My Gateway Vacation

Unfortunately, armed robbery and other violent crimes happen frequently in a lot of Colombian cities. This is not to say that if you travel to Colombia you are going to be the victim of some terrible crime, but it is best to go into the country prepared. It is best to go anywhere abroad with an idea of the cultural differences and an idea of the living conditions in general. Here in Colombia there is, unfortunately, some social unrest and disorder in places. Luckily, in the last few years some of these crime statistics have dropped in their frequency. The best thing to do when traveling in a country outside of your own is to use common sense and safety no matter what.

ATM machines, or Automatic Teller Machines, seem to be a recent hot spot for crime in the country of Colombia. If you have to use an ATM, please exercise caution. Victims have reported robbers even approaching them on motorcycles so that they may quickly flee the scene after they have committed the robbery. So, if it is at all possible for you to do while abroad, use an ATM machine that is indoors and preferably in a well populated area. If this cannot be done, please try to use outdoor ATMs only during daylight hours. The U.S. embassy also urges American travelers that are abroad to use a vehicle for transportation rather than walking. Of course, if you have a very short distance to your next destination, it is understandable to walk. The U.S. Embassy even warns the American traveler abroad to keep a watchful eye out for anyone who may be following you or keeping a watchful eye on you. They also put out the message to the traveler that if you do happen to fall victim to the crime of robbery, if you do not fear for your life or think you are going to sustain serious bodily injury that you should not resist your assailant. Most of these people that commit these crimes are merely trying to make some quick cash from the tourist and usually not out to harm. However, there is a much greater chance that you may be killed or harmed if you resist.

There is another serious problem that has been recently centered in Bogota. This robbery has victimized the tourist hailing a cab, which is picked up first, and then robbed by criminals the cab driver picks up afterwards. The cab drivers are usually in on this as well. The armed cohorts the driver picks up overpower the unsuspecting traveler and take their belongings. They have even been known to take the travelers ATM card and force them to go from ATM to ATM withdrawing money. So, it is a great idea to take advantage of calling a cab by telephone since there have been no cases of this type of crime from someone calling in a taxi. Only travelers hailing taxis off the street have been victimized by this crime. If you are traveling in Colombia it is a great idea for you to escort yourself around and to stay in public places at all times.

Please exercise caution and good sense if you are planning on traveling abroad to Colombia. The country has many interesting and beautiful sites, but the cities can be quite dangerous. Be careful in your travels.