London Vacation: Safety Tips for Tourists in London

By Constance Parker-Street

For being such a large and diverse city, London can be a relatively safe environment for American vacationers and their families. Each year, millions of tourists visit England's capital city without incident, although there are definitely things you can do to increase your chances of having an incident-free holiday.

Street crime such as purse-snatching and pick pocketing occur in any major urban area, and London's no exception. A good rule of thumb is to keep your belongings in front of you, and never behind you (never in a back pocket or slung over your shoulder where you cannot see). At night, it's always best to stay together and keep to well-lit, well-traveled streets. It's also safest to use licensed taxi cabs instead of mini-cabs. While they may be cheaper, and while the majority of mini-cab drivers are completely honorable and trustworthy, crimes have been reported in the past by passengers who have been assaulted or robbed by undocumented drivers.

Because the theater is so popular in London's West End, many con artists take advantage of naive tourists with promises of good prices on theater or concert tickets (or perhaps seats to a popular sold-out show). Instead of trusting these ticket touts, it's wise to always deal directly with the theater box office, your hotel concierge, or the TKTS booth in Leicester Square.

If you're staying in a hotel or bed-and-breakfast, keep your keys with you at all times and always make certain that the door to your room is shut tightly behind you. Always use the safes provided for your valuables, and force yourself to lock up valuables or keep them with you - regardless of how tired you may be or how safe you feel. Of course, it's never a good idea to leave your bags unattended for any period of time, whether you're in your hotel lobby, at the airport, the train station, or in a cab. Tourists can be easy victims of theft and, in this age of increased terrorism, perhaps worse.

Remember that emergency services can be reached free of charge anywhere in the U.K. by dialing 999. You don't want to delay police and fire professionals by dialing 911 by habit.

Finally, and maybe most importantly, always look both ways before crossing the street! While tourists may get used to seeing drivers on the wrong side of the road, they often forget to look the "wrong way" before stepping out into the street and accidents have occurred.

By reviewing some of these safety tips before you leave the States, you'll feel more confident that you and your family will be safe and happy during your London vacation.

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