Poll: The most dangerous strip in Baltimore? (Towson, Catonsville: broker, hotel)

[DJ Pioneer]

This is a funny thread. From my limited experiences, I'd say Greenmount Ave, York Road, Broadway north of Hopkins, and Harford Road are bad areas.

I should also add: I've driven through them during the day and at night and never felt in danger personally. Walking at night, might be a different story.

[kinkytoes]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

I don't think education and morals go hand in hand. There are so many decent, hardworking, genuinely good people in small towns and inner cities across America who never went to college.

All the corrupt stockbrokers and robber barons on Wall Street and Manhattan are college educated, many from the Ivy League. Someone can have an engineering degree and work for NASA but they can go home and pay for their daughter to have an abortion. Morals are not something taught in colleges or public schools, its something taught in the family and in religious institutions. Actually a lot of urban black churches do their best to instill good moral values in youth and for every drug dealer you see there is probably a Christian preacher or chaplain trying to counteract his effects.

Now that I think about it you're completely right. I guess the poor just have fewer resources to shield their wrong-doing and protect themselves from the scorn of others. I mean Paris Hilton, Jefri (the sultan of brunei's brother) and scores of other very dumb, mean and uneducated people are rich. I apologize to poor people. That was a jerky thing for me to say.

[vivo]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

Is Route 45 (Greenmount Ave) from Route 40 into Towson safe? I got some intro materials from my graduate student housing complex and they suggest that for shopping we drive all the way to Cockeysville for Wal-Mart and Target. I hear there's a Walmart and Target in the city but the complex suggests Cockeysville instead.

greenmount ave is like the dividing line for drugs or something like that in some places. not sure about driving it. hopefully someone here can give u better info.

[chippeebobippee]

I drive Greenmount...walk it too...don't live far from it. Greenmount, like every other street, has it's good spots and not so hot ones. Once you are above (north) of 36th Street, there are no probs meaning nothing that ought to startle or scare someone witless. If you conduct yourself fearfully, you will be afraid. The same applies to Harford, Belair, Charles, Calvert, york and other roads leading north from the city.

Regarding the Target, there is a new one at Mondawmin Mall but I've not been there so cannot comment.

The Walmart in the city is at Port Covington and you'd have to check for yourself. Personally, I find it to be more off-putting and "unsafe feeling" than many of the areas I see frequently decried and bashed on this forum. You will have to judge for yourself.

The best thing about going to Cockeysville for the Walmart and Target is that they are relatively close together and the Walmart is a new super center. However, you can go to Towson Place and shop a Walmart, Target and many other stores within one spot.

[barante]

I am flabbergasted about security concerns the previous poster expressed about the Port Covington Walmart. Please explain. I visit the store frequently and find it safe, uncrowded and easy to navigate. Certainly better than the one in Catonsville.

[geocycler]

I'd have to say that the area where DavidSki drove through on Edmondson going into the city is one of the worst I've experienced. If you fail to bear right onto Franklin(and continue straight on Edmondson) where Edmonson and Franklin meet, you will find yourself in a place that feels pretty scary even in the day. The worst part is that there isn't any straight route directly on Edmondson that leads out to MLK, so you can feel pretty lost if you don't know the streets. Plus, there is almost no traffic and red lights at every other street. Any out of towners who would like to see a realistic portrayal of Baltimore's bad areas should get the DVD's for the HBO series "The Wire". But please do not be scared off by the bad areas as there are plenty of nice places.

[rudy_d]

Originally Posted by geocycler

I'd have to say that the area where DavidSki drove through on Edmondson going into the city is one of the worst I've experienced. If you fail to bear right onto Franklin(and continue straight on Edmondson) where Edmonson and Franklin meet, you will find yourself in a place that feels pretty scary even in the day.

Trying to save some time one night after a long drive, I experimented with taking 40 for the first time to get into the city from I-70 and failed to bear right at the intersection you mentioned, and I agree it was not a pleasant experience. Very little traffic, most of the houses boarded up, but still plenty of people milling about. There are some areas north of Hopkins hospital that are very similar.

However, if you stick to the main drag, route 40 may seem scary the first or second time for someone not used to an urban environment, and it's not exactly scenic, but I don't think it's really "dangerous." Likewise with Greenmount. It deteriorates rapidly south of about 29th St. down to Monument, but it's heavily traveled and has a large police presence. I wouldn't recommend taking a leisurely stroll on parts of it, but in a car there's really nothing to worry about.

[diamondeye]

Yeah, same thing here. Wasn't paying attention; one minute everything's fine and I'm almost back at MLK, next thing I know I've just entered the set of the Wire. I was very agitated, I knew I stood out like a sore thumb, anybody in a car would.

It was beyond ghetto it was a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Quite frankly since the area's so empty it could probably be gentrified without even displacing anyone. Well, um, other than the obvious. But quite frankly, "screw them."

[lb528]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

Is Route 45 (Greenmount Ave) from Route 40 into Towson safe? I got some intro materials from my graduate student housing complex and they suggest that for shopping we drive all the way to Cockeysville for Wal-Mart and Target. I hear there's a Walmart and Target in the city but the complex suggests Cockeysville instead.

i don't know about target in the city, but the wal-mart at port covington isn't that bad. i've only had one bad experience there as far as feeling unsafe...but i was alone and it was very late, so that was stupid on my part.

there are cameras in the parking lot and there's usually a police officer near the door.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

Is Route 45 (Greenmount Ave) from Route 40 into Towson safe? I got some intro materials from my graduate student housing complex and they suggest that for shopping we drive all the way to Cockeysville for Wal-Mart and Target. I hear there's a Walmart and Target in the city but the complex suggests Cockeysville instead.

I'm not quite sure where you're coming from but I much prefer the Target at Mondawmin. It is generally less crowded, bigger, and easier to get to (for me). If you don't mind a short walk you can take the Metro Subway to Mondawmin, one of the few useful places it goes. It isn't as ghetto as everyone will say and I think the Mondawmin mall is going to be pretty nice when they're finished remodeling it.

My problem with those cockeysville shops is the poor traffic planning on York Rd (Rte 45). The surroundings in the city may be depressing but driving in the county is far more dangerous, I think. Of course I did just wreck my car on York Rd in Cockeysville, so I'm biased.