| Welcome to The New Coffee Room. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Mugged in Rio! | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 17 2009, 07:23 AM (392 Views) | |
| Luke's Dad | Feb 17 2009, 07:23 AM Post #1 |
![]()
Emperor Pengin
|
The owner of the company I work for and his wife just got back from doing a Cruise around Cape Horn. They spent three days in Rio before the boat left. On day number two, they were shopping, and he was a couple of feet ahead of his wife. Some guy came up, pulled a knife on her and took her 5k watch. Apparantly, it's a huge problem down there right now. Watches in particular. They heard about four other people being mugged that same day, and one lady on their boat even had somebody break into her hotel room, from the balcony. Apparantly, he was jumping (seven stories up) from balcony to balcony. |
| The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it. | |
![]() |
|
| RosemaryTwo | Feb 17 2009, 07:26 AM Post #2 |
|
HOLY CARP!!!
|
Scary stuff. I almost killed an old man yesterday. He pulled out of a parking lot at full speed, without looking left or right. I slammed on my brakes and horn and inhaled (I think inhaling like that can suck your car back a few inches). I narrowly missed hitting him square in the driver's side door. He just drove off without any shrug or anything. I don't know if he ever saw me. Anyway, around here one of the scariest things are all the old people driving. |
| "Perhaps the thing to do is just to let stupid run its course." Aqua | |
![]() |
|
| Riley | Feb 17 2009, 07:27 AM Post #3 |
|
HOLY CARP!!!
|
The owner of a very well known local shoe was stabbed and killed for his wallet while on vacation in Arizona about 5 years ago. |
![]() |
|
| big al | Feb 17 2009, 08:14 AM Post #4 |
|
Bull-Carp
|
I'd like to hear Jon's or other world travellers takes on this. I've heard that street crime in Brazil and other Latin American countries is on the rise, but I don't know how much worse it has gotten. When I lived in Rio, I had some money snatched from my hand after pulling out my small bills to fish out bus fare. I always kept my larger bills separately so I didn't expose too much on the street. The snatcher escaped down an alley. I started to pursue him and then though better of it. My wife, who was standing next to me, didn't even know what had happened until I told her. I've fended off pickpockets in SF and Paris. That chain on the wallet really slows them down. Fortunately, I've never suffered an assault or worse anywhere that I've gone. Big Al |
|
Location: Western PA "jesu, der simcha fun der man's farlangen." -bachophile | |
![]() |
|
| sue | Feb 17 2009, 08:19 AM Post #5 |
|
HOLY CARP!!!
|
Scary story indeed, but perhaps a lesson learned. Why would she wear a 5K watch while travelling? Seems to me to not be a good idea to flaunt such wealth.
|
![]() |
|
| The 89th Key | Feb 17 2009, 08:20 AM Post #6 |
|
I haven't traveled too much...just Mexico, Italy, and Ireland. It seems many places (not so much in Ireland), since tourism seemingly runs their economy, that the number of scam artists and downright thieves is just skyrocketing. Their scams are becoming quite the art form actually, but there are of course the old-school thugs with knives or breaking into hotel rooms. Either way...I'm not sure who would wear a $5,000 watch while traveling in a foreign country like that, but people need to be smart when traveling. When I was on the metro in Rome, I was protecting my wallet the whole time. |
![]() |
|
| kathyk | Feb 17 2009, 08:26 AM Post #7 |
|
Pisa-Carp
|
My thoughts exactly. I'll go you even one further. Why would anyone even have a 5K watch? |
| Blogging in Palestine: http://kksjournal.com/ | |
![]() |
|
| Luke's Dad | Feb 17 2009, 08:46 AM Post #8 |
![]()
Emperor Pengin
|
While I agree with Sue's sentiment, Kathy, your comment is fairly insulting. Why would somebody have a 5K bracelet or necklace? Why would somebody drive a 60k car? Why would somebody buy an 80k piano? Why would somebody buy $1000 shoes? Because she could. Because it's something she liked, and had earned. $5000 for a watch isn't exactly the top tier, you know. For people into watches, it's similar to having an Estonia. The difference between Sue's statement and yours is that Sue implies that while it was a shame, she could have been a little smarter and maybe could have been avoided. Your statement implies that it was completely her fault for even owning something as obscene, let alone wearing it. |
| The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it. | |
![]() |
|
| kathyk | Feb 17 2009, 09:08 AM Post #9 |
|
Pisa-Carp
|
I certainly didn't mean to insult. I'm just expressing my opinion that I find it mind boggling that people sink such sums of money into baubles. And I understand the difference between mine and Sue's statement. That's why I prefaced it with "I'll go you one further." |
| Blogging in Palestine: http://kksjournal.com/ | |
![]() |
|
| PattyP | Feb 17 2009, 09:11 AM Post #10 |
|
Senior Carp
|
At least she wasn't hurt. I imagine it could have been much worse than loosing a possession. |
|
A tired dog is a good dog. "Dogs' lives are too short...their only fault, really." A.S. Turnbull | |
![]() |
|
| Aqua Letifer | Feb 17 2009, 09:14 AM Post #11 |
|
ZOOOOOM!
