Safety tips
On the way to Playa Grande, we were stopped by the Policía Turística, a relatively new division of the police force whose mission is to protect tourists. A group of about six police officers dressed in black pants and white polo shirts had placed cones on the road and were stopping cars in both directions. They asked for documents and wrote on a piece of paper, the name of the driver, passport number, and car’s license plate number. Then they handed out two small brochures written both in Spanish and English: one about what to do if caught in a rip tide (ironically, we were caught in a rip tide later that day) and another one about “Tips for a Safe and Pleasant Trip” published by the ICT, the Costa Rican Tourism Board. These are the tips:
• You most [misspelled] carry your passport with you all the time, but do it safely.
• Keep an eye on your belongings whenever you are in a public area.
• Inquire at the front desk of your hotel about the safest routes and means of transportation, especially during nighttime.
• When using taxi services, verify that they comply the legal established requeriments [misspelled], such as the yellow triangles printed on the doors and a meter. Ask at your hotel to call a taxi from a reliable company.
• Only exchange currency at banks and approved change offices.
• Use ATMs only in public, well lit areas. Do not allow strangers to stand near you and avoid taking unsolicited help. Count your money and put it away prior to leaving the ATM.
• If you are lost and need to check a map, do so in a public and secure place or ask the police for help. Do not stop in front of strangers.
• Keep car windows closed and door locked when traveling and when parking. Do not leave any items in your car.
• If you get a flat tire, or someone tells you something is wrong with your vehicle, or you are bumped from behind or you are being followed, do not stop. Seek police assistance or drive to a busy shopping center.
• Avoid giving money to people on the street. If you want to help, the hotel’s front desk can furnish a list of authorized charities where you can give a donation.
• [printed in red:] Costa Rica protects its children and adolescents. Sexual exploitation of minors is a crime punished by law.
• In Costa Rica from 18 years old it is consider an adult.
Most of the tips are obvious, but after always hearing tourists in the airport on the way out of Costa Rica talk about how their belongings were stolen, the tips do seem necessary. Many people choose Costa Rica as their vacation destination because it’s a “safe” Latin American country and then foolishly leave their valuables in the trunk of the rental car or leave their passports inside their tents while going for a hike.
Saturday, March 14, 2009