safety question about southside of UC Berkeley (Oakland, Albany: dorms, neighborhood)

[yili11]

I'm going to be a short-term visitor at UC Berkeley and have rented a room on the southside of the campus (because it's close to my workplace), between telegraph and derby, dwight and parker. I've heard that it is not safe on the southside and it is advised to avoid people's park area... Is it really that bad? I'll be commuting to the campus on foot, and it looks very likely I'll be walking past the people's park to/from the campus... Just asking for suggestions on walking safety... Thank you very much in advance.

[jade408]

It is safe enough. A little seedy. I wouldn't necessarily call it very safe. I never liked walking by there alone late at night. It is dark, not well-lit, there isn't much foot traffic and plenty of places to hide. Walk in pairs or groups. Use your street smarts. Put away your smartphone.

I don't know if UCPD is still offering the escort service where you call for someone to walk you, but it is good to take advantage of.

PS: there is no need to walk on such a dark block. Every other route has better lighting. Use those instead. It is very easy to not walk by the park.

[Ruth4Truth]

It's fine during the day. At night, maybe not so much. There are homeless that stay in People's Park. But this being summer, maybe you won't be out after dark much, anyway, with such long daylight hours?

[yili11]

Originally Posted by jade408

It is safe enough. A little seedy. I wouldn't necessarily call it very safe. I never liked walking by there alone late at night. It is dark, not well-lit, there isn't much foot traffic and plenty of places to hide. Walk in pairs or groups. Use your street smarts. Put away your smartphone.

I don't know if UCPD is still offering the escort service where you call for someone to walk you, but it is good to take advantage of.

PS: there is no need to walk on such a dark block. Every other route has better lighting. Use those instead. It is very easy to not walk by the park.

Thanks for the information. Actually I'll be living on the Hillegass Ave...eventually I'll have to get back to Hillegass Ave. Is College Ave safer?

[jade408]

Originally Posted by yili11

Thanks for the information. Actually I'll be living on the Hillegass Ave...eventually I'll have to get back to Hillegass Ave. Is College Ave safer?

Yes. Walk up College. Way more foot traffic. Then turn on Derby/Parker/whatever. The block that People's Park is on (Dwight and Bowditch if I recall) is surrounded by offices, a church, and not much else. It isn't all that pleasant, but has improved since I was a student. Typically a hangout for the pot smokers and homeless people looking for pot.

Hillegass and Bowditch are pretty quiet at night. Parking lots, offices, and churches so they don't generate night time foot traffic. College Ave has dorms/frats/commercial spaces/bus stops all open into the night that generate lots of people.

I walked all over the place while at Cal. Northside, Southside, downtown....Albany, Oakland... You just have to be a little cautious. It isn't safe anywhere to be on a deserted street all alone. Don't make your self an easy target.

**I found that for whatever reason, in the summer there was way more foot traffic on Southside at night on the typically deserted blocks. I do think it was because the summer crowd is less studious than the school year crowd and there were more parties.

Have fun while you are on campus. Summer is a blast at Cal. Lots of international students and students from all over.

[yili11]

btw, would it be all right if I walk to/back from grocery stores in day time with bags in my hands? Looks like down the college Rd there is an Ashby Market, which looks like the nearest grocery store to where I live... The other one is the Berkeley Food Collective, about the same distance away...

[jade408]

Originally Posted by yili11

btw, would it be all right if I walk to/back from grocery stores in day time with bags in my hands? Looks like down the college Rd there is an Ashby Market, which looks like the nearest grocery store to where I live... The other one is the Berkeley Food Collective, about the same distance away...

Yup it is fine. Don't forget, you can take the 51 bus down to Trader Joes. It is about 1 mile away. I think the Safeway is closed for reconstruction starting last week, but I could be wrong. There is another Safeway on the 51 line at 51/Pleasant Valley. It is about 2 miles from your place. Whole Foods is on Telegraph and Ashby.

[Sup Cutie]

Pretty damn safe, but not all that pleasant. You'll get panhandling vagabonds on Telly and the occasional insane homeless person that randomly yells at you.

Your #1 danger is probably not seeing dog **** in the dark, I kid you not, I was way more paranoid about that than anything else.

[DMenscha]

My son lives on Hillegas and if I had the slightest concern about him walking back and forth to campus, I would have put my foot down.

Agree on walking the College Ave. route though.

[ragnarkar]

You're living on the fringes of the Elmwood neighborhood which is generally safe.. you should be fine at night if you stick to the well-lit streets like Telegraph and College.