What do you carry in vegas?

The thread about needing a body guard or even wanting one has been going on for a bit. I would think if i was a garden variety mugger I would assuredly like to know if someone is carrying 10k or more. I hate carrying large sums, which to me would be 1k or more, but I do in Vegas. In my real life at home I probably have less than 200 as I pay for everything with credit cards. I would think that the number of people in Vegas who even carry more than 3k would be very low. But since these polls don't cost anything.... I await the responses.

If I carry more than $300 it's only from my room to the casino floor and (hopefully) back. Everything stays in the room safe.

My answer to the poll (if I were actually to vote) would likely move a couple of notches, depending upon whether you mean at the beginning of the trip or near the end. ;-)

My guess is that folks who carry large sums do not wander the Strip with it so much and rather spend time in 1-2 casinos. The best advice I have seen on carrying large sums if you must is get a money belt and keep a "give up" wallet. Few muggers will follow you IMHO, as mugging is a crime of convienience. If they are smart enough to figure to follow a person from the cage they are smart enough to do a heist for real money. With a give-up wallet you limit your exposure as muggers aren't going to want to stay around questioning you-they want to get to the meth dealer asap.

I think most people carry $200-1,000 with $300-600 being most of that.

My gambling stash, around $5k, is kept in a money clip in one of my front pockets. The other pocket has my wallet, which will generally have around $200-$300, depending on what I've spent for gas and food lately. Thus, should anything happen, I can give up the wallet, and still have the majority of my money left over. However, I think the real key in "avoiding" muggings is to not look like a target. I'm a guy who wears jeans, a simple shirt, and sneakers. I gamble small amounts of money. Thus, I probably don't "appear" as though I have any real cash on me, or anything worth such a crime. I also tend to avoid areas where I'd be vulnerable to the kinds of people who ARE interested in mugging someone for $50.

I carried 15K around Downtown once and never felt at all worried.

Usually, I will have around 3-5K, keeping the 100's in my front pocket (along with my wallet) and small notes in the back. I've never had money taken in Vegas although I did have a $430 slot ticket taken out of my pocket while in one of the 'less glamorous' casinos on 'The Strip' - the video poker machine at the bar wouldn't accept the ticket so I stupidly put it in my back pocket.

Quote: AZDuffman

keep a "give up" wallet.

good idea, I really should do this

Quote: AZDuffman

I think most people carry $200-1,000 with $300-600 being most of that.

something tells me you are right

At home you use credit cards and when you check into your hotel you are usually asked which credit card to designate for additional charges but usually people try to make all such additional charges be on the room rather than the card so as to get them comped.

Most people carry sums of money in Vegas as well as all or a portion of their bankroll in chips. They also carry their credit cards for charges at various shops or at casino-related restaurants located at casinos other than the one at which they are staying.

Some Vegas Visitors have adopted the Dealer's Wallet or various varieties thereof: a strapped affair that is worn discreetly and holds the bare essentials. Travel stores often carry several versions of such wallets.

I generally assume that casinos are dangerous places because criminals tend to follow the Willie Sutton mandate: I rob banks 'cause that's where the money is. Vegas is the one town wherein men have to be careful of their drinks. It is also a town wherein few of the hookers are "dedicated ladies". Most of the hookers are quite inclined to rob without performing their various services or to simply help themselves to what might be available as an additional payment for services that were rendered. I often head to a different elevator shaft than the proper one, press a button and wait for a while and then turn and leave to see if anyone else seems to have also gone to the "wrong" bank of elevators. When getting off an elevator, I tend to turn in the wrong direction and then re-traverse my steps. I do this even in The Venetian which is probably the most secure casino on the strip. Whenever I have cash or chips for my companion, I shake her hand. (You all may think it strange to greet a spouse or spouse-equivalent in such a fashion, but it is one way to make certain that you are not displaying cash or chips in a manner that might come to the attention of a thief). Its a town that has a great many people there for an extended weekend and such a transient population means constant vigilance is the only sensible option.

Yes, just about everyone in Vegas is carrying cash, chips and is at least one sheet to the wind and heading fast to all three sheets to the wind. Its a muggers or pickpockets paradise. I intend not to contribute to a thief's joy. So I am careful. Not overly concerned about safety, just careful enough to avoid things like leaving the Western while drunk and listing to starboard due to my chips being in my pocket.

