United States of America Warnings and Dangers

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Most Viewed Warnings and Dangers in United States of America

1.

Subway Tips   New York City

Subway Tips, New York City

 10 Reviews  I lived here for the past 13 years. Subway is the best way to get around the city in a rush hour and going for longer distance. I NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS. Don't be a stupid tourist. Also can you all... 

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2.

Places to Avoid   Las Vegas

Places to Avoid, Las Vegas

 28 Reviews  I honestly don't think the Las Vegas strip or Freemont street area is any more dangerous than any other tourist area/city. Any tourist who is not vigilant and does not take care to avoid dark alleys... 

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3.

Areas to Avoid   San Francisco

Areas to Avoid, San Francisco

 87 Reviews  Ive lived in San Francisco for 5 years now and it is mostly safe. Tenderlon is definitely dangerous ( a friend got punch there) if you don't feel safe in a muni, you can sit closer to the driver, (... 

 See All 278 Warnings and Dangers in San Francisco

4.

Common Sense Advice / Sketchy Neighborhoods   Chicago

Common Sense Advice / Sketchy Neighborhoods, Chicago

 50 Reviews  I've lived in Chicago for most of my life and know the city well. Down town area is fairly safe but watch out for groups of teenagers as they have been jumping and mugging people the last few years.... 

 See All 155 Warnings and Dangers in Chicago

5.

Bad Neighborhoods   New Orleans

Bad Neighborhoods, New Orleans

 36 Reviews  Short and sweet: New Orleans is so awesome that it's worth the risks. And, let me say that I've wandered solo, dead drunk, super late, with NO problems. Yes, I got lucky. But that's important to know... 

 See All 232 Warnings and Dangers in New Orleans

6.

Crime Related   Orlando

Crime Related, Orlando

 27 Reviews  A robbery happens in Florida every 3 minutes. To protect your future, invest in a Del-Air security system. Previous Del-Air customers are eligible for 3 months free and insured homeowners will get a... 

 See All 135 Warnings and Dangers in Orlando

7.

Unsafe Areas   Los Angeles

Unsafe Areas, Los Angeles

 62 Reviews  I come from a small town in New Hampshire and moved to East LA for grad school. Honestly...I never really researched the area before moving there but after I got there, so many people that I met were... 

 See All 163 Warnings and Dangers in Los Angeles

8.

Parking & Driving   Boston

Parking & Driving, Boston

 27 Reviews  People on foot in Boston are some of the friendliest around. When you find yourself down some weird side street, ask directions. But when they get behind the wheel they are A**holes honking! We took... 

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9.

Party Hearty   Key West

Party Hearty, Key West

 12 Reviews  fellow seniors, be careful in jimmy buffet Margaretville, because if you are too noisy they will ask you to leave. that what happen to me. let me tell you the whole story. you can agree or not, this... 

 See All 87 Warnings and Dangers in Key West

10.

Beggars / Panhandlers / Homeless   Seattle

Beggars / Panhandlers / Homeless, Seattle

 20 Reviews  I didn't ever feel in real danger but some of the homeless there are real wackos. They'll come right up and talk to you. Just ignore them and you'll be fine for the most part. I'd try to stay with a... 

 See All 90 Warnings and Dangers in Seattle

11.

Beware of...   San Diego

Beware of..., San Diego

 15 Reviews  East Village (Petco Park etc.) is fine, just try to stay out of there after dark. Same with the gaslamp quarter. Do NOT go north of the 5 freeway up to the 8 except for Hillcrest, Mission Valley etc.... 

 See All 75 Warnings and Dangers in San Diego

12.

Theft   Honolulu

Theft, Honolulu

 10 Reviews  I returned from Hawaii yesterday. The day before we were due to fly home we stopped at Shark Cove on the north shore. We were in a rental car and parked in FoodWay directly across from the beach. We... 

 See All 75 Warnings and Dangers in Honolulu

13.

North Philadelphia   Philadelphia

North Philadelphia, Philadelphia

 28 Reviews  Let me tell you first hand North Philly is infested with trash. My husband and I transplanted here 2 years ago from Nyc and it was the worst mistake we have ever made. My husband and I are Puerto... 

 See All 75 Warnings and Dangers in Philadelphia

14.

Bad neighborhoods   Miami Beach

Bad neighborhoods, Miami Beach

 19 Reviews  Like some of the other locals who have commented, when I first saw this thread I was shocked at some of the negativity, until I looked at the dates on such posts. I have heard stories that this city... 

 See All 60 Warnings and Dangers in Miami Beach

15.

Not So Safe Areas   Atlanta

Not So Safe Areas, Atlanta

 43 Reviews  The most important safety advice I can give about Atlanta is to watch out for the bad drivers, and to not get lured into a false sense of security by the way a neighborhood appears, because there are... 

 See All 74 Warnings and Dangers in Atlanta

16.

