This board has me all freaked out about Atlanta and crime and we just came back and... (Duluth: hotel, homes)

[livinginbuffalo]

I really liked it! I was so afraid of seeing crime or feeling unsafe because it seems like i keep reading so much about crime and armed robbery of shoppers in broad daylight in places like Buckhead. Should I have been nervous walking into Macy's at the Mall of Georgia? All I met all weekend were very polite white or black human beings waiting on me, asking me if I needed help, serving us drinks or food or just saying hello as I walked by.

We stayed in the northeast part of Duluth at a hotel and looked at homes in South Forsyth and North Fulton and the neighborhoods looked lovely as did the surrounding shopping areas. Am I going to have a huge culture shock if we move there coming from a primarily white affluent suburb of Buffalo, NY if I move to those areas? I don't want to feel like I'm going to get robbed when I take my child to the mall or to her school or to the supermarket. I felt so safe and really liked it there and then I come back on here tonight searching threads and find all of these scary threads about armed robbery and people getting murdered for their iphones! What's the real deal?

[koko339]

PLEASE do not judge Atlanta by this forum. It is by no means a scientific assessment of the metro. Everyone has their own preconceived notions and fears that color their perceptionsof how safe it is here. It is not some lawless cesspool like some would lead you to believe; it's also not Candyland. It's a real-life (sub)urbanized area. And I don't think you need to fear for your life walking into the MoG .

[cwkimbro]

The real deal is Atlanta has the kind of crime most other major cities have. The city limits are really small, so when discussing city-proper it causes some statistical anomalies that make it seem worse than it really is.

As for the city of Atlanta... crime has actually been going down... quite considerably actually. We have removed all of our housing projects and put efforts into placing people into mixed income developments in the past 2 decades or so. There are some arguments that this doesn't produce enough housing for the poor, but it has had extremely positive effects at how the city is shaped and helped remove crime.

There is always crime stories and crime does exist, but we live in a metro area with over 5 million people too. I take those with a grain of salt. I always lock the doors of my house, car, and take basic safety precautions anywhere I go, but I have never felt unsafe here.

I have never heard of anything bad happening at the Mall of Georgia.... with that said watch someone find one really bad news article, but millions of people visit it every year without problem.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by livinginbuffalo

I really liked it! I was so afraid of seeing crime or feeling unsafe because it seems like i keep reading so much about crime and armed robbery of shoppers in broad daylight in places like Buckhead. Should I have been nervous walking into Macy's at the Mall of Georgia? All I met all weekend were very polite white or black human beings waiting on me, asking me if I needed help, serving us drinks or food or just saying hello as I walked by.

We stayed in the northeast part of Duluth at a hotel and looked at homes in South Forsyth and North Fulton and the neighborhoods looked lovely as did the surrounding shopping areas. Am I going to have a huge culture shock if we move there coming from a primarily white affluent suburb of Buffalo, NY if I move to those areas? I don't want to feel like I'm going to get robbed when I take my child to the mall or to her school or to the supermarket. I felt so safe and really liked it there and then I come back on here tonight searching threads and find all of these scary threads about armed robbery and people getting murdered for their iphones! What's the real deal?

No, Sweetie - You experienced the real deal that many of us live with day to day. Of course, the Northside is considered to be the most desirable area of the metro, but what you saw is not out of the ordinary for the majority of the area.

Just remember that we have more than our fair share of negative types on this forum that either enjoy stirring the pot, or have agendas for whatever reason. Of course, in any metro of over 5 million you need to keep your eyes open - but you saw what defines reality for most of us here.

So glad you had a nice visit.

[blondandfun]

you weren't in Atlanta, sweetheart.

[johnatl]

^And here we go.......

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by johnatl

...
So glad you had a nice visit.

Me too.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by blondandfun

you weren't in Atlanta, sweetheart.

Oh yes the hell she was...


She was in Metro Atlanta...

[tonygeorgia]

LOL at you for judging Atlanta because of post from people on here who don't even live in Georgia...LOL

Like I have said b4, as long as you are not living in bad areas and you are not selling drugs you will be ok

[ericsonga]

Originally Posted by blondandfun

you weren't in Atlanta, sweetheart.

You're quite right Blondie. She was in Gwinnettia!

You have nothing to fear, I promise. While the area is going to be more diverse, I'm sure it will be quite to your liking. Having been to Buffalo, it will most likely be more affluent. Welcome to the metro!