Frick and Schenley Parks at Night (Pittsburgh, Washington: travel, violent crime, offer)

[Elder18]

Is it safe to travel through these places on bikes at night? Specifically I'm thinking about crime in the parks.

I haven't seen any mention of it in the PG since I started obsessively reading it, but I thought I'd ask.

Thanks.


P.S.
I've heard that there's never crime in the parks in Washington D.C., at night or in the day.

[Elder18]

By the way, the line about no crime in D.C. parks was meant to be a joke.

Hopefully no one is refusing to give me an answer based on misguided Pittsburgh pride due to my little crack.

Is there truly no one here who doesn't have any opinion on this?

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by Elder18

By the way, the line about no crime in D.C. parks was meant to be a joke.

Hopefully no one is refusing to give me an answer based on misguided Pittsburgh pride due to my little crack.

Is there truly no one here who doesn't have any opinion on this?

I'd have an opinion, but I'm out in Oakland, CA -- and if you're walking through OUR parks at night -- YOU have a death wish that someone will happily grant.

[Hopes]

Elder,

Nobody should walk or ride through any city parks alone at night.

That's just common sense.

It doesn't matter what city. It doesn't matter what city park.

Nobody should ever go into a city park after dark alone.

It's called street smarts. Learn them. Use them.

[PghREA]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Elder,

Nobody should walk or ride through any city parks alone at night.

That's just common sense.

It doesn't matter what city. It doesn't matter what city park.

Nobody should ever go into a city park after dark alone.

It's called street smarts. Learn them. Use them.

The same advice goes for county, state and national parks as well.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by PghREA

The same advice goes for county, state and national parks as well.

Agreed. The operative word in my advice is "alone."

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Elder,

Nobody should walk or ride through any city parks alone at night.

That's just common sense.

It doesn't matter what city. It doesn't matter what city park.

Nobody should ever go into a city park after dark alone.

It's called street smarts. Learn them. Use them.

I don't know about this. Quite honestly a lot of the smaller city parks here in Chicago are better lit than the streets, especially in the summer/early fall when the trees have all their leaves and a lot of light from street lamps gets blocked out. Many of our parks are wide open spaces with fewer obstructions and places for dirtbags to hide than on city streets where people can hide behind/in-between cars, in gangways, et cetera. But I certainly wouldn't say the same of Schenley or Frick Parks which are both plenty wooded and offer lots of hiding places for lurkers. Street smarts dictate different approaches to different types of parks.

[Elder18]

I know it's not supposed to be good "street sense" to travel through a city park at night.

And yet I've never read, in the time since I've been reading the Post-Gazette regularly (which is a few months now), of anything happening in either Schenley or Frick Parks, at night or in the day.

Are there any actual facts that support this whole "street sense" idea?

I mean, I would never do it in Oakland, or NYC, or DC. I admit, it does seem like a bad idea.

But I haven't read anything about crime in either park in Pittsburgh. That's why I asked.

[Gerbil]

I haven't heard about any dangerous crimes in those parks that I recall. But then again, not all crimes make the news. Something like a mugging, for example, probably wouldn't get in the paper. I'd be surpised if there weren't the occasional mugging in the parks. But they obviously aren't hotbeds of crime either.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Elder18

And yet I've never read, in the time since I've been reading the Post-Gazette regularly (which is a few months now), of anything happening in either Schenley or Frick Parks, at night or in the day.

There have been dead bodies found in Schenley Park in the past. It's been quite a few years though so it's nearly impossible to find the news stories on the internet. From what I remember about one homocide story there, Schenley Park becomes a meeting place for homosexuals who are looking for random sex at night---probably after the park closes.

I'll see if I can find some data for the park specifically. But in the meantime, here is an excellent study about violence in Pittsburgh that includes maps of where homocides, drive-by shootings, and other violent crimes have occurred during 2003: http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/dh...sburgh2006.pdf

I doubt you'll find someone who will encourage you to be alone in the park at night in areas where there are few people. The problem is that members here at city-data feel a moral responsibility for the advice they give. I personally would not want to reassure you that you're safe riding a bike through the park after dark because I'd feel responsible if something happened to you. You're going to have to use your own judgement regarding this.

The park hours are 6am to 11pm, and there often are events scheduled in the evenings after dark. The parts of the park where events are scheduled will be more populated with people and police during the events. I've attended these evening events. Although I was with friends or family, I believe I would have been comfortable attending them alone; however, that's my personal opinion for myself----you'll have to figure out your own comfort zone. There's a big difference between attending a park event and riding/walking along a secluded wooded trail after dark alone though.