A casino will offer you an escort to your car if you are leaving with a full rack or if you ever ask for an escort. I would not want to have an escort since it blatantly alerts the watchful to the fact you've got alot of money on your person. Its best to hire the most dedicated and highly motivated bodyguard there is: yourself. I've carried large sums with me in Vegas; I've been tapped out in Vegas. I try not to let my behavior or appearance ever indicate which state my wallet is in at the time.

I used to carry a lot of cash in Vegas, but now days use casino credit and front money a lot more. It was actually thanks to this site where I really learned how credit worked and felt more comfortable using it.

That being said, I like to play at more then one casino and to do so either means I have to request for a line of credit at each casino or carry cash.

The last time I was there, I did bring about $20,000 in cash with me to Vegas but I left most of it in my safe. When I walk the strip I feel comfortable with about $5,000 I'm cash in my pocket, but if I win more then that, I tend to take a taxi back to my hotel. I carry a couple of hundred on my person for general expenses, but try to sign as many things to my room when I am at an MGM resort.

I had a line of credit at the Mandalay Bay, but the interesting thing is that it does not carry over for the other MGM resorts. Meaning, I could not ask for credit if I went over to the Luxor for an evening. They did tell me that they could arrange for the paperwork, etc. but it was a lot of hassle and I had to do it ahead of time. Cash is still king.

I was the one who posted about a bodyguard or personal security for someone I know. I'll be honest, there have been times where I had about 20K in my pocket and I would sure have felt better if someone was walking with me back to my hotel. Yes, Vegas is a safe town, but there is something to be said about the buddy system. Private security could not be that much, maybe $100 an hour? and would make me feel a lot better if I had $20,000 on me.

How easy is it to exchange chips from one casino at another?

I ask because chips exist in higher denomination than dollar bills. So if, say, you can move $30k in $1k chips from Bellagio to Caesars, would the latter take them?

BTW men have no excuse for having money stolen from them except if it's done by force. They wear clothes rife with pockets that are easy to guard and don't leave you at any time. Minding a purse, not to mention securing it, is more demanding. If you put something valuable in a back pocket, you might as well just give it away.

Quote: Nareed

How easy is it to exchange chips from one casino at another?

Very hard now. Gaming had clamped down on casino checks being used as de facto currency because if IRS rules, laundering, etc.

There was a time you could pull into a gas station and fill up using casino chips to pay. A long time ago.

Quote: Nareed

So if, say, you can move $30k in $1k chips from Bellagio to Caesars, would the latter take them?

No, not in my experience. Perhaps at levels that high, a motivated casino host will see the opportunity in exchanging the chips but for the most part, no, chips are not exchangeable between casinos.

Quote: Nareed

How easy is it to exchange chips from one casino at another?

No longer anywhere near as easy as it used to be. If they accept your Foreign Chips, they will always want all of them in one transaction. They do settle up amongst themselves somehow but really it is now frowned on because of all the money laundering regulations and thefts/counterfeiting of chips.

A casino Front Money Account is easy to arrange. If you are struck by sudden wanderlust and just feel compelled to go where you have not made any prior arrangements and also want to take lots of money with you, its still pretty much a safe thing to do if you exercise a bit of caution.

In LV, yes, you can cash casino chips in at different casinos.

If you have some hundreds from Caesars, then you can turn them into cash at Bellagio, MGM, etc. It's really no big deal. They only thing they will check is to see if there's a "hold" on certain casino chips. Smaller denominations are even easier.


Thousand dollar chips are harder to exchange between casinos unless you are depositing them or have a history with the casino.

Quote: Keyser

In LV, yes, you can cash casino chips in at different casinos.

And yet Dan and s2dbaker disagree. However:

Quote:

If you have some hundreds from Caesars, then you can turn them into cash at Bellagio, MGM, etc. It's really no big deal.

I've seen this myself. While playing 3CP at the Fremont, a customer sat down with a pile of red chips from the California. the dealer told her she couldn't accept them for play, but that they could be exchanged for Fremont chips at the cage. I think there were less than $200 worth.

Also I've tipped the waitress with $1 chips from other casinos without any trouble.

Quote:

Thousand dollar chips are harder to exchange between casinos unless you are depositing them or have a history with the casino.

Well, large amounts can make a difference.

I consider chips 'cash'. The concept is how much money would you lose if a mugger got all of what you had on you. Even if the mugger might have issues cashing the large denomination chips YOU are out the money. And Nareed, mentioning you did not have any 'trouble' tipping a dollar chip is not relevant. You can tip in confederate currency, star trek quatloos, or anything else. What they do with it after you offer it is up to the waitress.

