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13 July 2004
Terror troubles travelers—again
Last year, Madrid. Last week, London. Next, ... well, who knows?
By Terry Riley
Just
over a year ago, I wrote a column about the
railway bombings in Madrid. Now here we are again.
The targets of the bombings have changed, but many other factors
surrounding these cowardly acts remain the same: Families
suffer, the general population becomes more anxious, government security
ramps up and law enforcement begins the task of hunting down the culprits.
People are once again asking me, "Is it safe for Americans to travel
overseas?" and once again I respond, "No, it is not safe for Americans to
travel overseas. Never has been. Never will be."
But just as was true a year ago, Americans traveling overseas need to
put things in perspective. Certainly the bombings are tragic reminders of
the danger that a few miscreants can cause, but even without the hazards
posed by terrorists, the world is a dangerous and unpredictable place.
(Remember the tsunami?)
The U.S. State Department, for instance, had no more of an idea of the
impending danger in London than it did of the Madrid train bombings last
year. And fewer than 24 hours before the bombings, Tom Wright, chief
executive of VisitBritain, said of the previous day's decision of the
International Olympic Committee to award the 2012 Olympics to London, "It
is as much a vote of confidence for Britain's tourism and leisure
facilities as it is for our sporting venues and events." These bombings
blindsided us all—and so will the next ones.
The danger of falling victim to a terrorist incident follows American
travelers not only to London but everywhere, every day. Certainly that
danger is real, but it is also overblown when considered in the larger
context of overall travel risks. Traffic accidents, heart attacks and
disease—not terrorist events—still account for most of the fatalities
suffered by American travelers abroad.
So my advice is this: Don't stay home out of fear, but reduce the
predictable and preventable risks to your safety by keeping yourself
informed, staying alert, and trusting your intuition when you travel.
© 2005 Applied Psychology
Related Err Travel columns:
Crime time - Summer is when travelers become
victims
Toons terrify tots - Cartoons may bring
back serenity
... and from Travel Fox:
Hooter's enters
airport security business - Effectiveness of T&A pat-downs questioned
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