Conventional wisdom is that when travelling you should wear your purse diagonally so it doesn't get snatched.
But why would the way I wear my purse to walk around the streets of Toronto (strap over right shoulder, body of purse clamped under right arm) be unsuitable for walking around the streets of London or Paris?
6 comments:
Because even though the probability of getting your purse stolen may still be the same. The cost of having it stolen is worse when in a foreign country.
Losing your identification/money is a lot more inconvenient when your traveling.
'when you're traveling'
What he said. Tourists - no matter how cool we look - are still noticeable and good marks for pickpockets and purse-snatchers.
It's also easier on your shoulder, which started to make a difference to me as I got older.
That's ironic, because I think wearing the purse diagonally makes people look like tourists.
Although, from the pickpocket's point of view, why are tourists a preferable target? Apart from the passport, I carry basically the same stuff whether I'm a tourist or not. I suppose they could be specifically after passports, but I'd imagine there's be more passport-specific warnings if that was their primary target.
(I totally lose marks for using the word specific twice in that last sentence.)
"That's ironic, because I think wearing the purse diagonally makes people look like tourists."
I agree, it does. Sadly, my shoulder forces me to do this now. I can only hope that the rest of my non-tourist markers compensate for the diagonal purse wearing.
I think tourists are more of a target for pickpockets because they are thought to be distracted, moving more slowly because they're not sure where they are going, and carrying money. Residents are thought to be rushing from place to place with purpose, while tourists are strolling or wandering.
That's my take, anyway.
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