Friend giving safety tips for London?

[breezeofqinter]

Maybe I sound horrible but me and a friend are visiting our mutual friend in London tomorrow, she’s lived there for maybe a year.

Shes just text us to give us safety tips. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve been to London, I even work from the London office occasionally.

I know she means well but aibu to find it a bit patronising?

Yes because that’s exactly what I said.

Definitely patronising. You're a competent adult - of course you don't need "safety tips", and London iis no different to anywhere else. I would be quite cross, tbh.

In the past I have warned people about this.
Or leaving bags on restaurant tables.

Tube and 'Tourist' markets are rife with pick pockets, always were.

It’s kind of patronising imo but the kind that should be overlooked because she means well, much like from your mum. It’s endearing.

Keen to know what the advice is! I’m in London all the time and am totally desensitised to it.

Question, has your friend been to London before?

Would you be giving her tips if she’d been there maybe 7/8 time this year?

Very patronising. I have lived in London all my life and I still get well-meaning people stopping me to give me advice, sometimes on the street where I live! My best recommendation for unsolicited advice of any kind is to nod, smile, say thank you, then ignore.

Oh yeah, pickpockets. I lived in london for several years before my boyfriend was pickpocketed right under our noses. It was kind of astonishing how they managed it. Does warrant a warning to be fair.

I think as London is so heavily used by Tourists, it attracts lots of more naive people who are out of their home zone and therefore more trusting.

Anywhere wealthy looking people are going to congregate, is ripe for exploitation by pick pockets especially.

Paris, Rome ,Madrid or Amsterdam {Or any other heavily touristed area} is no different in this regard.

Transport hubs where people are 'distracted' are prime spots.

If you were going south of the river for the first time and your other trips were to the civilised parts of London, then fair enough perhaps. Not otherwise.

Putting my self in your friends shoes - The emotional need they have is to express that they care about you and they able to communicate this to you.

If they offer their opinion / views naturally I wouldn't think anything of it.

There are a lot of crap things happening right now that maybe is causing them to feel more cautious / keen to keep you safe.

I was mugged age 17 on Richmond Green at 7am !

That's a ''Nice'' area.

Just thumbs up or love heart it

Off topic but this made me laugh because I’m currently demotivated at work and it’s become my entire approach to my job 😂

I would feel really patronised too. YANBU.

I dunno, did she specifically give advice about phone snatchers? Because that is quite new and becoming more common. Also people being grumpy fuckers in the heat needs a warning too if I'm honest.

I’d rather laugh at you, @Peonies12since you’re so anxious to laugh at somebody else.

Tell us all about yourself. Don’t leave anything out.

I get the feeling you think you know London better than her as you’ve been countless times? I’m sure she means well, rather than trying to patronise you!

That's really odd op. Does she not know you go to London a lot or could she have forgotten?

You have to tell us what the tips are.

Just here to hear the tips 😁

Pleeeeeas @breezeofqinter share the tips

It's just her way of trying to engage with you, to show that she cares. Thank her, then have a giggle in private - it costs nowt.

My dad still warns me about the perils of straying into Newcastle after 3pm. I'm 63🤣

I think she's being considerate and kind and yabu. It does depend on the tips though.

And if for example she lives in Tottenham or Kilburn* and you go into your office in Cannon Street once a month, completely understandable.

*or even Westbourne Grove which I always thought was a nice safe area but friends who lived there got caught in a spate of street robberies.

I'd just say "thanks, will do" or something similar. No need to make a federal case out of it.

Or maybe she wants to put you off coming.....😂

It’s never occurred to me to even think who knows London better.

I just think it’s odd to warn people about somewhere they’ve been numerous times for the last 20 years.