is an invasion of privacy and I would rather have less information available for prying eyes rather than more.

I typed in one poster's email address and saw two photographs of him, one in his underwear (no, surprisingly it wasn't Fathertime) and that his profile information is available on a number of different web sites.  If private companies can gather personal information imagine what governmental agencies have.

To each his own but as I said before, I would much rather keep a low profile and err on the side of caution rather than being an open book.

[euforia51]

Understood.  My point in mentioning that particular web site is that there are companies out there that gather personal information and one of their sources is what people willing divulge on the internet about themselves. 
...
To each his own but as I said before, I would much rather keep a low profile and err on the side of caution rather than being an open book.

Absolutely. My point was not to challenge the information or discredit the link you provided. However this company is obviously in the business of making money through providing information to their subscribers ... among other ways.

And yes personal information is, unfortunately, a molested and exploited commodity; especially if you're not careful with what you're posting out there.

[Bob_S]

I typed in one poster's email address and saw two photographs of him, one in his underwear

Yeah, that purple G-string will follow Dave_H to his grave.

[Gromit]

Purple?  It was a leopard print! 

[Gromit]

When I lived in Bogota.....I was robbed by a gang of pickpockets in March 2009, other then that I ve never had a problem...and that was my fault.

Since then, Ive travled all over Colombia by  bus, I ve hung out for hours in internet cafes in poor neighbohoods in cities that most gringos havent gone to....I don t stay in fancy hotels and nothing has happened. I ve found that if I m respectful, people will treat me well.  

Look, I live here and since what happened in Bogota, I m reasonably careful...but Im not going to spend my life looking over my shoulder. Last night at 10.30 PM I walked to a store three blocks form myhotel, bought some pop and chips and came back and there was a group of 10 Colombian kids 15 to 20 years old sitting in the park.

And I said, buenas noches caballeros and they.....

said

buenas noches.....  

With your Hulk Hogan stature and demeanor it's obvious why those young Colombian "hooligans" would respond in any manner other than respect and trepidation.    

Dennis,

With all due respect, I have to disagree with you.  The facts speak for themselves and show a very real dark side concerning personal safety in Colombia.  Colombia (as well as most Central and other South American countries) IS more dangerous that the US and certain precautions need to be taken.

Anecdotal evidence; if nothing bad has happened to me then it must be a relatively safe place may be a very costly mistake.  I'm not saying one must be constantly "looking over one's shoulder" (although that may be good advice in many situations) but Colombia sure as heck isn't Kansas.    

Many factors ranging from drug manufacturing and distribution to gangs to just simple street crime, make Colombia a very dangerous country if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Just a five minute perusal on the net brings up many examples and warnings about violence.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/south-america/colombia
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/15320-colombia-has-4200-criminal-gang-members-official.html
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/2942-robbers-intoxicate-victims-with-foam-at-barranquilla-carnaval.html
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/15328-3-women-2-men-murdered-in-medellin-taxi.html
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/11312-un-condemns-bogota-terrorist-attack.html
http://www.insightcrime.com/insight-latest-news/itemlist/tag/Colombia
http://insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/719-mafia-war-feared-in-cali-if-rastrojos-face-new-competition
http://insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/687-cauca-region-emerges-to-be-new-front-line-in-colombian-cartel-battle

[Gromit]

.

[michaelb]

Just for grins, I looked up some people on that site (as far as it would let me for free):

1- had the right address, nothing else was right, said "in a relationship"---he's been married for several years years.

2- 10 year old address, with a picture no less, the building burned down, that's why she moved out of it. Had her spouse's correct name..didn't mention that he's been dead 15 years.

3- #1's wife-doesn't exist

4- doesn't exist

5- they've got the correct address on her and even say her 2 children live with her....one of them actually does.

6- they've got him 3 times, at 3 different addresses, which I recognize as 1 current and 2 former---but they don't say that, they lead you to believe that he is 3 different people...one of them says he's single and has a daughter, another says he's married and give his wife's name but no children, another says he's "in a relationship"

7- (6 and 7 are brothers, #7 has never been married) correct address, says he's he's married---to the woman his brother is married to-----ain't that against the law in most states east of the Mississippi?

