{"id":1585,"date":"2016-11-27T19:03:38","date_gmt":"2016-11-27T19:03:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/192.241.231.59\/?p=1585"},"modified":"2017-05-31T19:04:52","modified_gmt":"2017-05-31T19:04:52","slug":"stay-safe-in-large-crowds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/stay-safe-in-large-crowds","title":{"rendered":"How to Stay Safe at Concerts and Other Large Events"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>In light of the recent attacks on the public at concerts and sporting events,\u00a0you MUST read this before your next arena outing!<\/em><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #808080;\">The fact that you&#8217;re even here means you like to be prepared for the unexpected.<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve put together a list of 10 other calamities you&#8217;re likely to encounter while traveling the world,\u00a0available to you for free, in my\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/kathleenstarmer.leadpages.co\/travel-smarts-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Travel Smarts Checklist<\/a>.<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #808080;\">Know\u00a0the risks; learn the solutions.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no getting around it: if you\u2019re going to be a traveler or a tourist, you\u2019re going to find yourself in large crowds.<\/p>\n<p>Attending a soccer match in Barcelona, gathering to see the Pope at St. Peter\u2019s Square in Vatican City, or visiting Chichen Itza during the spring equinox: while these are all must-do experiences, you are putting yourself in the midst a seething mass of humanity that\u2014in a post-9\/11 world\u2014is not without its peril.<\/p>\n<p>Now, because there is so much to see and do in this world, I am absolutely <em>not<\/em> suggesting you avoid places where big crowds are likely to gather. After all, it would be a shame to miss visiting, say, the beaches of Rio or at least one New Year\u2019s Eve gathering on Times Square.<\/p>\n<p>But what I <em>am<\/em> saying is, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">you need to be smart about it<\/span>!<\/p>\n<p>In this article, I\u2019m going to look at four areas of risk that you may encounter in large crowd gatherings, ranging from the common-but-annoying to the less-common-but-devastating. You should be ready for all eventualities, of course, but you\u2019ll want to pay special attention to those that are the most likely to occur.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">COMMON: Pickpockets<\/h4>\n<div id=\"attachment_1591\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1591\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1591 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/192.241.231.59\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-pickpocket-52950913-300x181.png\" alt=\"crowd safety large crowd riots stampede\" width=\"300\" height=\"181\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-pickpocket-52950913-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-pickpocket-52950913-100x60.png 100w, https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-pickpocket-52950913.png 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1591\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Don&#8217;t be a bonehead: zip up your pockets!<\/p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Only carry what you need to get you through the day.<\/span><\/strong> You can leave those extra credit cards and spare keys back at your hotel (well-hidden and secured, of course).<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Keep everything <a href=\"http:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/link?id=aKTdqqeVkeE&amp;offerid=327192.205880&amp;type=2&amp;murl=http{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}3A{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}2F{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}2Flink.mercent.com{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}2Fredirect.ashx{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}3Fmr{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}253AmerchantID{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}3DOrvis{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}26mr{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}253AtrackingCode{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}3DB961E940-E66E-E611-80FB-0050569437F6{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}26mr{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}253AtargetUrl{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}3Dhttp{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}3A{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}2F{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}2Fwww.orvis.com{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}2Fp{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}2Ftencel-linen-cargo-skirt{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}2F2GXK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in your pockets<\/a> if possible.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">If you must carry a bag, make it small and in a cross-body style<\/span><\/strong> that you can keep in front of you. If you can wear it under your jacket, even better.<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Maintain awareness of who is around you and what they\u2019re doing.<\/span><\/strong> If you see something suspicious, make eye contact with the perpetrator so that they know you\u2019re aware of their activity. I\u2019ve done this with great success in Rome on a few occasions, and they\u2019ve quickly moved along.<\/li>\n<li>If possible,<strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\"> keep visible empty space between you and your neighbors.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">LESS-COMMON: Stampede\/Mass-Evacuation<\/h4>\n<div id=\"attachment_1588\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1588\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1588 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/192.241.231.59\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-Phnom-Penh-Stampede-pic-AFP-300x216.png\" alt=\"crowd safety stampede riot\" width=\"300\" height=\"216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-Phnom-Penh-Stampede-pic-AFP-300x216.png 300w, https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-Phnom-Penh-Stampede-pic-AFP-100x72.png 100w, https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-Phnom-Penh-Stampede-pic-AFP.png 700w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1588\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A nightclub stampede in Vietnam; photo via AFP<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Upon arrival at any large venue:<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Find the most obvious exit areas.<\/span><\/strong> If you\u2019re in a museum, use your guide map to spot the egress routes.<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Agree on a meeting area outside the venue<\/span><\/strong> in case you are separated from your group.<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Take pictures of everyone in the group<\/span><\/strong> with your phone so you know what they\u2019re wearing (<em>this is one of those details that slips people\u2019s minds in times of crisis<\/em>) in case you need to identify them to authorities for a lost-person report. Be sure that everyone has each other\u2019s cell phone numbers, too.