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most "dangerous" city you've been to?

Started by CapeCodder, August 03, 2017, 01:41:01 PM

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CapeCodder

The word in quotes is subjective...

I lived in St. Louis for 16 years and never had a problem. Hell, people up in the north end of the city knew me by my first name. I do not understand why STL city is rated most dangerous in the USA. North St. Louis County, on the other hand is more dangerous than the city itself. Yes, the latest rash of violence within the city limits doesn't look good, but it's not like that throughout the city.

As for most dangerous I've been to? Joliet, IL. I stayed at a no name motel there and as I stated in a post in the road trip forum, the place was infested with brown recluse spiders. About halfway through the night, some man came up to the door and he started pounding it and screaming that I "better have the fucking money" Luckily for me, I was in my truck, sleeping as I didn't want a brown recluse bite to ruin my day. He went at it for a good forty-five minutes. The lot was unlit so he couldn't see me. Gunshots rang through the night. People watching was pretty good as there were all sorts of "Ladies of the Night" I guess entering and exiting the rooms. That night was wild and I shall never forget it.


bandit957

Might as well face it, pooing is cool

US 89

San Francisco. Even worse than NYC and several other big cities. My dad had a panhandler come into the Walgreens that he was in, and the panhandler shook his cup in my dads face. Also, my parents' friends watched a policeman shoot an extremely aggressive dog (probably a pit bull).

Max Rockatansky

Detroit by a large margin.  I was born there and the city was in worse shape back when I was a kid with crime.  Really you have to watch your back outside of downtown, going to Tigers Stadium was always an adventure.  I remember watching some guy get shot at some on ramp to I-75 leaving a Tigers game one night when I was a kid.  My Dad gunned through the light and hit the Interstate, we never did find what happened or if the guy died.  I had a Cousin from Cleveland get lost trying to find me at Tigers stadium get mugged because he didn't listen about not stopping to ask for directions in the city.  It wasn't so bad two years ago when I scoped out the Packerd Plant but I would chalk that up to almost nobody living in the city limits anymore, 1.8 million in the 1950s to about 600k today is a hell of a drop. 

Otto Yamamoto

Quote from: roadguy2 on August 03, 2017, 01:58:19 PM
San Francisco. Even worse than NYC and several other big cities. My dad had a panhandler come into the Walgreens that he was in, and the panhandler shook his cup in my dads face. Also, my parents' friends watched a policeman shoot an extremely aggressive dog (probably a pit bull).
How is NYC bad? You're pretty safe in most parts of the city 24/7. I ride around on the subway at all hours, I have yet to get hassled for more than spare change or a smoke. The most danger I've ever been in, maybe was taking the two dollar vans to Jamaica when I worked in Glen Cove, and my CNA's would give me a ride as far as New Hyde Park, and that's just because those kids vans were held together with bailing wire and bubblegum....

P00I


hotdogPi

Quote from: Otto Yamamoto on August 03, 2017, 03:07:59 PM
Quote from: roadguy2 on August 03, 2017, 01:58:19 PM
San Francisco. Even worse than NYC and several other big cities. My dad had a panhandler come into the Walgreens that he was in, and the panhandler shook his cup in my dads face. Also, my parents' friends watched a policeman shoot an extremely aggressive dog (probably a pit bull).
How is NYC bad? You're pretty safe in most parts of the city 24/7. I ride around on the subway at all hours, I have yet to get hassled for more than spare change or a smoke. The most danger I've ever been in, maybe was taking the two dollar vans to Jamaica when I worked in Glen Cove, and my CNA's would give me a ride as far as New Hyde Park, and that's just because those kids vans were held together with bailing wire and bubblegum....

P00I

This thread seems to be "most dangerous experiences", not which cities are statistically the most dangerous (which is why I deleted my post about going to the aquarium in Camden, NJ).
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

Brandon

Quote from: CapeCodder on August 03, 2017, 01:41:01 PM
As for most dangerous I've been to? Joliet, IL. I stayed at a no name motel there and as I stated in a post in the road trip forum, the place was infested with brown recluse spiders. About halfway through the night, some man came up to the door and he started pounding it and screaming that I "better have the fucking money" Luckily for me, I was in my truck, sleeping as I didn't want a brown recluse bite to ruin my day. He went at it for a good forty-five minutes. The lot was unlit so he couldn't see me. Gunshots rang through the night. People watching was pretty good as there were all sorts of "Ladies of the Night" I guess entering and exiting the rooms. That night was wild and I shall never forget it.

I'm curious as to which motel you were in.  Fenton's, Joliet Inn & Suites (a former HoJo at one time)?  Especially with shots ringing out through the night.  I live not far from there and have never heard such gunshots.  Fireworks yes, gunshots no.

As for me, I'd say the most dangerous city is Chicago.  Yes, it even outdoes Detroit nowadays.  Hell, downtown Detroit felt downright safe compared to the Loop at night.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

AlexandriaVA

Quote from: roadguy2 on August 03, 2017, 01:58:19 PM
San Francisco. Even worse than NYC and several other big cities. My dad had a panhandler come into the Walgreens that he was in, and the panhandler shook his cup in my dads face. Also, my parents' friends watched a policeman shoot an extremely aggressive dog (probably a pit bull).

The panhandling story sounds annoying, not dangerous

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: AlexandriaVA on August 03, 2017, 04:06:43 PM
Quote from: roadguy2 on August 03, 2017, 01:58:19 PM
San Francisco. Even worse than NYC and several other big cities. My dad had a panhandler come into the Walgreens that he was in, and the panhandler shook his cup in my dads face. Also, my parents' friends watched a policeman shoot an extremely aggressive dog (probably a pit bull).

