rough spots/places to avoid (Pittsburgh, Altoona: work, housing, college)

[Geeo]

Good grief. Do some people wall themselves off from everything? Just be alert, don't go up any dark alleys at 2 am looking to buy drugs, and nobody's going to bother you. I have yet to hear of people jumping out in front of cars, stopping them, breaking through the windshield, and kidnapping innocent people! People cerainly are skittish.

[PPG]

This list was made for people who nothing about Pittsburgh. The people who come on here and ask 'is so and so a safe place,' when they are really looking for suburban neighborhoods like Bethel Park. Places where you won't see hoodlums hanging around. Thanks for understanding.

[zip95]

Originally Posted by pittsburgh,pa

I lived in pittsburgh all my life and some of these places that people name are not closed to being dangerous at all heres my list of the ones taht really are in this order

1.HOMEWOOD-BRUSTON
2.THE HILL
3.NORTHVIEW
4.MANCHESTER
5.MCKEESPORT
6.ST.CLAIR VILLAGE
7.BELTZHOOVER
8.HOODTOWN/CENTRALNORTSIDE
9.GARFIELD
10.HAZELWOOD
11.EASTHILLS
12.LARMIER
13.LINCOLN/LEMINGTON
14.WILKINBURG
15.SPRING HILL
16.DUQUENSE
17.ALIQUIPPA
18.BROADHEAD
19.GREENWAY
20.WESTGATE
21.ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
22.CLAIRTON
23.BRADOCK/RANKIN
24.McKEESROCKS/STO-ROCKS
25.ELLIOT

Go with this list. This is a clear headed and accurate assessment.

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by richlady

"ghetto rats" can you be more specific?

My pleasure

A ghetto rat is generally someone who wears their baseball cap tilted sideways, wears jackets and jeans/pants that are fifteen sizes to big, and generally hang out on corners or wander around neighborhoods because they have no ambition to do anything else with their lives.

[connorkara]

If you want to live somewhere safe, I would recommend moving north of Pittsburgh. Areas like Wexford, Sewickley, Allison Park, and Gibsonia are very nice.

[MissShona]

Originally Posted by vwscottie

My pleasure

A ghetto rat is generally someone who wears their baseball cap tilted sideways, wears jackets and jeans/pants that are fifteen sizes to big, and generally hang out on corners or wander around neighborhoods because they have no ambition to do anything else with their lives.

I think that describes just about every music producer in the hip-hop industry...and many of them are millionaires (the dressing part...not the wandering on street corners part). Just because you look a certain way does not mean you don't have any ambition and you are not contributing to society. That is not my style, but believe me, if I had my own business I would wear my share of rock-n-roll t-shirts or whatever else held my fancy (whenever I could).

[MissShona]

Originally Posted by pittsburgh,pa

I lived in pittsburgh all my life and some of these places that people name are not closed to being dangerous at all heres my list of the ones taht really are in this order

1.HOMEWOOD-BRUSTON
2.THE HILL
3.NORTHVIEW
4.MANCHESTER
5.MCKEESPORT
6.ST.CLAIR VILLAGE
7.BELTZHOOVER
8.HOODTOWN/CENTRALNORTSIDE
9.GARFIELD
10.HAZELWOOD
11.EASTHILLS
12.LARMIER
13.LINCOLN/LEMINGTON
14.WILKINBURG
15.SPRING HILL
16.DUQUENSE
17.ALIQUIPPA
18.BROADHEAD
19.GREENWAY
20.WESTGATE
21.ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
22.CLAIRTON
23.BRADOCK/RANKIN
24.McKEESROCKS/STO-ROCKS
25.ELLIOT

Many of these places are not even in Pittsburgh proper. I grew up in Clairton; and it's a good 40 min from the city (distance-wise it's not far....but it's also not easy to get to. You either head down Rt. 51 until you're almost out of the county just about or you cut up through West Mifflin from Pittsburgh via several routes, but a non-native will surely get lost.) and there is nothing there to cause anyone from Pittsburgh to go out there (unless you're visiting someone). Clairton doesn't even have a grocery store; why advise people to stay away from it? You may as well advise people to stay out of WV too.

Many of these places are only dangerous if you are going into them with the intent to buy drugs or to do some other shady activity. I've had people from other countries visit me in Clairton and nothing happened to them. How could it...there's nothing there.

[zip95]

Originally Posted by vwscottie

My pleasure

A ghetto rat is generally someone who wears their baseball cap tilted sideways, wears jackets and jeans/pants that are fifteen sizes to big, and generally hang out on corners or wander around neighborhoods because they have no ambition to do anything else with their lives.

Informative post, now I understand....glad to know who you really are and how you really feel.

"...If you dress differently than me, you are lazy..."

I'm gonna guess that you are originally from some small town, hours outside of Pittsburgh proper....am I correct?

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by Stagger Lee

a lot of those are towns outside of Pittsburgh. One thing you got to understand about Pittsburgh that isn't the same as Florida is: the metro of Pittsburgh is made up of thousands and I mean thousands(well maybe hundreds) of neighborhoods, towns, villages, etc. The city has about 90 neighborhoods that all have a individual town feeling. Then outside the city is small towns everywhere. Most he listed have some small sections that are bad. Others like the Strip District are busy sections that are very city and urban like.

Don't let this list describe anything. I lived in Philly and Denver. Pittsburgh is safe. It is like any city, it has its bad areas. Some people need to get out for a while and see what other towns are like to realize how nice the Burgh really is.

Originally Posted by cryschap

I used to live in St Louis I know all about "unsafe" lol... it was set up the same as PGH, lots and lots of towns and such all a part of STL but all on their own.

Thanks, cryschap for pointing this out. Denver is the same way, too. So are most large cities. I don't know why people think that is so unique to Pittsburgh.

[Stagger Lee]

Pittnurse, I lived in Denver! It is not anywhere close to Pittsburgh. It is huge suburbs like aurora, Westmintster, etc that go on for miles. It is not even anywhere close in having old small towns built up as one. You can't be serious. Even if you look at a map it is like 7 large areas that build up the Denver metro. NOTHING IS UNIQUE about Aurora, Westminster, Arvada, Littleton, Thorton. They are all just suburbs that all run into each other and look the same. If you are comparing Denver to Philly and Pittsburgh that is just insane.

Even Dener's inner city doesn't change much. Capitol hill just goes on forever and never really changes. Why can you never acknowledge good and unique things about Pittsburgh in this forum?