John Cletheroe's
USA and Canada Holiday Hints


Safety Considerations for a US/Canadian Holiday - Personal Security Hints

Baggage When Flying

Pack valuables in carry-on bags if possible. You must pack and electrical and electronic items in carry-on bags.

Ensure that all baggage is labelled. Also enclose details of your name and address inside each item of baggage.

When checking in at the airport, make sure that the clerk attaches the correct label to your checked baggage with the appropriate three-letter airport code for your destination.

Emergency Services Phone Number

Make sure that everyone in your party knows that the telephone number for contacting the emergency services (fire, police and ambulance) in the USA and Canada is 911. This number must only be used in emergencies.

Motels

Make sure that everyone in your party knows your motel room number and how to find your room, including which floor it is on. Remember that the first floor is the ground floor in the USA and Canada. Normally, rooms numbered in the one hundreds (101 upwards) will be on the first (ground) floor, rooms numbered in the two hundreds (201 upwards) on the second floor, and so on. With the increasing use of featureless electronic door keys, you need to make a note of the room number or memorise it. If all else fails, the room number may be printed on the receipt.

Make sure you understand how to operate your room's door locks and check that they all work properly.

Check how any window locks operate.

Before opening the door in response to a knock from outside, check the identity of the person through the "spy-hole" in the door. Also use the lever which prevents the door from being fully opened, if one is provided.

If anyone claims to need to enter your room for maintenance purposes etc then ring the office and check before admitting them.

Be sure to supervise young children if they leave your room to purchase snacks, drinks, etc, or if they use the swimming pool.

If you leave your suitcases in your motel room while you go out for the day, be sure to lock them and if possible secure them all together and/or to a fixture in the room using a chain lock. None of these precautions will deter a thief but they may help to prevent petty pilfering.

Never leave money or valuables in your room when you go out.

Rental Car

Make sure you understand how the car door locks work. Electronic locks and central locking are very common on rental cars and may take some getting used to if you are new to them.

Whenever leaving the car, always check that all the windows are closed and that all the doors are locked.

Whenever possible park the car in a recognised car park. This is not usually a problem in the USA since all motels and shopping malls and most restaurants and large shops have their own free car parks.

Never leave valuables on view in the car.

Never leave evidence that you are a tourist (such as maps) on view in the car. However, there is nothing you can do about the car having an out-of-state licence plate.

Never pick up hitch-hikers.


Safety

Safety Precautions

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Most recently modified 23-Jun-02