for whats safe, lock up in a public place where people are going to be looking at your bike all the time. no one will approach it if others would see them working.

lock up in a way that would make it hard to get at the lock with whatever tool. such as in a rack with other bikes, in some sort of tight place etc. pull the cable tight so that it cant be maneuvered into a position it could be cut in easier.

a bike where the public eye wont see it is a sitting duck, no matter how good the lock.