Post: #1

Ok guys, so, i will set off to a 1-2 month trip to bogota in a while, and im tindering the sh*t out of me, with success, i guess. They all love the european stereotype look i got, but ALL of them warn me that colombia is very dangerous for a guy like me, literally all tell me the same (50 girls+). So, right now im really struggling and really overthink that whole trip again, i mean, of course i wont go into shady areas and trust everyone blindly, but, if all the girls living there tell you the same, to be careful as f*ck cause its so dangerous for me, like, really? Are they just overprotective in their mentality or are the odds of me getting robbed and killed higher then i expected?
with best regards, deni

Post: #2

Most girls are over protective here cause not so long ago it was dangerous as fuck. They grew up with plenty of examples of things going wrong for family or friends.
Things are a lot better now.

Don't look like a clueless tourist, stick to Uber, stay more towards the north, don't walk around with gadgets hanging off you, stay in a place with a doorman.
Don't go too drunk, stay sharp.

Bogota is quite safe but there are always opportunistic people ready to pounce if you are an obvious easy target.

Plenty of cities in Europe with equal or more risk.

Post: #3

Just stick with your tinder girls. They'll show you around...

Post: #4

Very dangerous

The gringo hunters will find you and get you

Post: #5

I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't dangerous because it is, most guys who've spent a significant amount of time in Colombia have had something happen to them: drugged, pick pocketed, knives pulled, etc. That being said, if you act like Atlantic mentioned and don't make yourself an easy target (dar papaya as the locals say) then Bogota can be relatively safe. Most of the stories that I've heard about people getting robbed happened at night in centro or down in La Candelaria while taking out their cell phones to take a photo on an empty street. I recently wrote about some of the steps that I take to ensure that I don't get robbed down here in another thread, you can check them out here. You should definitely check out Bogota, its a pretty fun city but I also recommend hitting up some other places while in the country (Coffee Zone, Medellin, Caribbean coast, etc).

Hopefully some of the RVF guys can show you around when you get here, if not I can link you up with some bilingual locals who will, just PM me.

Post: #6

(03-05-2016 03:51 PM)scotian Wrote:  I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't dangerous because it is, most guys who've spent a significant amount of time in Colombia have had something happen to them: drugged, pick pocketed, knives pulled, etc. That being said, if you act like Atlantic mentioned and don't make yourself an easy target (dar papaya as the locals say) then Bogota can be relatively safe. Most of the stories that I've heard about people getting robbed happened at night in centro or down in La Candelaria while taking out their cell phones to take a photo on an empty street. I recently wrote about some of the steps that I take to ensure that I don't get robbed down here in another thread, you can check them out here. You should definitely check out Bogota, its a pretty fun city but I also recommend hitting up some other places while in the country (Coffee Zone, Medellin, Caribbean coast, etc).

Hopefully some of the RVF guys can show you around when you get here, if not I can link you up with some bilingual locals who will, just PM me.

thx a lot bro! i really appreciate your offer and maybie i'll contact you in the next time.

Post: #7

Walking from immigration to customs I got stabbed and then gang raped INSIDE the airport. Customs then took $1000 USD out of my bag as a bribe and they also took my favourite belt even though it didn't fit them..... this is after they made me watch them wank to family photos from my wallet.

After that I was left for dead on the sidewalk out front while trying to catch a cab.

I felt so destroyed I didn't even leave the airport, I walked back inside and booked a flight home.

Post: #8

(03-05-2016 04:01 PM)Sidney Crosby Wrote:  Walking from immigration to customs I got stabbed and then gang raped INSIDE the airport. Customs then took $1000 USD out of my bag as a bribe and they also took my favourite belt even though it didn't fit them..... this is after they made me watch them wank to family photos from my wallet.

After that I was left for dead on the sidewalk out front while trying to catch a cab.

I felt so destroyed I didn't even leave the airport, I walked back inside and booked a flight home.

I could believe that if it was the Caracas airport.

Post: #9

I'm planning to visit for a 2 or 3 months in March. Is there a safe place for day gaming?

Post: #10

(03-05-2016 05:55 PM)esalen1 Wrote:  I'm planning to visit for a 2 or 3 months in March. Is there a safe place for day gaming?

It depends where you are staying, but 90% of the places that a gringo would stay are safe ish.

