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All the places you list are basically fine except I would definitely avoid King's Cross, and possibly Paddington.
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Originally Posted by rak
As above. All OK except Kings Cross - still seedy #2, drunks and junkies on the some streets. Maybe they will try to clean it up when the new Eurostar terminal opens at St Pancras.
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Originally Posted by peterscot
No area is 100% safe. Bear that in mind and you should be OK.
The places you mention are all central tourist areas (Kings Court doesn't exist. If you mena Kings Cross - its a bit seedy and did have a problem, but might be OK now. I don't know).
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Originally Posted by pepi
The tube is fine late at night as long as you use common sense and don't dress provocatively i.e miniskirt and **** hanging out and don't get involved in a conversation if somebody approaches you. Just smile sweetly and move away.It's the same in London as it is in any big city, don't wander around poorly lit areas on your own and most of all use your head.
So yeah, it seems like residents of London disagree with you and say that, like any other major city anywhere in the world, London has some areas that are more dangerous than others. Paris has such areas, Tokyo has such areas, and New York has such areas.
I live in San Jose, which is the largest city in the region known as "Silicon Valley", an hour south of San Francisco. The population of San Jose is approximately 1 million. "East San Jose" is considered a bad area, especially the intersection of King and Story. It is not as if you will be shot on sight if you walk into that intersection -- there is a shopping center with a Target (popular national clothing/electronics store chain) there -- but locals would suggest avoiding the area due to crime. It is basically the San Jose equivalent of King's Cross.
So yeah, it seems like residents of London disagree with you and say that, like any other major city anywhere in the world, London has some areas that are more dangerous than others. Paris has such areas, Tokyo has such areas, and New York has such areas.
I live in San Jose, which is the largest city in the region known as "Silicon Valley", an hour south of San Francisco. The population of San Jose is approximately 1 million. "East San Jose" is considered a bad area, especially the intersection of King and Story. It is not as if you will be shot on sight if you walk into that intersection -- there is a shopping center with a Target (popular national clothing/electronics store chain) there -- but locals would suggest avoiding the area due to crime. It is basically the San Jose equivalent of King's Cross.
You seem confued. I never said London doesn't have areas that are more dangerous than others - just that there are no real ghettos, or areas I would avoid. There are estates that I would avoid, but not entire areas. King's Cross isn't that bad - like most areas of inner London, it's experiencing an influx of yuppies and middle-class children. It's kind of like Brixton in that regard.
That Lonely Planet link is from 2007 in any case. King's Cross is undergoing a huge redevelopment right now and is unrecognisable from then. Not that it was really that bad anyway.
In fact a lot of places previously considered dodgy have become/are becoming gentrified. I used to take a night bus through Dalston 20 years ago and it was full of pushers, pimps and prostitutes. Now it's actually become quite nice with loads of cool restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, gig venues and art galleries popping up
The "hard" parts of the American lifestyle - the trade-offs one has to make in the pursuit of financial success - drove me away from the US to Europe, where the ability to live my life at more leisurely pace more than compensate me for lower wages, higher taxes and prices of goods and services. It's just a matter of priorities.
Many Europeans ARE critical of America, but just as many and perhaps more don't necessarily like the American lifestyle, but are envious of, or admire, the openness of Americans, their lack of respect for authority and many other aspects of the "American character".
I am happy to report that I have not had to shed any of these traits to "fit in" over the last 19 years, here, in Denmark.
I don't think we have any ghettos like they have in the US. I mean, we have areas of higher poverty and crime, but no areas to avoid IMO.
There are no areas that are dangerous?
Here in the U.S. we have extremely dangerous neighborhoods, extremely dangerous trailer parks, extremely dangerous areas and they are sometimes white, and sometimes black, and sometimes both. Even in what we call "the sticks" (out in the country) there are areas that are very, very dangerous and you'd be taking your life into your hands in the U.S. to enter those areas.
Are you sure about that? Isn't everyone in France a beret-wearing, upper middle class white person who walks to the boulangerie each day for fresh baguettes?
Well, that's what Americans think France is about, and how the French dress! As I've mentioned before, my roots are Spanish, and I'd be one serious sort of multi-millionaire if I had received $100 for every time an American asked me if Spanish women dress in those red long flamenco dresses out on the street, and whether or not they wear the "thingies" on their heads (called peinetas, and they're part of a dancing costume).
Here in the U.S. we have extremely dangerous neighborhoods, extremely dangerous trailer parks, extremely dangerous areas and they are sometimes white, and sometimes black, and sometimes both. Even in what we call "the sticks" (out in the country) there are areas that are very, very dangerous and you'd be taking your life into your hands in the U.S. to enter those areas.
Exactly. All the switchblade ghetto gangsta Kids. What do you suggest to do with them?
Here in the U.S. we have extremely dangerous neighborhoods, extremely dangerous trailer parks, extremely dangerous areas and they are sometimes white, and sometimes black, and sometimes both. Even in what we call "the sticks" (out in the country) there are areas that are very, very dangerous and you'd be taking your life into your hands in the U.S. to enter those areas.
If what you say is true, then no, there are no such areas like that at all. I don't feel in danger walking in any area of my city, even the ones with high crime.
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I think you were but it wasn't 100% clear. Please reassure me. 
