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Tips to avoid being victimized on vacation

edition.cnn.com — No one knows better than the police which tricks criminals are using to prey on unsuspecting tourists.

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  • znicket, on 07/06/2008, -1/+23These GPS units sure attract thieves. I had my car broken into, 2 weeks ago, just because my GPS cables were visible. Not the device itself, mind you. Just the bloody cables.
    • scooterbaga, on 07/06/2008, -0/+12There's something just plain wrong about needing to lojack a GPS system...
    • SteelChicken, on 07/07/2008, -16/+9did the thief leave you a note that said "I stole your ***** because I saw cables" or are you psychic?

      • CrackyJSquirrel, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5I would assume the owner knows what he did with his device. Like I will sometimes leave my mp3 stereo mini still plugged into the AUX jack, but throw my player in my glove box. Anyone who could put two and two together can assume that the wire leads to something expensive. Sometimes thinking things through reveals the answer.
      • directrix13, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2Don't bury him. That was the first thing I thought of too.
    • 9966, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2I had the same thing happen in NY.

      I had a very cheap car, but I hard borrowed a friend's GPS. All that was visible in the cabin was my old cassette deck, and a suction cup on the window.

      I guess they recognized the suction cup, went right for the locked glove box and ripped out the GPS. Nothing else was touched.
  • zeabu, on 07/06/2008, -0/+18What I read about New Orleans... That can't be true, people are THAT stupid?
    Barcelona: People "dancing" with tourists.. yeah, that happens a lot indeed.
    • ExSlashdotter, on 07/07/2008, -0/+9Yeah, i've had that happen to me like 100 times when I lived there. Just gotta not respond to them at all.

      The other thing thats even worse is the street 'performers' (playing guitar, acting, whatever). Whatever you do, DONT TAKE A PICTURE OF THEM. If you do, they'll expect to get paid and follow you around bugging the crap out of you.
      • bundwallah, on 07/07/2008, -0/+10Wow. And New Orleans wants to attract tourists post Katrina? They should be glad that people are walking the streets and visiting in the first place.
      • Shoegaze99, on 07/07/2008, -0/+6"Whatever you do, DONT TAKE A PICTURE OF THEM. If you do, they'll expect to get paid and follow you around bugging the crap out of you."

        Same thing in Rome at the Colliseum ... excet instead of following you around and bugging you, they beat your ass.

        Seriously. Those dudes dressed up as gladiators are thugs.
      • rohcky, on 07/07/2008, -1/+1I took a picture of a sax player in Central Park this Saturday. He didn't follow me around.
    • JonTheGoose, on 07/07/2008, -0/+15I was in New Orleans once awhile ago and a man did come up to me and told me he could tell me where I got my shoes. I thought he was just a babbling crack-head or something so I walked away. Since then I've always wondered what the hell that was all about and now I have the answer.
    • jezsik, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2Last December I got hit with the "... where you got yo shoes at" scam. My first response was "What?" I had no idea what the guy was saying. He actually didn't want a bet so much as an offer for a $5 shoe shine. I polished my boots the evening before and didn't need a shine, but figured I might give the guy a couple of bucks. It took a few repeats to figure out what he was saying. I paraphrased as "You will tell me were I bought my boots?" and he agreed. When I got the punch line I said "No, that's where I HAVE my boots, not where I obtained them." I was reaching into my pocket to give the guy a couple of bucks and glanced at my boots - some white substance had been applied. The bastard had some crap product and surreptitiously squirted it on my boots. "Get that the hell of my boots!" I told him, money in hand. He started cursing and shouting and being a general ***** as he waddled down the street looking for his next victim. At least he didn't get any cash.
      • RationalXubrnce, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1 A nice kick in his ass would have cleaned them off.
  • damian7, on 07/07/2008, -6/+8Don't be an idiot.
    • Shakermaker, on 07/07/2008, -9/+2Too bad some people don't take their own advice.

      *cough*
  • Hellman109, on 07/07/2008, -2/+10The orlando one seems like a good deal to me!

