I don’t want to be negative or scare people away from moving to Bangalore but it is important to have a full picture of life here. Life in India gives a false sense of security, I think, for expats. The reality, however, is that life in India can be dangerous. Indians know this. Look around. Every house has gates, barred windows, sometimes a private security guard sitting in front. People who live here know the dangers and take the necessary precautions. We need to learn to do the same.
Here are a few things to keep in mind regarding safety.
Roads – Road accidents kill numerous people on a daily basis in Bangalore. There is very little you can do to prepare but you should take a few simple steps. Wear your seat belt and insist that everyone else does too – including the driver! Make sure your driver is experienced (take a xerox of his license to keep in the car as well. Keep babies and young children in car seats – even though it is not required by law. Also a good idea to not send children alone with drivers until you know the driver very well and have had hin in your employ for a long time.
Out and About – don’t wear expensive looking chains out on the streets – chain snatching is a favorite crime. Keep your money in inside pockets. Keep your cell phone someplace inaccessible to the outside world. Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t accept rides from strangers (more than one techie has been murdered taking a ride with a group of people.)
At home – make sure you use the boalts on the doors and windows – they are there for a reason! Don’t talk to people about vacation plans. Make sure all outside areas are also locked and secured. Don’t let strangers into the house. It is best if you have a way to talk to people (a window) without having to open the door. Keep valuables stored in a secret location or in the bank. Don’t keep money, cell phones, jewelry laying about the house. You will have to decide how much security you want in your home. Some people lock every cabinet all the time. I couldn’t live that way and early on decided that if I had a maid or someone working in my house that I couldn’t trust – then I needed to fire them. I have been VERY luck with having wonderful people working for me. I keep one cabinet that we lock all the time. We try to confine all valuables to that cabinet. I trust my maid with my children so I also believe I can trust her with all the belongings in the home. So far so good.
Kids – teach kids the danger of live wires. Many, many times children hear are electrocuted by wires lying on the ground or by shoddy wiring of speakers and lights at public events. Teach kids to stay away from stray dogs. While most of the wild dogs don’t ever bother anyone, there have been instances of dogs mauling small children. Teach kids how to identify snakes and what to do if they see one in the yard. Make sure kids know who it is safe to go with and what they should do if no one is at home.