So much for the accuracy of those services, at least his one. In fact, the inaccuracies make the whole thing even worse. However, I do agree with Gromit in principle, you give out too much information, don't be surprised if it comes back to haunt you.

[euforia51]

Many factors ranging from drug manufacturing and distribution to gangs to just simple street crime, make Colombia a very dangerous country if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Just a five minute perusal on the net brings up many examples and warnings about violence.

http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/15328-3-women-2-men-murdered-in-medellin-taxi.html

Five people, including a pregnant woman, were assassinated in the city of Medellin Friday, local media reported.

The assassination of the two men and three women took place Friday evening in the north-western slum of Santander while the victims were driving through the neighborhood in a taxi.

According to witnesses, the taxi was attacked by men on two motorbikes.

According to local newspaper El Colombiano, the taxi driver survived the massacre.

The northwest of Medellin has seen several massacres this year already. In the city, local gangs, are involved in a territorial war between "Sebastian" and "Valenciano," both former members of the "Oficina de Envigado," a branch of demobilized paramilitary organization AUC.

And this is a recent news story; April 1, 2011. While Colombia deserves a very healthy respect for its violence and potential dangers, I have 4 questions, points, and/or issues with this story:

• The assissination took place in a slum at night
• The assault was done by men on two motorcycles
• The taxi driver survived the massacre
• The northwest area of Medellin has seen several massacres already; attributed to gangs

So now what? It could take months before the details of this story come to light; and this is assuming those details are even brought forth. Were these people in the taxi tourists? Were they Gringos? Were they Colombians? What were they doing in a slum at night where there is known gang activity? Why did the taxi driver survive? Why were there 2 motorcycles? Were they being robbed? And on, and on, and on ...

I am not attempting to discredit any one person's definition of personal safety; but rather stating the belief that we are all entitled (yes, the dreaded "e-word") to a more thorough presentation of the facts before jumping to un-necessary conclusions. This is a major problem with our media in the U.S., IMO. It tends to sensationalize while leaving out, unintentional or otherwise, what could be considered critical details. More on this, coming up at 10!!!  

[Gromit]

And this is a recent news story; April 1, 2011. While Colombia deserves a very healthy respect for its violence and potential dangers, I have 4 questions, points, and/or issues with this story:

• The assassination took place in a slum at night
• The assault was done by men on two motorcycles
• The taxi driver survived the massacre
• The northwest area of Medellin has seen several massacres already; attributed to gangs

So now what? It could take months before the details of this story come to light; and this is assuming those details are even brought forth. Were these people in the taxi tourists? Were they Gringos? Were they Colombians? What were they doing in a slum at night where there is known gang activity? Why did the taxi driver survive? Why were there 2 motorcycles? Were they being robbed?

I am not attempting to discredit any one person's definition of personal safety; but rather stating the belief that we are all entitled to a more thorough presentation of the facts before jumping to un-necessary conclusions. This is a major problem with our media in the U.S., IMO. It tends to sensationalize while leaving out, unintentional or otherwise, what could be considered critical details.

Euforia,

I think you are reading too much into one report on violent crime in Colombia and coming to some faulty conclusions regarding personal safety for foreigners.  As I said, I just did a quick search on the internet for violent crime in Colombia and that was one link that came up.  Had I taken a bit more time I could have come up with a few that a foreigner could relate to more easily.  Granted, there is more crime in certain barrios than others but that doesn't mean if a foreigner stays in better neighborhoods he won't have to ever deal with it.  

That kidnapping attempt I mentioned before was when an arriving Gringo got in an airport taxi in Medellin.  I spoke to him personally about the incident.  He only escaped when the taxi slowed down enough for him to jump out of the car.  I also know the guy who was shot while robbed after withdrawing money from an ATM while he was in a taxi returning to his apartment.  Last week a friend of mine was robbed at gunpoint after making a withdrawal at a bank.  A good friend was recently mugged by four youths while out walking during the day.  I could list many other examples but I think you get my point.

Here's one news report concerning violent crime that you or others might better relate to: (BTW, this happened in a good neighborhood.)

