United Kingdom Travel Warning
US State Department travel advisory: London is a dangerous place for travelers
Be prepared for dangers from spiked drinks, derailed trains and walking in parks after dark. In some third world countries? No, it is in London, the world's last bastion of personal freedom.
The US State Department has issued an official travel advisory that will equally apply to every country's citizen intending to travel to London, and the UK on the threat of crimes.
The "catalogue of dangers" facing tourists in the capital city which could further hit UK's tourism industry include rapes by unlicensed cab drivers, muggings and ATM scams.
"The advisory is vital to ensure travelers are well-prepared," insist the State Department travel advisory. "Despite its excellent overall safety record, British trains have poor track conditions, resulting in train derailments, including some fatalities."
A CBS News poll in 2006 asking respondents how safe they feel showed 54 percent of Americans say they feel generally safe, while 46 percent say they feel somewhat uneasy, or in danger. "World terrorism has caused a decline in the number of US visitors to the UK, resulting in losses to hotels and major attractions."
Admitting London tourism has suffered since the 2005 London bombings, and more recent terrorist attacks, Laura Porter, a London-based travel writer, said, "This showed opinions were still divided but I am pleased to see optimism is starting to win out. World terrorism can make visitors feel unsafe."
"We provide advice to citizens so they will be well-prepared," added the State Department advisory.
Comments
This is a very irresponsible piece of writing as firstly it does not correctly cite the source of the supposed information and it does not provide a balanced view. Reading this article has made me question the validity of other news items in the ETN newsletter. The information given is not pertaining to any type of official Travel Advisory. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1052.html
The US State Department have a section named "Country Specific Information". Among many things it contains details of crimes which have occurred in London for example unattended drinks being spiked and rapes occurring in unlicensed taxis. Of course if you were in Paris, Rome or New York and you left your drink unattended or got into a strangers car in the street there is a possibility that those same things could happen. Crime happens in all cities however the state department precedes by saying that crime levels are generally low.
To take this information and contort it so out of context makes me wonder what the writers motives are.
What a piece of hack journalism.
You would think that the UK has descended into anarchy from this article.
For starters, this is not a State Department "Travel Advisory". It is State Department "Country Specific Information".
A big difference.
Of course, if you read State Department "Country Specific Information" on other countries you could spin a horror story like this one that says...
1. you have a good chance of being murdered in Canada (http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1082.html),
2. you will be robbed blind in Paris (http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1116.html),
3. and that you are likely to be assaulted if you are a visible minority visiting Ireland http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1145.html.
Of course, the above would ignore quotes from the State Department that say "Canada is a highly developed, stable democracy", France has "relatively low rates of violent crime" and that Ireland "remains largely free of terrorist incidents" and "has a low rate of violent crime".
It would also overlook the obvious statement on every US State Dept. page that reads: "The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas."
I have had my fill of the garbage journalism regularly appearing on this website.
This will be the last time you see me here.
I think this is the advisory in question:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1052.html
The US travel advisory comes out at a time that right in the US soil anyone not even tourists are safe to walk the streets at night. Oftentimes, these travel advisory reflect only a minor hotspot in a particular destination but the article is made to appear that the entire destination is dangerous.
London unsafe -What a load of rubbish. I am a born Londoner and now live in the
States but travel regular to the city and find your comments untrue
crime is in every big city and London is no differnt. I was over for the WTM and travlled via public transport all around town and did not find any problems. I also traveled on the trains and not one train was late,cancelled nor was there any derailment while I was there.
Is this a political aim to stop tourist going to the UK now the dollar is better against the pound and the hotel rates are falling???????
Not sure who in the US Yusof is speaking to about the warning...
I'm sure there are some unsafe areas
of London, as there are in NY, LA, Miami and 100 other cities in the US!
Go to the link below, and show me WHEN the US issued a travel advisory!
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html
Were in the US State Department is an official travel advisory for London?
I search and look and there is nothing there?
Can you put a link to the travel advisory?
Thank you,
Dear Sir
Yusof Sulaiman quotes a US State Department Advisory warning travellers to the UK about potential threats.
Let us put this in perspective. The UK is not just London. Of over 60 million people, less than 15% live in London. I make this point because a lot of us would choose not to live there under any circumstances. Most other UK cities are far more civilised and the sooner foreigners realise that, the better. There were 30 knife/gun murders of teenagers from 12 to 18 in London last year, mainly black on black, not to mention the horrific torture and slaying of two French students in the summer, who apparently ignored the advice 'don't go south of the river' and chose to settle there.
All the issues Mr Sulaiman mentioned are true, except for the fact that we have not had a major train derailment for two years, less frequently than the US just now, I believe. Unlicensed cab drivers, ATM scams, muggings - sure, they are all here, plus a whole load more I won't frighten you with.
I must take you to task over the comment 'the last bastion of freedom'. Are you kidding, Yusof? This place is like a prison now. There are thousands of things you cannot do without facing financial penalties and huge government databases hold detailed information on everyone, even though security is so poor it is often simply lost. You avoid jail only because the prisons are full to bursting. They even fine you for inadvertently putting your garbage in the wrong bin and - just like 'Big Brother' - they know you did, because they have electronic spies covertly hidden in them. George Orwell was absolutely right with his novel 1984 - he just chose the wrong decade.
So, in your own interests, stay away from the UK or expect the harassment in the short term that we get permanently. If you must come, avoid London like the plague (which is due a return) and go somewhere else. Try Manchester, we'll look after you.
Yours faithfully,
David J Bentley
Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones....the State Department has to be joking! Worse could be said for New York, Atlanta, Chicago - pick any major US City - London is probably as safe if not more safer than the US. When was the last time a train derailed in Britain?
last bastion of personal freedom? explain, please. london is the epicentre of the global CCTV trend - every move you make recorded.
seems like your comment is really off-base / ill-informed. either that or you are taking a jab at something/somewhere else, but can't work up the courage to say what you really mean.
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