Personal safety

U.S. American films, television shows, or news reports often show the United States to be a country with a great deal of serious and violent crime. That impression is not totally unfounded. While you will probably experience Atlanta as being a friendly and welcoming city, your chances of being a victim of crime are as real as they are in any major city - regardless of country. Therefore, it is wise to take certain precautions to protect yourself and your belongings - Use common sense. Some suggestions:

Keep your doors locked, even when you are home. If someone knocks at your door or rings your doorbell, do not open the door until you have asked who is there. Most apartments have a peephole in their front doors so that you can look at the person who is knocking without opening the door. If the person says that he or she is a police officer or a utility employee, ask that person to show some official identification (an ID badge). Salespeople are required by law to have a solicitation permit from the city or county; ask to see that permit. You are not required to open your door simply because someone knocks.

Also be sure to lock your car doors, both when you park your car and when you are driving around. If you have valuables in your car (such as a camera or purse), do not leave them visible. When you are shopping and you take your packages to your car, try to put them in the trunk as well - if valuables are left where someone can see them, a thief may smash your car window to steal them.

Do not leave your valuables unattended, even briefly. For example, if you are at the library and need to leave your table, take your backpack, coat, or other valuable possessions with you. At the bookstore, you are asked to leave your backpack at the front of the store (the bookstore does this to discourage shoplifting). Do not leave valuables in your backpack; it is wise to use one of the pay lockers that are provided, especially if you plan to spend much time in the bookstore.

If you plan to purchase or ride a bicycle, you also need to purchase a helmet for your head and a U-shaped steel lock for your bicycle. The helmet can save your life; the U-shaped lock can prevent your bike from being stolen. Bicycle racks are located around the campus. Riding your bike in Atlanta is a hazardous undertaking - many car drivers are not used to bikers on the road and do know how to share the road with them. Exercise extreme caution; always give drivers the right of way rather than expecting them to respect you. In addition to a helmet, you should wear a brightly colored security vest and wear reflecting stripes on your body at night.

If you have with you personal items of considerable monetary value (jewelry, furniture, televisions, stereos, personal computers, etc.), you may want to purchase household property (or renter's) insurance to cover the loss of these items by theft, fire, or other causes. A listing of insurance companies and their agents can be found in the Yellow Pages, and most agents will offer free advice and an estimate of the cost of insurance to fit your needs. Renter's insurance costs approximately $140 a year.

Leave both an outside and an inside light turned on if you will be away from your room or apartment after dark. If you will be out of town for an extended period of time, ask a trusted friend to check your home each day. The post office will hold your mail while you are away if you go there and sign a form; newspaper deliveries can also be temporarily stopped while you are gone. You may find it easier, though, to ask your friend simply to collect your mail and newspaper each day. If you can create the appearance that someone is at home, then burglars are less likely to see your home as an easy target.

Atlanta drivers don't always pay attention to pedestrians, and in many cases a paved walkway is not available. Use caution when you are walking across streets, especially if you are not crossing at a traffic signal or crosswalk. It is quite common for pedestrians to cross the road even when traffic lights are red - officially this is not allowed and you might get fined by the police for "jaywalking".

Teach your children to stay away from streets and parking lots when playing, to respect other people's property, and not to get into cars with people they do not know. For more safety information regarding your children, you can contact the Child Safety Program at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (tel. 404-325-6000).

If you do plan to visit a bar or some other location where alcohol is being served, you need to know that the legal drinking age in Georgia is 21 years. Your ID (Identification card, identical with your driver's license) will be checked upon entering a bar. Also, bars are sometimes the scene of loud brawls and fights. If fighting breaks out, leave the premises immediately. Anytime you visit a bar, use common sense and be aware of your surroundings.

Phone calls: If you are receiving threatening or obscene calls, hang up at the first obscene word you recognize, or if the caller does not say anything the second time you say "hello." Do not give out any information, such as your name and address, until you know the identity of the caller. Advise your children and guests not to give out any information to strangers. If you are not home, teach your children to say "Mother or Father cannot come to the phone right now." If such calls persist, keep a record of the time and date the calls occur and call either the local police department or the Annoyance Call Center at 1.888.966.6222 (contact.bellsouth.com/acc). You may occasionally get calls from people trying to sell something over the phone. Please remember that the callers earn their money by calling you. However, it is absolutely acceptable to tell them that you are not interested and indicate that you want to end the phone call. You may also ask to be removed from the company's calling list.

Avoid walking alone at night, especially in areas of town or of the campus that are not well lighted. Try to find a trustworthy companion, or find a ride in a bus or car. (Remember that you can get a ride from Community Services; call 727-PARK for more information.) When walking home, especially if you walk home often, try to vary your route; some criminals watch their victims to learn their daily routines. If you are on campus and you suspect that you are being followed, there are emergency call boxes located at various points on campus. They are poles with a blue light and a yellow box; the phone inside the box gives you a direct connection with Emory's police department.

While most Atlantans pride themselves on being honest and friendly people, there are some people who intend to deceive you in order to steal from you. In this country they are sometimes called "con artists" (or "confidence artists") because their method is to win your confidence and cooperation. Be careful about divulging information about how much money you have in your bank account, how much money you earn, or other personal financial data (in the United States, that sort of information is usually considered private); do not sign documents unless you have read them and you understand their purpose. If you feel suspicious, do not give any money or write a check until you have consulted with someone you trust and know well.

Emergencies: Emergency numbers are given in the Emergency Telephone Numbers section of this guide, as well as on the inside front cover of most telephone directories. If you need emergency police, medical or fire fighting services, you should call 911. Do not use this number if you do not have an emergency. As in most countries it is always advisable to treat the police politely. If you are driving and notice the police following you with their lights flashing, you must pull over to the right and stop immediately (although safely). In general, it is customary to either pull over or slow down when emergency vehicles (police, ambulances, fire engines) are trying to pass traffic.