"The El" Chicago Subway System (Evanston, Detroit: safest, moving to)

[oakparkV]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

My office does not allow women to ride the El after 9pm, any line. I think this is a bit overzealous but I understand where they are coming from.

My SIL's office downtown does the same thing... If you work past 7PM, you get a dinner voucher plus cab fare home, courtesy of the company... Must be nice!

Anyhow, I 2nd (3rd, 4th, 5th?) the Brown Line.
I live on the Green line route (Oak park) and it gets pretty sketch going through the West side, particularly after dark. I've done it before... just keep my purse close to my body and mind my own business... but it's not a particularly nice ride...

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

They might pay for cabs for guys, but I don't know many guys who would ask. Double standards like this don't really bother me as the El is extremely convenient for me and the biggest both is waiting the 5-10 mins for the next train.

You shouldn't have to ask. Every place I've ever worked in the Loop has automatically reimbursed for cab rides home after 7pm. It's just a perk for working all that overtime.

Why wouldn't a guy ask!? I'm a male, and I certainly take a cab home every time I'm here until 7pm or later. It's not a safety issue at all for me, it's a "what's better, 40 minutes taking the train or 20 minutes zipping up Lakeshore in a cab?"

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by Drover

The Orange Line seems remarkably stewbum-free. Brown Line too, mostly.

Yeah, the Orange was a second choice for me as well. It's always been very "nice" every time I've taken it.

I only chose Brown because it's almost "fancy" in regards of how clean the trains are, and how well put together all the people seem to be. Especially at rush hour it's backed with little hotties going to their corporate jobs downtown. I just sit with my headphones on and lust away.

[Drover]

Heh, me too. Though I suspect we're not lusting after the same hotties.

[chitown noob]

in for later. i need to read this thread.

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by Drover

Heh, me too. Though I suspect we're not lusting after the same hotties.

Proooobaby not. Less competition

[Geostud]

I've heard before that the green line on the west side has the most incidents of theft. I would also agree that the red and green lines on the south side can be sketchy.

[Toxic Toast]

Not a Chicagoan, just a frequent visitor.

I have rode the Blue line from the loop to Ohare, the brown line, and the red line as far south as 47th Street and up to Belmont. The only time I ever felt even slightly uncomfortable was waiting for the Blue Line at the California stop at around 1 am.

[Humboldt1]

Try waiting on the green line at the California stop anytime of day if you want to be uncomfortable. Green line goes thru some really tough neighborhoods on the west side. I am always relieved we they run it express as 80-90% of the weekday commuter hour riders live in Oak Park and work in the loop. I wish it would not stop between Austin and Ashland, would save me 10 min each way and make for much less riff raff on the train.

[Feeling Brackish]

The brown line is probably the safest, though strangely enough, the only incident I have ever had on the train was a brown line train at like three in the afternoon. I was in a mostly empty car and got harassed and threatened by a couple of thugs.

I recommend always trying to pick a car that has plenty of people in it, especially during off peak hours. As others have said though, just look out for pick-pockets. My girlfriend had her wallet stolen right out of her backpack without even noticing at the Belmont Red/Brown line platform only two weeks after moving to Chicago.