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Excellent new posting area! Thanks J.D.R.!
I've been to Rio 5 times in my life - more than most of you and less than some of you WSG readers here. I've felt as secure or insecure in this city as in any other city I've lived so far for longer periods of time (in Europe and the U.S.A.).
Considering:
- the extreme poverty
- the relatively violent society
- the amount of drugs and gangs
That exist in RJ and surroundings (incl. the 'favelas'), it's almost amazing (!) to me how safe this city is!
HOWEVER: if you're not familiar with Rio, its society, its rules and its way of life, it ("a cidade maravillosa" - the wonderful city) may feel threatening to you at times - no doubt about that!
I've had only one, well let's put it that way, "dangerous" experience in RJ: One night, at about 3 am, walking down Avenida Atlantica from Hotel Meridian toward "Help", I was approached by a street vendor ("camelao") who insisted on selling me something (don't remember what it was - doesn't really matter). I refused and guess what? Yes: that guy almost broke the bones of my right hand/wrist and "requested" a "purchase" again. Since I knew the police guard was just 200 feet away (toward the "gringo open air bar"), I refused again and - to my surprise - a streetwalker came to my help and distracted the assailant. I was able to free myself and got a couple of feet away from that guy. The assailant wasn't chasing me nor the girl but kind of collapsed and cried. He just wanted to make a couple of Reales 'cause he didn't make any money selling his stuff. I felt much more sorry about him rather than being angry at him!
"We" westerners come to this country with wallets full of money to purchase p***y and stuff and therere are people in this country who aren't even able to decently feed themselves or their kids and wives.
So, to make my point, go to Rio íf you want to get to see a beautiful, fantastic city! You will have to worry less there about safety than in parts of NYC or East LA or downtown Miami or, well you name it as long (!) as you observe a couple of basic precautions:
Uno: Don't leave the tourist zone (i.e., Copacabana, Ipanema) without a taxi. Don't go to downtown or the harbor area by night with your rental car. Should I really extra mention not going to the favelas lile Rocinhas or Morro de Alemao? Forget about using city buses as long as you are not desperatly living on a shoestring.
Dos: don't carry more valuables with you than you actually might need that night. That will be a max. of 150 USD in most cases I would assume.
Tres: Shy the TVs ! Whatever your sexual orientation, forget getting involved in any way with them!
Quattro: Leave your passport, TC, Rolex etc. in the hotel safe.
Cinco: Don't attempt to play "Clint Eastwood" in RJ: You most probably will lose. If a serious attacker wants your money: give it to him. If you're smart, you'll have put before a couple of Reales somewhere where ad-hoc attacker won't be looking (e.g., your shoes).
Seis: Have fun! Enoy this wonderful city! And return to Rio ASAWP (or as soon as your wallet permits :=))))
Have a good night!
Charly
Thanks for the great advice, Charly! As a first-timer going in September it's very helpful. Could you elaborate a little bit on the tv's (=transexuals there?)? Are you saying that they are crooks/dangerous all around?
Re: Posting on Security by Mr. Charly
I have visited Rio regularly since '97. never experienced any trouble. however, i beg to differ with what Mr. Charly laid out in the posting below. I feel that he exeggerated that 'danger' aspect of Rio very typical of a gringo. Frankly, Mr. Charly's observation is applied all over America and the world. To use but one example, even here in good old middle America Denver Colorado, I am not walking around in the suburbs, let alone downtown with a wad load of money. if some punks point want my money here in Denver, i definitely will not play Clint Eastwood and engage in a shoot out. You are definitely not going to walk around with your $10,000 Rolex in the middle of night in San Francisco. My point is, when gringo visit a foreign country, they tend to exeggerate the danger and got into a situation that they are afraid of their own shadows. of all the gringos, my fellow americans seem to be most nervous about everything. i note that europeans are less paranoid. i think it is a culture thing. look at our country, everyone is loaded with guns and ammo thinking that someone is going to break down their house and begin shooting. :) So, Rio is not as dangerously as any american city you go to.
Two important points. DEFINITELY is safe to ride a local bus. in fact it is quite a fun trip. i took the local bus which took me into the favella and some fellow passengers on the bus offered me lots of interesting stories about her favella. In fact, when i am in Rio, I travel mostly on buses (the cheap one where the local rides). Secondly, DEFINITELY visit areas outside the tourist areas. Lots of fun people to meet and hang (if you speak portuguese) and even if you only speak english, you make lots of friends just by coming out of the scary gringo mode.
good fun and good travel.
Right on Johan, my motto is ''you're never going to meet any fit pussy in the back of a cab''. On some bus routes in Rio, there's always some nice piece of ass getting on/off. Its easier to start talking to a girl on a bus than some poncy wine bar.
