Anyone else stressing about the Travel Alert to Europe?

[ocav]

Well, if it helps you feel better and put it in perspective, our youngest son is a Marine currently deployed in the Middle East. He's not even allowed to tell us exactly where he is most of the time. And you know that can't be good! I'd sleep much better if he was studying in Europe!!!

 

 

 

And your son is doing an amazing job helping to keep the world safe by taking incredible risks, I'm sure you are very proud.

[Travelling2Some]

Thanks very much Ocav. We are proud of him but I can definitely relate to Suze's urge to lock that guy in his childhood bedroom next time he's home on leave! I asked him to just tell his commanding officer that his mama says he is NOT allowed to go to the Middle East. I even offered to write him a note, lol!

[Suze10860]

Well, if it helps you feel better and put it in perspective, our youngest son is a Marine currently deployed in the Middle East. He's not even allowed to tell us exactly where he is most of the time. And you know that can't be good! I'd sleep much better if he was studying in Europe!!!

 

Wow. I wouldn't even dare make that comparison from my end. You should be remarkably proud of your son. I wish him nothing but safety and I wish you some good nights' sleep!!

[Extra Kim]

There are factions in Europe that HATE Americans....do you want to be a target? There you go....make a choice. I'm with your husband...cancel the cruise...don't be a target.

 

Yes...you can have accidents here, in our own country...but the folks over there WANT TO KILL US....your choice.

 

For real? If there's that many Europeans that want to kill you Americans, why do you let us into your country? There's probably 100 000 (or more) Europeans in the U.S right now, watch your back! :eek:

 

Why not tell the truth? If you choose to travel, you may become a victim of a horrible attack?

Sharon

And that couldn't happen in the U.S ? :rolleyes:

 

Also, avoid baseball caps. Wearing a ballcap in Europe basically announces to everybody that you're American.

 

Skip the shorts (Europeans don't wear them, except at the beach or for sports), fanny pack, DSLR around your neck, backpacks, running shoes, etc.

 

Have you EVER been to Europe? I use shorts almost every day during the summer, depending on weather. I own several baseball caps and use them now and then during the whole year.

I have a backpack that I use at least once a week.

 

 

Some of you have no clue what you are talking about..

 

I guess that there will be cheap cruises in the med this year :D

[Floridiana]

 

I guess that there will be cheap cruises in the med this year :D

 

Offers have been coming in already.

[chris11256]

I'm with other posters on here. Continue the cruise. You're more likely to be killed by yet another mad man with a gun in the US, that you are being the victim of a terrorist attack in Europe.

 

Just to add, I work in central London. I don't avoid the tube simply because it might be bombed again.

Edited April 9, 2016 by chris11256

[moniquet]

I take the tube too. In every day life we do not always have choices available and have to go about our life/business. We do have choices when choosing a two week holiday and therefore some places are off limits for me. Despite meaningless stats I feel reasonably safe in the USA. Aside from the obvious dangers in Europe I don't want to spend my holiday watching hordes of people sleeping rough at the Ports, not exactly a pleasurable experience is it.

[chris11256]

Good point! Whilst personally I may avoid a country(i.e Belgium). I wouldn't go as far as avoiding an entire continent.

[babs135]

This thread started whilst we were on holiday in Israel where unfortunately stabbings and car ramming attacks are becoming almost the norm. And how horrendous a statement is that :( We had booked before the problems had started and did we think about cancelling - No. We went determined to have a great time, which we did, but just to be aware of what was going on around us and to be prepared to alter direction if we felt things weren't quite 'right'. In the event, we didn't feel threatened, alarmed or worried at all.

 

Having said that, everyone is different and if people want to cancel because of a perceived danger then it's their decision and theirs alone. Whether we agree with it is our own business.

 

All I will add is that if we start cancelling our plans then the terrorists have won and we don't want that do we?

[Extra Kim]

Sometimes it's just strange how logic gets replaced by fear.

 

150 people (+ 10 terrorists) died in Europe in terrorist attacks during 2015 according to Wikipedia (might not be the best reference, but often they are accurate).

 

1138 was killed by the American police during 2015 in the U.S.

There's ~ 318 millions living in the U.S and ~ 708 millions living in Europe and still the U.S police kills 7.6 times as many as the terrorists in Europe.

 

If you look at this with a statistic point of view, you should have a bigger fear for the U.S police then the terrorists in Europe.

 

We can compare France (the European country that suffered by the most lethal terror attacks during 2015), vs. people killed by the police in the U.S during 2015.

148 died in terror attacks in France during 2015 and 1138 was killed during 2015 in the U.S by the police.

66,03 millon people live in France and 318,9 millon people live in th U.S (both according to Google).

