Orange Line safety questions. (Boston: crimes, theater, to live)

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by lrfox

I do. And while it's fair to urge caution and common sense like many are doing here, the safety thing in cities is often way overblown on this forum. The driving risk is good perspective. Nobody here is going to fear monger about the risks of being killed or injured driving into the city from the suburbs every day, even though it's significantly higher risk than being killed/injured by violence in this city. There are people who are petrified to be in the city at night and ignore other higher risk activities they participate in on a daily basis, like driving. Orange Line Safety during the day between Mass Ave. and North Station is perfectly safe as far as public transit in urban areas goes. Period. And that's what the OP was asking for.



For a busy transit hub in the downtown of a major city, it's fine. If DTX is too scary a place for you at night, you probably are better suited to live outside of an urban area. And that's also fine, but it's detrimental to impart that on someone looking to live in the city. Urge common sense, discretion, and awareness? Sure. But some of the stuff in this thread is ridiculous.

umm i dunno...DTX and into chinatown is a little bit shaky at night man...

I think its getting better the last 5 years but it is certainly not a place where you should be walking aimlessly after like 10. "Its not pleasant at night" thats fair to say.

All of that being said the Orange Line and any line in Boston is safe. Orange and Red Line have a few incidents now and then but I really wouldnt call it unsafe.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Sure, what's your point? That there's randomness involved with both? Great, I agree and I've never said anything to the contrary. We've already discussed that in any situation taking risk mitigation steps can help but not guarantee safety. Regardless, that's not my point. My point was that crime is overblown in this thread (and on this forum) by a significant degree. I used the driving example to illustrate it. Fact is, there are more car accidents in Boston resulting in injury than there are reports of violent crime in the city (of note: accidents resulting in injury are only a small percentage of overall accidents, and "violent crime" includes everything from murder to harassment - the majority of the incidents are closer to the latter than to murder).

Some people on this forum are, for some reason, terrified of urban areas, public transit, and cities in general. They tend to blow the "dangers" of living or being in the city WAY out of proportion. To the point that it's not helpful to the OP. The answer to the original question of whether it's safe to ride the Orange Line between Mass Ave. and North Station is a resounding yes. If you want to add in the caveats that it's urban public transit in a major city and normal common sense/precautions should be taken, fine. Do it. But this nonsense about the Dangers of North Station and how any section of the Orange Line between Forest Hills and Back Bay is "dangerous" is really just fear mongering.

I'm not really arguing against you, I'm just saying you are allowed to observe that certain areas carry higher risks. I'm certainly not terrified of urban areas, public transit, or cities in general. But I'm also not naive.

Personally, I'd much rather drive through a bad area than walk it. I'll take my chances in a car, despite the stats.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Sure, what's your point? That there's randomness involved with both? Great, I agree and I've never said anything to the contrary. We've already discussed that in any situation taking risk mitigation steps can help but not guarantee safety. Regardless, that's not my point. My point was that crime is overblown in this thread (and on this forum) by a significant degree. I used the driving example to illustrate it. Fact is, there are more car accidents in Boston resulting in injury than there are reports of violent crime in the city (of note: accidents resulting in injury are only a small percentage of overall accidents, and "violent crime" includes everything from murder to harassment - the majority of the incidents are closer to the latter than to murder).

Some people on this forum are, for some reason, terrified of urban areas, public transit, and cities in general. They tend to blow the "dangers" of living or being in the city WAY out of proportion. To the point that it's not helpful to the OP. The answer to the original question of whether it's safe to ride the Orange Line between Mass Ave. and North Station is a resounding yes. If you want to add in the caveats that it's urban public transit in a major city and normal common sense/precautions should be taken, fine. Do it. But this nonsense about the Dangers of Downtown Crossing and how any section of the Orange Line between Forest Hills and Back Bay is "dangerous" is really just fear mongering.

Some fear mongering happens on the board but those places i've bolded really are significantly more dangerous than middle america or a suburban area-no one really cares what the 'statistics' say or not (we all doubt theyre reliability and they still show pretty high crime levels) we read and hear of crimes happening in those places you simply dont read, hear, or experience in most places in the country. Not most cities but literally most places/locales. It doesnt matter if they're not as dangerous as some of the most dangerous places you can think of (theyre far from it) if they're still way more dangerous than where most of us are born and raised. It shouldn't be considered fear mongering to at least tell people that-its only fear mongering if it is unfounded, wildly exaggerated or telling people to stay away because the crime is that bad.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

umm i dunno...DTX and into chinatown is a little bit shaky at night man...

