Pearls of Travel Wisdom » Safety

Cause for Alarm? A Hotel’s Actions Are More Alarming than the Initial Cause

Carol Margolis — Sun, 20 May 2012 23:10:41 +0000

It was a rough night at my hotel by LAX last night. A few different issues arose that could have been disastrous for the hotel. In the end, the hotel’s actions caused more alarm than I’m sure they intended and I ended up with almost no sleep.

First, the fire alarm got pulled and management made an announcement across the loud speaker that they were looking into this. This woke me out of a sound sleep when a deep voice came over the sound system in the hallway (though it might have been in my hotel room since the voice was very loud). “Looking into it,” they said. Should I be concerned and leave my room, or roll over and go back to sleep? I thought it was more prudent to at least get up and look out the window to see if I could see any fire or people leaving their rooms.

No, nothing looked amiss in the other part of the L-shaped hotel. I saw people in their rooms, one smoking out his hotel window, and no one appeared to be frantically preparing to leave their rooms. Since management said they were looking into the fire alarm issue, I thought there would at least be a short follow-up message that either all was ok, or not. But nope, no follow-up message.

I tossed and turned with thoughts of my escape route if there was a fire (I had chosen a higher-up floor to get easy access to the Executive Lounge vs. staying on floor 7 or below for fire-ladder access), how I’d take my laptop tote with me since I hadn’t done a hard-drive backup in a few weeks, and how I’d get dressed before leaving my room. It took awhile for the mind chatter to subside, but eventually I did fall back gto sleep again.

Second, an hour after the fire alarm incident, I was again abruptly awoken, this time by the phone ringing in my room. I tried to answer the phone next to me on the nightstand, but the portable handset didn’t work. By the time I got to the desk to reach the desk phone, the ringing had stopped. Most likely a wrong number, so back to bed I went again.

Third, just a few minutes after the phone call, a guy pounds heavily on my hotel room door. I asked what he wanted, but he didn’t answer… he just loudly pounded again. Then I hear him pounding on the neighbor’s door. Was there really a fire after all? Were they getting everyone to evacuate the rooms? I couldn’t find my robe fast enough so couldn’t open the door. Not that I wanted to open the door, but by now I was getting a bit freaked out. I grabbed the hotel robe off the back of the bathroom door and debated …. Open the door and take the risk that this guy shoves his way into my room, or keep the door closed and risk going up in flames? Neither option was appealing.

Since I had last heard the guy pounding on the neighbor’s door, I thought the risk low in opening the door for a quick peek. I didn’t see anyone in the hallway. No one was running out of their room due to fire either. I closed the door and went to the hotel phone (the working phone; not the dead handset). I dialed zero to get to the hotel operator. Ring . . . ring . . . ring. After about a dozen rings with no answer, I hung up. Were they all busy with the fire? What the heck was going on? I pressed zero again – and again no answer after about ten rings. I slammed the phone down. I was no longer freaked out, now I was mad. If there is a real emergency, the hotel should have been making a hotel-wide announcement or answering their phone directing people with what to do. If there was no emergency, then they should be answering the phone so we can deal with the safety issue of the guy pounding on doors.

Another look out the window at the other wing of rooms and all looked calm. I gave up trying to reach the hotel’s front desk. I gave up worrying about there being an actual fire. I gave up trying to figure out why some guy was heavily pounding on my door. And unfortunately, I gave up on getting back to sleep.

As for the hotel:
Why didn’t they do a follow-up broadcast to their initial message about the fire alarm?
Why don’t they routinely check the in-room phones to ensure they are working? (Lesson to me: Earlier in my stay I realized the portable handset wasn’t working and I didn’t report it.)
Why didn’t they answer their phones within a dozen rings? Or call back a guest when they see they’ve missed two calls?

I will talk with the hotel and update this post with their response.

In the meantime, what would you have done?

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3 Easy Ways to Feel Safe and Keep Peepers from Peeping

Carol Margolis — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:25:39 +0000

Feel uncomfortable when your hotel room curtains do not close all the way?

My hotel room has a 3-inch gap in the curtain closure and the room overlooks a courtyard. So it’s easy to see into rooms, especially at night when the lights are on. I know … since I took a glance out the window to see how many other rooms could be peeped into.

For times like this when you want closure to the issue, a few things will work and all depends on what may be in your suitcase:

Use duct tape to tape the curtain panels closed. A small amount of duct tape wrapped around a pencil and tossed into your bag before you travel is a good pre-emptive measure.
Use a chip clip to pull the curtains closed. Again, this needs forethought to have a multi-purpose clip in your bag … the type of clips typically sold to keep bags of chips or snacks closed.
Use a slacks hanger from the closet. Assuming the hotel hangers are not permanently affixed to the closet rod (said hotels are usually off my list once I find this!), a slacks hanger does the trick!

