by Rene Tubilleja
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I'm
keeping this page in its original look
as a kind of time-capsule of the days when the Web was very young (circa 1996). |
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How do
you avoid getting robbed in New York? —Stay away.
Just kidding. It's a popular joke about New York that's probably seen its day (must have originated from New Jersey). Hey, it's the year 2001. New York is a very safe and enjoyable city to visit nowadays. A few months ago, in February, some formerly rough precincts in Brooklyn reported a whole month without any murders. Crime is down. Cabbies are more polite and speak English. Even Times Square has been dramatically transformed from the sleazy to the glitzy. Etcetera, etcetera. But still, you never know...
Not all the bad people have exactly left the city or gone to jail. There's just less opportunity for them to ply their trade —what with more police presence everywhere and the more aggressive crackdown on crime. There would still be some lurking in the shadows, though, just waiting for an opportunity to pounce. So don't be the one to lure them from their lairs. Here are some tips:
BE STREET SMART
Newcomers and tourists stand out like, well, newcomers and tourists in New York. However, that's not exactly a bad thing. You're just going to be the natural prey for the common thieves, same as in other cities. But you can't be changing the way you dress, the way you walk, your manners, just to look like a local and be "safer" in New York. You shouldn't and, to some extent, you probably couldn't (unless you're really good at acting). Being a New Yorker permeates the total person. It shows from the way one looks at —or especially, not look at—other people, down to the very aroma and quality of one's clothes. But it's borne of living in New York for many years (if not actually born there), and that's its own reward for valor, sort of.
For the rest of mankind (meaning, visitors to New York), it's good enough to just look alert, non-gullible, and not so looking lost. If you come from another big city, most of your street smarts will work here too. And vice versa, whatever safety and security tricks you learn while visiting New York will also serve you well elsewhere. By the way, forget about your usual stereotype of thieves and muggers in New York. The best of them are well-dressed, some pretending to be pregnant, some looking like clergy, or like teen-age girls in school uniforms.
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When I was new in New York, some 15 years ago, I used to be terrified going into Grand Central Station on late nights. It was different then; there were many suspicious-looking night denizens there. And they would be following my every move with their eyes. Then, by a stroke of genius, I started mumbling to myself like I was one disturbed and vacantly stared back at them. That did it. Nobody ever paid any attention to me again. Later I found out they were not really the bad guys—just people down on their luck and were homeless. They meant nobody any harm, of course. Actually, the bad people looked and dressed like me and probably sat next to me on trains and buses. |
HOW NEW YORKERS BEHAVE IN THEIR OWN CITY
In these next few paragraphs, I will try to run off some typical New Yorker behaviors that, aside from their accent, set them apart from the rest. These are for information purposes only and you don't really have to imitate them. They might, in fact, get in the way of your enjoyment of the City (like, for instance, the walking fast and not looking at the sights around you!). In some situations, though, you may want to approximate their ways and so avoid getting in trouble. But in most other times you'd just want to observe them with knowing eyes.
Even when New York was still Nieu Amsterdam (early 1600's), people here have been known to walk and talk fast, and with great purpose and decisiveness. That's still true. They also do not attempt to hide their impatience towards those that knowingly or unknowingly slow them down. Don't start a confrontation with them unless you're prepared for a long battle of verbal abuses. New Yorkers do not back down. (Unlike people from New Jersey who are also quick to speak their minds but withdraw just as quickly.) Surprisingly, however, when asked nicely New Yorkers will actually stop and be garrulously helpful. In spite of their fast pace, they don't have a rat-race, dead-end-job mentality and, in fact there's an observable pride and contentment in their speedy gait. They definitely do not go to Manhattan on weekends, and if they live there, they'd go some place else. (You of course know what that means —so be extra alert in Manhattan on weekends). There's no real eye-contact. They don't look at people they pass on the streets or on subways; they look through. From time to time, they take furtive but non-offensive glances behind them as they walk. When determined as "safe", they would close their eyes in buses or subways trains but with their belonging well-tucked under arms or held closely. Often they're not actually sleeping, just permanently avoiding eye-contact. Or they'd be reading a newspaper or a book (not a map, please!). On regular days, New Yorkers are not overly concerned about fashion. Just as long as their clothes are practical, comfortable, and passably pleasing to the eye. So no jewelries or expensive attires (they'll wait for special occasions to dazzle you; and boy, will they!). But signature items are so easily available in New York—and at great bargains, too—that they're not so special anymore. New Yorkers are not easily impressed and will not gawk at celebrities. Any commotion will be accorded with only cursory glances. They're much given to skepticism and will doubt or question the validity of every idea. Hence, the obvious difficulty of con-ing them so easily.
All told, New Yorkers love and are proud of their town. They have this knowing air about them and an inner courage and strength. On the outside, they may not always look tough, but bad people know to stay away from them...
BE ALERT
Crimes against tourist are generally on the decline in New York. They're mostly of the petty kind—pickpockets, purse-snatching, con artist games. Violent robberies and muggings are fortunately rare and usually occur in non-tourist, and dark or isolated areas.
A trip to a police station in Manhattan will usually yield some gems on how to protect oneself in New York. These write-ups are usually placed in visible spots like stand-alone racks or bulletin boards. For instance, I got hold of a copy of the following tips from the 17th Precinct on East 51st Street:
BE ALERT WHEN YOU ARE:
ON BUSES,
Be Alert...