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>In case of stampede or mass-evacuation:<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You don\u2019t want to be trampled, so treat the crowd like a riptide and <strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">move perpendicular to the direction of travel until you get to the edge of the crowd.<\/span><\/strong> If you\u2019re with a group, you can try to hold onto each other\u2019s arms while you do this to prevent separation. If there are kids with you, carry them if possible.<\/li>\n<li>If the edge of the crowd is also a physical wall and you can\u2019t escape, <strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">flatten yourself against the wall and begin slowly moving in the direction of the masses\u2019 travel<\/span><\/strong> if it appears to be going toward an exit point. If not, you\u2019re not going to be able to \u201cswim upstream,\u201d so weigh the risks of staying put until the crowd thins if you want to try to find a separate exit point.<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">If you do fall down and the crowd is surging over you, curl into a ball with your hands over your face to protect your face and internal organs.<\/span> <\/strong>You\u2019ll likely still get pummeled, but your vital bits should remain intact.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>LESS-COMMON: Riot<\/strong><\/h4>\n<div id=\"attachment_1587\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1587\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1587 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/192.241.231.59\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-1992-LA-Riots-pic-LA-Times-300x180.png\" alt=\"large crowd safety riot riots\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-1992-LA-Riots-pic-LA-Times-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-1992-LA-Riots-pic-LA-Times-100x60.png 100w, https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-1992-LA-Riots-pic-LA-Times.png 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1587\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A scene from the LA riots of 1992; photo via LA Times<\/p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">If you have any inkling of civil unrest or planned protest, change your plans and avoid the area.<\/span><\/strong> The best defense in this situation is to simply not be there in the first place.<\/li>\n<li>Should you find yourself caught in a sudden mass uprising, your number one priority is to get out of there. <strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">The second you feel uneasy (gut instinct is there for a reason!), begin your exit strategy.<\/span><\/strong> Use the perpendicular-movement technique I mentioned for stampedes to get to the edge of the crowd an escape to safety.<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">If you can\u2019t escape the crowd, then at least escape injury.<\/span><\/strong> If possible, find a place to crouch and hide. If there\u2019s nowhere to hide, then do what you can to shield yourself from injury. This can include curling into a ball, as mentioned in the stampede section above. Some authorities recommend lacing your hands behind your neck to protect your cervical spine from injury due to flying debris.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">EVEN LESS-COMMON: Terrorist attack<\/h4>\n<div id=\"attachment_1590\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1590\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1590 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/192.241.231.59\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-Car-Fire-145643237-300x199.png\" alt=\"terrorist attack large crowd safety\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-Car-Fire-145643237-300x199.png 300w, https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-Car-Fire-145643237-100x66.png 100w, https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/web-Car-Fire-145643237.png 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1590\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This is one bbq you don&#8217;t want to attend<\/p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Be vigilant.<\/span><\/strong> If you see someone suspicious (say, a man in a long coat on a hot summer day), steer <em>very<\/em> clear and notify an authority of your concerns.<\/li>\n<li>Be smart. <strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Avoid visiting areas that have been recent terrorist targets or are upcoming stated terrorist targets.<\/span><\/strong> The <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.state.gov\/content\/passports\/en\/alertswarnings.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">US State Department<\/a> \u00a0(or your country\u2019s equivalent) keeps current lists of such things. It\u2019s also helpful to keep abreast of the news on this matter.<\/li>\n<li>If a bomb goes off and you\u2019re able to move under your own power, <strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">leave the area quickly, but don\u2019t run<\/span><\/strong> (running can make you look like the perpetrator, leading to your arrest). Follow the recommendation in the stampede section above and get to the edge of the crowd.<\/li>\n<li>If you are separated from your group, <strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">go to the pre-determined meet-up point.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<li>As soon as possible, <strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">contact your family and friends to let them know you\u2019re okay.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Of course no one likes to think about these things. But as one of my former NASA bosses used to say, denial is not a course of action! Get out there and enjoy this big beautiful world\u2026but do it with your eyes wide open and your safety plans firmly in place.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">* * * * *<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Have you experienced any scary situations in large crowds? How did you handle it? Share your experience via the <a href=\"http:\/\/192.241.231.59\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Contact form<\/a>\u00a0so that others can learn from your experience.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>Life is awesome, but it&#8217;s also unpredictable. Do what you can to stack the deck in your favor by KNOWING\u00a0THE RISKS and LEARNING THE SOLUTIONS. I&#8217;ve detailed 10 of them in my <a href=\"https:\/\/kathleenstarmer.leadpages.co\/travel-smarts-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">free Travel Smarts Checklist<\/a>.<br \/>\nYou owe it to yourself to pick up a copy before your next trip.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In light of the recent attacks on the public at concerts and sporting events,\u00a0you MUST read this before your next arena outing! &nbsp; The fact that you&#8217;re even here means you like to be prepared for the unexpected. I&#8217;ve put together a list of 10 other calamities you&#8217;re likely to encounter while traveling the world,\u00a0available to you for free, in &#8230; <\/p>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/stay-safe-in-large-crowds\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1589,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2,34,36,7,33],"tags":[39,40,14,29,21,15],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1585"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1585"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1585\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}