GUANGZHOU WARNING

[rogerluli]

This is horrible. However, since you have not finished your process, I assume there was no visa in the passport?

Therefore no visa in the passport = avoiding a much more difficult process with Guangzhou, IE., explaining what happend to the visa.

Yeah I agree with that. GUZ would probably assume some kind of fraud and who knows what would happen then. The only other conceivably good thing to come out of this for us is that Lu Li had originally wanted to spend 4 weeks with her family and I bargained her down to 2. Looks like she will get 4+ now...

[Guest blsqueaky]

Glad to hear that she is doing okay. I know that when Ling was flying back home, she had to be at the airport at 5:30 a.m., and she went at night, said it was to dangerous to go in the early morning.

[tmkeith]

Thank all of you for this very important information. I didn't understand all of the posts about people wanting to meet in the hotels in GZ, but now I do. Safety is found in numbers. I've given my WeiWei the warning. She knows it's dangerous in GZ, but at this point in our lives, I don't want to take any chances. She's overcome the "black pearl" on Friday, but I don't want her to think she's invincible.

 

Trevor & Wendy

[ptcrusier333rph]

had a friend who wife rigged her purse with a taser in it and a remote on a key chain, she just dare a purse snatcher to grab it, NY state police gave her a warning about it told her to stop doing it after turning in 2 purse snatcher that got knock on thier ass.

 

she is a electrical engineer, got piss when her purse got stolen, decide to do something about it.

 

not heard from her or my friend for a few years they was talking on moving overseas

 

Robert

[skibum]

My wife says that GZ is known to be the most dangerous station in China . She flew down for the interview but took the train to pick up the visa. She says she was scared from all the rough looking people but 2 men in uniforms - not cops- with big sticks, escorted her to a safe place. I asked her why they picked her and she said that many Chinese think she is Japanese so they propably give foreigners extra protection.

[shimaore]

well spent a month in china ( north & south ) never felt safer in my life

[rogerluli]

well spent a month in china ( north & south ) never felt safer in my life

Well I've spent about 6 weeks in China myself and I always felt safe also...but...anyone will tell you that robberies, muggings, purse snatching, pickpocketing is all VERY common. You aren't likely to get SHOT there it's true. Have you ever noticed all the bars on windows, heavy security doors, etc. on apartments ? It's not just decorative...

[BuffaloPaul]

well spent a month in china ( north & south ) never felt safer in my life

Well I've spent about 6 weeks in China myself and I always felt safe also...but...anyone will tell you that robberies, muggings, purse snatching, pickpocketing is all VERY common. You aren't likely to get SHOT there it's true. Have you ever noticed all the bars on windows, heavy security doors, etc. on apartments ? It's not just decorative...

The 3 times I have been to China I've always felt safe, but I assume that it was because Jenny knew what areas to go in. Nearly all apartments have bars on the window and steel doors (one house on the 7th floor of Jennys building was robbed while I was there - the thief climbed up the outside of the building). I've also noticed there are hardly any police around, so there is plenty of opportunity for ne'er do wells. Train stations must be universally bad places to be.

[Dan R]

In many cities unemployment has been on the rise as companies have been privatized. Feather bedding which was the norm to provide full employment has ended with companies trimming employees for efficiency. As the economy booms costs and expectations rise and government stipends for unemployment or retirement don't cover expenses. This was the main reason explained to me for high increase in crime.

 

Opportunity is readily there with old structures not built with safety in mind and little lighting because it was thought better to save money.

 

A friend's son was attacked by restaurant kitchen workers who said he stole a man's wallet as he walked past the restaurant. A policeman inside arrested him. He was taken to jail and held for two days before released in the father's custody. He was then taken for treatment of cuts bruises and lost teeth (they had attacked him with two baseball bats and a metal shovel. They have hired an attorney for the trial. The whole thing is very strange. This happened last week in a good part of L.A.

 

Crime is everywhere to more or lesser degrees. If you worry too much about it you can't function. Always take reasonable precaution whereever you go.

[shimaore]

but...anyone will tell you that robberies, muggings, purse snatching, pickpocketing is all VERY common. You aren't likely to get SHOT there it's true. Have you ever noticed all the bars on windows, heavy security doors, etc. on apartments ?

