Money stolen and bike sabotaged while bikepacking

[ichitan]

Following are videos by a bikepacker. He met some people who appeared friendly, and he spent some time with them. While he was not watching, they stole $400 from his luggage, and cut his rack. He suspects, they were planning to rob him again when he traveled. The entire experience is covered in four videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbx3JqskJ1Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdIJwhrbrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s34bYdPGKM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb01R0fGO5Y

There are risks when traveling. You can be robbed anywhere in the world. But places where law enforcement is not so effective, the risk is greater.

I have met bikepackers who have just ridden into farmland, put up a tent, and slept the night there. They could do this a thousand times and not have a problem. But if the wrong people see them, they could get robbed.

I have met bikepackers who cycled through Pakistan. The police insisted that they have a police escort the entire time they were in Pakistan. The police also insisted that they only sleep in police stations. It is good that police help keep travelers safe.

In the Philippines, people have been murdered because they might be carrying money.

A lot of robberies occur when traveling from the airport, to the first place the people are staying. People are often carrying a significant amount of cash when they first arrive in a country. You are better off getting a taxi, or minivan, from the airport, to the first place you stay.

In this video, people were murdered by people who didn't like Americans.

https://forums.bikeride.com/thread-8598.html

There could be many more examples.

Don't be so fearful that you don't travel. When you travel, select the safer countries, and avoid those where law enforcement is not so good. Then select safer places to stay. You could die of a heart attack while sitting at home. It is much better to have fun.

[ichitan]

Here is another video with the same man. He went to a remote area, and was robbed at gun point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9aRxVwmou8

[ichitan]

In this video he explains how he lost a lot of money because of the exchange rate, which is a scam. He discusses this near the end of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXYoNcR3cGo

[GirishH]

Hello Ichitan, I am truly confused about your motive for this post. You are talking about the extreme dangers of cycling but also advocating for people to cycle. What exactly are you suggesting, Ichitan?

I have seen enough ghost bikes in the US where law enforcement is pretty strong, but still, enough deaths happen.

I have ridden in Colombia and Ecuador, where law enforcement is far less stringent or non-existent, but cyclists and cycling culture are respected quite a bit.

Now, I am riding in India, which might fall more into the latter category when it comes to law enforcement, but so far, it's been pretty safe.

My take, based on my personal experiences, is that one could get robbed or killed regardless of whether they are in a developed country like the US or in a developing country like Colombia or India. This is true whether they are riding a bike, driving a car, or walking.

There's some risk to everything we do daily. And we always evaluate risks vs. benefits and then decide.

Only thing I have lost during my travels is my heart (to the commoners) and fear of the unknown.

(11-15-2023, 01:48 PM)ichitan Wrote:  In this video he explains how he lost a lot of money because of the exchange rate, which is a scam. He discusses this near the end of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXYoNcR3cGo

---

This is a picture of a villager, Haalesh who invited me to his home and fed me lunch, here in India.

(11-17-2023, 03:10 AM)GirishH Wrote:  Hello Ichitan, I am truly confused about your motive for this post. You are talking about the extreme dangers of cycling but also advocating for people to cycle. What exactly are you suggesting, Ichitan?

I have seen enough ghost bikes in the US where law enforcement is pretty strong, but still, enough deaths happen.

I have ridden in Colombia and Ecuador, where law enforcement is far less stringent or non-existent, but cyclists and cycling culture are respected quite a bit.

Now, I am riding in India, which might fall more into the latter category when it comes to law enforcement, but so far, it's been pretty safe.

My take, based on my personal experiences, is that one could get robbed or killed regardless of whether they are in a developed country like the US or in a developing country like Colombia or India. This is true whether they are riding a bike, driving a car, or walking.

There's some risk to everything we do daily. And we always evaluate risks vs. benefits and then decide.

Only thing I have lost during my travels is my heart (to the commoners) and fear of the unknown.

(11-15-2023, 01:48 PM)ichitan Wrote:  In this video he explains how he lost a lot of money because of the exchange rate, which is a scam. He discusses this near the end of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXYoNcR3cGo

---

And this is a stranger in Colombia pulling aside their truck to gift us some ice cream

(11-17-2023, 03:10 AM)GirishH Wrote:  Hello Ichitan, I am truly confused about your motive for this post. You are talking about the extreme dangers of cycling but also advocating for people to cycle. What exactly are you suggesting, Ichitan?

I have seen enough ghost bikes in the US where law enforcement is pretty strong, but still, enough deaths happen.

I have ridden in Colombia and Ecuador, where law enforcement is far less stringent or non-existent, but cyclists and cycling culture are respected quite a bit.

Now, I am riding in India, which might fall more into the latter category when it comes to law enforcement, but so far, it's been pretty safe.

My take, based on my personal experiences, is that one could get robbed or killed regardless of whether they are in a developed country like the US or in a developing country like Colombia or India. This is true whether they are riding a bike, driving a car, or walking.

There's some risk to everything we do daily. And we always evaluate risks vs. benefits and then decide.

Only thing I have lost during my travels is my heart (to the commoners) and fear of the unknown.

(11-15-2023, 01:48 PM)ichitan Wrote:  In this video he explains how he lost a lot of money because of the exchange rate, which is a scam. He discusses this near the end of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXYoNcR3cGo

---

This is a picture of a villager, Haalesh who invited me to his home and fed me lunch, here in India.

