Green Line commute between downtown and Austin

[fusillirob1983]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

Eh, apparently this guy got robbed at 4 pm on the red line going north some time before Lawrence.

Look!

A 20-year-old man was robbed while riding a northbound CTA red line train around 4 p.m. Jan. 9. The victim told police that two men in their late teens tried grabbing his cell phone out of his hand. When the victim resisted, one of the men displayed a gun tucked into his waistband. He handed his phone to the men, who got off the train at the Lawrence el stop.

apparently, no place is immune. then again, maybe the guy was just being super obnoxious and annoying on his phone.

That's in Uptown, so that is less surprising than if something happened between downtown and the Addison stop.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by fusillirob1983

That's in Uptown, so that is less surprising than if something happened between downtown and the Addison stop.

10/30/2006
"Wrigleyville Assault
This morning, cops were posted at the Addison Red Line stop to pass out flyers requesting information on a 30-something man who robbed and sexually assaulted a woman as she was leaving the stop early Sunday morning. It's always jarring when you hear of attacks in a neighborhood in which you usually feel safe, but even more so when you realize it happened along the exact route you traverse everyday. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Belmont Area sex crimes unit at 312-744-8261.
Veronica on Mon October 30 2006In the News"

Gapers Block : Merge : October 2006

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

Eh, apparently this guy got robbed at 4 pm on the red line going north some time before Lawrence...

...apparently, no place is immune. then again, maybe the guy was just being super obnoxious and annoying on his phone.

You are right no place is immune. However, the chances of having a crime happening to you are far greater if you are on the Dan Ryan branch than the Howard branch of the Red Line.

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

You are right no place is immune. However, the chances of having a crime happening to you are far greater if you are on the Dan Ryan branch than the Howard branch of the Red Line.

True, us on the Howard side get more straight up crazies than anything.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

True, us on the Howard side get more straight up crazies than anything.

Yep. Are we included in that group?

[mendelman]

I agree that day times and commute hours the Green Line through the Westside is fine. During the night, I would be more cautious and stick to the first car (with the driver).

But there are thousands of the people that take the Green Line everyday and have no problems. I think the probability of something happening to an individual is quite low..

As for taking the Metra - I wouldn't advise that for the OP. The Metra only stops in downtown Oak Park which is about 1.5 miles west of the Austin Ave Green Line stop, which is where the OP said his wife will be working.

[jagged34]

I had the same concerns when I moved to Oak Park from Lincoln Park 3 years ago. I'm not going to lie and say there aren't your fair share of shadey characters on the Green Line, but I've not felt threatened or unsafe riding it. There is safety in numbers and during rush hour there are quite a few people on the train. I've ridden it at all different times of the day. If it's after 9:30pm/10pm, I typically do not ride by myself (I'm a single female). If I do, I get in the first car. It's just common sense, really. The only time I had red flags go up was when my fiance and I were riding downtown on a Sunday night from Oak Park stop to Navy Pier. We were the only ones on the car besides this one guy who looked very suspicious. But, on the way back, the train was crowded and they had security w/dogs on the car we were on. Personally, I think she will be safe during rush hour times and if she feels uneasy, just have her ride in the first car. Hope this helps.

[oakparkdude]

You could always take the metra to Oak Park, then transfer to the Green line and ride it two three stops to Austin Blvd. Might even be faster than taking the Green Line all the way out. It will cost twice as much, though.

[meatpuff]

Originally Posted by jagged34

I had the same concerns when I moved to Oak Park from Lincoln Park 3 years ago. I'm not going to lie and say there aren't your fair share of shadey characters on the Green Line, but I've not felt threatened or unsafe riding it. There is safety in numbers and during rush hour there are quite a few people on the train. I've ridden it at all different times of the day. If it's after 9:30pm/10pm, I typically do not ride by myself (I'm a single female). If I do, I get in the first car. It's just common sense, really. The only time I had red flags go up was when my fiance and I were riding downtown on a Sunday night from Oak Park stop to Navy Pier. We were the only ones on the car besides this one guy who looked very suspicious. But, on the way back, the train was crowded and they had security w/dogs on the car we were on. Personally, I think she will be safe during rush hour times and if she feels uneasy, just have her ride in the first car. Hope this helps.

Since this thread died, let me ask a related question. Since we have established the Green line to Oak Park can be shady (with lots of robberies in December on the train as I mentioned in a recent Chicago Suburbs thread), how does the blue line to/from the Oak Park area compare? As far as traffic, safety, shadiness, what hours to exercise more caution?

[mstengle]

Exactly the same!