    Sure the parks dont want it, but how can they proove if you bought the ticket or not?
    • 8dot3, on 07/07/2008, -1/+20Disney uses your thumbprint to validate your ticket.
    • Pittance, on 07/07/2008, -8/+4Disney is about as bad as they come with this kind of crap.
    • MattB123, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2I write software for a ticketing company (Disney is not our client, BTW) and this is very common for attractions (ski areas, amusement parks, etc) to want to enforce this. So sometimes you can get away with it, but be prepared for a lot of places that will do whatever they can to bust you. Sometimes the multiday ticket has the identity of the buyer tied to it on the back end, so if you can't prove you are them then they do not honor it and you're the sucker.
    • Icyfenix, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2disney uses biometrics now to imprint you to your ticket.
  • ADIDAS247, on 07/07/2008, -3/+39Wow, almost 1,000 words to say "lock your car doors" and "don't talk to strangers". Good job CNN
    • adidos, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2The info about the cab rides in LV is valuable...lots of cabbies do that out there...my friend paid $25 for a cab fair from the airport to the strip that should have only been $12-14. They circle/backtrack around the strip (very slow traffic to begin with) while you have your head out the window looking at all the lights.
  • trer, on 07/07/2008, -2/+38"Honey, I think he wants us to take off our shoes and step into the fountain..."
  • chrissku, on 07/07/2008, -5/+44I caught a guy trying to swipe my wallet when I was on the Tube in London a few years back. I simply grabbed him by the throat and knocked the ***** out of him until two bystanders pulled me off. I found my technique to be very effective.
    • surgeongg, on 07/07/2008, -7/+16SHE WAS TRYING TO GIVE YOU YOUR WALLET BACK YOU BASTARD! Grandpa divorced her after what you did to her face.
      • Pittance, on 07/07/2008, -3/+31This must be a reference to some obscure and incredibility witty movie that makes perfect sense to the poster and gives him an ego boost from confusing the rest of the Digg community.
    • justdan, on 07/07/2008, -6/+17You're so tough.
    • thedogfatherx, on 07/07/2008, -2/+4Good for you. I would have done the same. Maybe worse.
  • markwahlberg, on 07/07/2008, -1/+13the criminals are the ones that actually know best what tricks are being used to prey on unsuspecting tourists, NOT the police.
    • Pittance, on 07/07/2008, -0/+4Sure. But what criminal writes for CNN (incoming)? Also, when most people are tricked or robbed, they report it to the police. So police get a pretty accurate recount of what kind of scams are being run. Other than the police, someone who lives in the area is probably the best source you can get.
    • bdbr, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1True, but there are a few very common methods that can be avoided.
  • galvo, on 07/07/2008, -4/+30Tip #11 - Don't go to Mexico.
    • pakke, on 07/07/2008, -2/+3Stay home - problem solved.
    • slvrbullet87, on 07/07/2008, -1/+3The secret to jewelry in cancun is that you can bargin everything down 75%. Who gives a ***** if it is fake silver if you paid 6 bucks for it.

      This goes for everywhere not just street venders, my and my buddy haggled for a steak dinner and got 20 dollars off of a 70 dollar tab
    • jsdratm, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2There is definitely a lot of crime in Mexico, but as long as you keep track of your belongings, use reputable tour groups, and stay in safe parts of town you are OK. On the way to Chichen Itza, my mom forgot her purse in a bathroom on the border between Quintana Roo and Yucatan and it was gone in minutes. Other than that we didn't have any problems in the Cancun area and heavily-armed police were all over the tourist places.
    • PopcornDave, on 07/07/2008, -3/+2I was wondering how Mexico didn't make that list. Odd...
  • roastedbagel, on 07/07/2008, -0/+22Always gotta give kudos to CNN for playing Captain Obvious.

    "If a stranger tries to hug you, hold on to your belongings"

    Thanks CNN!
  • bdbr, on 07/07/2008, -0/+14From what I've read of Barcelona and Rome, the pickpockets are quite a bit more creative than this article explains.
    • bundwallah, on 07/07/2008, -0/+13In Florence I felt the slightest nudge at my backpack. This tiny old gypsy lady was trying to unzip the outer pockets. I swung around and cursed her in Italian and she bolted off like a sprint runner.

