San Juan - Safety and Security

[Aviator of the Seas]

Two recent incidents that are making the news prompted me to write this. 

 

On the first incident, an  airline pilot, outside a strip club having a smoke, was caught in a crossfire between a drunk customer and the strip club's bouncers, the result of an altercation over an unpaid check.  The pilot was hit and did not survive. (Neither did the drunk customer, btw).

 

On the second incident, a backpacker either fell or was thrown from a moving vehicle, and then run over when the same vehicle backed up into him. There are several versions of what happened.  One says he was thrown and then run over intentionally.  The latest version says all the vehicle occupants were extremely drunk or intoxicated, and that this was an unfortunate accident.

 

I, along with most reasonable people, maintain that Puerto Rico is a safe place to visit, but need to explain something so that everyone is clear.  Puerto Rico IS a safe place except:

 

• If you are involved in or lured into the illegal narcotics scene.  Some establishments, like certain strip clubs and bars, serve as money laundering fronts for drug traffickers, and they attract many seedy characters.  I can't tell you how to identify which is which, but be aware of the place's vibe and characters.  If the patrons are mostly military-age men, you should probably stay away from it. So, don't go looking for pot, or worse, and stay away from establishments of ill repute.
• If you are intoxicated or on drugs. Puerto Rico has a very loose drinking and drug scene, especially among young people.  It is easy to be attracted to a place with tons of pretty girls or boys stoned out of their inhibitions, but if you are out of your wits yourself you will get hurt. Either by a jealous boyfriend or even just an also-intoxicated passerby, outraged that a local girl is being chased by an outsider.  Particularly dangerous are the times after midnight and early morning, when there are roaming bunches of intoxicated revelers who just won't quit.  My advice is that you stay away from these people and places at those very late (or very early?) hours.

 

Most people here on CC are mature adults so this advice might be moot.  But just in case, no place is perfect and there is such thing as too much partying.  

 

Word to the wise.

[ATC cruiser]

The same thing can be said about most large cities in the world today.