I survived Cleveland!!! (Akron, Youngstown, Warren: crimes, homes, neighborhood)

[italianbluesboy]

Well I visited Cleveland from Central Appalachia, and I survived to tell about it. I made some careful choices to ensure my well being during my visit.

1. I did not venture east of I-77. Actually, I did go into Slavic Village for about 5 minutes looking for the Europa store to buy some Polish sausage and keeshka. Well, Europa is out of business, half of the homes were abandoned, and this former neighborhood of Eastern European descent didn't look so European anymore. It actually looked more like another continent. But anyway, I stayed west of I-77 and stayed alive!

2. I went out at 8:00 am and was in by 6:00 pm, except for a quick and careful trip to Augie's pizza. I noticed that so many crimes are in the wee hours. Just a few days before I got to Cleveland some Clinic employees were shot coming from a club at 2 am.

3. I did not go downtown. I was in Tremont, west side, around Mittall Steel, and Whiskey Island, but not downtown. I was going to check out the scene on West 25th but I saw all the panhandlers and decided it wasn't worth the hassle, someone would just **** me off.

4. I did not make eye contact with all the gay guys "cruising" and sitting around in cars on Whiskey Island when I went to see the ore docks and salt mine and Edgewater Park.

5. I didn't leave valuable items sitting around in my truck to tempt anyone. I did notice some people had The Club on their steering wheels in the West 3rd Street vicinity.

Cleveland's obviously got some rough patches, but with a little common sense, one can survive it.

[prairiestate]

[CortlandGirl79]

Did you ever make that trip to Youngstown a year or two ago??? If so you must have survived that too!

[BelieveInCleve]

Consider yourself lucky, because many do not make it out.

[italianbluesboy]

Originally Posted by CortlandGirl79

Did you ever make that trip to Youngstown a year or two ago??? If so you must have survived that too!

Yes, I have been to YT three years in a row, went out between 8 am and 3 pm. Also Warren and Sharon, PA. Lots of industrial history to see, and I even ate a Brier Hill pizza at the Avalon Gardens and was invited a Slovak Club to have a beer with a retired steelworker. However in Akron I wandered into a rough neighborhood and its residents were sending me strong signals to put me on notice. My strategy was to not walk back up the same street twice, but rather to make a continuous loop. NE OH is full of interesting history to visit, but I think some strategy is involved for personal safety.

Now if I can only work up the nerve to go to the dangerous and deadly areas in Holmes County, Ohio and visit Lehman's Hardware and see blacksmiths and bonnets and buggies. That is the real dangerous "hood"!

[JR_C]

IMHO, these "strong signals" are a figment of your imagination. You're expecting to see them, so you find them.

I've been to downtown Cleveland, the Greyhound station after dark no less. I walked from there to Tower City, and wasn't really worried about my safety. I was just aware of my surroundings.

[firefightermom]

Originally Posted by italianbluesboy

1. I did not venture east of I-77. Actually, I did go into Slavic Village for about 5 minutes looking for the Europa store to buy some Polish sausage and keeshka. Well, Europa is out of business, half of the homes were abandoned, and this former neighborhood of Eastern European descent didn't look so European anymore. It actually looked more like another continent. But anyway, I stayed west of I-77 and stayed alive!

Slavic Village has been known to have a problem for over a year now...even got publicity in the Washington Post....The Shadow of Debt - washingtonpost.com. It's sad to see an area go so completely downhill so fast.

[000000]

Originally Posted by italianbluesboy

1. I did not venture east of I-77. Actually, I did go into Slavic Village for about 5 minutes looking for the Europa store to buy some Polish sausage and keeshka. Well, Europa is out of business, half of the homes were abandoned, and this former neighborhood of Eastern European descent didn't look so European anymore. It actually looked more like another continent. But anyway, I stayed west of I-77 and stayed alive! 4. I did not make eye contact with all the gay guys "cruising" and sitting around in cars on Whiskey Island when I went to see the ore docks and salt mine and Edgewater Park.

maybe if you were more tolerant of other people, which you are not if you are willing to make snide comments like these two comments, you would realize that most of what you fear is all in your head. for as crappy as northeast ohio can get, most of the places within it are home to people who will not do anything to you unless you instigate them or come off as really weak. your weakness likely was on full display. the people giving off smoke signals were likely laughing at you, too.

[CortlandGirl79]

Originally Posted by italianbluesboy

Yes, I have been to YT three years in a row, went out between 8 am and 3 pm. Also Warren and Sharon, PA. Lots of industrial history to see, and I even ate a Brier Hill pizza at the Avalon Gardens and was invited a Slovak Club to have a beer with a retired steelworker. However in Akron I wandered into a rough neighborhood and its residents were sending me strong signals to put me on notice. My strategy was to not walk back up the same street twice, but rather to make a continuous loop. NE OH is full of interesting history to visit, but I think some strategy is involved for personal safety.

Now if I can only work up the nerve to go to the dangerous and deadly areas in Holmes County, Ohio and visit Lehman's Hardware and see blacksmiths and bonnets and buggies. That is the real dangerous "hood"!

Yeah, look out for those amish gangstas!

BTW, how was the Brier Hill? I've yet to try it from Avalon Gardens (which i hear is fantastic). I usually get my Brier Hill from the Sunrise Inn in Warren or Vasilios in Cortland.

[Chef Boyardee]

Originally Posted by italianbluesboy

Well I visited Cleveland from Central Appalachia, and I survived to tell about it. I made some careful choices to ensure my well being during my visit.

1. I did not venture east of I-77. Actually, I did go into Slavic Village for about 5 minutes looking for the Europa store to buy some Polish sausage and keeshka. Well, Europa is out of business, half of the homes were abandoned, and this former neighborhood of Eastern European descent didn't look so European anymore. It actually looked more like another continent. But anyway, I stayed west of I-77 and stayed alive!

2. I went out at 8:00 am and was in by 6:00 pm, except for a quick and careful trip to Augie's pizza. I noticed that so many crimes are in the wee hours. Just a few days before I got to Cleveland some Clinic employees were shot coming from a club at 2 am.

3. I did not go downtown. I was in Tremont, west side, around Mittall Steel, and Whiskey Island, but not downtown. I was going to check out the scene on West 25th but I saw all the panhandlers and decided it wasn't worth the hassle, someone would just **** me off.

4. I did not make eye contact with all the gay guys "cruising" and sitting around in cars on Whiskey Island when I went to see the ore docks and salt mine and Edgewater Park.

5. I didn't leave valuable items sitting around in my truck to tempt anyone. I did notice some people had The Club on their steering wheels in the West 3rd Street vicinity.

Cleveland's obviously got some rough patches, but with a little common sense, one can survive it.

You forgot to mention your "Uncle Mike"