      In Rome, they are all over the place. The Colosseum is rife with them.
      • chopstick2000, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2bah, i spent 3 weeks in italy last summer and never saw one! for some reason i was actually looking forward to it...
      • puter, on 07/07/2008, -0/+4I was in baja and had a money belt, found it open multiple times when passing through the parade and I was pretty observant...it's just hard to catch when you're bumping into a bunch of parade-goers. Luckily no one ever managed to get the money out of it.
    • Blitzwing84, on 07/07/2008, -0/+7They are- it's almost an art form there. Most people don't even realize their pockets were picked until much later. I would recommend using a money belt when visiting these places. I carry just enough euros in my pocket to make small purchases and the rest in the belt, which is under my shirt. If I need more or need to use a credit card, I find a quiet corner of the store to reach under my shirt, get what I need, pay, and then back to the corner to stow everything. It can be a bit of a pain, but I've visited Rome and Barcelona several times and never had a problem. Also, common sense goes along way too- If strangers are too close to you, offering you some "deal" out of the blue, or just acting too friendly, get the hell out of there.
    • stonedthot, on 07/07/2008, -0/+7Yeah, or sometimes they lose all subtlety and just drive by on a moped and swipe your bag. Aint no catching a ***** on a moped
  • frankb00th, on 07/07/2008, -0/+10As far as Montreal goes, avoid using a car altogether in old Montreal. It is a nightmare to find a space or even navigate. The area is quite close to most major hotels and it is much better enjoyed on foot anyways. Usually the best places to be discovered are out of the way anyways.
    • Elranzer, on 07/07/2008, -1/+4It's funny that the best crime they could come up with for Montreal is "be sure to keep your door lock." Duh. For the most part, the worst troublemakers there are the New Yorker tourists.
      • frankb00th, on 07/07/2008, -0/+0From personal experience I'd say it's the Bruins fans that kinda go crazy when they come here....must be something in the water that don't agree with them.
        I don't think the city has that much of a crime problem, at least as far as tourists are concerned, what they really have to worry about the crazy prices for maple syrup and Habs Jersey they'll pay in the souvenir shops !!!!!!
  • mookiemoomoo, on 07/07/2008, -0/+10All they can say about London is to used licensed black cabs?? What about the pickpockets rife in main shopping areas and all the daft tourists that walk round with their bags open.....

    I'm sure some people leave their common sense at home when they go on holiday
  • megamod, on 07/07/2008, -1/+29In Brazil the waiters are supposed to bring the credit card machine to the table so that you can see that they're not copying your credit card info or anything. I think there was one place that they actually took the card to the back to get it swiped. 10 days after I had arrived in the US someone had purchased $250 (R$401.50 reais) worth of electronics.

    Had to sign an affidavit to my credit card company saying that it was a fradulent charge. how hard can it be to prove it considering that I had already been in the US making other purchases (unless I can teleport myself). My credit card bill looked something like this:

    Mcdonalds, US $5.00
    Gas station, US $50.00
    KFC, US $6.00
    Lojas Maias, Brazil, Recife $250.00
    Regal cinemas, US $18.00

    Those a-holes...
    • digggggggggg, on 07/07/2008, -2/+3People in most developing countries don't usually use credit cards because crap like this happens all the time.

      Next time, use cash.
    • ADIDAS247, on 07/07/2008, -0/+6Stop eating fast food, you need to go on a diet
    • SkippyDoorknob, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3What movie did you see?
    • megamod, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2It was Kung Fu Panda. It was full of "Awesomness".
  • DeFex, on 07/07/2008, -8/+3Easy, don't go somewhere where millions of other people go firstly theres millions of tourists there so it sucks, second of all theres places ready to rip you off left right and center, and thats just the legal ones.

