Belle Isle Florida Beware

[hondated]

Ok first apologies I am in Florida and driving rather than biking because I have the family with me.

Having yet to set off on my first motorcycle adventure my confidence in doing so as taken a real knock due to events last night.I assumed by reading so many reports that everyone on all travels were in the main friendly. Now I know that was naivety on my part.

Last night traveling back to Orlando Davenport having visited the Kennedy Space Centre hungry we pulled off of the auto route to find a Mc Donalds.When we found one my daughter and eldest grandson jumped out of the car quickly and went in to order.As she walked through the door she said it seemed funny that a guy in a white shirt was just about to walk around the other side of the counter. She then heard another young fella say on his cell phone " yer they must be here on holiday " I then walked in and clocked him looking at me as he spoke on his phone.My fears were confirmed when my daughter told me what she had heard and I immediately said lets go and we all rushed and got back in the car and drove off.
We consider we were lucky and it as now taught me not to be so trusting Sad but if you looked at my gorgeous little grandchildren and thought how they could have been hurt physically or mentally you would feel the same way.And I am also left thinking what awful people you could encounter when travelling.

I just feel that we must be the luckiest family ever at this moment in time to have got away from a dangerous situation.

[markharf]

Travelers are in fact mainly friendly. So are local people everywhere in the world. But in Florida, as elsewhere, there's always a possibility you'll run into someone who will take advantage of you in one way or another. That doesn't alter the basic equation.

I'm not convinced by your description, but of course I wasn't there. On the other hand, I've been to well over a hundred countries on seven continents, and despite some fairly drastic incidents (knives, guns, verbal threats, hints, attempted intimidation and all manner of other off-putting stuff) no one has ever actually hurt me or anyone with whom I'm traveling. The worst that has actually happened has been a few pairs of shoes stolen, some scams, and a few cases of short-changing or extortion.

In other words, travel is no less safe than staying at home. In fact, I've had more thefts, threats and even knives pulled on me at home than on the road. YMMV.

Safe journeys!

Mark

[motoreiter]

Yeah, I totally missed what was so threatening....so someone looked at you and said "yeah they must be here on vacation" on a cell phone? How do you know they were talking about you? Even if you were, why do you suspect they had foul play in mind? Maybe they didn't like how you were dressed, etc. etc.

Like markharf said, I wasn't there, but from your description it is not clear at all what the problem was?

[Scrabblebiker]

I echo Markharf's sentiments. I've travelled solo in 16 countries, including extensively in the US and have never truly felt threatened. Uncomfortable yes, threatened no.

I realize that a personal experience is often difficult to convey in writing but I'm at a bit of a loss trying to understand what was threatening about this situation. The fact that someone makes a comment on a cell phone is not an indication that he's going to do something to you or your family. Maybe he didn't like tourists and vented at his buddy on the other side of the line?

Of course I wasn't there. The details just strike me as a bit thin to substantiate any kind of intended malfeasance ...how's that for some big words?




...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com

[oothef]

You may have read the situation correctly, you did the right thing. You may have miss-read it completely, you still did the right thing. I think what happened has affected you much more because you are responsible for your kids and grand kids safety and well being which puts a completely different light on everything, however, to not do something because of what may have happened in the past or what could possibly happen in the future is no way to live.

[hondated]

for all of your responses to my report.Much of which I agree with. Yes it may seem to be a bit silly and paranoid re my gut reaction but if I tell you I am the first person to tell people not to be silly in such situations but in this instance you really had to be there to understand why I reacted like I did.As my daughter said Dad its like a group of foreignors wandering into a bad area in the UK with cameras hanging around their necks and maps unfolded in the night time.Easy pickings for those nasty people that do exist.

And yes I also agree that it should not affect where I travel to but given I went to Kissimmee Old Town last Thursday evening to look at the bikes with my grandson and I now learn on the web that some one got mugged there that same evening I will avoid it this week as my grandson will want to come with me and it is his safety that is paramount rather than mine.

However my future travels with out him with me I can assure you will not be affected.

[markharf]

Which goes to prove that there's no substitute for being there.

It is the conclusion that this means that travel, life, or specific parts of the world are unsafe with which I'll take issue. In fact, I think it's worth trying not to let broad-based fear infect your grandkids as a result of this or other happenings, real or imagined. The ideal stance is of relaxed, openhearted awareness of the world as it actually exists--including beauty and ugliness alike--rather than prejudicial tension, stress and closed stance designed to protect against what very seldom actually happens.

Your grandkids will follow your lead on this whether or not any of it is actually stated.

Safe journeys!

Mark

[xfiltrate]

hondated, something did not seem right at that Florida McDonalds, and it wasn't the food, you did well to follow your gut feeling and get out there fast....

Several years ago, as Elisa and I were approaching one of the many expensive crowded toll booths on a Mexican super highway, I had a gut feeling that something was terribly wrong - I slowed enough to share my concern with Elisa and said if you see anything suspicious just ride like hell to the next exit I will be right behind you.

Sure enough, gang members had kidnapped the guard and the 3 toll takers at gun point , then manned the several toll booths and were collecting the tolls themselves.... One of the more creative crimes I have encountered... probably an inside job.
I handed over 100 pesos, gave Elisa our private signal to ride away as fast as she could and took off after her.

There was no observable indication of any danger until I pulled up to the toll booth and realized something was very wrong about looks of the guy collecting tolls... I just had a gut feeling something was not right and thank fully was prepared.... At the next exit we rode until we found a gas station where I reported the incident.

Apparently hundreds of other motorists were not even aware a crime was in progress, just paid their tolls and drove on.

The next day we read about the hostile takeover of the toll booths by a very dangerous gang in a newspaper.

xfiltrate

[Muskoka]

Wow this thread is exhausting. To the original poster, sorry to hear you had a scary experience, and it is nice to see that you are not going to hold that against the rest of your travels.

As for everyone else, I mean no offense, but it sure sounds like a lot of people who are not the OP and were, consequently, not there at the time, are ganging up on the poor guy who is just trying to tell his story. I don't know, but to me it just seems like we are all too fast to judge this person in hind site.

Have a super day all,