College-age female nervous about Chicago

[skyeINIL]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Correction: I meant Lathrop Homes around Clybourn and Diversey... Altgeld Gradens is on the far south side. Sorry about that.

The same warning applies to Altgeld Gardens, too, though.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by skye1974

The same warning applies to Altgeld Gardens, too, though.

I think the warning for Altgeld would be do not enter the vicinity unless heavily armed and with an armor plated vehicle.

[skyeINIL]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

I think the warning for Altgeld would be do not enter the vicinity unless heavily armed and with an armor plated vehicle.

A few weeks back we were headed to Blue Island to see my in-laws, but found out that they weren't home. We discovered this while driving down 130th right outside the Gardens. Like the genius I am, I decided to turn around and head back to the Bishop Ford by pulling into the neighborhood. Nothing happened, but I got an eyeful of how bad it is over there. I was trying not to laugh because my husband kept saying, "Don't look at anyone, just keep driving, just keep driving."

[Albert0]

Ah, Mayor Bryne's infamously 'safe' Cabrini Green housing project. I used to errantly call it Cabrini Greens and someone I knew that lived there wanted to bash me over the head for that. "Hey! What do you think? This is a gulf course or something?!!!" He was of course joking with me and was quite a good friend with a bad address. Once I was robbed about 4 times in 5 minutes there. One needs to be careful on their (ahem-ahem) nighttime shopping expeditions. I have walked all over the city at all times of day. I think it is considered generally common sense, for example, not to walk beaches in the dark by yourself at night, as romantic as it might seem. Prancing in the dark with gold chains streaming off your neck may obtain a particular type of attention you may not be prepared to reply to. I mean, let's show some consideration and sympathy here for the fact that we are not all similarly blessed with great fortune. I would probably say that any incidents that I have encountered, rare as they were, were brought on by my own stupidity. And yes, it is a good rule, if you feel awfully out of place in a neighborhood, you probably will be, or might be, all depending, if you understand this subtlety. There are some people that come from small towns that actually fit in much better in a big city, therefore, they will probably be happier and as well safer in such spaces. For example, I might be much more likely to be bashed if I visted in, let's say, Peoria?

[dragoro]

Originally Posted by TaJasMi

...use your best judgement..oh and if you can handle S. Florida...you can handle Chicago.Sorry that's all I can tell you.

That has to be the dumbest thing I've ever read. South. Florida aint dangerous. Its a cake walk compared to living in a major city.

[xourtney]

Originally Posted by NYrules

You lived in CT and are asking about Chicago? Didn't you ever venture into Manhattan when you lived in CT or go into Hartford?

I was only 12 when I left CT, but I've never been to Hartford.

[Chicago60614]

Just use common sense, but it's not really a HUGE deal. Being safe is one thing, but some people are so obsessed with getting attacked they don't even live their life.

I moved from Iowa (along with the rest of the people on the north side), and have never seen anything even remotely dangerous. Of course it's there, but it's not like the hype about "big city crime".

You have 3 million people walking the streets day after day. Random acts of violence are pretty rare compared to the population base.

[nora123]

hey i did the same thing....i had moved to chicago right after college and never been to chicago before that...at first it was overwhelming considering i have never lived in a big city before. i came here by myself didn't have family and freinds so i totally know how you are feeling right now....you should sooo move to my neighborhood (i live in lakeview there is tons of young people and stuff to do)...am always looking to make new freinds so you should send me a message. i would love to show you around...