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I've always thought there are two reasons the bars are so common: 1) As already mentioned, crime. I don't think the bars are justified in most areas of the city, it's more a just perception of crime being "bad" in the Albuquerque area. This has been discussed numerous times in the threads. 2) Great, cool, dry nighttime weather. During the summer, ABQ probably has the best nighttime air in the country to sleep in. Sleeping with windows open leaves people feeling vulnerable. Hence, bars.
Makes perfect sense to me. If I wanted to sleep with an open window (and I would where air is nice at night), bars would be a logical solution.
Yes a large Bravo for Neighborhood Associations. Bars on your windows is about as stupid as it gets. Yea, your house is on fire. How the hell are you going to get out of 'that prison' you have created?!
You push the release button, the bars fall off, and you climb out the window. Every room has at least one window with quick release bars.
Do you really have such little faith in US building codes that you think they wouldn't think of that?
If you are a burglar and you see a house with bars on the window... next to a house without bars, all else being the same, which one would you try to rob?
It's more about making it more trouble than its worth...
Hey, if you have bars on your windows, sorry if I offended you. But they just remind me of Mexico. And we all know why people there have them on their homes.
"Iron bars are part of life in Spain. In fact, few Spaniards would even think of living without them, and many even enjoy decorating their doors and windows with custom designs that are intended to be both beautiful and secure.
Your Spanish home will typically come with bars on doors and windows, but if you build your own home, you will be able to decide whether or not to install this security measure. And, if you plan to have the bars eventually, it is best to do it now as the built-in variety are more secure than those that are installed after construction is finished."
Bars do not mean good stuff inside in older neighborhoods, where the only houses without bars are the updated ones. They generally mean that the occupants are renters or haven't bothered to redo the windows and update the look of the house.
I am getting new windows in my rental, but the bars stay. All it means is that I cannot get swing windows, as they will not open too far. Sliders it is.
I've been working on getting a job and house in advance of a move to Albuquerque, and while the job search is going slowly, I'm more alarmed at the housing situation. Plenty of wonderful properties are for sale right now, and I'm working with a realtor to find what I need. While I'm looking in the NE Heights area, where the crime map shows it's generally safe, I notice plenty of the houses listed feature bars on windows and doors--anything glass--or have security systems installed. I have looked into the crime rate in Albuquerque, but those crime stats for my town here in Montana also look much worse than the actual situation merits. Crime is not a problem where I live, people feel safe, even though the crime stats put us about at the national average rate. Albuquerque's crime stats are considerably higher than the national average, and I wonder if the bars and alarms are a sign that it's really a dangerous place to live, no matter where you might live in town. I am a single lady, older, and really don't want to learn how to survive Breaking Bad/Mad Max daily reality in my next home. Any thoughts about whether the bars and alarms are hysterical overkill or wise prevention?
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