CE
Well said Johan.
Much of how you travel will depend on your on personal experiences and personal safety. For me I like a sense of adventure. On the other hand many play it safe, yet still have a good time.
You are your own best judge. Travel within Rio has its good and bad places to be visited. By all means visit the good and bad using your own best judgements (and see for yourself), according to your own philosophy on traveling general walkabouts in unfamiliar surroundings. (i.e., go in groups, no 'loud' jewelry, don't go at night, take a cab or guide ...etc)
In other words "common sense" type stuff!!!! By all means be adventurous, Rio, Brasil and other Brasilian cities have lots to offer, but use some comon sense at the same time.
Ciao
Spidy
I'm glad Jackson created this section. A while back I posted an account of my experience being robbed in Rio on the Rio board. Yes, I know I dropped my guard and should have been more careful, so I don't really need to hear that again. As far as how safe Rio is, you must make your own judgment. I intend to go back, because it is such a wonderful place to meet women.
Anyway, I believe the below link will take you to my report:
[url]http://www.wsgforum.com/vforum/showthread.php?s=&postid=42441#post42441[/url]
Look is Rio Beirut in 83, no it isn't. But it is a dangerous place. On a popular soap opera they are killing off a main charecter by having her killed in by a stray in the a gun battle that the city frequently sees. Is this happening in a poor neighborhood. No it is in Leblon, a class neighborhood right next to Copacabana.
BTW when I mentioned this with many other FACTs that show how dangerous Rio is, someone claimed this was not going to happen. Well it happened. Here is the link
http://www.expats.com.br/noticias.php?cod=2671
I also predicted the iminent violent death of a tourist. That was disregarded as well. Others robbed at gunpoint. Here is the link to that.
http://www.expats.com.br/noticias.php?cod=2657
Rio is a dangerous place. Go at your own risk!!!
A popular girl that works at 4X4 was murdered yesterday. It most likely was her boyfriend who might not have known she worked there and got jealous. The whole thing is sad but it underscores the importance of being careful down in Brazil. In Rio it probably costs all of R$50 to hire someone from the fervelas to kill someone. Brazillians are very jealous (both male and female).
This is one reason why sometimes I'm hesitant about pulling girls outside of the termas. Imagine if her Brazillian boyfriend saw you walking hand and hand with his girlfriend and just lost his mind.
Stay safe down there and be careful. I'm cutting and pasting the article for those that are interested.
http://odia.ig.com.br/odia/policia/pl130810.htm
Ponce de Leon, thanks for the report. A friend in Rio related her work name to me. I knew that girl. She was a very sweet kid. Always had a smile on her face. What a tragedy.
And for us, just go read all those reports of guys who love to hook up with Therma girls outside of work. You could have been in that taxi with her.
Rio is a dangerous place!
Thanks for the post, Ponce de Leon. Also check out new section Jackson created for crime in Rio.
Ha ha, my bad........I thought I was looking at the regular Rio section, I didn't realize I was in fact in the crime section....lol.
Where does it mention 4x4? There are about 30 ***** houses down centro.
CE
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ponce de Leon
[i]A popular girl that works at 4X4 was murdered yesterday. It most likely was her boyfriend who might not have known she worked there and got jealous. The whole thing is sad but it underscores the importance of being careful down in Brazil. In Rio it probably costs all of R$50 to hire someone from the fervelas to kill someone. Brazillians are very jealous (both male and female).
This is one reason why sometimes I'm hesitant about pulling girls outside of the termas. Imagine if her Brazillian boyfriend saw you walking hand and hand with his girlfriend and just lost his mind.
Stay safe down there and be careful. I'm cutting and pasting the article for those that are interested.
http://odia.ig.com.br/odia/policia/pl130810.htm [/i][/QUOTE]
Cutting Edge- First of all I want you to know that although I don't post too much on WSG I'm not rookie and I wouldn't post anything that wasn't a fact. The girl was a popular girl at 4X4's and several of my friends knew her well. It was sad but it underscores the fact of the need to be careful. Stay safe all.
Ponce
I have heard this kind of story a 100 times and each time I have to ask..... Why are you walking around at 3 AM...... are you that stupid.... Not meant at you directly, Charly....
But it seems that almost every person telling his story about getting mugged in Rio is because they have done something stupid...
You're adults so take some of the blame yourself and stop blaming Rio..... Remember that late at night or early in the morning the only kinds of people walking the streets are Hookers, Drunk or just Dumb Tourists and Thieves....
Take a taxi.... and you will most likely never have any problems..