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| Women Travellers 2003-02-03 14:38:28 |
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 An estimated 71.1 million American women traveled at least once in the last year, according to the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), a dramatic increase over the last decade. They represent more than 39 percent of all business travelers.
Women are not only traveling more often, they are also traveling differently. They are paying their own way, traveling without male companions, traveling with female companions or traveling alone.
And safety is often on their minds.
\"Safety is one of my major concerns when I travel. I plan ahead so I can be self-sufficient and not need to ask for help. I assume a confident, no-nonsense attitude,\" says avid traveler Chistine Calagna, 41, of San Francisco.
Sixty-one percent of women pleasure travelers feel concerned about their safety and security of travel in general, compared to 49 percent of men pleasure travelers, according to a 2002 TIA report.
Here are some ways to pack more peace of mind and security into your travels.
Staying safe in hotels
-When calling for reservations, ask if the rooms have double-locked doors, peepholes and magnetic-strip card keys. Also inquire about night security and a guarded parking lot. If the hotel rents rooms by the hour, find another accommodation.
-Request a room with a good location. The safest and most convenient rooms are clearly visible from the elevator or near a center of activity. Rooms on the first floor or that open to the outdoors, such as a sliding glass door onto a patio or poolside, are riskier. Ask for a room that is not at the end of a hall.
-When you enter your room, check the fire escape and test the window to ensure it is locked. Always keep the door locked with the deadbolt and chain when you are in your room.
-Inexpensive rubber door-stoppers, available at any hardware store, offer low-tech security. Pack two. Wedge one under your main door to prevent anyone from entering. The second door-stopper can secure the door to an adjoining room.
-Room service order forms can advertise your gender; fill out the form with only your last name and first initial.
-To discourage anyone from entering your room when you go out for the night, leave a light and the radio or TV on and the \"Do Not Disturb\" sign on the door. (Of course, you forfeit the chocolate on your pillow and turn-down service.)
-If your hotel doesn\'t have magnetic strip-card keys, avoid displaying your room key in public places — on the restaurant table next to you, on the bar while you order a drink, or on a chair by the swimming pool — where it could be stolen or a predator could read your room number.
-It is not wise to let the hotel staff into your room while you are in it alone. If someone knocks on your door, don\'t open it to see who it is. Leave the door shut and look through the viewport. Ask the person to come back later when you\'re out. If the employee insists on entering, call the front desk to confirm his or her identity and ask for what purpose staff needs access to your room.
-Avoid using stairways where you could be isolated in a lonely stairwell. If a man gets in the elevator in the lobby with you, use your intuition; consider getting off and taking a different elevator to your floor, if you feel uncomfortable.
-Ask bellhops about the safety of walking from the hotel to a nearby restaurant, movie theater or pharmacy. They are often the most reliable source of information about the neighborhood. Also, don\'t hesitate to ask them to walk you there. Your safety is worth a good tip.
-If you ask, your hotel will offer you an escort from the lobby out to your car.
-Before you go to bed, prepare for a rapid exit from the room in the dark in the event of a fire or other emergency. Place a jacket or sweater, your purse, and your room key by the door, where you can pick them up quickly.
Staying safe in rental cars
-Carry a cell phone and keep it within easy reach while in the car. Before you begin driving, especially after dark, dial in the emergency number 911, so your phone is pre-programmed to summon help if needed.
-If you will be arriving at night, rental car companies can arrange for someone to accompany you to and from parking lots.
-Ask for an up-to-date map and familiarize yourself with the route to your first meeting or hotel. Write directions in large print. Trying to read in a poorly lit car can be difficult or dangerous, and you don\'t want to be forced to pull over to figure out directions.
-Ask the rental car representative which neighborhoods can be dangerous and should be avoided. Then cross them off on your map, so you don\'t accidentally drive through or stop in an unsafe area.
Staying safe while driving
-Plan your driving time during daylight hours and lock your doors when you get into your vehicle. Do not sit in a parking lot and eat, work or sleep. This makes you a target.
-When entering your car, be aware, look around you, and check the back seat of your car to ensure no one is hiding inside.
-If you are parked next to a van, enter your car from the opposite side. Many killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans.
-Be sure to keep your gas tank at least a quarter full. Refueling regularly will keep you from having to hunt for a gas station in a neighborhood you might otherwise avoid.
- Restrooms at truck stops, gas stations, and public rest areas can be unsafe. Look for moderately priced hotels that are likely to have a lobby, as they will usually have a clean public restroom, as well as other amenities such as phones, soft drink machines, and newspaper dispensers.
-While driving, if someone yells or honks at you, indicates that there is something wrong, or bumps your car, do not stop. Drive to a well-lit, busy place, and then check it out.
Safety in taxis
-Catch taxis at official taxi stands at airports, hotels, train stations and bus stations. Unmarked taxis, referred to as \"gypsy taxis\" can be dangerous. Cab passengers in unmarked taxis have been victims of robbery, rape, and kidnapping.
Safety at the airport
-Manage your luggage so you can maneuver easily through airports, parking lots, or waiting at taxi stands. If you are overloaded with heavy baggage, you are an easier target.
-Crime in airport parking lots is increasing. Look for parking spaces under lights, close to the terminal. At some airports the \"off-airport\" lots are safer. The shuttle bus picks you up at your car, takes you to the terminal, and drops you off at your car again. If it is dark and you feel uncomfortable, ask the driver to wait until you are safely inside your car.
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