European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 27, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Travel tips child s killing puts focus on Italy s roads by the new York times when Highway bandits gunned Down a 7-year-old american boy Nicholas Green in Southern Italy late last month the killing inspired deep Shock among americans and italians. One reason for that was simply the rarity of such violent crime against foreigners. Southern Italy Calabria and Sicily in particular is no stranger to violence from the organized crime networks that flourish there the nor Argheta in Calabria and the Cosa Nostra in Sicily. But it is a violence that generally targets those directly involved in pursuing or fighting crime. The death of Nicholas was the exception rather than the Rule and seemed far less the result of the systematic targeting of foreigners than has been the Case say in Miami. Elsewhere in Italy reckless driving is generally far More of a threat to safety than Highway robbery. Nonetheless the killing of the Young american has pointed to some Clear lessons for travellers in Italy and one of them is to avoid the Salerno Reggio Calabria Road at night. It was on that Highway that two hooded men in a Small car pursued Nicholas his 4-year-old sister Eleanor and his parents Reginald and Margaret As they drove in a rental car after stopping at one of the Auto Grill rest stops that Dot Italy s highways. Like other stretches of Highway in Italy notably the Messina Catania Road in Sicily the place where Nicholas was killed is a known haunt of thieves. More than 7,000 trucks were hijacked in Italy last year most of them in the South. In Sicily Long distance truck Drivers often form convoys under police escort. Auto Grill and other service stations in Southern Italy moreover Are just As notorious As places where Petty thieves will smash car windows to get at radios or possessions left inside. Travellers in the South should plan to drive in the daytime Only fill the Gas tank in Advance and keep going until they reach a Safe destination. In particular one should not Stop at night in the unlighted rest areas along the Side of the Autostrada. These precautions apply primarily to Southern Italy in particular the stretch of Highway in Calabria where Nicholas was killed. In Italy s better known tourist areas Reginald Green took this photo of his son Nicholas in front of the matterhorn in the Swiss Alps a week before the boy was shot and killed in Italy. Like Tuscany Umbria and the Northern lakes there have b in no reported incidents of violent crime against foreign travellers.  booking a hotel try to find one with parking off the Street although throughout Italy there is no Safe Refuge from the theft of car radios and cassette players. The question sometimes arises what do you do if someone in a passing car challenges you with a gun As happened to the Green family most such attacks Are intended for robbery Only according to the police but there have been cases where thieves also sought to rape female passengers. If you do decide As Reginald Green did to try to accelerate away do not then slow Down again until you have reached a police station the assailants who killed Nicholas caught up with the greens car twice and fired into it before abandoning their attempt to Rob the family. The United states embassy in Rome gives no specific advice for such dire circumstances. But it does caution motorists on the Rome Naples Highway to beware of would be Samaritans often the person offering to help you replace a punctured tire punctured the tire during your last Stop for Gas and is in cahoots with an accomplice whose Job is to pilfer from the car while the Roadside repair is under way., " y. Similarly the embassy issues a general warning to foreigners to beware of thieves impersonating police officers always demand to see the officer s personal . Card known As a document apart from any separate badge saying police or International  guides help tourists get around . A number of free and or inexpensive guides and books to England Are How available according to the British travel authority. A free pocket sized guide details the historic stretch of the River thames from Blac friars Bridge to Tower Bridge with the City on the North Bank and Southwark on the South. The 24-Page brochure has a pull out a p and offers information about famous roundabout and lesser known historic Sites. Also listed Are pubs restaurants and a diary of events. London s historic Riverside is available at the Southwark heritage shop in St. Mary Overie s Dock Cathedral Street or at Southwark tourist information Center Hay s galleria. Lincolnshire is a Rich source of Antiques and visitors16 the county can pick up a new leaflet giving the location and specialities of 4.4 shops and centers. The Lincolnshire and South Humberside Antiques guide ranges from Large Multi enters to Small shops specializing in such items As 17th-and 18th-Ceritury English Oak furniture Staffordshire pottery antique clocks and women s clothing from the 1920s and 1930s. The guide is available at tourist information Center Suh the area. Many of Brit Ainis historic cathedrals and churches now offer lunch As Well As Liturgy. Prices average about 5 pounds about $8 per person in restaurants that Range from Cloisters crypts and Undercroft to More contemporary . Eat at cathedrals and churches is a guide to 36 of them with opening times locations prices and the food available. All have some vegetarian dishes. The guide is available at All 36 restaurants or by mail overseas if you Send an International reply Coupon to the association ecclesiastical caterers chapter House refectory St. Albans Abbey Sumpter Yard 5t Albans Hertfordshire Ali 1by. / " ?A comprehensive yet pocket sized guide to vegetarian eating in the capital has just been published. The cruelty free guide to London features 250 places including 130 restaurants plus sections on Bath Brighton Oxford and other destinations. It is available for 4.95 pounds about $8 from London bookshops or by mail order from cruelty free living 126 Churchfield Road London w3 6bs. Telephone 081 / 723-4971 or Send a fax to 081/723-4984. When calling from outside the England dial your International Access code the country code 44 and drop the first 0. New collection of women travel writers offers history adventure Dinesen by Bill Kaufman new Day " of " ,. Unsuitable for ladies an anthology of women travellers selected by Jane Robinson Oxford University press $30 this collection of writings by almost 200 Globe hopping women conveys a sense of adventure and also provides a glimpse at the changing social morals during the past Century. The gifted writers include Isak Dinesen Karen Blixen whose african experiences instantly spark images gazing Back into the past i do i believe remember each individual lion i have seen his coming into the picture his slow raising or rapid turning of the head the strange snakelike swing of his tail.". Smart business travel How to stay Safe when you re on the Road by Stacey Ravel Abarbanel first books Chicago iii., 60657, $12.95 apparently prompted by some of today s headlines the author has compiled a Handy Little Book that gives a number of sensible suggestions to make travel safer. Some might feel it s a paranoid s dream but there Are useful Telephone numbers and scores of Clever protective Dodges. The author tells of a woman who hands a reprinted card to hoteliers hello my name is Jane Doe. I have a reservation and am Here to Check in. Please do not state my name or room number out  Dober 27, 1994 stripes Magazine 25