Securing your bag in restaurants

[John.St]

Having read a thread or two about the risk of having bags stolen in public places like restaurants, I don't understand why everybody else don't use my simple trick in e.g. outdoor restaurants where I always place my bag on a chair next to me - fastened to the bag is a thin but strong nylon cord with a carbine hook (mountaineering equipment, cost 5 AR$).

Loop the cord around one arm of the chair or through its back, fasten the hook on the cord and a thief will have to run off with chair and all. I have an alarm in my bag too - move bag more than 2 feet away and hold hands over your ears. The alarm is sown into a small pocket inside the backpack, imposible to remove without scissors or knife.

My backpack is closed by two zips, locked together by a simple key ring.
Easy to open when you are sitting or standing still, but almost impossible if you are running.

Itzz azz simple azz zat!

 

[mini]

why tempt them to take it even if it's connected to the chair?
I leave my bag on my lap.

 

[John.St]

why tempt them to take it even if it's connected to the chair?
I leave my bag on my lap.

Mine often weighs 8-9 kg (18-20 lbs.).

I have an alarm in my bag too - move bag more than 2 feet away and hold hands on your ears.

 

[BlahBlah]

I don't think it's normal that you have to look for your bag to be stolen. But hey BA in general is a pretty safe place right?

Some restaurants also tie your bag but they do that to assure you pay your bill

 

[John.St]

Some restaurants also tie your bag but they do that to assure you pay your bill

Very big grin -

 

[BlahBlah]

This is no joke by the way

 

[mini]

Mine often weighs 8-9 kg (18-20 lbs.).

I may add that I have an alarm in my bag too - move bag more than 2 feet away and hold hands on your ears.

That's a whole lot to be carrying around every day!

 

[ReemsterCARP]

John.St

What do you carry in your bag that is so valuable? Alarms, chains... sounds very uncomfortable to me..

 

[GEOFS]

Loop the cord around one arm of the chair or through its back, fasten the hook on the cord and a thief will have to run off with chair and all.

That is just mean. The thief has a pregnant wife , 6 kids and a dog to feed. Now they go hungry.
LMBO
Your Idea is brilliant !

 

[John.St]

John.St

What do you carry in your bag that is so valuable? Alarms, chains... sounds very uncomfortable to me..

Not valuable per se, but e.g. a Danish book and a Spanish/Danish dictionary are hard to come by around here + my handwritten notes and two monographies I am working on (have most of them in my computer, but this lazy bastard doesn't enter new work in text editor every day).

Perhaps AR$ 50-60 in actual value - worth several thousands to me, and me alone, but if stolen I shall never see it again.

I do a lot of my work the Argentine way, in cafés, where friends pop up.

Had a mochilla with a hand written monography stolen in Madrid once, some 30 or 40 hours of work down the drain and worthless to the thief - that tought me a lesson.