Is Virginia Highlands area a safe place to reside (Atlanta: home, live in)

[arjay57]

I honestly would have thought it was safe to take a 200 yard walk home from the bus stop in Oak Grove, day or night. However, I guess I'm living in the Stone Age. I thought it was still perfectly safe to walk around at night in Virginia-Highland, too.

What's with this town? Things like that didn't used to happen.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I honestly would have thought it was safe to take a 200 yard walk home from the bus stop in Oak Grove, day or night. However, I guess I'm living in the Stone Age. I thought it was still perfectly safe to walk around at night in Virginia-Highland, too.

What's with this town? Things like that didn't used to happen.

I think it's still a rare happenstance in neighborhoods like this, but like my mama used to say, "Nothing good ever happens after Midnight."
The later you're out, the more solitary you are, and especially if you are elderly or female, the higher the risk IMO.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

I think it's still a rare happenstance in neighborhoods like this, but like my mama used to say, "Nothing good ever happens after Midnight."
The later you're out, the more solitary you are, and especially if you are elderly or female, the higher the risk IMO.

Well, yesterday's Virginia-Highland murder happened a little after 9:30 pm, and the man was not alone. That's in addition to numerous other armed robberies in V-H in recent months.

FBAC Virginia Highland Security Patrol: 7 armed robberies in 7 weeks in VaHi

As you know, I'm not one to run around screaming about crime in the city. To the contrary, I believe Virginia-Highland is an awesome neighborhood that's very safe. We lived there for years and never once worried about going out at any time of the day or night. We still own a house there and I'd move back with no hesitation whatsoever.

Same with Oak Grove. While I've never lived there it has always seemed to me to be a rock solid, upper middle class area where people can go about their affairs day or night without feeling threatened.

But these sort of incidents can't be denied. This just did not happen in the old days. What has changed?

[spacelord75]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I honestly would have thought it was safe to take a 200 yard walk home from the bus stop in Oak Grove, day or night. However, I guess I'm living in the Stone Age. I thought it was still perfectly safe to walk around at night in Virginia-Highland, too.

What's with this town? Things like that didn't used to happen.

It's actually happened quite a bit for years, it's just this case was odd in that the victim didn't comply with the robber and fought back. I know of a few people who have been mugged in the Highlands over the last several years...it happens in every big city. In almost every case people were walking back to their cars after a night out on one of the side streets only to have someone pop out from behind a tree or bush and demand whatever they had one them. People just need to realize that their life is worth more than whatever's in their wallet.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by spacelord75

It's actually happened quite a bit for years, it's just this case was odd in that the victim didn't comply with the robber and fought back. I know of a few people who have been mugged in the Highlands over the last several years...it happens in every big city. In almost every case people were walking back to their cars after a night out on one of the side streets only to have someone pop out from behind a tree or bush and demand whatever they had one them. People just need to realize that their life is worth more than whatever's in their wallet.

How long has this been going on? We lived there in the 70s and spent a good bit of time there in the 80s and early 90s. That sort of thing was pretty much unheard of in those days.


I would add that people just need to realize they should not rob people at gunpoint or murder them if they don't hand over the money.

[Mishap]

Originally Posted by spacelord75

It's actually happened quite a bit for years, it's just this case was odd in that the victim didn't comply with the robber and fought back. I know of a few people who have been mugged in the Highlands over the last several years...it happens in every big city. In almost every case people were walking back to their cars after a night out on one of the side streets only to have someone pop out from behind a tree or bush and demand whatever they had one them. People just need to realize that their life is worth more than whatever's in their wallet.

According to the AJC story, they demanded the other victim take them to her apt. I don't know about you but in that case but I'm thinking the best thing to do is throw the phone/wallet/keys and make a run for it. Mugging is one thing but taking them into your home is another level of danger that I prefer not to get into. In that case, you have to hope they're terrible shots and many of them are. Take them into your place and there's still a great chance you don't make it out alive.

[spacelord75]

Originally Posted by Mishap

According to the AJC story, they demanded the other victim take them to her apt. I don't know about you but in that case but I'm thinking the best thing to do is throw the phone/wallet/keys and make a run for it. Mugging is one thing but taking them into your home is another level of danger that I prefer not to get into. In that case, you have to hope they're terrible shots and many of them are. Take them into your place and there's still a great chance you don't make it out alive.

Oh, that must be new info...the only thing I had read this morning was that an altercation had occured and the victim fought the assailants. Yeah, I would be running for it as well if they wanted me to take them back to my abode!

[spacelord75]

Originally Posted by arjay57

How long has this been going on? We lived there in the 70s and spent a good bit of time there in the 80s and early 90s. That sort of thing was pretty much unheard of in those days.


I would add that people just need to realize they should not rob people at gunpoint or murder them if they don't hand over the money.

Relatively recent by comparison...from 2000 to now.

[elvez]

The savages who committed this crime needto be strung up from the biggest oak tree at the intersection of Boulevard and North and left to rot there for a few weeks,

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by spacelord75

Relatively recent by comparison...from 2000 to now.

Wow. Just another example of how out of touch I am. In the old days we thought of Virginia-Highland as sort of a yuppie haven with a nice little bar and restaurant district and some antique stores and bookshops, but I guess everything changes.