Business Travel Safety
by BB Lee (C)2001
The National Crime Commission reports that each year thousands of innocent business travelers fall victim to the rising crime rate.
It's time to stand up! Don't be just another crime statistic or willing victim. Learn important ways to protect yourself while traveling in unfamiliar or dangerous areas.
Easy With The Luggage:
Thieves look for business travelers loaded down with excess baggage? This makes you a very easy target in their shifty eyes. Why? Travelers struggling with excess luggage are less likely to notice one or two missing pieces until it's too late.
Label Your Stuff:
Label each piece of your luggage. List the items in each bag. Carry snapshots of your luggage for quick identification. Lock all luggage securely. This will discourage spur of the moment suitcase or baggage snatchers.
Keep Your Purse Close...Your Money Closer: Hold your purse close to your body. Wrap your purse over one shoulder, across your body and under the other arm. Never swing your purse loosely from a wrist or shoulder. A thief could easily catch the strap and drag you screaming across the crowded room, a terminal, airport, or empty garage. Invest in a fanny pack, money pouch or belt if you travel often.
Hold Your Head High:
Walk with confidence. Make eye contact with the people that are around you. This is especially important for women traveling alone. Studies show women do not look people in the eyes as often as the average man does. Thieves see this as passive behavior. In other words an easy target. One who will not put up a fight.
If It Ain't Important Leave It: Do you really need your social security card, voter registration card, department store cards on a business trip? If thieves get their sticky hands on those important personal items they could easily forge papers and steal your identity.
Foreign Travel:
Photocopy all your important papers, including your passport, and your tickets before you leave home. Make several copies of each important paper. Keep an extra copy in a secret compartment or in a belt pouch. Store the other copies in the hotel safe. So if your originals are stolen you will have plenty copies on hand.
Special Precautions For Women Travelers: Women, when they travel, should always wear a plain cheap wedding band - this will discourage unwanted attention from strange males. Thieves often look for unmarried women traveling alone, they consider them easy targets.
Diamonds Aren't A Travelers Best Friend: Leave your expensive rings, watches, bracelets, necklaces at home. Wearing expensive items is like waving a red flag at a charging bull.
Alarms:
Purchase a pocket size travel alarm with a strap you can hang across your door knob. A loud alarm sounds instantly if someone jiggles the door knob. These alarms are very inexpensive but a good item to have for the safety concerned traveler.
Question Hotel Personnel:
Question hotel personnel about fire and emergency exits. And be sure to ask them about crime in the neighborhood, which areas to avoid, they should know the area better than you and be willing to help you to make your stay safe. Also question them about local money exchange rates, and cab fares around town. This will help save you from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous shop owners or cabbies.
Stay In Contact:
Carry a fully charged cellular telephone with you when you go on your business travels. Keep it on when you are out in unfamiliar territory. Make sure friends, family, business associates have your cell phone number. If a dangerous situation occurs help could be just a call away.
Tell A Friend:
Tell a friend or family member when you are going on a business trip alone. Make sure your business partner or staff know your agenda. Tell them where you are staying, how long you will stay. What meetings you
are scheduled for. Addresses, names, dates, and so forth. This is a very important detail if an emergency occurs and you need to be contacted or you are in a emergency situation and need help.
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BB Lee is Editor/Publisher of SmallBizBits Home Biz Newsletter. Join Our List For The Latest Home Biz Articles, Advice, News. Bonus E-books Just For Subscribing! http://www.angelfire.com/zine/smallbiz mailto:smallbiz@angelfire.com
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