Quote: FleaStiff

A casino will offer you an escort to your car if you are leaving with a full rack or if you ever ask for an escort. I would not want to have an escort since it blatantly alerts the watchful to the fact you've got alot of money on your person. Its best to hire the most dedicated and highly motivated bodyguard there is: yourself. I've carried large sums with me in Vegas; I've been tapped out in Vegas. I try not to let my behavior or appearance ever indicate which state my wallet is in at the time.

You are so right on this but it goes even further. While I might ask for an escort if I had won a rack of black or more, your behavior is key. More to consider----

Muggers attack weak and distracted people. So walk upright. Walk fast but not too fast. Keep off the GD cell phone. Walk upright not hunched over. Do a quick survey of where you are walking as you walk. If you think you are being followed, make an unanticipated turn and make that turn into a safe place if possible. Consider a 180 degree change in course. If you are being followed in a car, do an unanticipated U-Turn.

On a more James-Bond level if you get on an elevator and are on a high floor and the person says "same floor" say, "oh, crap" and push a lower floor button and get off. In a car do a bootlegger's turn if you know how.

If you are getting a hooker, for crying out loud let her do business then throw her out. Do not let her make you a drink unless you like drinking Visine(R). Do not use the bathroom alone. Do not chitchat or let her look at your stuff. She wants to do more business anyways. Better yet, go to a legitimate brothel. You will pay more but it will be safer.

Being aware will probably cut your chances of being mugged by 90%.

In response to the question as to what we carry in Vegas...

I'm surprised no one said, "a .45 ACP..."

Quote: SOOPOO

I consider chips 'cash'.

So do I. The thing is that it may be easier, and less conspicuous, to carry a relatively small amount of chips than a large amount of bills. I think some casinos have chips as large in denomination as $10,000.

Quote:

And Nareed, mentioning you did not have any 'trouble' tipping a dollar chip is not relevant. You can tip in confederate currency, star trek quatloos, or anything else. What they do with it after you offer it is up to the waitress.

I guarantee tipping in confederate money gets you some intimate fluids from the waitress, or someone else, on your next round.

I had read it's ok to tip using chips, even from another casino. I had a few $1 chips from Excalibur I held on to because I was going to use them there later. At Bill's I found myself with $1 notes, so I asked the waitress there if a white chip from Excalibur was ok. She said yes.

The LV strip casinos regularly take each other's chips.

Some downtown casinos may be different because they are not doing very well.

Quote: Paigowdan

In response to the question as to what we carry in Vegas...

I'm surprised no one said, "a .45 ACP..."

That's because a proper fellow carries a Glock, and the Model 21 is a bit big for concealed carry. ;)

As EvenBob and AZ said, nearly every person there has something worth taking. Whether it's a little old lady with her SS check or the high roller decked out in Gucci, both have something a street thug would want. The best bet is following AZ's advice. Keep alert, stay out of low profile areas, and generally keep your wits about you. A very small percentage of thefts are confrontational, most are pickpockets and snatch and grabs. Always keep your money in front of you, and stop ordering doubles just to get waitress attention.

Personally, I don't follow the advice. When I was last in Vegas I wandered around by myself because that's what I do. If there's an alley, I want to see what's down it, or what's on the other side of this building. I'm weird like that. I didn't have any problems, although I'll admit it is not the prefered thing to do.

.....

Other than when going to Las Vegas or some other casino center, I almost never carry more than $100 or $200 in cash. I use my Amex card extensively.

As for "how" I carry cash rather than "what" I carry, I have a money belt I use to transport cash to Las Vegas. Once there, a fair portion stays in the safe. I carry a wallet in my front pocket, but it doesn't even have a section for currency. I do keep a couple of bills tucked away there, even at home, in case I run short. I carry a money clip for currency, and in Las Vegas I carry two clips -- one for "spending" money and one with just larger bills for "gambling" money. I keep these two clips in opposite front pockets; the only thing I carry in a hip pocket is a handkerchief.

Quote: gofaster87

The thieves prey on the weak, so dont look weak, lost or liquored up.

In other words, stay out of Harrah's :)

I am actually more paranoid that I will leave my money in the room safe when I leave than I will get robbed. Most of my money is in basically a money belt(not really, but same purpose). The thing I want to avoid is the pickpocket, and not the person coming up and assaulting me.