    I guess they wont say that though since some of their advertisers are the ones doing the ripping off.
    • bdbr, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2So you're saying no one should go to the Coliseum, the Louvre, St Marks Square, the plazas in Barcelona, etc, etc? And your opinion is based on what? There's a reason millions of tourists go to these places. All that's required is a reasonable bit of common sense and caution. Is that too much to ask?
    • slvrbullet87, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1The reason other people go there might have something to do with the places being worth going to
  • leerayIG88, on 07/07/2008, -14/+2Usually I carry a gun with me. Somebody tries to bug me, BOOM! Headshot. Then I just get in my car an drive away. Nobody ever sees me again.
    • MysticSavage, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5I'm sure that goes over big at airport security. This ain't the movies and you ain't Clint Eastwood.
    • justdan, on 07/07/2008, -2/+6Sounds like you got a case of smallcockovercompensatingitis.
    • Pittance, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5I'm sure.
    • mandarin, on 07/07/2008, -1/+3You probably hide out of the basement of your folks everyday too.
    • PopcornDave, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1GTA IV doesn't qualify as a vacation, sorry.
  • elfuego, on 07/07/2008, -0/+18The four words you need to know before you get in a cab at the Vegas airport: Don't Take The Freeway. If you're going to any of the major casinos on the strip, and the cabbie tries to take the freeway, he's long-hauling you. Exceptions would be the Rio or the Palms, both of those are off-strip and the freeway's definitely the quickest way to either of those.
    • Ellipsys, on 07/07/2008, -0/+4Good advice. Also, its probably cheaper to get on one of the free shuttles from the airport to any major casino. Tip the driver a couple of bucks, and you'll be set. If you book with a travel agent, you can even get "registered" for free transfers to the airport and back. Cabs in vegas are okay going from place to place, and relatively reasonably priced (they're unionized). However, unless you have money to burn do not take any of the limos - sure, the lines are much shorter than the taxi stands, but you may pay $80 for a one way, 2 minute drive down the strip!
    • whorunbartertwn, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2Sometimes the freeway is faster to North Strip like Sahara and Strato.
      • slvrbullet87, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2The freeway is definitely the best way to get to those as the traffic on the strip moves .2 miles an hour
    • billbugger, on 07/07/2008, -1/+3I live in vegas so i find these comments funny....
      (ok sry, dead meme but true)
      I usually just drive to the middle of the strip like ceasers palace or something; most casinos have free parking.
      Then I use these crazy things i was born with called feet.
      • elfuego, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1yeah, that's true... an entirely different tip for Vegas. You're going to walk. A lot. And it's going to be hot. Comfy shoes and staying hydrated are musts (although they have little to do with avoiding ripoffs)
  • Borgcube636, on 07/07/2008, -1/+13Tip #18 - Stay home and surf digg
  • T8erT0T, on 07/07/2008, -4/+8Tip #3457 - Don't buy weed if you go to one of the ABC islands. Unless you really like low grade, dirt brown regs.
    • DigDugDigger, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1I'd feel better getting the bottom of the barrel ***** rather than taking the risk and trying to sneak it on a plane.
  • webmastir, on 07/07/2008, -6/+1TO SUM IT ALL UP.... don't be a ***** idiot. grow a brain & use your common sense
    • bdbr, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2That's not really fair. Most people can wear a backpack around their hometown and expect that no one will go rifling through it behind their back. Most people can park their car with a GPS inside and expect it won't get broken into. If I hadn't read about all the pickpockets in some cities, I might have been no more vigilant than I would be at home.
  • dupswapdrop, on 07/07/2008, -5/+5vacation? With the price of everything going up who can afford to go on vacation? I need a second job not a vacation.
    • slvrbullet87, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2Get a better first job, that could help
  • JonTheGoose, on 07/07/2008, -5/+25"Police advise riders to consider not using the white Apple earphones, because the color is a dead giveaway for iPods."

    What!? But........whats the point of having an iPod if I can't display it to indicate how hip and trendy I am.
    • bxblox, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2They might think you have a....... a zune!!
  • jjohnson16, on 07/07/2008, -1/+13Only in Canada will I be ticketed for forgetting to lock my car door.
    • xero69, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Auto insurance is expensive and auto thefts are partially to blame. Ticketing people who forget to lock their doors is a great idea if you ask me. Just make it a small ticket for $20 though.
  • doogmeist1, on 07/07/2008, -0/+8They really do try the shoe one in New Orleans... Then hassle you when you won't pay their stupid asses.... Had a couple of guys try it on my wife and I... They got nothing... Saw them a little bit later trying it on someone else and a shopkeeper came out and started yelling at them to stop... After the shopkeeper threatened to call the cops they took off running.
  • CherrySmith123, on 07/07/2008, -9/+2tip#12
    do not drive ANYWHERE...
    you will be robbed by being waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overcharged for gasoline. ;0)
  • awtripp, on 07/07/2008, -3/+10live xenophobic? is that really the solution CNN? good job.
    • Shoegaze99, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2Being careful and being aware of local scams is not the same thing as being xenophobic.
  • lejake, on 07/07/2008, -0/+8In Barcelona, even if a woman has her purse on her shoulder while dancing at a club, it's an easy target. They sneak up to you and cut the purse strap with a knife, running away with it.

