We are planning a trip to London for 4 days then Manchester Liverpool and Cornwall,we were talking about the attack on the American tourist recently in London. I have made my wife promise that should we be unfortunate to get in a hostile situation whilst in the city she must run off to a safe place and not wait for me,I would always stay and protect her. What approach would others take?
I respect your foresight but Im not even sure I would discuss this with asawa. I think fight or flight would instinctively kick in within those first few seconds or minutes so that conversation would effectively be negated. Probability also comes into the equation and chances are it will never happen. Never say never of course but probability is a significant factor. Regardless of that I hope you both have a very enjoyable trip
My wife and I have discussed this, John. ( for when she gets her visa ). She wanted to visit Paris but seemed reticent more recently for the reasons you mention. Years ago I worked in London when the IRA were planting bombs. I am still here now. I think the risk has gone up, yes, but the chances of getting caught up in something like that, at current levels, is still low. Enjoy your vacation together.
Likewise regards the IRA. I was going to Manchester with my mate and his wife, we got the bus to Warrington but as we approached the town a policeman redirected the bus as he was't allowed to go in the town centre. That day the IRA had planted a bomb in the bin (second bomb attempt there - first one being foiled). A child was killed. That boy attended the same high school I attended just a few years before. I guess that day in Warrington thousands of people were shopping and just a few unfortunate people were directly affected by the IRA actions that day. Obviously media coverage was massive and so it can make people become very aware of circumstances but as stated it comes down to probability of being directly affected by such situations.
i was visiting my home town --birmingham--with my first wife back in the 70's. we called into a well known town center pub for a lunchtime drink and a bite to eat. it was the mulberry bush. we saw the news on the tv that evening.
I wouldn't worry about it. I've worked for more years than I can remember in London and never had any problems. People are attacked, run over, fall through escalators, or otherwise have problems, without warning, everywhere in the world. Not just a London affliction. The changes of anything happening to you on a trip to London are remote. You have more chance of being involved in a road or a rail crash on the journey there.
I wouldn't worry about safety too much, remember that the wife is from the Philippines and statistically she has much more of a chance of coming to grief in her homeland. Having said that I have advised my wife to have an escape plan if there is a terrorist attack in Manchester where she works. She spends an hour a day on the Metro link to and from work so I've told her to keep her eyes open. I believe our loved ones have more chance of experiencing racial abuse more than anything, my wife has already encountered this from some teenagers but shrugged it off I'm pleased to say. Its much safer in the UK than the Philippines I think we all realise that.
It's sad that your wife has encountered any abuse. What happened? We haven't encountered any abuse - @BlueberryCheeseCake has had people stare at her quite a bit - in fact - we were out washing the car the other day when a (male) passerby walked by and even screwed his head right around staring backward narrowly missing a collision with a lamppost as he watched her at work with her bucket. She claims she wasn't in fact bending over at the time but I suspect that his interest was not strictly in her car washing technique.
Got to say Juby hasnt had any abuse, and I hear all the positives from the posts above,I am sure all will be fine, do I address my invite to tea at Buck house as Dear Liz or Hey Up Queenie?
I think if you, as a Filipino, spend long enough in Britain's lovely community, you are going to get a bit of racial abuse in the end. My wife has had it once at work, when asking a customer to do something and he shouted "Speak English" at her. He was promplty banned from the shop! As for London, I work there most days. I see no reason to be concerned about safety there. I'd be more worried about the trains running on time.
Yes unfortunately my wife was abused while walking through the local park by a gang of kids, and more recently encountered sexual harassment on the bus; http://www.british-filipino.com/ind...-sexual-harassment-on-public-transport.12401/ http://www.british-filipino.com/ind...ed-ones-been-racially-abused-in-the-uk.10345/
Interesting comments here. I have this all to come. I suppose some of our British bretheren will not know the difference between a Filipina and someone from Timbuktu and could be abusive.
I never had one until husband and I went for a sail at Loch KATRINE. We arrived there hungry because we were caught up in a traffic for almost an hour ( due to a wee 3 car crash) so we decided to have lunch at the restaurant and while having our meal we can view from where we were seated the Sir Walter Scott steam boat.My husband told me if we we will be lucky enough we will sit at the deck...its the best part to sit at...for a 360° view. So after lunch we went to queue for the sail and my eyes were stuck from afar at the deck hoping we get some space. Seeing there is still space for maybe 7 i went straight and only to be told by a lady seated on the right side that "the vacant seats were already taken " and she immediately put her jacket beside her ,next her bag and trying to spread her arms and extended her legs on the vacant spaces.I was surprised but I managed to composed myself and I replied: "Why,are these seats reserved just for you?? "(Somehow , i felt one of my eyebrows was raised unintentional while asking her that) She replied:nooo...it's just that there's stiĺl 2 of our grands are queuing yet, (on a low tone now ) pointing to the wee boy and another teen at the end of the line. I just gave a side look and silently move towards the vacant space on the left side of the deck opposite them and occupied it..And while me and my husband were already settled on our seats, another family of 3 came up and joined us..and we were all accommodated perfectly...no more was heard from her except that her face turned a wee bit red. I smiled and I whispered to my husband...well, she is talking to a Filipina ,isn't she? Be safe everyone!
Nickel... that is just normal (selfish) British behaviour... nothing to do with your race, I'm sure. I see much worse behaviour in the Philippines... no such thing as an orderly queue there, or a fair distribution of seats. It's every man for himself (or woman).
How did you know she's English? You know what I felt it was a discrimination?Because i was the only Asian but she never bothered about other westerners who joined us there. And yes much more like that in the Phils. but it is seldom done to foreigners particularly westerners. (That to my knowledge and observed.
