Where you do keep your handbag when you are in a cafe or a restaurant?

I think that is important to be careful when we are in a public place. I keep a hand on my bag while I am walking, that way I would notice it if someone tries to open my bag or tries to steal it. My friend lost her bag in a mall some time ago, she didn't notice anything at all and when her bag was gone it was too late. Since that time I have become extra careful.

That sounds like a scary experience. I am happy to hear that you got away from him and didn't get hurt. My brother once met a cellphone snatcher, too but he didn't notice anything. The thief removed the cellphone from his pocket and disappeared. He didn't know when it happened or who the thief was. He wasn't alone when it happened and his friends didn't notice anything either.

I actually have experienced where my cellphone was nearly stolen by a snatcher. It was All Soul's Day and there were plenty of people in the cemetery. I placed my cellphone inside my pocket. I noticed there's something moving from down my waist. When I first checked my pocket, there's nothing so I continued walking. When I checked again, I felt the hand of the snatcher. As an initial reaction, I shouted in front of his face. He immediately ran away. And I also walked away fast because I'm afraid he or any of his group (I'm sure he has companion) might grab or hurt me because I really saw his face clearly. I haven't reported to the police though because I was in panic then. Or should I say frightened... So as a lesson learned, I am really always on the watch on my belongings when in public places.

I also think that she might learn it the hard way. So far she has been lucky, but it would be very easy to steal her bag. Like you I have seen people who leave their things and walk away. It get surpriced each time I see it. Some weeks ago I visited a fastfood restaurant and a woman who was alone left her handbag at her table and went to buy some food. Her table was close to the entrance/exit and it would have so easy for a thief to grab the bag and leave. The woman was waiting in the line in the other end of room and if someone had decided to steal her bag she wouldn't have been able to stop him or her.

Some people are just so carefree that I sometimes wonder how they are still alive or still have all their stuff.

I also think that my friend is taking a big risk when she just throws her bag on the floor. The bag contains her wallet and other valuables and that is one of the reasons why I find it so hard to understand her behaviour. I am worried that someone would steal her bag one day. Sometimes the floor is dirty, that is another reason why I don't think it is great idea to throw her bag there. If keep on my bag on my lap if I can. Sometimes if it is a really big bag I have to put it on the floor, but I think it is much safer to keep the bag on my lap.

I am afraid that she is going to find out the hard way that it wasn't such a great idea to throw her bag on the floor far away from her chair. I have warned her, but she thinks that I worry too much. I don't understand her because her wallet and everything else is in her bag. I keep my own bag on my lap where I can keep an eye on it and if I leave the table I always take my bag with me.

I also avoid the floor if I can. If I am travelling with a big bag I have to put it on the floor, but if it is small or medium sized bag I prefer to keep the bag on my lap. That way I am able to keep a close eye on my bag and it doesn't get dirty either. I started this discussion because I was a little shocked to see the way that my friend treats her bag. She just throws it on the floor and she doesn't think about the risk of theft or bacterias. She thinks I am silly because I always keep my bag on my lap, but I think it is better to be safe than sorry.

I learned about those bag hooks in this discussion, it sounds like a good idea, but I have never seen them in my own country and I am not sure if we can buy them here. I don't usually put my bag on a chair. I think it is okay to do it if there are few people in the restaurant and plenty of free chairs, but I think it is rude if there are many other people, because someone else could have used that chair. In the restaurants in my area it happens quite often that people put their bags on another chair while there are many other people in the restaurant. Very often someone would approach them directly and say: "Excuse me, could you remove your bag, I would like to use that chair" and I don't think that it is wrong to ask to have the chair, if there is a lack of chairs in the restaurant.

If there are plenty of seats to go around, I think putting your bag in one is fine. You'll be surprised that there were people who are totally oblivious to other people who might need them. There was this woman from the same university that we go to, not really friends but we see her around. The campus cafe was full that lunch time and she's got her bag seated on the only available seat, there's 4 of us and we only managed to get 3 seats on a nearby table. Our friend approached her and asked her if she can put her bag somewhere else because we need an extra chair. This woman said icily, "It's a coach, I'm not putting it anywhere it can be soiled or deformed." LOL!

I haven't seen those hooks in my country, but it sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately it is happens quite often that thieves steal bags or wallets while the owners are busy eating or chatting to friends. I know one woman who lost her bag in a restaurant. She had placed her bag close to her legs, but the thief still managed to steal her bag and when she noticed that her bag was gone it was too late. Some thiefs are very good at stealing things without getting noticed, so we have to be very careful.

Yes, when our bag contains things like our wallet it is dangerous to leave it unattended. My friend's bag also contains her wallet and other important things, and that is one of the reasons why I find it hard to understand that she just throws her bag on the floor between the tables. Her bag is not close to her chair and if would be quite easy to steal it. I hope that no one will steal it, but I think that she is taking a big risk. I think that it would be safer to do as your friends do, because that way she would be able to notice it if someone tries to steal it.

I also keep the valuable things in my handbag, and I make sure that I always keep an eye on my bag. If I leave the table I take the bag with me. I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving my bag at the table. My friend thinks that is a little silly and that it is safe to leave the bag at the table, but I prefer to take my bag with me when I leave the table.

I agree with that, I think it is very risky to leave your bags unattended. In self-service restaurants I have seen people who leave their bags at their tables while they pick up their food in the other end of the room. I think that is very risky. I always bring my bag when I leave my table even if I know that I will only be gone for a few minutes. I understand why you keep your hand on your pocket when you travel by bus. Crowded places like busses attract pickpockets, so it is neccesary to be careful when we use public transportation.

I also keep my bag right beside me or on my lap if it is a small bag. I always keep an eye on my bag when I visit a public place because my bag contains my wallet, my cellphone, my keys and other things that I don't want to lose. Unfortunately theft is quite common in the big cities and some my friends have lost their bags so we have to be careful.

In a fast food restaurant I also keep my bag on my lap. One of my friends once lost a bag in a fast food restaurant. She had placed the bag on the floor next to her legs, bur someone still managed to steal the bag while she was eating. I like to keep my bag on my lap, because when I keep it there I am sure that I would notice it if someone tries to steal it. The friend that I mentioned when I started the discussion has never lost of her bag, and she thinks that I worry too much. Like your friend she is a bit messy and she just throws her bag somewhere on the floor.

If I can avoid it I don't place my bag on the floor either. Sometimes if I carry a very big bag I have to put it on the floor, but if I only carry small handbag I keep it on my lap. The floor is often dirty, and I am also worried about theft if I place my bag on the floor because it is much harder to for to keep on eye on the bag that way. When I travel I tend to bring a relatively large bag with maps, guidebooks etc. If I am at home I just bring a small handbag that I can easily keep on my lap while I am eating or drinking coffee.