Areas to Avoid / Crime   Houston

Areas to Avoid / Crime, Houston

 19 Reviews  I am a missionary from London UK and on a Saturday evening my friend invited me to go jogging as I did not know the area I thought it was ok but we ended up on a park at Desoto st called Highland Park... 

 See All 46 Warnings and Dangers in Houston

17.

Driving!   Miami

Driving!, Miami

 14 Reviews  Miami has a very easy to understand road system. Once you get the hang of it, it should be easy to find your way around. Streets go east west. Avenues go north south. There are four sectors -... 

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18.

Areas to Avoid   San Antonio

Areas to Avoid, San Antonio

 2 Reviews  No brainer here, but be careful walking along the Riverwalk since there are no railings except where the restaurants are. Our tour guide mentioned the at least 500 people a year fall in and that it... 

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19.

The Beach   Fort Lauderdale

The Beach, Fort Lauderdale

 4 Reviews  dont swim out too deep, otherwise sharky might get you. I did not have any experience of that kind, however I always heard warnings. So I only swam out to where I could stand. It's a temptation to... 

 See All 22 Warnings and Dangers in Fort Lauderdale

20.

Areas to Avoid / Crime   Dallas

Areas to Avoid / Crime, Dallas

 38 Reviews  North, Northwest, and Northeast Dallas Once upon a time back in the 1980's North, Northwest, and Northeast Dallas were all great, safe, places to live and work. Even before the 1980's the zoning... 

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21.

Animal Dangers   Yosemite National Park

Animal Dangers, Yosemite National Park

 47 Reviews  During my hike of the Valley loop trail we came across a black bear. It was about 2pm just off the trail between us and the South Side drive. The bear didn't seem to notice us or at least paid us no... 

 See All 97 Warnings and Dangers in Yosemite National Park

22.

Wildlife   Yellowstone National Park

Wildlife, Yellowstone National Park

 41 Reviews  In every visitor's information packet three things are included a newspaper of current events, a map and of course a warning. It states that Buffalo can weigh 2000 lbs (900 kg) and that they can... 

 See All 80 Warnings and Dangers in Yellowstone National Park

23.

Traffic/transportation   Nashville

Traffic/transportation, Nashville

 6 Reviews  Tennessee has a "Move-Over Law", the gist of which is: if you see a moving emergency vehicle, you are to move to the far right lane and stay there when possible and safe to do so. This is the case in... 

 See All 17 Warnings and Dangers in Nashville

24.

Rough Neighborhoods   Tampa

Rough Neighborhoods, Tampa

 6 Reviews  The worst area you're likely to encounter is gonna be the outskirts of Ybor City. If you drive to Ybor, park in one of the parking garages. They're pretty close to the center and well-maintained. Your... 

 See All 33 Warnings and Dangers in Tampa

25.

Hiking   Sedona

Hiking, Sedona

 13 Reviews  I found this so interesting and amazing at the same time. Yet, something we all should heed when hiking in this area. Stay on the paths. Why stay on the paths? The large, black patches of dark,... 

 See All 46 Warnings and Dangers in Sedona

Comments

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Water, Food & Something Warm

by RoscoeGregg

The United States IS HUGE. The distances are long and (especially in the western U.S.) you will be miles from ANY services. It will be up to you to take care of your needs.I strongly recommend that if you travel by car that you put together a little emergency kit.. It does not need to be expensive or elaborate. A little preparation and fore thought can turn what would be a life threatening situation into an adventure.Here is a list of things I feel every over the road traveler should have in their car.1. Water a gallon for each person is not excessive2. Food enough for a couple of days. Things like cliff bars and dried soups. Things that store well.3. A blanket and a little extra warm clothes.4. A small first aid kitChances are that you will never need these things but it is foolish to drive through the desert, over the mountains or across the great plains without some preparation.This...

This is a wild and wooly country in some places
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Watch Your Speed

by RoscoeGregg

I am not sure if this should be a transportation tip but here goes. The speed limits in the States are pretty reasonable and it is a good idea to keep an eye on them. The severity of the fines has risen drastically in the last 10 or so years. I often have friends that receive citations in excess of $150 and some over $200. 10 years ago the same infraction would have been$50.00.If you keep your speed less than 5 miles an hour over the posted limit American peace officers will let you slide by but anything over 5mph beyond the posted speed and they will stop you.We do not deploy speed cameras (like in Europe). If you get caught it will be by radar or lazer operated by an officer. While this will give you the chance to meet one of our dedicated members of law enforcement it will be expensive. It is much more fun and cost effective to buy the officer a cup of coffee in the local diner

The National Emergency Number!

by lmkluque

The first time I saw the headlines in the paper, "9 11 01" I thought it clever. The terrorist attacts were the ultimate in Emergencies. However, when I realized that the 9-11 stood for September 11th, I thought it ironic that the attacks happened on the day that would fit into our National Emergency phone number.All that to say that while in the U.S.A., at any time you encounter a serious emergency, simply dial 911. You can be fined for using this number for frivolous reasons, but your reason does not need to be something as tragic as planes crashing into buildings, although that would qualify. The 911 Emergency System makes it simple to get help and the number works in all cities, in all counties and in all states.Hopefully you won't need to use the number, but knowing about it is useful.

