A local in Lisbon told me my laptop was an easy target

I was working at a cafe in Bairro Alto and a Portuguese guy at the next table leaned over. He said, 'Your screen shows your bank login, and your bag strap is loose on the chair.' I bought a privacy screen that same day and now I always loop my bag strap through a chair leg. Has anyone else gotten a wake-up call about security in a new city?

3 comments

3 Comments

clairejenkins2mo ago

Interesting how that works out... I've always found locals to be the biggest source of good tips, but sometimes the warnings feel a bit over the top. In Rome, a waiter once told me my phone was too close to the table edge, but honestly, everyone around me was doing the same thing. It made me wonder if some advice comes from a place of genuine worry or just a different view on risk.

blair2482mo ago

Seen this a lot with safety stuff at work too. People who deal with a risk every single day see it differently. That waiter probably watches phones get grabbed all week. To him, the edge of the table is a real danger zone. To a tourist having a nice meal, it's just where you put your phone. The local view is shaped by constant exposure to what can go wrong.

the_paul2mo ago

That was a lucky break in Lisbon. I learned the hard way in Barcelona ten years ago, lost a camera from a backpack that seemed secure. @clairejenkins makes a good point about local views on risk, but I treat those warnings as a gift. My rule now is to never put anything valuable in an outer pocket or on a table without a physical tether. A simple carabiner clip on your bag strap, hooked to the chair, solves most problems.