Seven dead and nine wounded in Envigado (Medellin) shooting: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10494744

Travel.State.Gov has some good advice for travelers that we should all heed:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1090.html

CRIME: Although the threat of terrorism has decreased in most of Colombia’s cities, they nevertheless experience much of the same crime that is seen in comparably sized cities throughout the region. Robbery and other violent crimes, as well as scams against unsuspecting tourists, are common in urban areas. Generally speaking, if you are the victim of a robbery, you should not resist.

Some of the most common methods used by criminals in Colombia are noted below:

Robberies of ATM customers: Tourists and others have been robbed after using automatic teller machines (ATMs) on the street. In some cases, robbers have used motorcycles to approach their victims and later flee the scene. Americans are urged to use ATMs only inside shopping malls or other protected locations. Driving to and from the location – rather than walking – provides added protection. When using an ATM, you should be on the lookout for anyone watching or following you.

Robberies of taxi passengers: Robbery of taxi passengers is a serious problem in Bogota, as well as Cali and Medellin. Typically, the driver – who is one of the conspirators – will pick up the passenger and then stop to pick up two or more armed cohorts, who enter the cab, overpower the passenger, and take his/her belongings. If the passenger has an ATM card, the perpetrators may force the passenger to withdraw money from various ATM locations. Such ordeals can last for hours.

In almost every case of taxi-related crime, the victims have been riding alone and have hailed taxis off the street. Rather than hailing a taxi, you should use the telephone dispatch service that most taxi companies offer. Many hotels, restaurants, and stores will call a taxi for you, and the taxi usually arrives within minutes. When a taxi is dispatched by telephone, the dispatcher creates a record of the call and the responding taxi. When taking a taxi, it’s important that the passenger take note of the license plate, company and other ID of the taxi.

Robberies of tourists departing airports: U.S. citizens arriving at major Colombian airports have occasionally been victimized by armed robbers and rogue taxi drivers while en route from the airport to their hotel or home. There are taxi booths both in El Dorado (international) and Puente Aereo (domestic) airports. Travelers may go to the booth, request a taxi, and provide the address of the service. The taxi booth in the international terminal is located to the right, once you exit the baggage/customs area. The taxi booth in the domestic terminal is located to the left, once you exit the baggage area. The person in the booth will give you a ticket indicating the amount of money you will pay for the service. Dispatchers are right outside the exit to organize the waiting line. Authorized taxis are located in the designated area, close to the booth. The passenger should give one part of the ticket to the driver and retain one for their records. Non authorized taxis usually are located in front of the exit areas but not in the authorized areas. Criminals also sometimes scout out victims at the airport and then follow their vehicles before robbing the occupants at a stoplight. Travelers should remain vigilant at airports and report to local airport police if they suspect they may be under surveillance.

Robberies on hiking trails: Several U.S. citizens were robbed in 2010 while hiking on nature trails in and around Bogota. Because hiking trips generally take place in isolated settings, participants are especially vulnerable. Hikers in Colombia are more protected if they travel in large groups.

Use of disabling drugs: The Embassy continues to receive reports of criminals in Colombia using disabling drugs to temporarily incapacitate tourists and others. At bars, restaurants, and other public areas, perpetrators may offer tainted drinks, cigarettes, or gum. Typically, victims become disoriented or unconscious, and are thus vulnerable to robbery, sexual assault, and other crimes. Avoid leaving food or drinks unattended at a bar or restaurant, and be suspicious if a stranger offers you something to eat or drink.

[Gato4Astrid]

Ok.  I am 33, and in the early stages of a trip to South America searching for wife.  I have blond hair, which is quite fine and straight.  It looks pretty decent I have a history of women liking it.

However, even thought I am not balding at all, I prefer to shave my head due to ease of maintenance.  And I have done so for so many years I can't rememeber having hair very much.

So my question to the experienced travelings...  Hair or Shaved?

Will I have a better chance attracting women with a full head of blond hair?  Or are shaved head popular?

Also, if I do grow my hair out for a trip, am dooming myself for a life with hair as any wife I'd attract would be upset if I shaved it?

Thought you wear hockey mask!!

[euforia51]

Euforia,

I think you are reading too much into one report on violent crime in Colombia and coming to some faulty conclusions regarding personal safety for foreigners.

