Safety and Security

A Few Top Tips To Stay Secure

Lock It!

• A third of all burglaries happen because a door or window has been left open. If you're in a private home or flat, lock up whenever you go out - with deadbolts if you have them.

• Ask your landlord to fit deadlocks to all outside doors - burglars hate them because you need a key to open them from the inside as well as the outside. And ask them to put key operated locks on all downstairs or accessible windows - burglars don't like having to smash windows because of the noise and the danger of cutting themselves.

• Lock up goods in your garden - including ladders, tools and bikes - not only are these are at risk from being stolen, but burglars can also use them to break in.

• If you live in a hall of residence, be careful who you let in - or who follows you into the building. Lock your bedroom door even if you are only going down the corridor.

Hide It!

• Try to make sure your and your housemates' TVs and other valuables can't be seen from your window. Also, don't leave empty boxes of new purchases outside for burglars to see.

Be Prepared!

• Protect yourself with good insurance
• Create a free private and secure portfolio of all your personal property on www.immobilise.com. If it is then lost or stolen, you can use immobilise to tell law enforcement, your insurer and the second-hand trade to assist in recovering your property and catch the thief.

Mark It Up!

Marking your property helps to deter burglars and can help the police to catch them. Mark your property with the initials of your university and your student ID number (you can get a pen from the Vice President's Office on the 4th floor of the Students' Union)

Safety and Security

Every year a significant number of University of Bristol students are assaulted, mugged or burgled. It is worthwhile taking some basic steps to avoid making yourself a potential target, and this applies as much to young men as it does to women. In fact, statistics show that young men are the most likely group to be victims of crime. If you would like a personal attack alarm, these can be obtained free of charge from the Vice President's office or from the University Security Services (Royal Fort Lodge, Tyndall Ave).

Other useful websites!

The Home Office, in conjunction with groups including the NUS and DfES, have research which shows that the main reason that students are the victims of crime is lack of awareness.

In addition, the BBC have a brilliant website which gives you lots of practical information about staying safe.

Begging

There are over 200 beggars who regularly beg in the streets of Bristol. Of these, 40 are known to be persistent and aggressive beggars and fewer than 10% are genuinely homeless. Bristol City Council have set up a new campaign called Streetwise, which has found that the majority of beggars have a hard drug-habit and use the money given to them by well-meaning citizens to buy drugs. If you want to help the homeless, make sure that you give money to recognised charities or into the Bristol collection boxes. To report aggressive begging phone 0117 945 5249

Reporting a Crime

Report it directly to the police, if you can: there is no shame in being a victim of crime. However, if you are the victim or witness to a crime but are afraid to report what you know because of reprisals then call the free and anonymous crimestoppers 0800 555111. Or you could email it to crime-ubu@bristol.ac.uk. Anything you disclose will be anoymous, and treated with the utmost tact. You may feel the crime is not serious enough to warrant reporting, but even if the police cannot arrest anyone for the crime, the information is vital to help police know where to direct their resources.

Taxis

There are two sorts of taxi - hackney carriages - often London type cabs, or vehicles with roof signs. All have Council plates front and back with a white background with black lettering. They are allowed to pick up at ranks and when flagged down. They must run on the meter when working within the city boundary. For a journey outside the boundary they must either charge on the meter or negotiate a price before the journey starts. No negotiation - they must run on the meter.

The other sort are private hire cars. Most of these are saloons and they don't have roof signs. The plates are again to the front and rear, but they have a yellow background. They are not allowed to pick up when flagged down, or at ranks. If you get in one in those circumstances it will not be insured - nor will the passengers. They must be prebooked.

Drivers of both categories are required to wear a Council issued identity badge, and to have a similiar badge on view in the vehicle. Hackneys should have a fare tariff on display.

If they break the rules the council can prosecute them at worst, or warn them at the least. They will need details of who is making the complaint, and details [ie vehicle plate and preferably driver badge number] to trace the driver.

Swiftline

UBU have got a deal with Swiftline Taxis that means that you need never be stranded again. If you find yourself alone with no money, you can call Swiftline on 0117 9252626 and explain your situation and they will take you home if you leave them your student card. All you have to do then is to pick up your card and pay the fare.

So, if you have any problems with a taxi, e-mail the Vice President and we will pass on your concerns.