Barcelona

edited February 2012 in Chit chat
In a few days I'm going on a work trip to Barcelona, I'm hearing reports that its rife with pick pocketing, bag snatching and muggings.

Last year at the conference (one of the worlds biggest in mobile phones) 10% of delegates reported having either their wallet, laptop, passport or bags snached.

Now Barcelona is a beautiful city, and I would love to take photos with my nice Cannon DSLR, but am afraid I wont be taking it because I could not bare it being stolen.

Whats your opinion, anyone been or know of the problems?
Post edited by Scottie_uk on
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Comments

  • edited February 2012
    Go to china instead - at least if you get your bag snatched you will get some support.:---:-D:-D


  • edited February 2012
    you'll be fine mate, they always say that about big cities. if i was at a mobile phone conferance id prolly be stuffing my pockets with the latest gadgets.
  • edited February 2012
    murtceps wrote: »
    Go to china instead - at least if you get your bag snatched you will get some support.:---:-D:-D



    Brilliant!
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  • edited February 2012
    Put a mouse trap in your pocket.
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  • edited February 2012
    mile wrote: »
    you'll be fine mate, they always say that about big cities. if i was at a mobile phone conferance id prolly be stuffing my pockets with the latest gadgets.

    It would seem Barca is much worst than most, and the police just aren't interested in dealing with it.
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  • edited February 2012
    Oh come on Scottie dont be a woose! Its like that plum who didnt want to come to London in case he got beaten up by gangs, happy slapped or shot by the police in the underground, i mean come on ! Bit OTT.

    You wont want to go to Los Angeles next in case the Bloods and the Crips get you.

    As long as you arent taking photos down some quiet road late on at night on your own with no one around you'll be fine I'm sure.

    If you listen to stuff like this you'll never ever go to a major city in the world ever
  • edited February 2012
    psj3809 wrote: »
    As long as you arent taking photos down some quiet road late on at night on your own with no one around you'll be fine I'm sure.

    scottie is a peeping tom though, thats where he does his best work. :p
  • edited February 2012
    mile wrote: »
    scottie is a peeping tom though, thats where he does his best work. :p

    :lol: nice

    Make sure you'd be covered by insurance and don't act nervous and lost, you'll be fine
  • psj3809 wrote: »
    Oh come on Scottie dont be a woose! Its like that plum who didnt want to come to London in case he got beaten up by gangs, happy slapped or shot by the police in the underground, i mean come on ! Bit OTT.

    You wont want to go to Los Angeles next in case the Bloods and the Crips get you.

    As long as you arent taking photos down some quiet road late on at night on your own with no one around you'll be fine I'm sure.

    If you listen to stuff like this you'll never ever go to a major city in the world ever

    Pretty much agree with this.
    Barcelona's no worse than any other big city; London, New York etc.
    Be sensible and you'll be fine. Leave your camera laying around and it'll be gone.
  • edited February 2012
    Scottie_uk wrote: »
    Last year at the conference (one of the worlds biggest in mobile phones) 10% of delegates reported having either their wallet, laptop, passport or bags snached.
    That's because people at these things leave their stuff lying around, or are forever taking their wallets out in full view of everyone to swap business cards.

    If you've got a big camera on a strap around your neck, no-one's going to be able to lift that without you noticing so they're not going to try. Buy a pair of cargo pants with button-down pockets if you're particularly concerned about your wallet, passport, etc.
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  • edited February 2012
    Barcelona does indeed have a reputation for pickpocketing etc. Techniques are all to do with accidental bumps, then disappearing in a crowd, so places to be wary are buses, metro, Ramblas area, event venues, queues etc. There is a popular scam too - if you get bird crap or building plaster on you, don't accept help to get it cleaned...

    Money/phone, not bulky cameras is the main attraction.

    BUT, you went to Syria didn't you? Cameras can be dangerous to use there if you point it at a military base... A least in Barcelona it might only get nicked.

    So, get insurance, zip your bag, take a spare memory card so that you can tuck one with good pics one in your money belt, and stop worrying. Most of the stuff that gets nicked will be - left on a table, sticking out of a back pocket, carried by someone drunk, careless.

    Nice piece by Brian Viner on this

    http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-id-been-warned-about-pickpockets-in-barcelona-ndash-and-then-i-was-robbed-1932683.html
  • edited February 2012
    I still think Scottie's just 'place spotting' (like name spotting), seen it in the past...

    'Unfortunately i have to spend a 2 weeks all expenses business trip to Hawaii whilst you lot are sat there in the rain in blighty and i wondered......' or 'Dont want to make anyone jealous, but i'm off to Barcelona with work, did i mention i'm going to Barcelona and you're not ? Anyway....' ;)

    Lets see him create a thread when hes worried about his camera when he has a business trip to Burnley or Bangor eh ! ;) Bet he wont mention that trip !! ;)
  • edited February 2012
    psj3809 wrote: »
    I still think Scottie's just 'place spotting' (like name spotting), seen it in the past...

