Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Downtown crowds
Right
Pre-paid parking area
Things to Avoid
Leaving Valuables
in Cars
Vancouver is notorious
for thefts from cars. Leave
nothing visible in your
vehicle and take all valu-
ables with you, including
documents. If you shop,
don't assume putting pur-
chases in your car's trunk
will keep them safe:
thieves may spot you
storing bags in the trunk
and steal them when you
continue shopping.
walking distance, or are
an easy bus ride away, it
makes sense to leave
your car at the hotel. If
you are thinking of rent-
ing a vehicle to travel
further afield, check the
alternatives first, such as
public transit, which even
offers shuttle buses to
Whistler in ski season
(see p107)
.
west on Hastings from
Main to Cambie, is known
for drug dealers. Take a
bus or taxi to and from
Chinatown along Pender
Street to avoid this sec-
tion. Finally, avoid all
parks after dark. Crime
rates in Victoria are low,
though panhandlers may
prove a nuisance.
Airport Con Artists
Disoriented travelers
are easy targets for con
artists and thieves. Never
travel with large amounts
of money or precious
jewelry. Avoid taxi drivers
who walk up to you offer-
ing a ride; take a licensed
cab at the taxi stand or a
limousine with set rates.
Tickets
Obey the speed lim-
its posted on city streets.
Speeding tickets are
costly in BC. In pre-paid
parking areas, make sure
to buy ample time. Park-
ing tickets come swiftly
and are an unwelcome
drain on your budget.
Hotel Telephone
Calls
Avoid making long-
distance calls from your
hotel room that are
charged directly to hotel
bills - they are at least
three times more expen-
sive than using a phone
card. You can buy a pre-
paid phone card at con-
venience stores and
newsstands. Local calls
may be free from your
room, or there may be a
charge. Ask before you
call out as this can add up.
Pickpockets
A pickpocket looks
just like any other per-
son, so be watchful of
people bumping into you
- it could be a thief at
work. A favorite trick of
pickpockets is to work
the crowds during the
area's many festivals so
be particularly careful at
these events. Bus stops
are notorious. Keep your
valuables close to your
body under your outer
garments
(see p111)
.
Panhandlers
Panhandlers face legal
restrictions in BC, but
many still appear in vari-
ous locales. At stoplights,
some offer to wash wind-
shields for money. The
cities of Vancouver and
Victoria discourage giving
money to panhandlers.
Rush Hour
The best way to deal
with rush hour traffic in
Vancouver is to avoid it
entirely. From 3:30pm to
6:00pm traffic slows or
even comes to a complete
halt. In the morning, wait
until 9:30am before driv-
ing. Don't underestimate
your driving time. Rush
hour in Victoria is lighter.
Prostitutes
Prostitutes of both
sexes ply their trade in
Vancouver, especially in
the downtown eastside.
Often they are working
to support a drug habit
and are at a higher risk of
being infected with
HIV/AIDS than is the
general population. The
city is trying to improve
the lives of prostitutes,
and to better control
prostitution, but their
number remains high.
Dangerous Areas
Vancouver is generally
a safe city but as with
any big city, caution is
advised. The Theatre
District downtown can
be the scene of rowdy
behavior. The downtown
eastside around Hastings
and Main streets, and
Driving in Cities
Since many attrac-
tions in Vancouver and
Victoria are within
If you are cycling around Vancouver or Victoria, make sure to lock
your bike securely when you take a break
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