Faulty conclusions ... from asking some questions about the story? Not sure what you mean by that. Actually ... I was more trying to justify in my own mind that there is a balance between mongering fear with missing crucial details and taking the reality of the report I used as an example at face value. Regardless, I don't think anyone is going to argue that one can be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time ... especially if you're not careful.

You live in Colombia, don't you? How do you stay safe? Or better yet, how do you cope in your own mind after reading some of these reports and personally talking with victims?

[Gromit]

You live in Colombia, don't you? How do you stay safe? Or better yet, how do you cope in your own mind after reading some of these reports and personally talking with victims?

How do I stay safe?  Since you asked, for starters I don't take things for granted.  I never trust situations that I wouldn't think twice about back in the States.  Nothing surprises me in Colombia.  JimD commented the other day how some young punks entered a restaurant that he likes to frequent and shot and killed a patron(s).  I forget the exact details but how many times would that happen in your lifetime back in the States?  Here it is another matter.  Besides serious violent crime there is much more "everyday crime"; thefts, muggings, scams, etc.  Unlike Dennis, I find myself literally looking over my shoulder when I'm out and about.  I'm not paranoid but I want to be aware of my surroundings and who might be following me.

I also carry a weapon or two on me at all times.  I have a concealed weapons license in the States and at times will carry depending on where I am going.  I've considered applying for a permit in Colombia but haven't gotten around to it yet.  I know of many expats however that do carry. 

Some of the weapons I do have are mace, a collapsible baton, a stun "gun" and tactical flashlight.  I've only had to use my stun gun once and that was on a dog that was menacing me.  Thankfully, I've not been in a situation where I might need a weapon however if that happens I would like one available to me.

The suggestions above written by Travel.State.Gov are excellent although I have at times been guilty of violating some of their recommendations such as hailing a taxi on the street and not taking one immediately after an ATM withdrawal.  I might add if you do hail a taxi and don't get a good vibe from the driver simply tell him no thanks and get another one.  I've done that many a time.  NEVER, and I mean never, allow a taxi driver to make a telephone call after he picks you up.  If he does simply have him stop, pay the bill and get another taxi as soon as possible.

I used to ride in the rear seat of taxis but rarely do that now.  The reason is that you'll be hard pressed to find a seat belt in the rear seat yet it is mandatory that a passenger in the front seat wear one.  The way taxi drivers drive in Colombia wearing a seat belt is a EXTREMELY good idea.  For some idiotic reason everyone thinks riding in back w/o one is safe.

I also think it wise not to carry a debit card on you unless you intend on using it that day.  A robber may kidnap you and drain your bank account which may end up to be a multiple day ordeal (banks limit the amounts on daily withdrawals, $500 +/- which encourages this crime).

Some other recommendations, never get drunk in public.  Don't verbally challenge people if you are that type of person.  Telling someone off in the States is one thing, doing it in Colombia is asking for trouble.  Don't hit on or date women that have "mafioso" type boyfriends.  Doing so throws the gauntlet down challenging their manhood.  Avoid confrontation if at all possible and don't think twice about retreating from a dangerous situation.  Use the "buddy system".

Always look for someone that may be watching you if using an ATM and look for a possible hidden camera (I've found them before), cover up your hand when entering your PIN, DON'T count your money then, then look after the transaction to see if you are being followed.  Don't use certain ATMs that will reveal your balance in your account.  Some ATMs will display this either on the screen or on your receipt while other bank's ATMs won't. 

I think it is a good idea to carry a second throw away wallet with a small amount of cash in it.  If being held up literally throw it down and run away if possible.  I would not include any outdated or current credit/debit card in a throw away wallet for the reason mentioned above.  The robber might just be satisfied with the cash in your wallet.

NEVER carry your passport on you!  Instead, have a color photocopy of it.  Passports are a valuable item in Colombia and you sure don't want to go through all the hassle of replacing it.

More common sense advice is to not wear expensive jewelry such as gold watches or necklaces.  Recently, an off duty policeman out walking with his wife and young daughter was shot and killed in a robbery when two men approached him on their motorbike demanding his gold necklace.  I also think it wise not to display cell phones.  For that reason I always untuck my shirt to cover it up.

