Security and safety

[Dunky]

As previously stated...going to Orlando in October..i remember a few years back the the UK news warning of 'car jacking'...and general no gooders looking for unsuspecting tourists..now you don't hear that talked about so much..but apart from the obvious safety measures one would take when travelling with family..are there any other things or 'hot spots'that one should look for when driving...wandering about...the wife won't let me buy a gun!! spoilsport!

[Tonish]

I'm pretty sure the car-jacking was tourists in Miami, or maybe the trend moved upstate for a while. Let me reassure you, whilst Orlando has its share of bad boys, the tourist areas are mostly hugely well policed, well behaved and utterly intolerant of any criminal behaviour.

I do not believe, in many years of going there, and having many family and friends travel there on and off for the past 30 or more years, that I've ever come across one of them who has had any problem whatsoever. Of course, it depends where you go. We had a few scary experiences in Miami, but this was faulty map reading by Mrs T, who seemed to always land us up in gangsta-land.

However, if you're worried, I suggest you get a buzz cut and spend the week before with a sunlamp trained on your neck. You can be pretty sure of being left in peace. It will help if you get your wife to call you Cletus, you could try Bobby-Jo for her.

[bargainqueen]

All the cars we have hired automatically lock the doors when you reach 15mph?

Someone on this board pointed out that if you left the car idling the doors can also be locked automatically so if we receive two set of car keys we take them into Walmart and use the pliers there to cut the wire. We can then have a set of keys each.

Have always felt safe driving around, best advice is don't leave your common sense at home.

[steph_goodrum]

"Someone on this board pointed out that if you left the car idling the doors can also be locked automatically

Essential to remember if you have children and decide to pop back indoors for something, so never leave young children in the car alone.

[Robert5988]

It was also the case years ago that rental cars in Florida had different(and distinctive) number(licence) plates that could easily be identified by criminals; so the law was changed. I recall a case where a British couple were sleeping in their car and were robbed, the man resisted and was shot dead.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Although car-jacking has been made a federal crime, several states also have legislation on the subject. One is Florida, which has a big tourist industry. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, an increasing number of tourists, most of them foreign, were victims of car-jackings in Florida. Because tourists in well-marked rental cars were common car-jacking victims, Florida passed legislation in 1993 (F.S.A. § 320.0601) that outlawed company logos and license plates that made rental and leased cars obvious. Florida's legislators felt that tourists warranted this extra protection for three main reasons. First, tourists are, more often than not, unfamiliar with the area and are more likely to become lost or end up in a high-crime area. Second, tourists often carry more cash than natives, which makes them prime robbery targets. And finally, fewer tourists are likely to return and testify in court about a crime. By granting tourists the right to drive unmarked rental cars, Florida made them less vulnerable to the crime of car-jacking.[/quote]

[Appledore]

Duncan,
Please stop your worrying. Lets face it just open the papers here and this country not exactly the safest place to live.

I go over with my family in the summer and for some serious shopping with girl friends in November. If I didn't feel safe I just wouldn't do it.

The only thing I would say is if i'm on a big shop i'm very aware of anyone watching us carrying lots of bags back to the car. Just watch out the same as over here.

You'll have fun!!
Elaine

[deejay-55]

don't worry - just remember to drive on the wrong side of the road

[mfairhurst]

We have traveled all over FLORIDA and not had any problems and we have been going to FLORIDA since 1989 .As said before MAIMI was the worse area but not now as policed so much .
Just use same sence as you do in UK and not flash lots of money around.
Enjoy your next visit .
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683

[Regalpalmschic]

I feel pretty safe in and around my Florida home. I feel safe also when driving, however have done a few wrong turns and ended up in downtowns that have been a little hairy. But I am one of lifes cowardy custards so probably did over react!
There are a number of areas in London that I would consider no go areas and would not drive through, so same all over.

Sara

[chrizzy100]

Just be careful...I've been going to Orlando for years...and feel safe there...but I am more careful than I am at home...I lock my doors use my house alarm at night...and would never confront anyone messing about outside with my car etc...