* Keep your bag on your lap.
ON SUBWAYS
Be Alert...
* Keep your bag on your lap
** Be alert to the person next to you
ON STAIRS AND ESCALATORS
Be Alert...
* Don't carry your valuables in a handbag that does not have both
a zipper and a clasp to secure them
ON CROWDED STREETS
(NB: I removed the "Do's" from the original text of the following because they're too confusing. Try putting them back in front of the positive statements, and see what I mean. But don't blame me if you happen to read "Don't keep your wallet in your front pocket", instead of "Do keep your wallet in your front pocket.")
IN RESTAURANTS
IN STORES
IN BANKS
WHILE AT WORK
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Putting your wallet in a side pants pocket is definitely better than the back pocket. But know what, they've already found a way to get to it. I was ironically in the middle of writing this article when the following incident occurred. It was afternoon rush hours, rainy, and the subway was absolutely crowded. I was last to squeeze in a packed train. There was barely a hair's breadth of clearance between my back and the closing door. Suddenly, a man jumped in (amidst the annoyed groan of everyone there). The door closed and he was naturally crammed against me. His hand seemed to have gotten stuck in place next to where my side pants pocket was. There were no suspicious movements, but I kept shuffling my weight to lose the hand. The hand followed my pocket. Suddenly, I realized that the hand was already in my pocket!!! (He probably stuck it in there at the precise moment he jumped in and shoved). I elbowed him roughly and I felt his hand being quickly pulled out. I checked my pocket, found no missing items—luckily, my wallet was in the other side pocket—and stared at him in the most threatening way I could muster. He turned away and quietly got off at the next station. There was no need to pursue, there was no actual robbery. And I was pretty sure he had some back-up somewhere. Or worse, he could just as well have cried out that I was the thief—and people would have believed because I was the one "suspiciously" well-dressed. |
A TOURISTS' SPECIAL
Tourists in New York are most vulnerable to being robbed, especially if coming from low-crime towns and cities. They'd be so engrossed with all the sights and sounds, the many happenings around, that they would naturally tend to let their guard down. Or maybe, they'd just be too trusting as they are used to doing back home, or perhaps just do not want to appear rude by being suspicious. But remember, these bad guys are professionals and they are really really good at what they do. Often after reporting a robbery, the poor victims would be heard to remark that they never thought it possible it could be done at such speed or with such ingenuity.
So here below, the NYPD very kindly prepared a special hand-out solely for the benefit of visitors to New York (these are also available in police precincts):
SAFETY TIPS FOR VISITORS
The New York City Police Department would like to make your visit to our exciting city as pleasant and safe as possible. Assertive police strategies have cut crime dramatically since 1993, making New York one of the safest large cities in the nation. You can help us further by following these simple tips while touring New York City.
-Office of the Deputy Police Commissioner, Community Affairs
WHEN CONFRONTED WITH A WEAPON
It's rare that tourists get mugged in New York, especially if they keep to the "beaten paths". However, a simple wrong turn could sometimes land one in a wrong place at the wrong time, and be suddenly confronted with a weapon. If so, remember one very important thing—KEEP CALM (or, at least try to). Don't try to resist (unless you're left with no choice). The robber is usually nervous, too, or is under the influence of drugs. Either way, it won't take much to provoke him into harming you. Observe him without being too obvious. Pay particular attention first to specific physical features or identifying marks, like scars, marks, moles, etc. Then take note of the clothes (but, remembering that this could easily be changed). Also of prime importance is the direction taken and type of vehicles, if any. If a license plate is observed, write it down immediately. If no pen is available, dirty up a finger and write it somewhere; the very act of writing it even if undecipherable will help you remember. Then immediately call 911. There's a better chance for the person to be apprehended and stolen property items recovered, if he's still in the general vicinity.
| When you receive change in denominations of $20's, be sure to check each bill individually. Don't count the bills just from the corners. Reason: One of your $20-bills may in reality be a $1 (where the bill itself will say "One Dollar", will have George's face on it, but with corners that are $20!). How do they do that? No, I won't tell you how they did it, but it's pretty ingenious. Just keep an eye out for them. |
DRIVING SAFEGUARDS
As mentioned in the police tips above, plan your trip well. In my article "How to Drive in New York like New Yorkers Do", this trip-planning is well covered and, if you need to, you can even locate an address in Manhattan automatically. I have developed a JavaScript program for doing just that in my other web page "The Manhattan Address Finder".
Additionally, you may want to take note of the following safeguards while driving in New York:
NEW YORK IS SAFE BUT JUST BE PREPARED
I hope this article doesn't scare you away. Some of these cases represent the worst case scenarios, and there's a really good chance that none of them will befall you in New York. I've lived here 15 years, even during the worst of times, and never been mugged or pickedpocket—almost, a couple of times, but never successfully. Well yes, my car got stolen some 10 years ago, but that's a different time and a different story. Right now I can think of many other cities, big and small, where you'd be worse off as a tourist (if you could come out of there alive at all). But as the saying goes, better safe than sorry.
So be safe and enjoy your stay in New York.
Here are some of my other related web pages:
How
to Drive in New York Like New Yorkers Do
The Manhattan
(Automatic) Address Finder
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