Info about The Banks and surrounding area, please (Cincinnati: new construction, general contractor)

[progmac]

Originally Posted by lsrn

How safe will it be for a single female to walk to shopping, etc during the day? I was told by a friend who lives in Florence that "there are certain parts of downtown Cincinnati that you don't go walking alone". Do I need to reconsider?

Most people walk by themselves during the day - so the streets are filled with lone walkers throughout the day. Some people just don't get downtown much and when they do they are uncomfortable being here - fighting traffic, one way streets, people around on foot and bike. It really isn't a reflection on the safety of the area, just on the difference between downtown and a residential suburb.

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by progmac

Most people walk by themselves during the day - so the streets are filled with lone walkers throughout the day. Some people just don't get downtown much and when they do they are uncomfortable being here - fighting traffic, one way streets, people around on foot and bike. It really isn't a reflection on the safety of the area, just on the difference between downtown and a residential suburb.

No one could have said it better!

Hell, Florence is even scarier ... I saw an Asian lady trying to cross mall road one day and thought, yep - she's not from here because that's just suicidal. I'd be scared outta my mind.

[deg1114]

It's amazing how moving to the suburbs can change your perception. I have friends who moved to West Chester and talk about how dangerous it is for me to live in the city. It wasn't that long ago when we all would hang out on Main Street practically every Friday and Saturday night!

[lsrn]

Is downtown all decked out with Christmas decorations? If so, I bet it is beautiful!
Thanks to everyone for your replies, and I wish you all Happy Holidays!

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by lsrn

How safe will it be for a single female to walk to shopping, etc during the day? I was told by a friend who lives in Florence that "there are certain parts of downtown Cincinnati that you don't go walking alone". Do I need to reconsider?

Well, despite what some people on this board will tell you, there are parts of Over the Rhine--which I consider part of downtown--where I wouldn't walk around on a bet. Notice the people telling you it's all fine are going to be male.

I think there's a lot of panhandling going on all over downtown. As a small-framed 60 year old woman, I find that threatening and I'll go to considerable lengths to avoid it, especially in a situation when there are few other pedestrians on the street. And for those of you who insist panhandlers are harmless and I should just tell them no thanks: I'm even more intent on avoiding them altogether after a woman in my age bracket got her face slashed when she politely refused a panhandler a couple weeks ago at 9:00 IN THE MORNING at the Thornton's station at Colerain and North Bend. I used to buy most of my gas there. No more.

[Cincy-Rise]

^ that was you?!

... I'd recommend going to Neons and socializing with the massive amounts of young YP women that own condos in the gateway quarter.

I had a .25 pulled on me on Colerain Ave., but I'll continue to shop on Colerain.

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by Cincy-Rise

^ that was you?!

... I'd recommend going to Neons and socializing with the massive amounts of young YP women that own condos in the gateway quarter.

I had a .25 pulled on me on Colerain Ave., but I'll continue to shop on Colerain.

Well, you can say these things are just freak occurrences. And I realize the vast majority of panhandlers don't violently attack their targets. On the other hand, I kind of like viewing them as little alerts, where I don't have to be saying to myself later "I KNEW I should quit doing 'X' back when 'Y' happened." Plus, it's not like there aren't a lot of other places I can buy gas where it's somewhat less likely somebody with a knife and a mean disposition's hanging around.

I mean, I knew I was in the ghetto already, I just ignored it.

[lsrn]

Well, thank God I have the means to protect myself, if it came down to it....I own a .38 revolver and a .40 semi-automatic. And, no, (being a female), I'm not afraid to pull the trigger if I feel my life is in danger. If approached by a pan-handler wanting money, and I say "No, I'm sorry".. and they go away - fine. If they don't go away, I'm pretty sure all I would have to do is take my free hand and pull up my gun so they can see it - then they MIGHT go away. If they hassle me, I know what to do.
Every female needs to know how to use a weapon of some sort, because you just never know who is going to try something. And I'm not just blowing smoke, I have shot both of these guns and I'm not afraid to use them.

Ms Perry, where is "the ghetto" that you referred to? I hope not the area downtown where I'm going (Current at the Banks)?

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by lsrn

Ms Perry, where is "the ghetto" that you referred to? I hope not the area downtown where I'm going (Current at the Banks)?

I apologize for heading the thread off in a relatively unrelated direction.

The incident happened in Mt. Airy, where most of the people who now populate the little business district (other than the gas station) are from the several crime-ridden Section 8 apartment complexes nearby. The panhandler in this instance listed his address as a halfway house in Over the Rhine, although my guess is he is basically homeless, because he'd been released from that facility a couple years ago.

[progmac]

Originally Posted by lsrn

Ms Perry, where is "the ghetto" that you referred to? I hope not the area downtown where I'm going (Current at the Banks)?

No, just to reiterate, the conversation went off course. The ghetto she is talking about is nowhere near current at the banks. It is miles and miles away.