Personal Safety and Cruising

[Efraim]

You know what they say " Perception is reality."

[sailorboy1]

Based on years of CF reading I think the biggest growing danger in cruising is ................. other cruisers!

[goboatingnow]

Then, the question is reduced; Have there been noticeable changes in society, in the general behavior of individuals? For me, the answer is a demonstrable yes. Further, the changes have ill foreboding.

No evidence is presented to support that view, Every generation thinks "crime" increases, a statement that cant be manifestly true, after several generations. Crime ebbs and flows, currently in developed worlds , its trending downwards.

What has changed in our generation , has been 24 hour "instant" news, the internet and 24/7 social media, all act to foster a "herd" mentality and hence incidents are broadcast to large groups of individuals, thereby increasing there own perception of fear/crime.
Dave

[David_Old_Jersey]

The biggest change that affects all of us is.........getting older! and that definately changes perceptions. Not saying that all change is for the better - but seems a common enough theme that as folk get older that change is often compared unfavourably to whatever one thought the reality was before. Young people doing young people stuff can be mysterious and unsettling and noisey and untidy...but it was always thus.

Kinda reminds me of the late Missus in Bangkok bemoaning the young people of today and crime - principally about not showing respect and society being more fluid and unsettled than it used to be. What made those comments funny was a) aged 21 she went out on a pro-democracy counter-coup demo against tanks! (afterwards she became very disillusioned about the results - that was 3 or 4 coups ago now) and b) her family had varied "business interests" and the mojo to defend them, and she was also somewhat hands on....am pretty sure "back in the day" plenty of folks also moaned about them. quietly.

[Efraim]

“Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.”

Socrates

[Kettlewell]

“Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.”

Socrates

^^Exactly^^ I bet we could find hieroglyphics on the Egyptian pyramids that say, "Get off my lawn!"

[IdoraKeeper]

Most crime is committed by a small number of people. The impact is out of proportion to their number. Interestingly, as enforcement becomes more effective and penalties increase, criminals determine where the red line of enforcement is and endeavor to maintain plausible deniability. They change their method but not their intent. Usually there is an element of social engineering employed to gain entree to the situation. Sociopathic opportunism has never changed. The difficulty is in spotting them before it's too late. They truly do not want to be held to account for failing to respect a morality that they are not equipped to internalize. A raccoon in your attic has the same degree of social disengagement.

Todd

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Richard5

The truest answer lies in the realm of anecdote.

HUH!?! This sounds like you are saying that, even though well-documented statistics clearly PROVE that crime rates are significantly lower than they were 20 years ago, the "truest answer" is that people are at greater risk for becoming a victim of crime simply because that's the story that gets told, and that's how they feel.

I hope I'm misunderstand you, because if that's what you mean, that's just crazy!

[Mike OReilly]

People are quick to blame the media for megaphoning the notion that crime is on the increase, that we're living in more dangerous times, that the sky is falling! The media definitely do this, but they are not the only ones. There are lots of vested interests in our rich societies that benefit from a perceived rise in crime, and therefore a real rise in fear:

• Politicians and governments whose platforms are based "getting tough with crime."
• Law enforcement, whose budgets are dependent on how fearful we all feel.
• Judiciaries and penitentiary systems that require plenty of criminals to process.
• Lawyers ... don't get me started on lawyers...
• Insurance companies who prey on irrational fears, and who weasel their way into becoming mandatory requirements.
• Private security companies whose profits are directly linked to how scared everyone is of each other.
• The makers of gated communities, be they on land or on the water.

... the list could go on.

And who benefits from all of us living without fear, and without feeling threatened all the time? Only the vast majority of citizens who might dare to come out of their personal bunkers, meet eyes with a stranger, and say "hello."

[Kettlewell]

And who benefits from all of us living without fear, and without feeling threatened all the time? Only the vast majority of citizens who might dare to come out of their personal bunkers, meet eyes with a stranger, and say "hello."

^^Well put.^^Too, remember that no matter where you cruise in the world, almost certainly you would have been in much greater personal danger staying home. Just driving to work is probably the most dangerous thing the average person does every day. Being out on an anchor prevents 95% of the bad guys in the world from bothering you. Plus, you are often surrounded by other like-minded and resourceful cruisers who will be keeping an eye on things better than any neighborhood watch on land. Just pay attention to the cruisers' grapevine and you will be well informed about any problem spots way before you get there. In most cases, the few incidents we hear about are due to someone going somewhere they shouldn't or doing something they shouldn't be doing.

[IdoraKeeper]

All good and all true Mike. Till you meet the smiling alligator who walks off with your winch handle.
A rational degree of caution should temper enthusiasm.

Todd

[zeehag]

the worst crimes i have witnessed while cruising have been from politics and richie rich in usa ..... has been lovely here in omgdangerous mexico....

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

All good and all true Mike. Till you meet the smiling alligator who walks off with your winch handle.
A rational degree of caution should temper enthusiasm.

Absolutely true Todd. As Kettlewell says, you needs to be a aware, and there certainly are bad places and bad situations. Be smart, use the information resources, but try not to let fear be the default reaction. That's what "they" want.

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by zeehag

the worst crimes i have witnessed while cruising have been from politics and richie rich in usa ..... has been lovely here in omgdangerous mexico....

1. Please give an example of a worst crime from politics and the USA rich that you have witnessed so I can understand your point.

2. I have always been superstitious about taunting and talking up my good fortune. It seems like every time I have stepped over that line I have got my rear-end handed to me.

[Group9]

Common sense goes a long way. When cruising to the Florida Keys a couple of years ago, we dropped anchor among several derelict and semi-derelict boats just off the ICW.

A couple of them came over in barely floating dinghy's to check us out (I just had that feeling that they doing a little shopping) and that night, we heard a violent argument in one of the nearby boats.

We were in transit and left the next day, but if it had been paradise found there, I wouldn't have stayed. Ray Charles could see there were going to be problems in that anchorage, sooner or later.

But, I admit, it felt nice knowing I had a Glock 17, and the best training money could buy in using it, while we were there.

But, there are other intangible factors that make you more or less safe. Some people have lead sheltered lives, and really don't have any idea how many really bad people there are in this world. Just like lightning strikes, they don't happen very often statistically, but when they do, they can really mess up your day. Recognizing them when you see them, and having the life experience to do that, is a huge plus.