Calling for Help!
Internet Cafes as gambling fronts 2012

by melosh

The availability of "internet cafes" where you would go to connect to the internet never really developed in the USA. Initially it was probably the widespread availability of land phone lines and the relatively low cost of a private connection that meant the people did not have to go out of the house to connect. And there are public places like libraries that offer some access. With the widening spread of wireless access, it did not look like "internet cafes" would ever happen.So why suddenly are "internet cafes" springing up all over? Although there may be a sign saying that internet access, cash checking and fax service are available, when you look inside the place looks like an electronic Las Vegas gambling room. So far these places have been able to skirt the anti-gambling laws and regulations. And they seem to be proving that rich or poor Americans love to gamble. Even a poor...

You need money

by melosh

Although credit cards are the most convenient money tool for travel in the US and can be used for most purchases, what happens if your card stops working or you lose it. There is a danger that you could find yourself in America with no money. Of course, you can have money wired to you from home, but this takes time.Carrying a large amount of cash is never a good idea. Here is where traveler's checks in US dollar denominations could be very useful. There is no charge or commission at time of use, and you can use them in most places in the USA as cash that requires an ID [identification] and signature. If lost, the companies promise immediate replacement. Your only pre-trip concern might be what your up front cost may be in terms of conversion to dollars and the traveler's check purchase fee. This fee can be as much as 4 percent. At least, this is what my bank told me that they would be...

Watch your steps and keep eyes open

by akkipaa

I don't know the name of this system, we don't have those. My friend didn't know either when she drove route 66 summer 2010 (two flat tire). I know these exist but I didn't meet them on Route 66 but just after we came to Santa Monica. I decided to take a swim in the Ocean and took my clothes off, swimming suit on and I run to the sea. I was jumping around, took a short cut through parking area and didn't look ahead (funny, I never watch my legs when running). Bulls eye, my right foot just in the middle of two teeth causing only blood and tears, no broken bones.No pedestrians! Yes, thank you, I know that I made a mistake, or two, I used left track and didn't read the warning (I read it, but in a speed of 10 mph my translation and aware time was longer than took to catch the hooks).

Deer on the road !

by MichaelFalk1969

The USA have outdoor TV channels with tips for hunters how to best shoot trophy deer, but it would probably much easier to just run them over with your car. Deer don`t seem to value their life much, and especially during dusk or dawn they frequently cross the road. I had two near-collisions and would recommend NOT to drive during the night as the risk to bump into a deer is very high. Do yourself and Bambi a favour.

The Geography of Nowhere

by RoscoeGregg

There is a trap in all the states of America that it is best to try to avoid. It will require that you make an effort to look for places that have character. In large cities and increasingly in small towns along the interstate you will find the faceless and boring. You could wake up in the parking lot of these fake places and be unable to determine where in the U.S you are because they are all the same. They contain the same national stores and restaurants that are found in almost every city in the U.S.So if you want to see the real America you must look for the local and Main street businesses. You will be rewarded with a much more authentic experience.You will find this especially true in the western states that are crisscrossed with limited access highways.

It seems this is as creative as many of us can be
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Some Common Tips

by hunterV

These tips do not only concern your stay in the US.They are simply common sense tips for traveling abroad: **Do not leave your bags unattended in public places, even if you are only walking away from them for a few minutes.** Do not carry large amounts of cash or store money in your apartment or room. Better open a bank account where your money will be protected.** Lock your door upon leaving your apartment or hotel room, even if only for a short period of time.** Do not carry your passport everywhere. Make a photocopy of your important documents and carry them instead of the originals.** Be aware of your surroundings. If you want to visit a new neighborhood, try to go during the day at first. Look at the map before you leave and note the nearest metro station and bus routes. Walk at your own pace, but look alert and purposeful.** If a stranger does try to steal your bag, do not fight...

Students' dormitory where we stayed, De Pere, WI
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Change in Passport requirements

by penpoison

New Requirements for Travelers Between the United States and the Western HemisphereTravelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada will be required to have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement.

Top 3 Hotels in United States of America

Casablanca Hotel  New York City

 1 Review and 2415 Opinions  This is a Hotel /Bed and Breakfast. It is a oasis in the middle of Times Square. It is quiet inside... 

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Argonaut Hotel - A Kimpton Hotel  San Francisco

 4 Reviews and 2399 Opinions  There's no doubt this hotel, provides a level of luxury and convenience, that many travellers will... 

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Four Seasons Las Vegas  Las Vegas

 9 Reviews and 1856 Opinions  Amazing hotel! Everything about our stay was excellent. Our room was gorgeous, service was... 

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United States of America Warnings and Dangers

Reviews and photos of United States of America warnings and dangers posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for United States of America sightseeing.
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United States of America Members Meetings

May 26, 2013 
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Jun 22, 2013 
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