I tried just depositing the money in a cage, but after 1 very bad experience I'm not sure if I'll ever try that again.

Quote: soulhunt79

I am actually more paranoid that I will leave my money in the room safe when I leave than I will get robbed. .

They say the only way to keep your money safe it to have it on you. I've said before, I carry mine tightly rolled in a prescription pill bottle in my front pocket. Get one of the taller bottles, its exactly the height of a bill. You can roll $5,000 in hundeds up tight and it just fits in. I can feel it in my pocket, I can touch it from the outside with my hand, if I need to get money from it, go into a restroom stall. I've been doing this since the 80's and it feels very safe to me.

Quote: EvenBob

I carry mine tightly rolled in a prescription pill bottle in my front pocket. Get one of the taller bottles, its exactly the height of a bill. You can roll $5,000 in hundeds up tight and it just fits in.

Sir, I thank you, and am prepared to send you the sum of $1 for exposing me to this wonderful idea. Seriously. I thought you were full of it when I first read it, but I just went and put my cash into a pill bottle. Damn. I wish I had heard of this years ago. I won't need this idea for my Vegas trips, but since I carry exactly $5k for my line of work every day, this is going to be great for me.

Quote: konceptum

Sir, I thank you, and am prepared to send you the sum of $1 for exposing me to this wonderful idea. Seriously. I thought you were full of it when I first read it, but I just went and put my cash into a pill bottle. Damn. I wish I had heard of this years ago. I won't need this idea for my Vegas trips, but since I carry exactly $5k for my line of work every day, this is going to be great for me.

Its almost like a magicians trick. They often take something and fit it into a very small space. If you use a dark bottle, you can't see whats in it. If you ask 5 people if you can fit 5K into one, most if not all would say no way. I always carry a decoy money clip with a couple hundred in it in case I ever get robbed. I also wear baggy cargo pants when I'm in Vegas, the ones the have the huge oversized pockets on the sides, with flaps, and inside them is a smaller pocket with a velcro flap. Thats where I carry the bottle. Pickpocket proof if both flaps are velcro'd closed. Here's a hint. Tap the bottle against the palm of your hand until the roll starts to emerge, and when its out about an inch, you can peel the bills off one at a time and don't have to take all of them out and roll them up again.

Quote: soulhunt79

I tried just depositing the money in a cage, but after 1 very bad experience I'm not sure if I'll ever try that again.

what happened?

Quote: EvenBob

They say the only way to keep your money safe it to have it on you. I've said before, I carry mine tightly rolled in a prescription pill bottle in my front pocket. Get one of the taller bottles, its exactly the height of a bill. You can roll $5,000 in hundeds up tight and it just fits in. I can feel it in my pocket, I can touch it from the outside with my hand, if I need to get money from it, go into a restroom stall. I've been doing this since the 80's and it feels very safe to me.

Except when the mugger is looking for pills and you show him a pill bottle lmao then your out of luck.

The most I ever carried on me at once was 15,000 IN TWENTIES! They ddint have 50s or 100s when I got it.. that was a heck of a bunch and more then I coudl conceal, but I was too paranoid to not have it on me...so I had it stuck here and there lmao- I dont ever wanna do that again- I just wanted it in hundreds but NOOOO.

Ive heard of people just keeping 1K or 500 buck chips in moneys place and carring a few of them around- alot easier or safer in their oppinion

I like EvenBob pill trick. I may have to try that out.

Quote: Malaru

Except when the mugger is looking for pills and you show him a pill bottl

Yeah, those awful pill muggers. 'Your pills or your life' they demand, waving a gun in your face. You give them the bottle and its all cash and they go into a tirade and shoot you.

Quote: EvenBob

Yeah, those awful pill muggers. 'Your pills or your life' they demand, waving a gun in your face. You give them the bottle and its all cash and they go into a tirade and shoot you.

If I had a dollar for every time this has happened to me, I'd have a pill bottle full of $5k that they could mug me for..... Oh crap, recursive cycle.

Quote: EvenBob

I also wear baggy cargo pants when I'm in Vegas, the ones the have the huge oversized pockets on the sides, with flaps, and inside them is a smaller pocket with a velcro flap.

I foresee a potential problem for me as I only wear jeans. But, I'm looking forward to Monday to see how well the pill bottle works for me.

