How safe is the EL (Chicago, Oak Park: home, neighborhood, school)

[Alice53]

My daughter moved to Chicago about 2 weeks ago. She lives near Loyola uiversity, on Wintrop. How safe is it to ride the El? I'm worried all the time! Is it safe say after midnight? Have there been any attacks on people waiting to get on the El?

[Drover]

The L carries about 200 million riders a year without anything untoward happening to all but the tiniest fraction of them. Yes, people occasionally get attacked waiting for a train, or on a train, but the number of incidents per rider is such that your daughter would probably be more likely to get hurt in a car accident if she drove around the city than be assaulted on a train or platform. By the way, there's nothing special about L platforms or trains that you're more likely to be assaulted there than walking around the street; in fact it's probably less likely due to there usually being other people around.

Rogers Park can be dicey here and there, but the part by Loyola is consistently the safest part. Nonetheless, I would never advise any female to be walking to and from L stations (or anywhere else for that matter) alone at midnight no matter how theoretically safe the neighborhood is. That's just common sense. If your daughter has any common sense, you needn't be worried; the chances of something happening are slim.

[HOWELL_STREET]

We seem to have started in the direction of people safety vs. criminal aspects. Is it legal in the city of Chicago to carry pepper spray? In honesty. I don't know. However, your daughter should carry pepper spray, too - - if it is legal.
A problem in any large city is that the municipality bans firearms for the honest people, but the dishonest carry and use them when they can get away with it.
But recently surfing in the news is the mechanical safety of Chicago's Elevated Chicago transit system. That system has been around since the late 1800s and Chicago is running out of money for its infrastructure repairs.
In the news about a fortnight ago, it was noted that the track system is in poor shape on certain transit lines. The line that goes out to Oak Park? I don't know for sure. A number of years ago (circa 1974?), at the big curve on the CTA system in downtown Chicago, one train rammed into another knocking at least one car off of the elevated curve - tressle. A number of people lost their lives in that accident. So like Drover states, it is VERY important to be alert and careful in everything you do.
One other important subject that we brought up in other threads. The CTA system has a third rail that has approximately 660 volts A.C. on it. So don't ever get close to that rail. The rail is always farthest from the passenger platforms.

[Manigault]

The train crash on the Chicago el was in 1977 and occurred basically because the operator was flying higher than the train. Operationally, the el has a pretty good safety record. However, I think your daughter may have the option of surface transit to and from Loyola, also.

Advise your daughter that if she is ever confronted on the street, she should throw her money on the ground and run, blowing her whistle. That is a survival tactic better than sprays or the OK corral shootout.

[vester72]

The L is great - ride it daily, nightly - wonderful way to get around the city. Very safe, but always be aware of your surroundings, especially if you ride late at night.

[j33]

The last time I was hassled on the 'el' personally was in 1989 (and it was pretty minor). Just tell her to use common sense, don't ride it late and night, and watch where she takes it.

I do know someone who was recently hassled on the 'el', but he was taking the green line alone through the west-side at 4am ... probably not his brightest moment. As long as she isn't doing anything like that, she should be okay (oh, and tell her to take off the d*mn Ipod and pay attention to what is going around her if she is walking home at night, especially in Rogers Park, it is amazing how many girls I see who don't).

[Alice53]

Thanks for all the responses! The info makes me feel a little better.

[Chicago60614]

I moved from Iowa when I was 21 and lived off the Blue line. I would take the red line to the blue line at any and all hours between 10pm and 6am (I liked to party, ha) by myself. I never once had the slightest problem, and I was most likely wandering in a daze just asking to get attacked.

I'm not saying that nothing ever happens, but you'd probably be just as likely to get in a car crash or be hassled on the street than you ever would riding the El.

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

I moved from Iowa when I was 21 and lived off the Blue line. I would take the red line to the blue line at any and all hours between 10pm and 6am (I liked to party, ha) by myself. I never once had the slightest problem, and I was most likely wandering in a daze just asking to get attacked.

Just to comment (and Im sure you know), this is not good street smarts. Its great nothing happened to you, but it seems especially newcomers to the city get a false sense of security when stumbling around at all hours of the morning. There was just an article in the Sun Times about a couple recent attacks on the north side involving pretty much the same situation: recent attractive college grad from the Iowa cornfields walking home from the bar alone, except in her case she was jumped from behind. Luckily she had pepper spray and the attacker ran. But it bears repeating: dont walk alone at night. Always have someone else with you.

[jessiegirl_98]

I am 26 and have been at LUC for 6 years (grad school). There are some areas that are a bit dicey in Rogers Park, but there are a TON of people around Loyola. If she uses common sense, she will be fine! My advice to her is that if she does ride alone at night, to ride in the first car (where the el driver is). The worst thing that ever happened to me on the el was a homeless person peeing on my foot (and that was downtown during rush hour!). She'll be fine, especially with a group!