Comments on: Crime in China And Your Safety http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/crime-in-china-and-your-safety/ The MBA Graduate Program at Cal Poly Fri, 18 May 2012 16:08:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Chris Carr http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/crime-in-china-and-your-safety/#comment-1602 Chris Carr Tue, 06 Mar 2007 17:01:51 +0000 http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/crime-in-china-and-your-safety/#comment-1602 Good comment. Good comment.

]]> By: Patrick McGuire http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/crime-in-china-and-your-safety/#comment-1598 Patrick McGuire Tue, 06 Mar 2007 07:24:32 +0000 http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/crime-in-china-and-your-safety/#comment-1598 I've heard the very same questions myself. I mentioned the China tour to some family friends and was asked why we were going to such a "risky" place. But really, I can think of so many "safe," Western places I have visited and been asked the very same thing! The most notalble was Northern Ireland. I heard many people asking me why I was going to such a "dangerous" place, if I was afraid of bombings, etc. The truth is that Northern Ireland was a beautiful place and I never once felt I was at any greater safety risk that every day I've lived in California. In fact, if you look at the statistics, it's an extremely exaggerted risk. In the past 40 years, fewer than 2,000 civilians have been killed in "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland. That's about 50 per year, or 1 in 74,000 (when you factor in the population of the area plus the number of visits in 2006. You're more than 12 times more likely to be killed in a car accident, but I haven't heard many people asking why I was doing something so dangerous as riding in a car! Not to mention that so much of that was concentrated in a certain part of town that I would not be visiting and that peace agreements have dropped the risk to virtually zero in the last few years. I suspect that the safety "threats" of China are also grossly exaggerated. So much of our idea of which places are safe is so skewed by anecdotal news reports. Most places in the world are safe if you practice due diligence. What it really comes down to is not being stupid. There are the right places to go and the wrong places to go. If we're responsible about where we take ourselves, we'll stay away from the risky places. You wouldn't walk down the street in most American cities all alone at night wearing a really nice watch and you shouldn't do that in China either. Just like in general business, due diligence is key. Now, on the topic of not being stupid, we of course have heard reports that skew on the other side of the Crime and Punishment scale--going up against law enforcement. China is protective of its culture and sense of decency. I have heard stories of tourists being given a thorough questioning for bringing in more than a "personal" amount of religious material, music with "indecent" overtones, or anything that they feel might threaten the Chinese way of life. Now, I doubt they open up every suitcase and pull each and every item out at the International arrivals gate, but again, the key is just not to be stupid and try to test it or assume that your suitcase is your business. They can keep you from coming in if they want to. I’ve heard the very same questions myself. I mentioned the China tour to some family friends and was asked why we were going to such a “risky” place. But really, I can think of so many “safe,” Western places I have visited and been asked the very same thing! The most notalble was Northern Ireland. I heard many people asking me why I was going to such a “dangerous” place, if I was afraid of bombings, etc. The truth is that Northern Ireland was a beautiful place and I never once felt I was at any greater safety risk that every day I’ve lived in California. In fact, if you look at the statistics, it’s an extremely exaggerted risk. In the past 40 years, fewer than 2,000 civilians have been killed in “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland. That’s about 50 per year, or 1 in 74,000 (when you factor in the population of the area plus the number of visits in 2006. You’re more than 12 times more likely to be killed in a car accident, but I haven’t heard many people asking why I was doing something so dangerous as riding in a car! Not to mention that so much of that was concentrated in a certain part of town that I would not be visiting and that peace agreements have dropped the risk to virtually zero in the last few years. I suspect that the safety “threats” of China are also grossly exaggerated.

So much of our idea of which places are safe is so skewed by anecdotal news reports. Most places in the world are safe if you practice due diligence.

What it really comes down to is not being stupid. There are the right places to go and the wrong places to go. If we’re responsible about where we take ourselves, we’ll stay away from the risky places. You wouldn’t walk down the street in most American cities all alone at night wearing a really nice watch and you shouldn’t do that in China either. Just like in general business, due diligence is key.

Now, on the topic of not being stupid, we of course have heard reports that skew on the other side of the Crime and Punishment scale–going up against law enforcement. China is protective of its culture and sense of decency. I have heard stories of tourists being given a thorough questioning for bringing in more than a “personal” amount of religious material, music with “indecent” overtones, or anything that they feel might threaten the Chinese way of life. Now, I doubt they open up every suitcase and pull each and every item out at the International arrivals gate, but again, the key is just not to be stupid and try to test it or assume that your suitcase is your business. They can keep you from coming in if they want to.

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