Living In USA

Women who are alone are far more free here than in many parts of the world; one sees unescorted women almost anywhere. Unfortunately, however, crime is widespread here and certain precautions are necessary.

A woman can feel safe in planes, buses, and trains (day or night). It is safe for a woman to drive long distances alone. Service station attendants and hotel and motel personnel will give friendly help; if there is trouble with the car along the way, a single woman will nearly always get help from passersby (although here, too, caution should be exercised) or the highway patrol. If your car does break down, you should try to pull as far off the road on the right side as possible. Turn on the emergency flashers and raise the hood, then wait with the car for help to arrive. In most locations, even on deserted stretches of road, a highway patrol car will arrive before too long. But if a woman (or a man, for that matter) is driving alone in a city, it is wise to keep the car doors locked and valuables out of sight. These two simple habits can prevent someone from jumping quickly into the car at a stoplight or grabbing something through an open window.

Cities become less safe after dark. Stay on well-populated and well-lit streets; take taxis after about 9:00 p.m. Hold your purse carefully, don't let shoulder bags hang loosely, and don't wear valuable jewelry until you reach your destination. With the high price of gold and gems, jewelry is a hot item among thieves.

It is best to ask locally which streets (and areas) are safe and which are not, although the responses often reveal as much information about your informant's prejudices as about the safety realities. Remember that looks can be deceiving; some dark areas can be safe; well-lit ones may be dangerous at quiet times (such as Wall Street after the business world goes home). Visitors to the United States should be particularly careful about safety. Until you have been here for a while, you won't know how to judge whether a situation, a person, or a place is dangerous because you won't know how to "read" the clues.