any FEMALES have problems working Downtown Detroit? Walking alone at night in Detroit?

[Mindstormsmedia]

Originally Posted by skye212
I just received a new job position located Downtown around Woodward/Congress area, fairly close to campus martius. I went to fill out paperwork there today and while walking back to the parking garage alone, this old guy started walking up to me, I ignored him and kept walking, but he kept saying disgusting things to me. By the time I got to the parking garage he stopped following me.

Is this fairly common? Am I going to have to deal with being sexually harassed everyday and do any of those people get aggressive or is it mostly just talk?

Also, I might have to walk alone to the parking garage at night, how safe is it for a female to walk alone?

Any tips, advice or similar stories?



As a matter of fact one of the worst things you can do is ignore someone. Looking away, looking down, looking nervous are signs of someone who is uneasy and very much out of their element. In short, you look like a victim...one who will be an easy mark. Here is what to do: ALWAYS look a person in the eye and simply speak. No need to smile. Just say hello...how are you doing? It sends the message that "this person sees me...is not afraid...and it may be problematic if I continue to approach them." Your instincts tell you to hunker down...but trust me do the opposite. I grew up in Detroit and have encountered lots of hairy situations. You will stave off about 70-80% of these situations by doing what I have suggested. The other 20-30%....are made up of people who don't care who you are or how brave you seem....and you may have to weaponize something (keys, etc) bring an actual weapon or be prepared to defend yourself...the vast majority are blowhards and weak opportunists. hope this helps....

[detwahDJ]

Cities like Detroit have wandering vagrants who have fallen through the cracks. Seems like if he wanted to do you harm, he would have been more stealthy and wily about it but instead was attempting to intimidate you into giving up some cash, or just attention - who knows. He found someone he could manipulate and antagonize. Still, you never know - crime stats for downtown are pretty good. When I prowled downtown at night, I expected to be approached.
Does this look familiar?


Tourettes I Swear I Can't Help It!!! Highlights. - YouTube

Tourettes man punches woman! - YouTube
Once while eating in a restaurant I was approached by a panhandler. The fellow said "I know I'm bothering you - just give me some money and I'll go away". Very understanding fellow.
One homeless lady (with Tourette's?) would yell at other people out of the blue thus making them jump out of their socks.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by Mindstormsmedia

Originally Posted by skye212
I grew up in Detroit and have encountered lots of hairy situations.

[linda1a]

Originally Posted by skye212

I just received a new job position located Downtown around Woodward/Congress area, fairly close to campus martius. I went to fill out paperwork there today and while walking back to the parking garage alone, this old guy started walking up to me, I ignored him and kept walking, but he kept saying disgusting things to me. By the time I got to the parking garage he stopped following me.

Is this fairly common? Am I going to have to deal with being sexually harassed everyday and do any of those people get aggressive or is it mostly just talk?

Also, I might have to walk alone to the parking garage at night, how safe is it for a female to walk alone?

Any tips, advice or similar stories?

Thanks

I worked at a law firm right by Martius, I ate lunch late 1 day there and a crazy black guy chased me all the way back to the 1st national bldg's store, the 2nd one happened at lunch time while reading a book outside Barnes and Noble where. Another black guy insisted I give him a lite from my cigarette. He became so aggressive that the driver for a group of handicpped who was letting them off came between us and got the guy away from me. I am a female and it is not safe there, that place closes down at 5:30 pm so get going before then. I was lucky to have valet parking. I don't know where you park, but get some form of protection-mace, pepper spray, hand held siren, an umbrella, cane and even a gun if you have to work down there and walk to your car at night. my girlfriend's brother was jumped down there by a group-be careful and beware!

[MS313]

Originally Posted by linda1a

I worked at a law firm right by Martius, I ate lunch late 1 day there and a crazy black guy chased me all the way back to the 1st national bldg's store, the 2nd one happened at lunch time while reading a book outside Barnes and Noble where. Another black guy insisted I give him a lite from my cigarette. He became so aggressive that the driver for a group of handicpped who was letting them off came between us and got the guy away from me. I am a female and it is not safe there, that place closes down at 5:30 pm so get going before then. I was lucky to have valet parking. I don't know where you park, but get some form of protection-mace, pepper spray, hand held siren, an umbrella, cane and even a gun if you have to work down there and walk to your car at night. my girlfriend's brother was jumped down there by a group-be careful and beware!

Ok the first time some black guy chased you for no reason (sounds like something a crackhead would do), you should have pepper sprayed him and then knocked him flat on his ass.

The second time when some other black guy "insisted" that you gave him a light, you should have "insisted" that he got the f*ck out of your face before someone gets hurt.

I'm sorry about your experience, but you can't be afraid to even be down there. There is nearly 100,000 people working downtown and I'm sure most of them aren't afraid. Alert maybe but not afraid.

[detroit's own]

Originally Posted by MarvinStrong313

Ok the first time some black guy chased you for no reason (sounds like something a crackhead would do), you should have pepper sprayed him and then knocked him flat on his ass.

The second time when some other black guy "insisted" that you gave him a light, you should have "insisted" that he got the f*ck out of your face before someone gets hurt.

I'm sorry about your experience, but you can't be afraid to even be down there. There is nearly 100,000 people working downtown and I'm sure most of them aren't afraid. Alert maybe but not afraid.

i don't even believe them smh. The whole story just seems a bit too much. and every time it was a "crazy black guy"? yea sounds like bull to me

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Originally Posted by detroit's own

i don't even believe them smh. The whole story just seems a bit too much. and every time it was a "crazy black guy"? yea sounds like bull to me

Agreed. Certainly there are no violent black men in Detroit.

[detroit's own]

Originally Posted by Arthur Digby Sellers

Agreed. Certainly there are no violent black men in Detroit.

yup just like there are no violent white, asian, hispanic, indian etc men either

[Coldjensens]

The areas around C.M. is ver different now than 2 years ago. It is full of young professionals now.

Two years ago I encountered a crazy guy in the park area. I was walking to a political fund raiser. This guy was standing in the sidewalk holding his privates and peeing. He saw me and yelled a request for a dollar. I crossed to the other side of the park and proceeded walking on the grass to avoid him as much as possible. He looked down and said "Oh This? Don't worry about this. I am just taking a pi$$. I will put my *$#@ away and then you can give me a dollar. I just proceeded faster. A minute later I heard screaming. Thinking he may have attacked someone I turned back. HE was standing on some park feature, jumping, screaming spinning and waving his arms.

That kind of stuff is what keeps suburbanites away form the city. It only takes one such encounter and ten to twenty persons will never venture downtown ever again (the person involved and all of their friends). People come in terrified and expect to be mugged. If a homeless guy even talks to them, they freak. If the homeless guy is clearly crazy, they panic. It becomes the drama of their lifetime and they tell the story six times a a day. Then others pick it up and repeat the story but say it was them, because it is more dramatic that way. Then it gets exaggerated to make it even more dramatic. Pretty soon it is this huge terrifying adventure story that scares anyone who hears it. In most cases it was just a homeless guy asking for a dollar, but it gets turned into a near mugging where the victim narrowly escaped by being very clever.