France: 148/66,03million = 0.000002241 = 0.002241‰ (per mille)

USA: 1138/318,9million = 0.0000035685 = 0.0035685‰ (per mille)

 

This is just food for thoughts:

Terrorism vs. Gun Violence

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/02/us/oregon-shooting-terrorism-gun-violence/

 

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_the_European_Union

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/series/counted-us-police-killings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population

[moniquet]

Meaningless stats again:rolleyes:

 

The joys of arriving in Athens

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/08/greeks-struggle-to-shift-piraeus-migrants/

Edited April 10, 2016 by moniquet

[ocav]

Meaningless stats again:rolleyes:

 

The joys of arriving in Athens

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/08/greeks-struggle-to-shift-piraeus-migrants/

 

 

 

As your cruise ship would not dock near this how is this a problem, plus what to refugees pose to you that is so scary?

[Extra Kim]

Don't feed the troll.

[moniquet]

As your cruise ship would not dock near this how is this a problem, plus what to refugees pose to you that is so scary?

 

They don't just stay in port, they go around the town according to friends who were there at Easter. They are also infiltrated by Isis or their supporters. Not necessarily scary, just unpleasant.

 

Since when was it that anyone who has a different opinion is a troll:confused:

[Floridiana]

Since you have been going on and on and on with your fear and insulted me when I asked you whether you had seen anything in person.

[moniquet]

Since you have been going on and on and on with your fear and insulted me when I asked you whether you had seen anything in person.

 

I didn't think I insulted anyone unless having a different opinion is counted as one:D

 

Another small? Incident today

 

 

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/659591/Turkey-terror-warning-Avoid-Istanbul-Antalya-warns-US

[dsrdsrdsr]

I'm very worried about the migrant problem and the terrorism problem. I understand that southern USA is so besieged by migrants that there are plans to build a big wall, and that there have been several recent terrorism attacks. Should I cancel my visit in September?

[SPacificbound]

I'm very worried about the migrant problem and the terrorism problem. I understand that southern USA is so besieged by migrants that there are plans to build a big wall, and that there have been several recent terrorism attacks. Should I cancel my visit in September?

 

 

The terrorist attacks in the US have had no relation to legal or illegal migrants coming from Mexico.

 

The "big wall" you have heard about is a political hot potato.

 

Should you cancel your visit? Only you know that.

 

I'm coming to your country, you are certainly welcome to come to mine.

Edited April 11, 2016 by SPacificbound

[iancal]

Not concerned at all. Planning a trip to Greece again this fall. We expect to be able to pick up a late booking Med cruise for a very attractive rate.

[dsrdsrdsr]

The terrorist attacks in the US have had no relation to legal or illegal migrants coming from Mexico.

 

The "big wall" you have heard about is a political hot potato.

 

Should you cancel your visit? Only you know that.

 

I'm coming to your country, you are certainly welcome to come to mine.

 

I was hoping to make the irony so heavy as to be obviously a mickey take. Sorry. I'll try harder next time. :)

[TravelerThom]

I didn't think I insulted anyone unless having a different opinion is counted as one:D

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

You are not however entitled to have your own facts.

[slidergirl]

The terrorist attacks in the US have had no relation to legal or illegal migrants coming from Mexico.

 

The "big wall" you have heard about is a political hot potato.

 

Should you cancel your visit? Only you know that.

 

I'm coming to your country, you are certainly welcome to come to mine.

 

LOL!!!!:p

 

You forgot that the illegals coming from Mexico are all rapists and drug traffickers… Funny that no one cares about the illegals that come in from the Great White North… I DID get your dripping sarcasm.

 

I'm more worried about going in to a movie theatre where some yahoo could be packing a pistol and decides to shoot someone who is too loud. I'm more worried about pulling into a parking lot and some yahoo could be packing a pistol and decides to get into a fight with someone who pulled in to a spot he was waiting for. I've been held up at gunpoint in my little resort town outside my favorite restaurant. I've been to Tel Aviv when Saddam was lobbing Scuds. You do what you believe in your heart and mind is OK for you to do.

 

Spacificbound: you are welcome to come to my country. Just be aware of white men looking like mercenaries and packing "heat." ;)

[iancal]

Why beat this to death?

 

If you are worried then stay home or plan for an alternate destination.

 

Who on earth would make their decision based on what any other poster might think or believe? Are you really going to trust the words of a stranger over your gut feeling. Chances are you have made your decision already but feel the need for some confirmation. This board is hardly the place to get reliable, unbiased data on which to make a decision.

 

Just get on with it! It really is not that difficult to make a section and move forward.

[moniquet]

Good points Ian. We should have a like button:)

[Lutèce]

For goodness sake!! Do you think those of us who live here have stopped going to work, school, church, avoid public transport and are hiding in reinforced cellars???

No, no more than the residents of Boston, San Bernardino and all the other places in the US where random attacks have taken place!

And those wouldn't put me off visiting America.