(11-17-2023, 03:10 AM)GirishH Wrote:  Hello Ichitan, I am truly confused about your motive for this post. You are talking about the extreme dangers of cycling but also advocating for people to cycle. What exactly are you suggesting, Ichitan?

I have seen enough ghost bikes in the US where law enforcement is pretty strong, but still, enough deaths happen.

I have ridden in Colombia and Ecuador, where law enforcement is far less stringent or non-existent, but cyclists and cycling culture are respected quite a bit.

Now, I am riding in India, which might fall more into the latter category when it comes to law enforcement, but so far, it's been pretty safe.

My take, based on my personal experiences, is that one could get robbed or killed regardless of whether they are in a developed country like the US or in a developing country like Colombia or India. This is true whether they are riding a bike, driving a car, or walking.

There's some risk to everything we do daily. And we always evaluate risks vs. benefits and then decide.

Only thing I have lost during my travels is my heart (to the commoners) and fear of the unknown.

(11-15-2023, 01:48 PM)ichitan Wrote:  In this video he explains how he lost a lot of money because of the exchange rate, which is a scam. He discusses this near the end of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXYoNcR3cGo

[ichitan]

There are some people who are fearful to leave home, and get out of their comfort zone. To those I say, get out and have fun.

Some people are not aware of the dangers, particularly when traveling in certain parts of the world. It is smart to be aware of the dangers. Then only travel in the safer parts of the world, and choose the best routes.

There are many countries I would not travel in. There are many more I would be happy to travel in.

Be informed, and make smart choices.

[ichitan]

It is not just which countries you travel in, but being smart while you are traveling.

For example, in one of the videos above, he had money stolen from a bag on his bike while he was sleeping. It may have been a good idea to take that bag with him to the room he slept in.

I spent some time with a girl who was traveling. We were playing billiards. When she went to the bathroom, she took her drink with her. People were surprised. There are many places where drinks get spiked, the person becomes unconscious, and gets robbed. She was aware of this and took precautions.

A lot of robberies occur when a person gets drunk, and goes back to their hotel late at night.

It is a matter of being aware of what could happen, and taking precautions.

Listen to the locals. They are more aware of the dangers where they are.

[GirishH]

Hello Itchitan, I agree with you about listening to locals, but sometimes things aren't as black and white.

During the second day of our Colombia ride, three of us were trying to decide whether to stick to the main, paved road or take a dirt, scenic route. We spoke to the locals, and one guy said, 'Don't go the scenic route, as folks have gotten robbed there.' I supported his 'wise' advice, while my riding buddies spoke to a few more locals who said it was a safe route.

It was a 2-1 vote, and we chose to take the scenic route. It was truly scenic, and we started seeing other mountain bikers as we ventured further into the mountains. Here I was happy that we didn't listen to my "gut" feeling..:-)

Just a couple of weeks ago, at least 4-5 locals told me that I could ride through a Tiger Reserve, while one guy said I couldn't due to restrictions from the Forest Department. I decided to take chances and went to the entrance of the Reserve, and the gate gantry was open. I couldn't speak to the forest guards there, so continued my ride solo. That was the most nerve-wracking moment in my riding life. The danger here was not from people but the wild beasts (tigers, elephants, and leopards) that call this place home. The road was completely unrecognizable, and I am glad that no mechanical issues occurred, nor did I have an encounter with any of the wild animals. I have attached a picture of the "road"..

Again, every day we make decisions after evaluating pluses and minuses. So, I believe that cycling is similar.

No risks, no rewards, no life learnings

[ichitan]

There can be groups of boys or men who will rob people if they get a chance. We don't know who are good people, and who would rob you if they had a chance.

You can go for years and never get robbed.

Then you could come up against robbers at any time.

If you are smart, you minimize your changes of getting robbed.

I have never been robbed with violence, or threats of violence. I have been scammed many times.

[GirishH]

That's exactly my point, Ichitan... :-) Because we bike so much, our chances of getting into an accident or getting robbed are higher than someone who rides less or stays home after reading "horror" stories. Sadly, they will also miss out on the good interactions we have with kind, well-intentioned people. Every country and place has both good and bad people. Every situation and option has its pluses and minuses. By being out there, we are increasing our exposure. But the rewards to our psyche and soul are worth the risk we take.

Again, every day, we make a conscious decision to take a chance when we head out, whether on a bike, in a car, or using another mode of transportation.

Following is a tragic story of a 7-year-old girl I read in the local newspaper. While playing in her school, she ran into and fell inside a big pot of boiling soup. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries. Now, do we stop sending kids to school or providing hot lunches in schools?

Again, there's risk in everything we do daily. We just have to be prepared to face the (good/bad) consequences of our actions instead of letting fear take over.

https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/7-year-old-girl-succumbs-after-falling-into-sambhar-vessel-at-school-report/ar-AA1ke12a

I was mortally scared about my bikepacking in Colombia. By the time I crossed over to Ecuador, I had fallen in love with Colombia and its people so much that I rode back to Colombia to spend another week with a "poor" family who had adopted me.

https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/mistergordo/chevre-y-sad-day/
https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/mistergordo/back-in-colombia/

I am happy I did not only read the tragic/horror stories that come out of Colombia or South America.

(11-21-2023, 08:22 AM)ichitan Wrote:  There can be groups of boys or men who will rob people if they get a chance. We don't know who are good people, and who would rob you if they had a chance.

You can go for years and never get robbed.

Then you could come up against robbers at any time.

If you are smart, you minimize your changes of getting robbed.

I have never been robbed with violence, or threats of violence. I have been scammed many times.