Quote: konceptum

I foresee a potential problem for me as I only wear jeans.

Jeans? In Vegas? In the summer?

Easy to spot the locals on the Strip because they DO wear long sleeves and pants. And suits. In summer.

Tourists do not.

.....

Quote: zippyboy

Jeans? In Vegas? In the summer?

Easy to spot the locals on the Strip because they DO wear long sleeves and pants. And suits. In summer.

Tourists do not.

Tourists are idiots. It's smart to cover your arms and legs in order to limit your skin's exposure to the sun, and to apply sunblock to the rest. The trick is to wear loose-fitting, light-weight clothes. Jeans are neither, but they're not so bad.

Well, for me, the whole pill bottle trick is for my day-to-day workings, and thus my worry about the jeans. I wouldn't use the pill bottle trick on my trips to Vegas, and thus it won't be an issue for that.

However, that being said, I still wear jeans all the time, and yes, I do wear jeans in Las Vegas in the summer. The only exception will be hiking at Mount Charleston, in which case I usually wear shorts.

Quote: EvenBob

They say the only way to keep your money safe it to have it on you. I've said before, I carry mine tightly rolled in a prescription pill bottle in my front pocket. Get one of the taller bottles, its exactly the height of a bill. You can roll $5,000 in hundeds up tight and it just fits in. I can feel it in my pocket, I can touch it from the outside with my hand, if I need to get money from it, go into a restroom stall.

And carry Monopoly money in a cheap wallet and leave it sticking out of your back pocket about an inch. (just for fun)

Crowds can be the worst. This is made even more effective when in Las Vegas because getting bumped by someone who is just a wee bit tipsy just isn't all that rare in Vegas and having pedestrian traffic flow suddenly disrupted by a gawking tourist is not at all suspicious.

The main thing is alertness. My turning down the corridor for an Odd Numbered room and then suddenly reversing course to get to my Even Numbered room wastes some steps and a few moments of my time, but its going to be a greater annoyance if someone is following me and I don't use such a simple and quickly executed dodge. Alertness and an overt attitude of alertness is good. Exuberant winners have been followed from the casino floor to their rooms, the parking lot or a lonely spot on the road. Its very rare but if you've been drinking and winning that is a fun combination. Fun for you. Sometimes fun for others too.

Really the risk levels in Vegas are not all that high but in some circumstances they are elevated. People do carry cash and chips. I've felt the utter fool sometimes but I do make sudden course reversals and I do use a sudden pause at a store front window now and then to see if anyone else is still behind me instead of passing me. I'm not paranoid about such things. There is no use being paranoid about getting mugged, but there is no use advertising your potential victim status by staggering around unaware of your surroundings.

Quote: FleaStiff

I do use a sudden pause at a store front window now and then to see if anyone else is still behind me instead of passing me.

I'm very wary about who I get on elevators with, going up to my room. Many times I've felt uneasy and exited just as the doors were closing, or just walked away before getting on. Saying you can't be too careful isn't just a pleasant catch phrase, it should be a way of life. At the end of which, you can tell people, well, nothing like that ever happened to me. Thank god..

For those who posted that they make sudden stops to check if anyone is following them, or go down one hallway only to turn around suddenly and go down another:

Is this only when you have a lot of cash/chips on you, or is this something you do all the time?

Quote: soulhunt79

I tried just depositing the money in a cage, but after 1 very bad experience I'm not sure if I'll ever try that again.

Quote: odiousgambit

what happened?

First I only did this twice and the first time went off with no issues at all.

I had asked the casino before I arrived if it was possible to just go to the cage and get some money out for spending money. This was a deposit of around 5k and I would be taking out ~1k at a time. My first trip I had no issues at all with this. The second trip they simply wouldn't allow as I tried 3 times. I could get it on a table and gamble a little bit and then go cash it in which I did a few times.

The whole experience of them telling me I could do something and then flat out refusing later on just ended up not worth it to me. If I have to put half in the casino cage and then carry what I want to spend elsewhere on me, I might as well just carry everything on me.


FWIW, I had heard this might be an issue and that is the reason why I asked twice ahead of time if I could do what I wanted. If they would have said no, I wouldn't have gotten annoyed. :)

Quote: soulhunt79

First I only did this twice and the first time went off with no issues at all.

I had asked the casino before I arrived if it was possible to just go to the cage and get some money out for spending money. This was a deposit of around 5k and I would be taking out ~1k at a time. My first trip I had no issues at all with this. The second trip they simply wouldn't allow as I tried 3 times. I could get it on a table and gamble a little bit and then go cash it in which I did a few times.