Don't wear your diamond encrusted Rolex or flash your iphone around, but you shouldn't have any problems.

I know of gringos being stabbed and robbed in broad daylight but really, they were fucking stupid, walking around like Julia Roberts with a $1000 DSLR camera in a ghetto area.

Just use your eyes and look around, it's pretty easy to judge an area. If a homeless person/crackhead is walking towards you, confront them or tell them off BEFORE they get close to you.

Post: #11

I went there and I died.

Watch your ass.

Post: #12

On a serious note...

My first taxi ride in from the airport at night was interesting. We were cruising from the airport and were about halfway to my apartment when my taxi driver pointed out two men to my right. We saw my one man dragging another man by the arm on the sidewalk. The man who was being dragging wasn't responding so it was safe to say he was knocked out or worse. This was at about 1am and somewhere between the airport and Chapinero.

On the other side, I witnessed a drunk ass German dude ask 4 bums for weed in Chap while walking home from some bar. Of course, nothing happened to him but still...not very smart

Post: #13

I"ve been to Colombia over 10 times and only had an issue once, which was totally my fault, although it resulted in a 3some. Just don't do anything obviously stupid and you'll be fine.

Post: #14

Quote:Plenty of cities in Europe with equal or more risk.

Which European cities?

Post: #15

I havent been to Europe in over a decade but when I lived in France I got hasseled by Magherbian dick heads on a daily basis, that was back in 99' and I can only imagine that its gotten worse. I've been going to Colombia for over four years now and I can say with certainty that I experience less drama walking around downtown Medellin, Cali and Bogota than I would in the banlieues de Paris, Marseille or Toulouse.

Actually it strikes me as funny when a euro guy PMs me about how bad Colombia is, or a guy coming from the US even Canada. If you go out in the major US cities or London, Paris, Berlin, etc then you can handle yourself in Bogota or Medellin. I feel safer going to clubs in Colombia than Canada, in colombia you really have to fuck up to piss someone off so much that they'll fuck you up bbut in north america you could get sucker puncged just standing out the club. I've seen it all up there and down here like I say Colombia is relatively safe you really gotta fucke up down here to get yourself in trouble.

Post: #16

^^^^

Granted I've never been to Colombia but from what I've read on this forum (not just this thread) Colombia can't be compared with Europe.

If you compare the best areas of Bogota to the worst areas of Europe then maybe.

Post: #17

(03-06-2016 03:45 AM)Cheetah Wrote:  

Quote:Plenty of cities in Europe with equal or more risk.

Which European cities?

London, Glasgow, Limerick, Dublin, Marseilles, Napoli, Tirana, Sofia, Istanbul.

Post: #18

The danger is definitely overblown, but there's still a need to exercise a standard degree of common sense. Try not to stand out too much. Leave your ghetto bling at home. Treat people with respect. Don't allow yourself to become incoherent & obnoxious if you choose to get intoxicated. Be wary of going places with strangers. Be aware of your surroundings before pulling out your iPhone and how much cash is in your wallet. Be a man, calm and cool.

This is generally good advice to follow no matter where you go, but I digress. There's a reason why parts of South America developed a reputation for the potential of extreme violence, so don't allow your naivete believe you were the first guy to get the idea of doing whatever it is you decide to do in Colombia.

I've stayed out into the wee hours of the morning rolling solo while insufflating the local exports and womanizing every night of the week without incident in Cali and Medellin. I'm American and ethnically half-Colombian and never felt anybody became more interested in me or what I was doing for any reason, so even with my limited sample size, I can attest that it can at least be done.

Post: #19

(03-06-2016 07:46 AM)Atlantic Wrote:  

(03-06-2016 03:45 AM)Cheetah Wrote:  

Quote:Plenty of cities in Europe with equal or more risk.

Which European cities?

... Sofia ...

I call bullshit on that. I have walked pretty much all over the city center in Sofia at night without any problems. The city is very safe, nothing like most of Latin America.
Now, if we are swamped by pseudorefugees in the future that may change. But currently Sofia is very, very safe.

Post: #20

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Keep in mind this is for all of Bogota, stay in the north and it drops considerably. When people look at stats they are usually stats for the whole of Bogota. My point is that if you stay in a good area of Bogota the risks are similar. Of course Bogota is still dangerous but some guys make it seem you WILL get robbed or killed.