All of that being said the Orange Line and any line in Boston is safe. Orange and Red Line have a few incidents now and then but I really wouldnt call it unsafe.

I'm really referring to the train station since this is about commutes on the Orange Line. I don't think DTX is particularly bad as a neighborhood at night (I'd agree with "not pleasant" though), but I think anyone passing through on the OL between Mass. Ave. and North Station is generally fine. Especially during the day, but even late at night.

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Some fear mongering happens on the board but those places i've bolded really are significantly more dangerous than middle america or a suburban area.

Nobody is saying DTX (or even Back Bay or Beacon Hill) is "safer" in terms of crime than middle America or a suburban area. I think everyone should be aware that moving into the city around millions of other people in close proximity carries with it some risk of exposure to crime, and some neighborhoods are worse than others. But is it really all that nuts to say that the OP will likely be fine on a day time commute between Mass. Ave and N. Station? Or that it is possible to live relatively safely along the Orange Line corridor between Forest Hills and Back Bay? No.

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

I'm not really arguing against you, I'm just saying you are allowed to observe that certain areas carry higher risks. I'm certainly not terrified of urban areas, public transit, or cities in general. But I'm also not naive.

Personally, I'd much rather drive through a bad area than walk it. I'll take my chances in a car, despite the stats.

I don't disagree. And another poster mentioned we don't know whether or not the OP is male or female which, unfortunately, makes a difference in terms of attracting attention. My girlfriend's late night commute on the T is different than mine.

I don't take any issue with anyone saying that some areas are riskier than others or urging caution. That's real-world. But some of the stuff that's been said on this thread relative to safety is way over the top.

[GeePee]

There were specific instances of a number of people being robbed at Stonybrook and as recent as last week Jackson. I thought I would mention it because of the question asked. It pays more to be more alert than it does to be oblivious.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by GeePee

There were specific instances of a number of people being robbed at Stonybrook and as recent as last week Jackson. I thought I would mention it because of the question asked. It pays more to be more alert than it does to be oblivious.

Of course. I'm not singling you out. It's helpful to know that stuff.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by lrfox

I'm really referring to the train station since this is about commutes on the Orange Line.

Eh, it's been at least 5 years for me but the last few times I been there (late evening) it's not exactly a comfortable place to be. Not talking anything major I've seen go down, but were myself a female I probably wouldn't make a regular practice of it. It didn't seem any improvement over the early 2000s, when I transited through there very regularly.

[BostonMass20]

I am from Birmingham, AL so I am used to seeing some shady characters in the street at night. Our crime problems in Bham are far worse than what I have heard about and seen in Boston.

[BostonBornMassMade]

To the Stonybrook thing...a classmate of mine at RL lived in Bromley-Heath. He was robbed/roughed up/harrased 3 times just going from Jackson Square to his apartment 100 yards away, he came in one day really beat up and they gave the older boys a little 2-3 minute talk in homeroom on safety on public transit (drop your back pack and run if you feel things are getting scary, look when you walk out of a station or step off a bus, protect your phones etc.). I've seen large fights there and at Forest Hills. I had a friend of mine jumped at Ruggles 2 years ago. Also there was an incident 2 weeks where someone let off 14 shots INSIDE of Ruggles Station https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local...564178091.html

This post sounds like i'm saying Orange Line is hell but really its not these are isolated incidents but if we have info or anecdotes like this... I do honestly believe its more helpful than not.

Mass Ave and points north youre fine

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

To the Stonybrook thing...a classmate of mine at RL lived in Bromley-Heath. He was robbed/roughed up/harrased 3 times just going from Jackson Square to his apartment 100 yards away, he came in one day really beat up and they gave the older boys a little 2-3 minute talk in homeroom on safety on public transit (drop your back pack and run if you feel things are getting scary, look when you walk out of a station or step off a bus, protect your phones etc.). I've seen large fights there and at Forest Hills. I had a friend of mine jumped at Ruggles 2 years ago. Also there was an incident 2 weeks where someone let off 14 shots INSIDE of Ruggles Station https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local...564178091.html

This post sounds like i'm saying Orange Line is hell but really its not these are isolated incidents but if we have info or anecdotes like this... I do honestly believe its more helpful than not.

Mass Ave and points north youre fine

Yes Forest Hills used to have all kinds of problems too after school let out, but I hear that's cleaned up a bit.