    Use a money pouch.
    • Gryffydd, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2The best thing is one of those travel wallets like the dork in Eurotrip wore...
  • OneRottenTomato, on 07/07/2008, -0/+8Several years ago during our first trip to New Orleans my friend warned me about the shoe gag thing minutes before we walked onto Bourbon Street. Within ten minutes after we got there some scary lookin' dude wanted to bet me where I got my shoes.
  • USCooper, on 07/07/2008, -1/+9Stranger danger!
  • bundwallah, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3Hmm. Interesting. It's been three years since I went there. I've been reading that there has been a serious crackdown on Gypsies/Roma's throughout Italy. The round em up and deport them type of crackdown.
  • thedogfatherx, on 07/07/2008, -11/+5Tip # 1. Get a concealed to carry permit and carry a gun. Shoot anyone who tries to harm or take anything from you.
    • mandarin, on 07/07/2008, -4/+8Get back to bed grandpa
      • thedogfatherx, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Hey do what you will but nobody is going to harm or steal anything from me.
  • Infowarmachine, on 07/07/2008, -11/+5if you dont want to be victimized by police, dont come to the US
    also dont take pictures of ANYTHING EVEEER!! or you will definitely be asked for your papers
    and if your not a citizen, they will definitely draw their guns on you. you dirty dirty terrorist
    • mike17032, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5Summer school get out early today?
    • RationalXubrnce, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2 I live in NYC and photograph everything and anything right in front of police and then so much as looked at me.
  • ryanhgqu, on 07/07/2008, -0/+25I'd say "Sir, Bourbon Street is not where I got my shoes. It is where I HAVE my shoes. I GOT them at a retailer in my home state. Now give me that $5 you owe."

    Then I'd probably get the ***** beat out of me for being the grammar police.
    • lindasue, on 07/07/2008, -1/+1The crowd watching would be the ones to beat the ***** out of you. People love the shoe guy.
  • pauls88, on 07/07/2008, -1/+9Tip #1 Don't let on that you are American.
    • mimigins, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3Put Canadian flags on your backpacks. I hear foreigners like Canadians.
    • whorunbartertwn, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2The danger from being identified as an American while overseas is way overstated.
    • bdbr, on 07/07/2008, -0/+4You'd be surprised how easily they figure out you're American...and how little they care. We went to Europe the summer after the US invaded Iraq, and no one was ever hostile toward us. Being a loud nationalist braggard probably won't serve you well while traveling, regardless of your origin.
    • slvrbullet87, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3185291.stm

      More like dont be British
  • dirigibleduck, on 07/07/2008, -0/+13I like how this "beware of scams" article ends with the text,
    "Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you and enter to win a free trip - CLICK HERE!"
  • qxrt, on 07/07/2008, -1/+1About the New Orleans shoe gag...what happens if you're wearing a friend's pair of shoes and have your own shoes in a bag you're carrying, and you accept the bet? Would they pay you the $5 for losing the bet? (Of course not, but it would be funny)
  • somedigguy, on 07/07/2008, -0/+4The real thieves are the hotels,restaurants, and shops at all the tourist traps. We just came back from Niagara Falls, and everything there is twice what it should be. What a ripoff.
    • jts10, on 07/07/2008, -0/+0Would cheap hotels and restaurants in the middle of nowhere with nothing to see and no reason to be there be a bargain?
  • Ellipsys, on 07/07/2008, -0/+10Its not politically correct, but the basis of all of these warnings seems to be "Poor people are out to get you, because they feel you don't deserve what you have, or that you can afford the loss. The fact that you're not "one of them", makes you a perfect mark". Sadly, I can't say I disagree. We wonder why people are so xenophobic - yet for those who try to visit and enjoy other cultures, they're consistently stolen from, assaulted, kidnapped, or worse. While its never the vast majority of the population, these occurrences are frequent enough to darken the reputation of the country. Travelers are told to watch how they dress and how they act because "you don't want to tempt the locals", which I think is equal parts insulting to the locals and wise for the visitors (As if to say "These people are pretty much animals, and when they see your shiny watch, they can't help but steal it from you!). Its unfortunate that a sizable number of people prey on tourists, as it makes it really difficult for visitors to enjoy the hospitality given by the majority of the country's citizens.
    • bdbr, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2Its an interesting viewpoint, though I think everyone is well aware that this isn't the behavior of the average citizen anywhere.
  • 360news, on 07/07/2008, -7/+2Keep your trap shut if you are American.
    • whorunbartertwn, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3*****. The danger from being identified as an American while overseas is way overstated.
  • TinternAbbot, on 07/07/2008, -1/+1"Minicab? Minicab? Minicab?"
  • whorunbartertwn, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2I had a couple guys try to pick pocket my backpack in Prague by asking me to point out where we were on this map kiosk thing on a street corner. They try to get youo focused on the map while they're behind you. I felt the zipper tug yelled hey wtf etc. then they quickly went one way I went the other.
  • whorunbartertwn, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3In Thailand the friendly guy offering the free tour of museums in the tuk-tuk is just going to take you tplaces selling crap where he gets a commision. You'll have to pay a lot to get him to take you back where you came from without going to them.