The whole experience of them telling me I could do something and then flat out refusing later on just ended up not worth it to me. If I have to put half in the casino cage and then carry what I want to spend elsewhere on me, I might as well just carry everything on me.


FWIW, I had heard this might be an issue and that is the reason why I asked twice ahead of time if I could do what I wanted. If they would have said no, I wouldn't have gotten annoyed. :)

I'd be interested to know which casino was involved in this issue.........

I have gone to the cage and "put up front cash money" at Paris, Rio, Aria, Beau Rivage, and Harrah's Tunica.

I have taken money from the cage, and I have taken it from the craps table. On one trip Paris did make me take a minimum draw of $750, but other times I have been able to do $500.
I did have one trip to Harrah's Tunica that was a disaster. I guess instead of telling them I wanted to deposit "up front cash money", they thought I wanted to put cash on deposit. This locked all my money up at the cage. I was not allowed to draw against it at the table. It took awhile to get that straightened out.

We used to carry quite a bit (higher than the average in the poll) until a couple years ago. Now we open a credit line with the casino(s) we know we'll be gambling in, with the balance in traveller's checks. Vegas has branches of the bank we use at home so we I suppose we could go access our money there too (haven't tried yet though). As another poster remarked, I also use a "giveaway" wallet....

.....

Quote: gofaster87

Thank god Im not living in paranoia like some of you are. Many times I have carried 20K+ and didn't even consider looking over my shoulder. You people must have some serious phobias. I could understand if someone had previously been mugged but to look for shadows and change direction out of precaution is just plain fear and ridiculous. Only other reason that this behaviour would be excusable is if you actually thought you were a secret agent and trying to hide from Goldfinger.

Haha I had to laugh at your post but I do agree with you 100%

Quote: gofaster87

Thank god Im not living in paranoia like some of you are. Many times I have carried 20K+ and didn't even consider looking over my shoulder. You people must have some serious phobias. I could understand if someone had previously been mugged but to look for shadows and change direction out of precaution is just plain fear and ridiculous. Only other reason that this behaviour would be excusable is if you actually thought you were a secret agent and trying to hide from Goldfinger.

I think it's also dangerous. If I were a mugger, I'd be paying attention to the paranoid dude.

Personally, the only time I've ever carried $20k is when I've accidentally won money at the tables. But I will regularly carry $5k-$8k at the start of a day. Also, I no longer leave any money back in the hotel. After being robbed by the Rio maids last year, I do not consider my room to be a secure place.

Quote: gofaster87

Thank god Im not living in paranoia like some of you are. Many times I have carried 20K+ and didn't even consider looking over my shoulder.

The original guy who started the Computer Group in the early 80's would often walk around Vegas with 100K on him. He was a paranoid mess and would run full out from casino to casino (I'm serious) and stand shaking next to a security guard till he thought it was safe, and run to the next casino. If he was driving, he would have security walk with him to his car. Talk about drawing attention to yourself. It got so bad he almost had a nervous breakdown and got saved by pro's like Billy Walters and others.

I was followed out of a casino by some gangbangers right after cashing out.

I was lucky enough to run into a crowd of people coming out of late theater show though on what was a minute before an empty sidewalk. When I checked back behind me, they had done a 180 and were headed in the other direction.

That was my closest call. Never been mugged though.

Yeah, if you're a guy, and generally can take care of yourself, there's not as many situations where you have to get worried about. But that was one that made me be a little more careful about being too carefree.

Quote: gofaster87

Thank god Im not living in paranoia like some of you are. Many times I have carried 20K+ and didn't even consider looking over my shoulder. You people must have some serious phobias. I could understand if someone had previously been mugged but to look for shadows and change direction out of precaution is just plain fear and ridiculous. Only other reason that this behaviour would be excusable is if you actually thought you were a secret agent and trying to hide from Goldfinger.

I wouldn't call it paranoia but rather "situational awareness." I doubt people are doing the James Bond stuff all the time, but it does not hurt to be aware. And unlike the TSA you can profile who is following you. The little old lady you can ignore. The burly looking dude you want to be careful around.

Stratfor.com has good stuff on "situational awareness" and how you cannot do it all the time, but should when you need to. Actually they are a great source all around for interesting insights. Most readers here would like them.