 

I do not know where you live but i live in London (UK) safety and policing is a big election focus.

 

Maybe it is racist what I am going to write next but it is not my intention and apologise in advance for any offence created : looking at ancient chinese architecture you can see security was a real concern ( compared to other part of world - where live is in the open/outside for example in the mediterranean region / africa / south east asia / etc... ): No windows facing the street , etc... plus i am a vivid fan of old style HK movie and the plot is every time the same one person betraying the heroe which make the heroe running after revenge and retribution.

All this made me think people from PRC are culturally suspicious and wary of anyone outside of their family circle not because of an excess of danger but because of a cultural aspect.

 

Another example I grew up in france ( Marseille historically the home of the sicilian mafia , in the estate I grew up it was a no go area for cops) and criminality rates are higher than in the UK but in the Uk everyone have a major concern for security compared to the average French person ( not holding purse , just walking in the street in a relaxed way ) so the cultural aspect is as important as the reality .

 

Personally felt safe in China because i saw how the cops treated criminals ( beating up and no respect of civil right hehehe ) so figured out it is a pretty risky business to be a criminal in China.

 

Just my personal experience

[rogerluli]

I live in a small town in Wisconsin, USA. It is very safe here.Sheep are free to wander the streets day and night without any fear from perverts.

 

I know that all big cities are inherently dangerous today. That's just the way it is.

 

I think your analysis of Chinese architecture and their views on safety could be a very large topic. Certainly the courtyard house is designed for defense, it is insular for protecting the family from outsiders. Historically China has been in a bad neighborhood. The mongols, tartars, etc, etc. sweeping back and forth not to mention a generally weak central government, corruption of local officials and warlords ( wow I am so over my head at this point with the tiny bit of Chinese history I know, will someone please throw me a life preserver.) I think Chinese are suspicious of others who are not very good friends or family. Let me give an example from my experience. Last time I was in GZ with my SO I wanted to buy some puerh tea. Great, my SO knew a woman who sells tea. She calls her up, we go to her friend who works in a tea shop in a tea mall. She serves us several kinds of puerh tea, etc I'm ready to buy some and my SO says "No." We leave and I ask her "what's up?' It turns out that she could not trust this "friend" to give us the best price for tea. So she said she would get it for me and bring it with her when she finally comes to the US.My SO has many, many friends but I think there are actually very few that she really trusts.

 

Are the cops tough on criminals? Oh yeah, a bullet to the base of the spine is real tough. But there simply aren't nearly enough cops and there are a lot of very desperate people who will take these chances. When you have nothing to lose ...

[ed and ying]

7I have never feared for personal safety in China - but Ying and I have been victims of pretty theft in China - really becuase of our loss of focus.

 

If you really pay attention and are careful - you will lose nothing or very little

 

Ying lost her bag, id , some money and cell phone while bowling. I lost a camera from my jacket in a restuarant. They did not have the "slipcovers" that cover your jacket and chair back. I felt some jostling - ignored and lost the camera. Ying lwas on bus a few days ago , lost about 30 RMB from a poutside pocket of her purse.

 

I have never lost any money in China. A slim money clip type wallet with xerox id and maximium worst cash is rubber banded/in front pants pocket. The taxi/outing money is in my front shirt/jacket pocket - works well

[rogerluli]

7I have never feared for personal safety in China - but Ying and I have been victims of pretty theft in China - really becuase of our loss of focus.

 

If you really pay attention and are careful - you will lose nothing or very little

 

Yeah I agree completely Ed. But a few poor souls, like my Lu Li, will suffer greater losses when they thought they were safe.And it is a bit of a pain to realize you better always pay attention and be careful.

[ed and ying]

Roger

I think we are on the same track here. I hope I did not downplay the impact of this petty crime. When I was on phone with Ying, she suddendly say - Oh Laogong I lose some money. I ask the story and it is the 30 RMB on bus. I tell her no matter how careful we are , the thieves try very hard. Some time they win - talk about camera I lose

 

She says : Thank you , Loagong for comfort me.

 

Love her- miss her

[tonado]

I did warn my wife about transit in GZ airport. She made it safe back home (Nanning). Lately, there have been some robberies at Boston Chinatown. I still think it is safer in China than in USA.