Filed under: iPod Family
Don't wear iPod earbuds on the subway
It's a sad fact that you may occasionally find "unsavory" characters on the subway. It's also true that people have been mugged for their iPods. Savvy commuters know how to protect themselves, but San Francisco transit police are offering some official advice. In a flyer entitled "Protect Yourself and your iPod," posted at BART stations, they share some crime statistics (did you know that there are only 15 robberies system-wide per month on BART, but 11% of those involve iPod theft?) and a safety tip:"Don't be a target: Use ear buds other than the standard iPod white, or other aftermarket headphones."
I ditched my earbuds first thing, but not for safety reasons. Soon enough everyone with headphones will be targets. In the meantime, protect yourself. Either grow your hair long or, better yet, pay attention to your surroundings.
[Via The Apple Blog]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Charley Lhasa said 5:45PM on 3-05-2007
Good advice. NYC's subway system has been posting warnings like this for the past two years.
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Tironius said 5:50PM on 3-05-2007
Carrie a gun.
Isn't it kind of dumb to post a percentage of robberies when it was only 15? 11% of 15 robberies is, what, one?
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Rubbinz said 6:03PM on 3-05-2007
I ride BART, and use my iPod but with some UE's pro 5. I also exercise my right to self preservation by carrying a gun, I have a legal CCW. Last person that tried to break into my home 10 years ago probably wished he went bowling instead.
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Brady J. Frey said 6:51PM on 3-05-2007
"Carrie a gun."
Not if you can't spell "carry" - I don't want you having the responsibility for a weapon if you can't even spell right;)
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Jon said 7:16PM on 3-05-2007
Aren't the transit police supposed to prevent such crimes? Why is it always the victim's fault? Oh, I'm terribly sorry for making my iPod so tempting to thieves.
I once had my laptop stolen by the baggage handlers at the airport and the airport staff had the cheek of trying to pin the blame on me. I wasn't the criminal but I was being treated like one.
[/rant]
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ars_workerbee said 7:24PM on 3-05-2007
.11 * 15 = 1.65
so between one and two iPods a month get stolen on the BART system, which carries over 2 million passengers per week? (a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BART">BART on wikipedia says ~320k/day)? that's... less than one in a million.
Hey Farva what's the name of that restaurant you like with all the goofy shit on the walls and the mozzarella sticks?
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ars_workerbee said 7:24PM on 3-05-2007
crap no linking in html. poop. *sulks off*
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Rubbinz said 8:45PM on 3-05-2007
Jon, Law Enforcement is under no obligation to prevent or protect you from any crime. In fact, this has even been codified into California law. The term "to serve and protect" is a phrased coined by the LAPD for PR purposes decades ago. And unfortunately, this got carried over into movies, lending the false impression that it's a Law Enforcement duty. Law Enforcement is strictly a reactionary force, to respond in after the fact situations to investigate crimes that have been committed, and enforcing the law as it applies. By the numbers, iPod theft on public transit is low enough to be acceptable for the safety of the general public.
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JeffDM said 10:36PM on 3-05-2007
I'm getting old, but to me, those white earbuds are the mark of a trendwhore. They scream what you own and the earbuds aren't that great anyway. Even if you are supposed to be safe no matter what, one shouldn't wave Benjamins around in public if possible, and the same goes for the markers of expensive electronics.
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K said 11:19PM on 3-05-2007
I've always laughed at the fact that you Yanks can't really enjoy these sorts of tech-toys in public because you might get mugged.
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Simon Arch said 11:48PM on 3-05-2007
Live in fear! LIVE IN FEAR!!! Something bad MIGHT happen so cower in fear of that possibility, no matter how improbable it might be! Optimism and being realistic won't help! Only fear can save you!
FEAR!
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Patrick said 7:12AM on 3-06-2007
Isn't this advice about 3 years too late?
And isn't anyone going to post: "The warning should be 'Don't use the standard iPod white headphones because they suck.'"
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Edsel said 7:27AM on 3-06-2007
The best defense is an effective offense.
Dance around like the Apple commercials, grunting & snorting to the music. Not only is it a great workout (I'm overweight & sweat profusely), thieves will avoid you, less they become the victim.
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Richard said 12:02PM on 3-06-2007
Great advice, grow your hair long, I'm good then!
LOL
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Ian Adams said 1:29AM on 3-09-2007
You know, I remember a time when the only consequence of wearing the white iPod earbuds was getting "the nod" from someone else "in the know." It's a pity to see that gone, but it's even more sad that it's been replaced with this.
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