Areas to avoid in Baltimore (Ridgely: crime rate, hotel, homes)

[melneale]

Hey again. Now that I have my hotel under control I am staying in the inner harbor and plan on walking everywhere I can. Are there any areas to watch out for. I am familiar with big cities but I also know some places just being obeservant is not enough of a precaution?

Thanks!!

[Tom Lennox 70]

It will be best not to cross west of MLK Boulevard to West Baltimore. East Baltimore is also very bad, not sure exactly what street but I would avoid the areas around Patterson Park and definitely the areas north and east of Patterson Park. A sign is to avoid anywhere you see one of those flashing police lights at night. They are supposed to signify cameras at intersections installed to cut down on criminal activity but they are no longer monitored, I think because the funding ran out.

Stick to downtown, Fed Hill, Fells Point, Canton, Ridgely's, and Mt. Vernon to be safe and never walk alone at night unless you carry a gun. Walk in groups or take a taxi. My friend was mugged last week in front of the VA hospital.

[jonjj]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

It will be best not to cross west of MLK Boulevard to West Baltimore. East Baltimore is also very bad, not sure exactly what street but I would avoid the areas around Patterson Park and definitely the areas north and east of Patterson Park. A sign is to avoid anywhere you see one of those flashing police lights at night. They are supposed to signify cameras at intersections installed to cut down on criminal activity but they are no longer monitored, I think because the funding ran out.

Stick to downtown, Fed Hill, Fells Point, Canton, Ridgely's, and Mt. Vernon to be safe and never walk alone at night unless you carry a gun. Walk in groups or take a taxi. My friend was mugged last week in front of the VA hospital.

North and east of the park is perfectly fine as long as you don't go to far north or east of the park. That is the key. Not sure where you heard the lights are no longer monitored???? link please.

[wigs817]

Baltimore police phase out 'blue light' cameras

Googled and this is what I saw... nothing more recent, so I'm not sure if the city went through with it or not.

[baltimoreterp]

Once again, let me snuff out some sweeping generalizations again here. "West of MLK" is a pretty vast area that also includes some very historic locations that are probably worth a visit. No, the area is not entirely as unsafe as described by previous posters, and exercising caution while traveling in a city is always important; as you indicate you have traveled in other cities so you understand.

West of MLK you will find Edgar Allen Poe's home, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum and a few eateries around the Hollins Market area. Patterson Park as indicated above is also very nice and is wonderful to walk through.

Enjoy your visit and just use caution as you would in any city.

Welcome to Baltimore!

[jonjj]

Speaking of west of MLK, on Sunday I went to a home on Hollins Street right off of MLK (can't get to it from MLK-dead end). That block has to be one of the nicest blocks in town. I never knew it existed before but great homes. I hope I just didn't let out their secret.

[LogSS]

[SIZE=2]After reading all these comments, I'm beginning to think Baltimore or Maryland is not part of the United States, instead it belongs to some other uncontrolled and corrupt countries. The generalization here is that when most people think of or are planning to visit B'more, is that it is not safe so they ask where not to go. They heard crime is a major problem by word of mouth or from reading the Baltimore Sun which reports about 2 or 3 homicides a day. Not to say other cities don’t have this problem, but B'more crime is destroying its tourism and is preventing people from moving in. The majority of folks on this blog and the residence I've spoke to seem to be putting the real issue and the truth aside. That they don’t want to the know the realization that B'more is actuality not safe at all. To be fair, it's not just B'more, but the state of Maryland as a whole is rank 9th unsafe state and is ranked 2nd in murders, assaults, robberies, etc etc in the country. This report was put out recently by CQ Press not to be confused with GQ. So to quote, as I have heard from most people in this city who said of B'more "it's a city and there are crimes in every cities, you have to be careful" is a bunch of garbage. It seem like people here are aloof than in other places. I lived in many cities and I call tell you that B'more is scary; very scary. Hell, Washington DC use to be one of the most dangerous places to live and yes there are many parts that I wouldn’t dare go in but B'more as a whole is dangerous. DC is ranked higher in term of safeness than Maryland and Baltimore. Instead of defending crime, why don’t the residence do something about it. For one, I would get rid of those liberal judge and toughen the law. Seems like if you kill someone, you get out of jail in a year. Look at VA, it's rank as 14th SAFEST state and it's right next door. [/SIZE]
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[PopsGifts]

B'more has the same problems that most large cities have; crime, poverty, rats, drugs, unemployment, etc...but "Scary"?
What scares you about Baltimore, Buttercup?

The worst-of-the-worst criminals are stuffed into City Jail (which is the reason you have to commit a multiple-murder with video witnesses and a confession to get any real time, not "liberal judges"), and the over-flow are roaming their own neighborhoods...so stay in your own 'hood.

Many areas in B'more are safer than your own bathroom...and a few are not.

Your "reality" is nothing more than a biased opinion.
Baltimore's crime and reputation for the same is based on a common phenomenon in large cities: The tendency to Hot-box the poor and the black residents into cluster-communities of cheap housing where drugs are easier to find than jobs.

[LogSS]

[SIZE=2]PopsGifts - yes most cities have crime, poverty, rats, drugs, unemployment but Baltimore has more of it compared to other large cities. Don’t stray away from B'mores problem and try negate this crime issues. Cities even ones larger than B'more do not have all these problems as B'more. It's people like you who is aloof from reality and are always trying to compare it to other cities problem. Perhaps you haven't been any where else. The Wired is true example of what's happening in B'more. Whether you like it or not, the truth will shun your pride. I suppose you like living with filth, trash, neighborhoods with broken windows, drug dealers on many corners, blue lights on most intersections and murders that occurs 2 or 3 or sometime even 4 times a day and people afraid to walk around their own neighborhood at night or even during the day time and are kept hostage in their own home. Maybe that doesn’t scare you but to majority of folks it does. They're not used to living with so many trash and crime unlike you. If the city is so safe, then why are there so many blogs on this site from people asking what part of the city to avoid. The first thing you read is "I plan to visit B'more but heard from many people that it is not safe. What areas should I avoid." Read the crime statistic, watch the new, read the papers. It's all in your face. Don't hide from reality, it will only make the city worst when you ignore the problem. People in this city think it is normal to live in these kind of conditions that they will ignore these facts.
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[jonjj]

Baltimore's crime rate is a problem. I don't think there has been a sole on here who has denied that. But, the sweeping generalizations that the entire city is plagued by crime are facticious and misleading. The fact is, a person can find a safe neighborhood to live in the city with many of the conveniences of urban living and not be threatened by crime. The statistics speak for themselves: most if not practically all victims of crime in this city are related to drugs. Stay away from the drugs=stay away from the crime. I happen to find living in Baltimore quite pleasant regardless of the crime rate because it has not affected me or most that I know.
Baltimore has some neighborhoods with horrible living conditions and extreme poverty. The focus should be on that moreso than judges. What you describe above log is a sad fact in many of the neighborhoods. But, the facts speak for themselves: there are many options for someone to live a decent life in the city and feel safe. And, like you mentioned above, the state of Maryland including the many suburbs around the city aren't any safer. In fact, there are many city neighborhoods that experience less crime than surrounding communities.