|
Pretty much the first thing I thought of when I read the post was, "this is another good reason why I'll never own a $5k watch." I can part with almost all of my material possessions without much personal setback; I don't like the idea of owning things with any worth beyond practicality because then you run the risk of having stuff happen to it. Glad to hear they did the "right" thing though, and just gave the thief the watch so no one got hurt. Things can get nasty when people refuse. |
| I cite irreconcilable differences. | |
![]() |
|
| Phlebas | Feb 17 2009, 09:18 AM Post #12 |
|
Bull-Carp
|
Well, I'll go one further. I can't understand how his boss could have a trophy wife who wants to go around with $5000 watches on her wrist.
|
|
Random FML: Today, I was fired by my boss in front of my coworkers. It would have been nice if I could have left the building before they started celebrating. FML The founding of the bulk of the world's nation states post 1914 is based on self-defined nationalisms. The bulk of those national movements involve territory that was ethnically mixed. The foundation of many of those nation states involved population movements in the aftermath. When the only one that is repeatedly held up as unjust and unjustifiable is the Zionist project, the term anti-semitism may very well be appropriate. - P*D | |
![]() |
|
| Horace | Feb 17 2009, 09:20 AM Post #13 |
|
HOLY CARP!!!
|
Not if you're the main character in the movie, and the movie just started. But if you're the spouse of the main cahracter, and the movie just started, then it's super dangerous and you should never allow the main character to try to fight back, due to the guilt and subsequent 90 minutes of thrilling intrigue and chases and fights that your death might precipitate. |
| As a good person, I implore you to do as I, a good person, do. Be good. Do NOT be bad. If you see bad, end bad. End it in yourself, and end it in others. By any means necessary, the good must conquer the bad. Good people know this. Do you know this? Are you good? | |
![]() |
|
| PhJ | Feb 17 2009, 09:32 AM Post #14 |
|
Senior Carp
|
I have a brazilian friend who told me I would have a fine trip there as long as I followed some basic guidance, like, precisely, no watches, necklaces, bracelets, ... I suppose they should put this kind of stuff in travel guides, if they don't already. (not that I ever went to Brazil, yet) |
![]() |
|
| Aqua Letifer | Feb 17 2009, 09:38 AM Post #15 |
|
ZOOOOOM!
|
Unless it's an asian movie, in which case you're more than aptly prepared for some ass-kicking, you being the wife of the main character and all. Sure, you may be overwhelmed and kidnapped, but not before downing 3 or 4 cronies and we all know you're going to escape later on anyway, either with or without help. It's all good. |
| I cite irreconcilable differences. | |
![]() |
|
| Horace | Feb 17 2009, 09:53 AM Post #16 |
|
HOLY CARP!!!
|
That does it! I'm marrying an asian girl.
|
| As a good person, I implore you to do as I, a good person, do. Be good. Do NOT be bad. If you see bad, end bad. End it in yourself, and end it in others. By any means necessary, the good must conquer the bad. Good people know this. Do you know this? Are you good? | |
![]() |
|
| Friday | Feb 17 2009, 10:46 AM Post #17 |
|
Senior Carp
|
....no watches, necklaces, bracelets, ... Add earrings to that list. |
![]() |
|
| The 89th Key | Feb 17 2009, 11:07 AM Post #18 |
|
PattyP - good point. PhJ - you have a Brazilian friend(s)? I only have about a hundred!
|
![]() |
|
| sue | Feb 17 2009, 11:33 AM Post #19 |
|
HOLY CARP!!!
|
If they would just pay attention to the music, they'd be ok. When the music gets louder and scary, you know something bad's coming down the pipe, sheesh. RUN !! FLEE!!! DON'T OPEN THAT DOOR !!! etc., etc. People in movies are really dumb sometimes. |
![]() |
|
| apple | Feb 17 2009, 05:40 PM Post #20 |
|
one of the angels
|
the value of the watch is not that important really. it's easy to judge someone for being impractical, but if the watch were worth 200, it would be just as disconcerting. getting mugged sux. i've had a ton of trouble myself.. it seemed in the 80s i was getting attacked in some way or another almost yearly... and i was extraordinarily wary.. a run of bad luck i guess. |
| it behooves me to behold | |
![]() |
|
| « Previous Topic · The New Coffee Room · Next Topic » |







4:35 PM Jul 10