Do you personally feel safe living here in Atlanta? (East Point: apartments, violent crime)

[Figment 07]

-- I mean wherever you happen to be living within our 13-county metropolitan Atlanta area right now. Can you say that you would feel reasonably secure both day and night inside your own home, out in your yard, on your street, in your neighborhood?

Are you able to walk alone after dark on the streets around your home without feeling uneasy?

If not, what would have to change in order for you to feel safer?

[xxman777]

Absolutely. I have no problem walking around day or night in my neighborhood or many in town neighborhoods. I can understand though why others do feel unsafe. In general I'm the type of person who goes to great lengths to make myself not appear to be a good target, and I put myself in positions where I'm not likely to be a victim of crime. A lot of people don't do this and buy into the media's agenda of how dangerous and crime ridden Atlanta and most other major cities are.

[sprtsluvr8]

I feel completely safe in my house. I have an alarm system and advertise it with a sign in front by the mailbox. I have 2 labs and a weimaraner, all big dogs with big barks that would send a message not to come in. I have good neighbors who are in and out a lot and I think they are good for security.
I'm safe in my yard too. It's completely enclosed with a brick and iron fence and an iron gate across the driveway (my dogs can hear when the gate opens). Anyone could get in with no problem, but it's at least good for keeping away unwanted solicitors. The streets around my neighborhood are quiet, with few non-residents cutting through in cars or on foot.
Most of feeling safe is taking a few simple precautions, but there is no need to feel paranoid over crime statistics. I live in East Point and there is a major misconception about the crime here. I wouldn't live here if it was a ghetto, but I don't have a problem knowing there are ghetto areas around Cleveland Ave. and on Washington Rd. It's far enough away to be a non-factor.

[backfist]

I agree. Crime exists anywhere and everywhere; some places more than others. We're a family of martial artists, so while we don't have a lot of firearms or guard dogs, we do have an account with B. ChoAzz Security Systems. Our home is our sanctuary.

As important as personal security is, many crime victims--especially violent crime victims--often play a role in their victimization. Random violence is still low; here in Atlanta and across the country. Media certainly plays a role in making us feel like random violence and crime is rampant, but we as citizens need to demand a change in that kind of reporting.

I feel reasonably safe and secure otherwise.

[roamfree]

I feel safe. I live intown. I dont have a yard but we have a courtyard. The times I've been out there I have felt safe. I dont feel unsafe walking from my car if I park outside the gate. I feel safe in my apartment. Someone would have to know the code to even get into the building.

[john1963]

i lived there 39 years, and i can say it all depends on the area you are in. Some places i didn't think twice about walking around with lots of cash, other areas are very scary. A good test is the numbers of places with burglar bars.

[TakeAhike]

I consider traffic to be part of Public Safety and No, I do Not Feel Safe--in the Least...

I know for a fact that my metro area's police department needs to be increased to at least twice the size. Just for traffic --really. They have More than they can possibly do--and I really feel they have to handle -'problems' that arise in other areas. What can possibly done?
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This has been 'Some' kind of a day in metro Atlanta for traffic.

Started off this AM with advisories--'I85 S bound--yadayada--at Clairmont--expect delays'--

That is a street I need--always gets used as an alternate route when I85 has problems. And the drivers are ready to go fast when they come off the expressway--Clairmont has 4 lanes and 2 each way and you had better just 'Get Out of the Way'---

Then--they just announced a Red Traffic/Breaking Bulletin--at 4PM not far from downtown/Ga Tech area--a school bus and six cars--one fatality--complete gridlock.
And--
an apartment fire in Chamblee--NE--of the gridlock.

We have been having too many apartment fires lately. That scares me as much as anything--fire. Some apartments are older--maybe they burn faster?

And of course--with gridlock traffic even on surface streets--the fire department/paramedics/police can't respond as quickly as needed. That is the sort of stress we have here--the crime is under relative control, but the traffic is a serious issue.

sls

[Figment 07]

Interesting angle, bhs119. You raise a good point. When we can't get out of our driveways without risking life and limb, security in our neighborhoods would certainly be compromised.

Now that you mention it, when I talk to my parents about moving here, my mother never mentions crime. She fears traffic.

[xxman777]

I agree with bhs119. While I don't really feel unsafe on the streets because of the possibility of becoming a victim of a robbery, or random murder, I do feel unsafe because of the pathetic pedestrian infrastructure, and car oriented development.

[atlantagreg30127]

I have a monitored alarm/fire system as well as three large dogs in the house. Even when home I keep the doors and windows locked (the lower windows have locks that require keys). At night I leave my security lights on around the house (I use the newer outdoor fluorescent spotlights which use only 23 watts). New neighbors behind me have a Pit Bull that stays out doors all the time (not sure if that's a plus or not yet, but he lets you know if someone is around for sure). A locking mailbox prevents mail theft which was a problem around here lately.

So in THAT sense, I feel safe at home.

Still, while I wouldn't have a panic attack if I had to walk somewhere at night around here, there HAVE been a few acts of random violence toward walkers at night, so, I wouldn't push my luck unless I had to. Even realizing how the media focuses only on the bad and it seems blown up, I still think Atlanta has a disproportionate amount of certain crimes compared with similar cities (stats, etc). It's not Iraq, but it's not Mayberry, either.