Option 3 worked perfectly for me in my current hotel room. I’m now comfortable in my room sitting at the desk knowing the courtyard peepers will have to find another place to peep.

To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com. Watch for my new book, Business Travel Success – How to Reduce Stress, Be More Productive and Travel with Confidence, being published by Morgan James in early 2012.

New TSA PreCheck Program: How Good Is It?

Carol Margolis — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 20:01:25 +0000

TSA’s new “trusted traveler” program, known as PreCheck, went into effect a few days ago. From the press release, “Eligible passengers may be referred to a lane where they will experience expedited screening.” This pilot program is the long overdue beginning of risk-based traveler assessment. Not surprising, there are many limitations to gain entry into this trial program:

It is only available to American Airlines and Delta Airlines passengers.
It is only limited to a few airport hubs (Dallas and Miami for American, Atlanta and Detroit for Delta).
And only some frequent fliers qualify.

TSA also built in some safeguards. They may at any time change their policy and make this separate line just like all the others. In addition, they do not guarantee that merely because of enrollment in this program that passengers will receive expedited service every time. At some point, I expect them to test this by denying access on a periodic basis. How frequently this occurs will likely determine the program’s success or failure.

I had the opportunity to try out PreCheck last week. Embedded information in the boarding pass barcode directs travelers to an expedited line. Anything metal like change or cellphones are either placed in a carry-on bag or one of the small buckets. Everything else – liquids, shoes, belts, coats, and laptops – remain in the carry-on bag or on your person. It was simply a matter of dropping my carry-on bag on the conveyor belt and walking through the metal detector. Total time to get through the expedited line: less than 60 seconds.

Needless to say, this is a dream for frequent travelers. It was such a pleasant experience that I thought about exiting the security area and going through the line again!

Some frequent travelers I spoke to expressed apprehension, reminding me that one bad apple could ruin this for the lot of us. We would all still walk through security with our shoes on if it weren’t for Richard Reid.

While other passengers may resent this “special” treatment granted to a select few, there is a benefit for them, as well. Moving frequent travelers to expedited lines means shorter lines for everyone else. When this program is successful (crossing my fingers), it will expand to more airports and shorten security lines for even more travelers.

Here’s hoping that the TSA’s new PreCheck program really takes off!

Lojack for Laptops

Carol Margolis — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:43:00 +0000

Are your documents protected in case your laptop is stolen? As a preventative measure, consider investing in Lojack For Laptops. Lojack is software that will help secure your documents and recover you computer in case it is stolen. You can buy a 3-year license for $77.99, but do this now or it will be too late once your laptop has already disappeared.

National Car Rental’s Pearls of Travel Wisdom

Carol Margolis — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:33:03 +0000

I will be blogging on National Car Rental’s Facebook Page for the next couple of weeks. Posts from Pearls of Travel Wisdom will appear as part of National’s fan page as well. This is one way that National Car Rental is offering their customers ways to travel safer, smarter and with more enjoyment.

My participation in National’s Facebook Page is sponsored by National Car Rental. I’ve been renting cars from National throughout my many years of business and personal travel and I love their Emerald Aisle program. With Emerald Aisle membership, you can pick your own car – much better than having a car rental company assign you a car. And the safety of selecting a car immediately upon entering the car rental lot is so much safer than having to traipse to the farthest car in the lot late at night dragging your suitcase after a long flight.

Check out the National Car Rental Facebook page and share your Pearls of Travel Wisdom about car rentals with National – or share a comment on this post.

New Airport Screening Prototype

Carol Margolis — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 01:44:29 +0000

For the past ten years, Airport security hasn’t changed that much. Sure, the restrictions have become more severe and the screening process more invasive, but really, it’s still the same system. You put your bags through the X-Ray machine, and you walk through the metal detector, maybe getting a more personal inspection from a TSA agent. Recently, the government agency has introduced their Advanced Imaging Technology scanners, but it’s just another step in the same old process.

What if we got rid of the current system all together? What if you didn’t have to take off your shoes, take out your laptop, or remove your jacket? And what if this system was not only faster than our current checkpoints, but also cheaper?!?!

Well the International Air Transport Association turned “What if?” into “Why not?” They just unveiled their concept for the Checkpoint of the future, using biometrics and advanced scanners to simplify and speed up the checkpoint process.

Check out the video below to see how it works (the video has no sound).

Would you welcome this system at your favorite airport?

Click here to view the embedded video.

