4 Travel Dangers for Which You Should Beware

During the pandemic, people have not travelled as much. The airlines have seen their profits drop off the table, but there’s a reason for hope. The newly-approved vaccines should jumpstart the travel industry, especially as we get later into 2021.

You might look forward to travelling again if you didn’t do any during 2020. You might have an immunocompromised condition, so you might not have even considered getting on an aeroplane or travelling out of state.

Once you’re travelling again for work or pleasure, there’s no reason to think you won’t enjoy yourself. You should remember, though, there are certain travel dangers aside from Covid-19. Let’s cover a few of those right now.

Inexperienced Ride-Share Drivers

In most cities, you can hail a cab if you want to go someplace, you can always get a Lyft or an Uber.

These ride-share vehicles are convenient, though they’re a bit more expensive than public transportation. Still, you have a private conveyance, which is nice.

The only issue is that some Lyft or Uber drivers have minimal experience. They may have a license and a clean driving record, but other than that, there are few necessary qualifications.

You might get in a Lyft, for example, and the driver may hit another vehicle or pedestrian. Lyft requires its drivers to carry $1 million in property damage, bodily injury, and death coverage. Still, you might feel nervous if you hop in back, and the next thing you know, the driver is careening all over the road.

Remember that if you don’t feel safe in a Lyft or Uber, you can make the driver let you out. There’s no need to stay in the vehicle if you encounter a reckless driver.

Public Transportation Dangers

Maybe during your travels, you decide to try public transportation. You might take a bus or train.

If you’re in a larger city, you will probably have more public transportation options. That’s convenient since you can often find an inexpensive ride to wherever you’d like to go.

You need to watch yourself on public transportation, though. You may have someone who tries to grope you on a crowded train. You might run into a pickpocket or an aggressive panhandler.

You’ll probably be fine, as long as you keep your wits about you. If you’re alone and in an unfamiliar city, it’s best not to take public transportation at night. That’s a time when you should spring for a cab or ride-share vehicle, if possible.

Dangerous Areas

You probably want to check out the city you’re visiting. You want to see the different neighbourhoods and get an idea of what the place is all about.

If you accidentally enter a dangerous area, you might get a more authentic experience than you anticipated. Before you go out exploring, you should figure out where the high-crime sections are. You also might talk to the hotel staff, provided you’re staying at a hotel

If you’re staying at an Airbnb, you might ask the property owner about the city as well. The more you can learn about which areas you should avoid, the less chance someone could rob you, or worse.

Scams

If you’re from a smaller town, you might not be ready for the scams some individuals might try to run in the big city.

For instance, you might start exploring a new locale while you’re travelling, and the next thing you know, someone might accost you with a sob story. They might ask for money for a bus ticket home, or they may claim to have a dying relative with expensive medical bills for which they’re soliciting donations.

These stories are usually scams, and those who perpetrate them try to identify tourists to approach. They know the locals probably will not fall for their shenanigans.

Remember that you don’t need to give any money to anybody. If you’re feeling generous and you have a couple of coins in your pocket, you can consider handing them over if you can afford to. If you do, though, be careful.

If you take out your wallet and flash your billfold, that might encourage this individual to try and snatch it out of your hands. These scam artists are opportunistic, and they’ll often resort to petty theft if you give them a chance.

As long as you watch out for these dangers while travelling, you should be fine. You can have a pleasant time exploring, and you should get some good stories out of it.