My brother seen a guy get stabbed deep several times right in front of him on a main street in Limerick city by kids. I stayed in Peckham, London for a week and there was several murders every night close to where I was staying.

If you take out the shit, obviously dangerous, areas of Bogota than it is comparable to the worse areas of major cities in Europe. I stayed in Sofia too and never had any issues - exactly same as my stay in Bogota but something could happen in Sofia, same as it could happen in a nice part of Bogota. If you don't agree with Sofia then walk around a rough part of Glasgow or Limerick at 3am with your iPhone out by yourself and see what happens.

Best parts of Bogota = worst parts of Europe.
Worst parts of Bogota = don't go there in the first place.

Post: #21

(03-06-2016 07:16 AM)Cheetah Wrote:  ^^^^

Granted I've never been to Colombia but from what I've read on this forum (not just this thread) Colombia can't be compared with Europe.

If you compare the best areas of Bogota to the worst areas of Europe then maybe.

That is exactly what I am doing just to illustrate that people should already have some experience with a similar level of risk. You should never be the worst areas of Bogota anyway so there is no point using that to analysis the risks. Stay in the safe, nice areas of Bogota and the risk is acceptable.

Post: #22

The homicide rate in Bogota is about 15 per 100,000 residents per year. This is basically equivalent to Chicago.

Like Chicago, the violence is concentrated in certain areas.

I knew lots of Gringos who got way too drunk and got robbed there, usually late at night and alone. These gringos all escaped harm though, really they were just target for valuables and left alone after that.

One I know was actually stripped of his clothes at gunpoint, ended up walking home in socks and jeans, no shoes, no shirt.

One I know was held at gunpoint to withdraw all the money he could from the ATM late at night. Cops saved his ass, miraculously. No one ever talks about Colombian cops actually stopping crimes, but here was one instance of it.

I know many Colombians who have been there their whole lives and have gotten robbed in broad daylight. If you watch Colombian news at all, you will see how frequent this is, gangs of people dressed totally normally, adults, staking out how to just grab people's wallets or women's bags in crowded streets during the day.

The real violence I know about is directed at Colombians. I personally know people who have been shot at after making large withdrawals from banks. Thankfully they survived. I know people who've gotten death threats for months in extortion attempts. I know people who've been stabbed by drunk idiots for no reason. Friends have told me stories of family killed in shootouts that had nothing to do with them, just at a bar and shooting breaks out.

Colombia is not Japan.

It's dangerous, and people do get killed over petty things, or for no reason at all, or caught up in violence unrelated to them.

You can certainly go and have a fine time, but this is a fact of life in Colombia. Going without significant financial resources to make sure you stay in a safe area exposes you to this more and more.

That said, I've been many times and there are obviously many things that recommend the country, but if you just want cute chicks and want to avoid the violence, there are many other places you might choose. Even within Latin America there are many safer countries.

Post: #23

^^^ Lots of truth in the above post.....I find it interesting in over 4 years living in this city and going to some of the grittier and seedier areas, I luckily have not had any issues.....part of that maybe luck, but I think it is also carrying myself in a way that does not make me a target.

With that being said, I know lots of people here, mostly Colombian that have been mugged, robbed at knifepoint, or been stolen from or had attempted robberies issued against them.

The new mayor (Penalosa) of Bogota is working hard at cleaning things up, you will see in certain parts of the city (mainly the north in the business district) no more street vendors choking up the sidewalks, where there used to be tons of them setting up all over the place.....or dudes openly hawking drugs or burning joints in the main areas of the street.

After living here I think you just develop a 6th sense about people and how things look and feel. I can tell just by walking in certain areas, what is a middle class safe barrio, and one that I should be smart and get in a taxi.

Bogota is definitely a city you have to keep yourself aware of your surroundings, you will more than likely be fine but there is always a chance shit could go bad in an instance.

Post: #24

(03-06-2016 02:08 AM)Nalgas Wrote:  I"ve been to Colombia over 10 times and only had an issue once, which was totally my fault, although it resulted in a 3some. Just don't do anything obviously stupid and you'll be fine.

Sorry to hear that, I hope the dudes were not too hung and it didn't hurt too much!

Post: #25

Don't look like a victim and you should be good. Criminals go always for the easiest Prey.