Originally Posted by
Shingara
These are my tips for those who have come from other countries to the UK to watch the WC.
-Stay alert all the time and be aware of your surroundings
-Keep your possessions like wallets or mobile phones hidden and not in open view unless you are using them
-Don't give money to beggars and encourage them. Begging is illegal in the UK. The scarf wearing women are not Syrians, they are Romanians!
-You may come across street gambling games. Avoid them and walk past. These are organized by East Europeans to take your money or pickpocket you.
-Don't sit upstairs on the bus towards the back :This is where ganjakhors sit.
-Avoid trains during peak hours : 8AM-10AM & 5PM-7PM
-Avoid certain lines in London like the Central line or Jubilee line if you can
-If you hear the train driver activating the announcement : There are pickpockets operating on this train , he has seen something on the train's CCTV's.
-If you see a bunch of hooded young men coming your way, cross the road and continue towards your direction.
-Stay far away from drunks.
-Avoid getting into swearfests with people. Seriously, just ignore them and walk away.
-Be wary of who's standing behind you when you withdraw cash from cash machines. If someone is too close, politely ask them to move back. They are standing close to see your PIN!
If a cash machine looks like it has been tampered with, don't use it. There will most likely be crooks standing nearby with devices to read your card number and PIN.
If you insert your card and the cash machine is not behaving normally, if someone comes by and tries to be nice by saying bs like maybe it's your PIN, try again ... just walk away to another cash machine.
-There is a huge tax-dodging infrastructure here and many people will prefer cash only. So, always a good idea to have something like £50 of cash on you in smaller amounts.
-If anyone asks for the time, shrug your shoulders. While you are looking at your watch, an accomplice maybe pickpocketing you.
-If you get targeted, go to a bustling public place rather than a quiet place.
-In your hotel, lock your room. Recently, a few Emirati sisters were hammered in the head when a psycho entered the hotel unchallenged and went to their rooms.
-There are fake police officers about. A genuine police officer will have a badge with a steel engraved Elizabeth 2 coat of arms. They will also have shoulder 'pips' and the borough code e.g. CW
-This is unfortunately not Dhaka. If someone punches you or steals your bag, no one will come to your rescue
even if you scream chor chor. No one will give gonodholai.
-There are a large number of racist English folks. Don't think that they will give you the welcoming embrace even if they learn you are a tourist.
-Don't try to breakup fights. mediators often get stabbed!
-Look both ways before crossing the road even when the lights are red for cars. Many East Europeans drivers tend to ignore the lights and whizz through.
-Avoid South London unless necessary. African and Caribbean knived gangs operate there.