    'Unfortunately i have to spend a 2 weeks all expenses business trip to Hawaii whilst you lot are sat there in the rain in blighty and i wondered......' or 'Dont want to make anyone jealous, but i'm off to Barcelona with work, did i mention i'm going to Barcelona and you're not ? Anyway....' ;)

    Lets see him create a thread when hes worried about his camera when he has a business trip to Burnley or Bangor eh ! ;) Bet he wont mention that trip !! ;)

    its like my thread that i started about the two women i ended up in bed with, and how i felt really guilty about my gf, when i didn't really feel guilty, i just wanted to tell you all. :-D
  • edited February 2012
    psj3809 wrote: »
    Lets see him create a thread when hes worried about his camera when he has a business trip to Burnley or Bangor eh ! ;) Bet he wont mention that trip !! ;)

    I went to Aberystwyth last month if that counts, and that there London in Dec. :)

    I'm sorry, I grew up on a council estate and failed school, I never expected to travel overseas as part of my job, I guess the novelty has still to wear off (it if ever does).

    Regarding Barcelona, I am genuinely worried about having my things stolen and was looking for our spanish members, and anyone who has been there recently to put things into perspective. It is a real problem and most probably one of the worst places in Europe for petty theft. There is even a website dedicated to the problem, and getting the mayor to give a ****. http://www.robbedinbarcelona.com/
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  • edited February 2012
    Scottie_uk wrote: »
    I went to Aberystwyth last month if that counts, and that there London in Dec. :)

    london is pretty safe

    just found this site with 3 tales of the naughty spanish pickpockets in action.

    http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/general/safety/barcelona-pickpockets.html

    obviously going into strangers houses, and leaving your wallet on a table might be things to avoid. :razz:
  • Barcelona's not in Spain. It's in Catalan.:razz:
  • edited February 2012
    It's already been said but it's really no worse or better than any other large city. I've been to both Barcelona and Paris, BOTH THE WORST PLACES IN THE UNIVERSE FOR MUGGINGS AND PICK-POCKETS!! according to everywhere and everything was fine.

    Of course, the "Beware Pick Pocket" signs don't actually help, as you read them and immediately pat your pockets or whatever to actually check your wallet making it more obvious for pick pockets. I really wouldn't worry about losing your camera. I've taken mine all over the World and I've still got mine and I didn't carry it in some impenetrable safe. All you have to do is be sensible.
  • edited February 2012
    Barcelona's not in Spain. It's in Catalan.:razz:

    yeah which is in spain. :p
  • mile wrote: »
    yeah which is in spain. :p

    Or is it?
  • edited February 2012
    Or is it?

    according to maps it is ;)
  • edited February 2012
    Take a gun. Problem solved.
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  • edited February 2012
    I've been to Barca three times in the last two years and I felt totally safe. If you're sensible, you'll be fine. There's a great little English pub not far from la Rambla called The Queen Vic which I recommend you visit too :)
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  • edited February 2012
    Spector wrote: »
    I've been to Barca three times in the last two years and I felt totally safe. If you're sensible, you'll be fine. There's a great little English pub not far from la Rambla called The Queen Vic which I recommend you visit too :)

    Get outta maaaaa paaaaaaaaaaab!!!
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  • edited February 2012
    Many years ago I spent some time working in Catalonia, and I know Barcelona fairly well.

    Try to avoid venturing too far down La Rambla late at night, as that's where you'll find trouble, even if there's a group of you. They'll sometimes try and distract you, just ignore them and keep your hands in your pockets. A friend of mine had his pocket picked, but he's a big fellow and he just turned around and mugged the pickpocket for his wallet back.

    Sometimes you'll see groups of people playing find the pea. This is a scam, just leave them to it.

    There are one or two of British bars down in the area where the boats are, but you'll feel like you've been mugged if you pay for a round of drinks there. The last time I was in one of them it was something like eight quid a pint.

    Molly's Fair City is a reasonable "Irish" pub, and Bosc de les Fades ("Forest of the Fairies") is another good one to visit, a themed bar in the style of a woodland grotto.
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  • edited February 2012
    Well I'm here and safe.Though a round of 4 pint drinks is costing 21 euro.
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  • edited February 2012
    Well I don't wish to brag, but I'm tucked up in my hotel room with a couple of Filipinos on my bed ;) Photo's to follow soon.
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  • edited February 2012
    well im not gonna make the obvious joke. :p
  • edited February 2012
    Tucked up in bed at 9pm Barcelona time, you're having a rock n roll time there Scottie ;)
  • edited February 2012
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  • edited February 2012
    Just make sure if you've got a bag, that you also have one arm under the bottom of it as they're prone to cutting ye olde bottom of yer bag when you're looking the other way.

    Also, make sure you walk down the Rambla, and look at Gaudi's buildings, and look at the Sagrada Familia and and and and ... there's just plenty to see over there, love the place icon14.gif
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