Whether you are a resident of New Orleans, are visiting on vacation for the first time, or travel here frequently for business, your personal safety in New Orleans city is important. While walking the streets of the French Quarter, bicycling to work, or taking a taxi-cab across town, you should consider the following personal safety tips in New Orleans. As a criminal lawyer in New Orleans as well as a personal injury lawyer, I have seen my fair share of crimes and injuries happen because someone wasn’t paying attention.
Biking Around New Orleans
New Orleans has been named as one of the best cities in the country for biking. Whether you are biking to commute from Point A to Point B, you are enjoying a leisurely bike ride on a nice day, or you are out on the levees for some fitness, there are a number of biking safety tips that you should consider.
- The most important advice to remember is that bikes are vehicles! If you are biking, you have the same rights and responsibilities as cars, trucks, etc. By keeping that in mind, you will already be putting yourself in better safety right off the bat.
- If you are exiting a driveway or an alley-way, yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
- At large intersections, don’t just make a left turn if you have to. Ride through the intersection on the right, stop, and turn your bike to the left. Now proceed with caution obeying the traffic lights.
- Ride your bike on the road, not the sidewalk! Keep 3 feet between you and the nearest car.
- Obey all traffic signals and ride in the direction of traffic.
- The law requires a helmet for anyone 12 or young, but a helmet can and has saved lives.
- Use hand signals when turning or stopping.
- At dusk and nighttime, use bike lights: white in the front, red in the back. Wear light clothing and try to ride in well lit areas when possible.
Personal Safety Tips in New Orleans
There are ways you can be safe on the streets of New Orleans. Avoid putting yourself at risk for crimes such as robbery, assault, or even personal injury. Follow these tips for a safer travel to New Orleans and a safer lifestyle:
- Although there are times of day and specific locations that can get quite crowded in New Orleans, try to avoid being conspicuously alone at all times.
- Do not flaunt money or expensive possessions unnecessarily.
- If mugged, do not attempt to handle the situation yourself by chasing your assaulter. Your life is much more valuable than any of your belonging
- Contact local law enforcement immediately if you feel you’re in danger.
- Know where you are. Ask a local business owner if you do not know where you are or where you are going.
- Take a taxi-cab if you are unsure how far or which neighborhoods you will walk through to your destination.
- Walk with authority, confidence or even a strut. You never know, it will make you look more confident in your own surroundings.
- Do not take your smartphone out of your pocket in the French Quarter and flaunt it around. Phones, especially iPhones, are robbers’ favorite thing to steal!
- If you are planning to get intoxicated or you are already drunk (as is the case for many visitors to New Orleans), make sure you are with a trusted companion. People who are drunk are at a higher risk of becoming the victim of a crime.
If you find yourself in trouble in New Orleans, make sure you contact local law enforcement. New Orleans Police Department officers are generally easy to find in the most popular areas and most tourist areas of the city, but you can always call 9-1-1. If you were recently injured while riding a bicycle or were received a traffic citation (it does happen!) while riding you bike, please contact me.
