PGH pedestrian friendly? and real story on crime (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: safe area, camp)

[Katiana]

I have heard many lame news stories in Denver, Pittsburgh, Chicago and just about everywhere I have ever been. TV news is not a good source of information, IMO. Maybe it was just a slow news day.

And shots fired at a night club could be a very bad thing, could cause injuries. My DD went to a college in Indiana where a frat guy answered the door of his frat house to find a police with a gun drawn staring him in the face. No shots were fired. It made the Chicago news. I must say as a parent I was rather blown away at the reckless nature of that police officer. Bad things happen with guns.

[arcadefire]

In my experience, Pittsburgh is a very safe city as long as you avoid about 20% of it. I don't think you will miss a whole lot if you never step a foot into these areas. Who really needs to go to Wilkinsburg, Homewood, McKeesport or East Liberty unless you live there?

Some other areas are a bit more transitional, and might be too edgy for some people, but as long as you aren't stupid you should be fine. I would consider the North Shore, Highland Park and Crafton/Carnegie to be areas that might make some uncomfortable.

I don't think that many truly innocent people are gunned down in Pittsburgh. Most of the people that are murdered are doing some things that automatically put themselves into a high-risk group. Drugs, theft or Adultury are some of the biggies.

[zip95]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

I have heard many lame news stories in Denver, Pittsburgh, Chicago and just about everywhere I have ever been.

I'm not talking about a lame news story. I'm talking about it being the talk of the town. Every local I asked said the same thing, things like that don't happen here.

220,000+ people and in 2005 there where 2 murders!!!!

We are talking about a city 2/3 as large as Pittsburgh....with 2 murders in 2005.

[Katiana]

I'm watching the news right now on a Denver channel, and the lead story was about Memorial Day activities in Denver, followed by a story about gas prices. Now, 5 minutes into the news, they are talking about possible thunderstorms. I really don't understand what you find so odd about that story from Madison; however someone will call me argumentative for responding!

Madison MSA population is about 543,000, about 1/4 the size of Pittsburgh's MSA pop. And so what if it is safe? Drover's point was (I think) that safe and boring don't necessarily go together. Plus, Madison is not hundreds of miles from nowhere. It is 77 miles northwest of Milwaukee, a major city in its own right, and 122 miles from Chicago, third largest city in the country.

[zip95]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

I'm watching the news right now on a Denver channel, and the lead story was about Memorial Day activities in Denver, followed by a story about gas prices. Now, 5 minutes into the news, they are talking about possible thunderstorms. I really don't understand what you find so odd about that story from Madison; however someone will call me argumentative for responding!.

Good lord pittnurse70, I just said I'm not talking about a news story. I was commenting that I've been to Madison and found it to be unlike anywhere I've ever been. Then I gave an example. I had no idea that would be so controversial.

What exactly are you trying to say? I'm having trouble understanding what this conversation is about. Do you have an issue with something I said or, in your own words, are you being argumentative?

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

Madison MSA population is about 543,000, about 1/4 the size of Pittsburgh's MSA pop.

That's great news, but it has nothing to do with anything I said.

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

And so what if it is safe? .

Now I'm completely lost. It's like i'm in Bizarro world. Who said safe was bad? I know I didn't. As a matter of fact, I said safety was an asset.

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

Drover's point was (I think) that safe and boring don't necessarily go together.

I understand Drover's point. I don't understand your point.

[Katiana]

I guess I am not the only argumentative person on this board. Here is what I am responding to:

1)

Madison...I've been there. Hundreds of miles of nothing, then all of a sudden, boom, a little city completely disconnected from the rest of the world.

So I provided some statistics that it is not hundreds of miles from nothing.

2)

When I was there, some one fired shots outside of a local night club. It was the talk of the city...lead story on every news channel. People acted as if the sky was falling.

, to which I responded:

I have heard many lame news stories in Denver, Pittsburgh, Chicago and just about everywhere I have ever been. TV news is not a good source of information, IMO. Maybe it was just a slow news day.

, after which you expanded that no, it was all over town, etc, etc.
Followed by:

We are talking about a city 2/3 as large as Pittsburgh....with 2 murders in 2005.

, to which I replied,

Madison MSA population is about 543,000, about 1/4 the size of Pittsburgh's MSA pop.

I was trying to show that Madison is considerably smaller than Pittsburgh, not just 2/3 its size.

The original statement that sparked this off was:

Personally, I'd be dead of ennui in a fortnight if I had to move to Dubuque or Fresno or any place "safer" than Pittsburgh. It's a chance I'm willing to take.

by pghlibrarian.

To which Drover replied:

Still, I wouldn't be so quick to equate "safe" with "boring." I sure didn't languish in a state of ennui when I lived in Madison, which is way, way safer than Pittsburgh.

That is my point.

[zip95]

lets just leave it at that???

[Katiana]

yes, fine with me.

[Hopes]

For what it's worth, I enjoyed reading the exchange though.

[Katiana]

Thanks. Believe it or not, I am mindful of getting over-involved in this stuff.

There does seem to be a certain mindset that the midwest is the great beyond. I remember telling my mom that my then-boyfriend, now husband, was from Omaha, Nebraska. You would have thought I had said he was from outer space! I think she would have understood California better. FWIW.

I hope everyone has a nice holdiay. If you go to the Beaver Falls cemetary, think about my mom and dad, both veterans.