    In Vietnam (especially Hanoi) taxi drivers from the airport often take you to a different hotel than you asked for, where someone will come out and say the other hotel is full/sucks/burned down but they are handling the customers now. Insist on going to your real hotel and the guy will take you.
  • Rotzooi, on 07/07/2008, -2/+2O My Gawd!! The world is full of criminals who want my stuff !! Grab the gun and don't leave the house!
  • mike17032, on 07/07/2008, -6/+2Never going to Mexico or any other 3rd world ***** would be a good start.
  • lindasue, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3If the best CNN can come up with when talking about crime in Nola is to talk about the shoe guy, they are pretty pathetic. The shoe guy is harmless, and can be quite hilarious when you're out and about the French Quarter with a group of friends. I know people who don't consider a trip to Nola to be worthwhile unless they've run into the shoe guy. He's a legend.
  • BOFH139, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Don't look like a fecking tourist, easy in local places not bloody starbucks and MacD's.
  • rmeddy, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Stay in the hotel.
  • 4eloBek, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1- Anything to declare?
    - Yes! Don't go to England!
    • bdbr, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1- Anything to declare?
      - Yes! I need a shower!
  • loveandrockets, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3In San Francisco one night I was with some friends and we went to a liquor store for a bottle. This guy outside the store made us a bet that we couldn't land a quarter in a plastic cup placed on the curb while we stood in the doorway of the store. Basically playing Quarters from 10 feet. He made money by running after the quarters.

    I took the bet. The dude place the cup on the curb and $20 right beside it. I threw the first quarter and it overshot. The second quarter undershot. The third quarter, probably due to my inebriation, went straight into the cup--a ***** million-to-one shot. It hit the bottom of the cup, bounced straight up and landed back inside. Only one girl standing beside me saw it. She was slack-jawed amazed. So was the guy with the cup. He couldn't believe what I had just done.

    I went to the $20 bill and picked it up. I said "YOINK!" I looked around for my friends and they were already heading to the car, having purchased the booze missing the whole thing. The dude suddenly said "no no, three out of five." And I said "No way." He pulled a knife. Due to my inebriation and liquid courage I handed him back the twenty and said "Here you go you welsher." He didn't like the sound of that and said "Don't call me a Welches! Take that back." To avoid getting stabbed I said "I take it back. You're not a Welches." (I don't think he knew the word 'welsher'.

    There it is. A truly million-to-one shot and a stupid drunken story. I swear it happened. On my life. (Which was almost the case.)
  • pak314, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1A relative of mine runs an import/export business. He sent a few of his employees to Istanbul Turkey for business purposes. One night they stopped at some bar for a drink. They bought some drinks without asking prices. The owner knowing they were foreigners told them they had to pay something crazy like 1600 euros. They didn't have that kind of money on hand. The owner and his thugs beat them up badly, stripped them of all their belongings and let one go to get the money. The authorities were not of much help so my relative wired the money and they were freed without their belongings. They flew out of the country fast as they could.
    • RationalXubrnce, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1 ***** like that deserves a molotov cocktail through the window.
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