Moving to Savannah. Should I Buy a Gun? (apartments, lease)

[VBSC]

Hey Y'all,

I am a 29 year old woman moving to Savannah from Columbia, SC in about a week. I am VERY excited to call Savannah my home. It is just about my favorite place in the world. I will be living sorta near the intersection of E. Waldburg and E. Broad.

I'll be alone and on the ground floor of a house until my housemate moves in upstairs, but it will be a few weeks before that happens. I have common sense about stuff -- i keep my doors locked, don't go out at night alone, don't leave spare keys under doormats, etc. In other words, i'm not some dumb bimbo who does something stupid and puts herself at risk. I am smart about stuff -- aware of my surroundings, i listen to my gut, etc.

I have a small dog, but nothing else in the way of protecting myself other than a deadbolt. There are no security alarms and the house has its original old windows. My question is, should I get a gun? A taser? Some pepper spray? A baseball bat? Install some motion-detector lights outside?

I noticed a lot of random people just sort of standing around on my street, and it freaked me out a little. Some of the buildings nearby are not in the best of shape, and some are even abandoned. I am not so afraid of getting my car broken into (i have good insurance) or my house (as long as i am not home at the time -- things are replaceable). i am afraid of being raped or mugged, ie, first hand contact with someone who is violent.

I know this is Savannah, and every town has crime, and just cuz people are standing around doesn't mean they are up to no good and yadda yadda yadda...but one of my boyf's colleagues who works in savannah was recently jumped by 3 guys and mugged in broad daylight-- he's now in the hospital--and now i'm really freaked out. i love this house, and it was a great deal for the money, plus my landlord is really nice. i figured that i'm either going to be a victim of a crime or i'm not, so what does it matter where i live? but now i'm a little worried.

here are my questions:

on a scale of 1-10 (with 1 = perfectly safe), how would you rank my part of town, safety-wise?

If i was your daughter/girlfriend/wife/sister, would you tell me to get a gun?

[Just Plain Al]

"here are my questions:

on a scale of 1-10 (with 1 = perfectly safe), how would you rank my part of town, safety-wise?

If i was your daughter/girlfriend/wife/sister, would you tell me to get a gun?"

Can't answer the first one. I'm not familiar with that neighborhood.
If you were...I'd buy you one.
In this day and age you can never be tooo careful.
But you have to learn how to use it, and then use it if needed.
More regular law-abiding people are shot by their own guns, that were taken away from, them then you will ever know.

JMHOs

[FFG3]

Originally Posted by Just Plain Al

"here are my questions:

on a scale of 1-10 (with 1 = perfectly safe), how would you rank my part of town, safety-wise?

If i was your daughter/girlfriend/wife/sister, would you tell me to get a gun?"

Can't answer the first one. I'm not familiar with that neighborhood.
If you were...I'd buy you one.
In this day and age you can never be tooo careful.
But you have to learn how to use it, and then use it if needed.
More regular law-abiding people are shot by their own guns, that were taken away from, them then you will ever know.

JMHOs

There was a lot of restoration going on in your area before the economy tanked. If you were my daughter I would tell you to buy a gun and learn to use it. There is a good gun range in Savannah. I would not want my daughter to live in that particular area.

[ellie]

Lemme see, I was a couple of blocks away recently, but closer to Price St., and noticed all of the young men on the street. I'd say it was a bit uncomfortable. However, I've known several people who've lived in your block over the years. It's not the worst area. Takes some getting used to.

Would I live there? No, not unless I had no other option. Get some motion sensor lights and some window alarms for better security. Get your landlord to pay. You can tough it out till your housemates arrive.

Keep your eyes open when you're coming and going from the house and sleep with a shotgun under your bed. You don't need good aim with that. And it makes a lot of noise. First shot just fire to scare them away. Dunno where you'll hide it when you're not home...

You could carry an old golf club for safety coming and going to the house at night. They don't cost much and are clearly visible from a long ways off. No one will mess with a woman carrying a big stick.

If you get too freaked out, send me a dm. I won't be able to help in an emergency, but I could provide moral support if you need it.

[Just Plain Al]

"...sleep with a shotgun under your bed. You don't need good aim with that. And it makes a lot of noise. First shot just fire to scare them away. Dunno where you'll hide it when you're not home..."

Excellent! for when you are at home.
The sound of a twleve being racked is unmistakeable. And you can hear it through a door.
And with a scattergun, you won't shoot through the wall and kill a neighbore.
But only cops fire a warning shot. When I shoot, I shoot to hit.
My buddy moved into a "bad" neighborhood back in S.E. San Diego.
The first night he stayed in the new place he put two in the front lawn.
The next morning he did the same thing.
Nobody ever bothered him after that warning.
A small lockable gun safe is fairly inexpensive for when you're not at home.
Or just stick it waaay under the mattress.

Out on the street is another matter.
Many women I know carry a Glock, and wouldn't leave home without it.
Small, light, but expensive. Unless you buy one used.

JMHOs

[ellie]

This handgun thing kinda freaks me out. A lot of people are carrying them these days, mostly white Christian types who live in suburbs. I think Rush musta told them to.

I'm gonna ride down her street in just a few. Got business in the area. Will report back later.

[Just Plain Al]

My last three wives carried...
And they never even listened to Rush.

[Padgett2]

I think you could have found a much safer area. However, I can't convince myself that it's wise to get a gun. It's of no use unless it is loaded and ready. That's when a gun is dangerous to innocents.

I think that I would rather sleep with a knife under my pillow than a loaded gun. But that's just me.

I think that I remember from one of your other posts, that you like to run. You won't find it enjoyable if you have to worry about your surroundings.

[jarsmom]

Is the south side an option for you??? Lived there 20 + years ago, bad place then right up there with DC. I think both places are a little better now, just be careful and pay attention to your
surroundings.

[ellie]

Did you rent that place sight unseen? Is it the only place you looked at? That's not a good block, not a good block at all.

That row of uniformly painted apartments right at E. Broad is low-income housing of some sort. You're probably not going to be happy living there. Best thing to do is try to get out of your lease. Sorry to break the news to you.