International Travelers: Register with the State Department

Carol Margolis — Mon, 02 May 2011 21:26:17 +0000

What’s the impact on your business travels following the news that Osama bin Laden has been killed? Hopefully nothing at all. However, the State Department has warned Americans worldwide of “enhanced potential for anti-American violence” so be prepared.

If you are traveling internationally, register your itinerary with the State Department‘s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Hopefully no acts of terrorism will occur but be safe and let the State Department know of your international travels. I am out of the country as this news is unfolding and have updated the State Department website with my itinerary information. It only takes a few minutes to do this and there is no cost. You can also have the latest travel updates and security information emailed to you.

Keep apprised of the news over the next few days and weeks for any late-breaking news prior to your flights. Besides news sites such as USAToday and CNN, travel information is also available at travel.state.gov. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.

Check TSA.gov before your flight. Their latest statement about the Bin Laden death: “TSA continually evaluates the latest threats and screening measures which are implemented based on the latest intelligence. As always, passengers may notice a variety of security measures at U.S. airports to include the use of physical bag checks, random gate screening, explosives detection technology, canine teams and behavior detection officers. We ask the traveling public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.”

Be safe. Be smart. Register your international travels now.

Is A Shoe Scanner Coming Soon to an Airport Near You?

Carol Margolis — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:35:50 +0000

Let’s hope the answer to this question is Yes! According to an article in the New American, TSA Will Now Scan Your Shoes at the Airport. Don’t get excited if your next trip through airport security is tomorrow, next week or maybe not even next year. The Transportation Security Administration is only in the initial stages of seeking proposals from companies who can manufacture a Shoe Scanning Device (SSD). But hey, it’s definitely a step in the right direction!

And if we travelers have our wish list of requirements for these SSD’s, they would be:

Can scan boots, shoes with buckles, sneakers – any type of footwear. This was a challenge with the machines tested a couple of years ago. Any metal in the shoes and, after waiting in line to step on the machines, you now had to remove your shoes.
Quick to scan. Step on, get a green light within 3 seconds and go!
Simple to use. One clear instruction for all. No questions like “are these shoes scannable or are they not?”
Set up directly before you go through the x-ray machine. No separate long line for shoe-scanning.
A machine in every security lane. No picking-and-choosing necessary to try to get into the one lane with the machine.
No (or very, very few) false positives that cause your shoes to be confiscated.
And most importantly, can detect all the knives, explosives and other flight-threatening materials that are very often seen in shoes, according to my source at TSA Headquarters.

So keep a watch out for more news on the anticipated Shoe Scanning Devices.

In the meantime, I’ll need to figure out a new strategy for selecting which security line I’ll get into. My current scheme involves looking at people’s feet. When I look down and see many pairs of boots and sneakers in front of me, I look to the next lane for more slip-on shoes and flip-flops (which in my home airport of Orlando, are seen a lot).

Let’s hope the TSA’s shopping is successful and speedy.

Keeping Women Safe Through Social Networking

Carol Margolis — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:00:33 +0000

Since safety is a top concern of women travelers, I was honored to be interviewed by a writer for the New York Times for this very topic. Read Keeping Women Safe Through Social Networking by Joe Sharkey.

For more travel safety tips, get a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, click ‘Subscribe’ in the right-hand column of Pearls Of Travel Wisdom or provide your name and email at Smart Women Traveler and download this important ebook.

A Great Find! Solo Woman Traveler’s Valet Parking Rate

Carol Margolis — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 03:37:54 +0000

For safety reasons, I will usually use a hotel’s valet parking service when arriving at a hotel late at night. Otherwise I’ll use the self-parking as the rates are much lower.

Though tonight I got an unexpected and wonderful surprise. It made such a great first impression that I was already sold on this property and I hadn’t even checked in yet!

The Houston Marriott West Loop by The Galleria has a solo woman traveler’s special valet parking rate – just $13.00 a night! The regular rate for valet parking is $25.00 a night and self-parking is $13.00. But because I drove up alone (which I do 95% of the time), I received the special rate.

I thought the valet guy was kidding. I asked, “Is this a Monday special? Or You’re Just Feeling Nice?” No – he said this is always the case. Still, I had my doubts. As I checked in, the desk agent saw my valet ticket and asked if I was traveling alone. With a nod of my head, she confirmed the $13.00/night rate. Any last doubts were now gone.

This is a great safety feature for women traveling alone. Women like me who always have the head-debate going on – “Is it worth the extra money?” And it’s priceless to the hotel as well, as the cost of one parking lot incident could cost millions.

Now I don’t have to decide; it’ll be valet parking for me!

I hope I see more hotels with this great benefit.

If you know of other properties that offer smart deals for solo women travelers, please share!