The panhandling story sounds annoying, not dangerous

Maybe 20-30 years ago you could make more of a reasonable argument for SF and NYC being unsafe but not these days.  SF is just s beautiful city to wander around in, with NYC there are cops everywhere. 

Someone mentioned Chicago, I'd put that right up there with Detroit aside from downtown.  I might reevaluate my opinion after I visit both cities later this month.

Takumi

Baltimore, although I pretty much stayed around the Inner Harbor every time.

I spend lots of time in Richmond, but it's much better than it used to be.
Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped.  I must stop them.

Don't @ me. Seriously.

Rothman

Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Takumi

Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped.  I must stop them.

Don't @ me. Seriously.

davewiecking


Rothman

Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Rothman on August 03, 2017, 06:27:52 PM
Quote from: Takumi on August 03, 2017, 06:05:51 PM
Quote from: Rothman on August 03, 2017, 05:56:26 PM
Holyoke, MA
I don't get it.

There's nothing to get.

Apparently it does have pretty high crime statistics for what it's worth.  Might worth a look at the UCR.  South Tucson would probably be pretty high up there on my list of dangerous cities and it is only about a square mile in size.

csw

I spent 30 minutes trying to find my way back to the interstate in East St Louis once. I wasn't ever fearful for my safety but I definitely didn't want to hang around any longer than I had to.

edit: Alorton/Centreville, to be more specific

realjd

#16
Easily Nassau. That place has (had?) a murder rate worse than Baghdad. Don't want to walk anywhere in that town past dark. We've been there four or five times and always had a good time though. Like anywhere, don't be stupid and be aware of your surroundings and you'll be fine.

In the US, every city has a bad area and every city has good areas. Just avoid the bad areas.

A good rule of thumb from someone who has traveled extensively: even in areas that look rough or places where you obviously don't fit in, pay attention to other people. If everyone is just going about their business and ignoring you, you're fine. If a number of people stop what they're doing and look at you, turn back.

Homeless people don't make an area a bad part of town. Some cities just attract them more than others even in areas that are perfectly safe, like downtown San Diego.

Edit: also wanted to add that there are very, very few places where driving through a bad part of town on a freeway or major through road is dangerous, even at night. Same for riding mass transit. With trains and buses, even if criminals are on there, they're just trying to get someplace else just like you. Crimes are exceedingly rare actually on a train or bus. Just avoid getting off at a station in a bad area at night.

hbelkins

Quote from: csw on August 03, 2017, 07:55:17 PM
I spent 30 minutes trying to find my way back to the interstate in East St Louis once. I wasn't ever fearful for my safety but I definitely didn't want to hang around any longer than I had to.

edit: Alorton/Centreville, to be more specific

ESL certainly has a reputation. My dad had several books on old US 66 and several of them had dire warnings about ESL.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

1995hoo

I guess I'd list Miami, specifically the area around the old Orange Bowl. I went down there for a football game the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2005 and I parked and took the Metrorail to the game. There was a shuttle bus to the stadium, but I had in mind to walk to meet some friends to tailgate. All the black people getting off the train stopped me and said to take the bus because it was too dangerous for a white person to walk through that part of town. I figured if they went to the trouble to warn me of that instead of secretly laughing at the dumb whitey, it had to be a pretty bad area, and I also noted THEY were all taking the bus, so I took that bus both ways.

There are parts of Washington DC where I've considered not stopping at the red lights late at night for safety reasons, especially east of the Anacostia River when I've driven through after midnight on the way home from FedEx Field. The more sensible option is to go a different way!
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Max Rockatansky

#19
Florida isn't exclusive to Miami.  Orlando had some really bad neighborhoods along Orange Blossom Trail "OBT" especially the closer you got to the Parramore neighborhood.  I've never seen so many used tire shops in my life before, the area was heavy on industry and older homes.  I-4 with Parramore was almost like an urban barrier from downtown, essentially conditions changes almost instantly once you cross the Interstate.



plain

I've lived in or have family in several cities along the east coast, plus I've visited Detroit and Chicago several times. But probably the most dangerous is New Orleans, the first night I was there a man and woman at the hotel I was staying at was shot (the man died)... talk about first impressions smdh

Quote from: Takumi on August 03, 2017, 04:47:53 PM
Baltimore, although I pretty much stayed around the Inner Harbor every time.

I spend lots of time in Richmond, but it's much better than it used to be.

Indeed Richmond used to be a very dangerous city with a ridiculous murder rate (#2 in 1994, #1 in 1997). I remember a few of the neighborhoods I lived in through most of the 90's were about as rough as they come.. at one point I lived in the East End in an area between two projects and hearing gunfire was normal. The city still has it's issues but you're right it's definitely much better than it used to be.
Newark born, Richmond bred

jeffandnicole

Been in both Camden, NJ and Wilmington, DE many times without issue.

OracleUsr

Anti-center-tabbing, anti-sequential-numbering, anti-Clearview BGS FAN

Avalanchez71

I would say Bucharest Romania.  There are packs of wild dogs that run the streets.  The hotel staff would not let me walk out at night.  I thought they were just trying to get a kickback with trying to arrange a car for me but man they were right that I would not want to walk around at night.

Rothman

Everyone is saying Detroit.  When I visited Detroit, I found downtown pleasant enough.  I know it is a rough, half-empty city overall, but Holyoke doesn't have any redeeming quality to it.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.



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