I'm sure there are many other tips one could suggest but I think you get the point.

[whitey]

Another tip on ATM's ...

Whenever possible, I use an ATM at a major mall and withdraw the cash as soon as I enter the mall.  Then I always spend plenty of time wandering around, buying stuff, having a coffee, eating a meal, going to a movie, etc. 

This gives you lot's of opportunity to determine if someone is following you (and if they are, they will probably get bored pretty quickly and chose different prey) and to re-distribute the money into various locations on my body.  Nothing internal ... hahahaha ... but I'll usually discreetly put my debit card and at least half my cash in a sock, half of the rest in one pocket, and the other half with my wallet as "throw down money" that a thief will get.

Although not always possible, it's pretty easy to plan this in advance ...

[euforia51]

Gromit ...

Remember the story about 2 men and 3 women getting shot in the taxi? Here is an update on that in case you haven't seen it yet:

http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/15340-medellin-cops-investigated-for-massacre-of-5.html

My point again is to suggest that freak occurrences like these have reason and are not always random.

How do I stay safe?  Since you asked, for starters I don't take things for granted.
...
I might add if you do hail a taxi and don't get a good vibe from the driver simply tell him no thanks and get another one.  I've done that many a time.  NEVER, and I mean never, allow a taxi driver to make a telephone call after he picks you up.  If he does simply have him stop, pay the bill and get another taxi as soon as possible.

Good taxi tip here I didn't think about before. Nonetheless, you bring up some excellent points, the first being perhaps the most important. As for the other tips, I am familiar with most mainly because I searched the Internet high and low before I made my first trip to Medellin. And for those who are not familiar, should read yours and whitey's ATM contribution of this thread and also search the Internet for additional safe travel tips.

Regardless, we are on the same page... and thanks for the refresher!

[Gromit]

Another tip on ATM's ...

Whenever possible, I use an ATM at a major mall and withdraw the cash as soon as I enter the mall.  Then I always spend plenty of time wandering around, buying stuff, having a coffee, eating a meal, going to a movie, etc. 

This gives you lot's of opportunity to determine if someone is following you (and if they are, they will probably get bored pretty quickly and chose different prey) and to re-distribute the money into various locations on my body.  Nothing internal ... hahahaha ... but I'll usually discreetly put my debit card and at least half my cash in a sock, half of the rest in one pocket, and the other half with my wallet as "throw down money" that a thief will get.

Although not always possible, it's pretty easy to plan this in advance ...

Hello Whitey,

I didn't include that piece of advice because the Travel.Gov site already did.  I have mixed feelings about using an ATM that is visible to many people that seems to be very common in malls and such.  I'm not sure they are as safe as ATMs that are enclosed in their own room with lockable door with partially blocked out windows.  Here is my reasoning: at a stand alone ATM anyone watching can see you make a transaction and it is very easy to see if you are making a withdrawal.  Even if you wander about afterwards it might be harder than you think detecting whether or not someone watched you and might be following you especially in a crowded area.  

My friend that was shot in Medellin did what you pretty much advocate.  After his withdrawal he ate lunch then got in a taxi to return to his apartment although he wasn't looking for anyone following him.  The armed robbery occurred just before he reached his apartment while he was still in the taxi.  The driver didn't understand what the men on the bike were saying or he didn't follow their instructions so they shot my friend through the closed window.  Fortunately the bullet was deflected and it only injured his leg rather than kill him.

I think that it might be safer to just pop into one of these ATMs with a lockable door, make your withdrawal and then get into a taxi making sure no one is following you.

On a related note, I think it wise not to make multiple withdrawals at one setting.  If you do and are being watched the bad guy can easily make the assumption you made a large withdrawal and you're worth his time.  If you make one quick transaction (even up to the maximum allowed amount of 720 mil COP) he has no way of knowing what amount you withdrew.  

Mis dos centavos.

[Gromit]

Euforia,

Thanks for the link and update.  Dirty cops with their brand of justice look to be the culprits in tipping off the killers.  It is unfortunate that you can't trust a policeman but it would be wise to have a general rule while in a foreign country;

Never Trust Anyone.  

I have been in Colombia many a year and there are very few people I unconditionally trust.