Norfolk more dangerous than New York City (Virginia Beach, Richmond: crime, safe neighborhoods)

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by NOVA_guy

It's a bit disturbing that Norfolk's crime is such a problem considering the population is that of a smaller city. It's not like we're taking a city with 450,000 or 550,000 people. When you have more people in one area, it's expected that crime will somewhat tick up but Norfolk's population isn't that large, it shouldn't really have the crime rate that it does.

Smaller cities between 100,000 and 400,000 is actually where the crime is happening at these days. Its been that way since the eighties. Larger cities were the ones to be avoided before then. Now, its larger cities with really dangerous neighborhoods, but large cities are relatively safe, thanks to gentrification, among other things.

Norfolk's crime rate isn't that different from a lot of cities in the Midwest with similar crime rates. Also cities in California no one has ever heard of, and cities in states like New Jersey where none of the cities are particularly large but they all have issues. You could argue that these are the cities that are closer to New York City, but that only partially explains what is going on up there. It is definitely that way in Ohio. In Michigan, everyone talks about Detroit but there are plenty of smaller cities in that state with issues. And in the link I provided in an earlier post, East St. Louis, a small city in Illinois, is actually leading the pack. This is a city of 27,000 we're talking about.

[Lockdev]

Originally Posted by goofy328

Smaller cities between 100,000 and 400,000 is actually where the crime is happening at these days. Its been that way since the eighties. Larger cities were the ones to be avoided before then. Now, its larger cities with really dangerous neighborhoods, but large cities are relatively safe, thanks to gentrification, among other things.

Norfolk's crime rate isn't that different from a lot of cities in the Midwest with similar crime rates. Also cities in California no one has ever heard of, and cities in states like New Jersey where none of the cities are particularly large but they all have issues. You could argue that these are the cities that are closer to New York City, but that only partially explains what is going on up there. It is definitely that way in Ohio. In Michigan, everyone talks about Detroit but there are plenty of smaller cities in that state with issues. And in the link I provided in an earlier post, East St. Louis, a small city in Illinois, is actually leading the pack. This is a city of 27,000 we're talking about.

I think the bigger question is, why compare?

Who really cares?

It reminds me of when little kids say "Yes, I broke the lamp, but Jimmie burned down his parent's basement!"

In other words, saying "We're bad, but there are other cities are worse!" is not going to accomplish anything.

[nycricanpapi]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

I feel perfectly safe walking around NYC after dark. I can't say the same for Norflok.

Well you must walking on the good part of NYC. You know NYC is comprised of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan right? I don't think you have been to NYC at all.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by Lockdev

I think the bigger question is, why compare?

Who really cares?

It reminds me of when little kids say "Yes, I broke the lamp, but Jimmie burned down his parent's basement!"

In other words, saying "We're bad, but there are other cities are worse!" is not going to accomplish anything.

I think one of the reasons we continue to run up against this wall is because of the comparisons that people often make about the different cities in this region. Like the sky is falling or something. So it is only natural that those of us that are transients, or those of us that are familiar with the crime rate in other cities, either because we've lived through that or we're just in the know about it try to put a positive spin on it. Homicide anywhere is not a good thing. But it always takes the tone of "well these cities are so much worse than the city I live in" ie Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton are so much worse than the rest of the region. All we're saying is "that may be true, but it could be worse, and I've been in worse, and as a matter of fact as bad as it is that doesn't deter me from living, working, and playing in that area". So if people from Hampton Roads do not want to live in these cities, transients may not have any issues, and people born and raised there may not have any issues either, which is why the population continues to increase because those cities offer a cheaper alternative, well, some neighborhoods do anyway.

That's why we care.

It is not that we do not want to see things improve in these cities. We're just sick of the undercover classism that is inferred by these threads.

[Spazkat9696]

Originally Posted by nycricanpapi

Well you must walking on the good part of NYC. You know NYC is comprised of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan right? I don't think you have been to NYC at all.

Actually I do, thanks. Not that it's your business but I go at least once a year.

It doesn't take much to know what areas to avoid in NYC but in Norfolk you can't go anywhere without being within walking distance of a bad area.

[nycricanpapi]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

Actually I do, thanks. Not that it's your business but I go at least once a year.

It doesn't take much to know what areas to avoid in NYC but in Norfolk you can't go anywhere without being within walking distance of a bad area.

You said it. You go once a year. You go to the touristy parts of course it's going to be safe. They hit my grandmother one time with a bat on her head. After that she never walks by herself at night on her own anymore. Have you been to the bronx? Probably not. Have you been to Brooklyn? Probably not. So you are saying all of the parts of Norfolk is bad? So you are saying if I step foot on norfolk, i'm going to get shot? please

[Spazkat9696]

Originally Posted by nycricanpapi

You said it. You go once a year. You go to the touristy parts of course it's going to be safe. They hit my grandmother one time with a bat on her head. After that she never walks by herself at night on her own anymore. Have you been to the bronx? Probably not. Have you been to Brooklyn? Probably not. So you are saying all of the parts of Norfolk is bad? So you are saying if I step foot on norfolk, i'm going to get shot? please

Yes, I've been to both. I hate the tourist traps, and much rather get out of those areas. I will only go to Times Square again if I'm going to a Broadway show and want cheep tickets. Also I go more than once a year, at least once. I actually go to NYC more than Norfolk. Norfolk has NOTHING to offer, other than Pottery Barn. And as the statistics show you are more likely to get killed in Norfolk. In VA we allowed to carry guns in the open without a permit. No need to hide them just walk up to someone and shoot. I'm not saying there is a Bushwick, which I hear is getting better, or a Brownsville in Norfolk, but it has its own challenges. It is not safe, no jobs, high COL, crappy schools, crappy public transpertation, and it's not walkable for those without a car.

ETA: If you think it's so great you should move there. I know I'd move to NYC if I could.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

Yes, I've been to both. I hate the tourist traps, and much rather get out of those areas. I will only go to Times Square again if I'm going to a Broadway show and want cheep tickets. Also I go more than once a year, at least once. I actually go to NYC more than Norfolk. Norfolk has NOTHING to offer, other than Pottery Barn. And as the statistics show you are more likely to get killed in Norfolk. In VA we allowed to carry guns in the open without a permit. No need to hide them just walk up to someone and shoot. I'm not saying there is a Bushwick, which I hear is getting better, or a Brownsville in Norfolk, but it has its own challenges. It is not safe, no jobs, high COL, crappy schools, crappy public transpertation, and it's not walkable for those without a car.

ETA: If you think it's so great you should move there. I know I'd move to NYC if I could.

New York has better transportation. You can go around, or go through, some of the bad areas in that city. That isn't a viable option in Norfolk. You have to go through the bad areas on surface level, on the bus, taxi, or car. And it is tricky, knowing what the bad areas are in Norfolk.

In New York you just stay on the train until you get to where you want to go. Even if those areas you're trying to avoid are several stops. You'll still get people from those areas getting on and off of the train though. Only real way around it is to rely on a taxi. Both good and bad parts of the city are bigger, on a magnitude that is several times bigger than any neighborhood in Norfolk.

If the neighborhood you're trying to avoid is like, one square mile, with 50,000 people in that neighborhood avoiding it isn't really saying anything. But I would not take that to suggest that crime in NYC is that cut and dry. Tourist traps or not, I'm still somewhat on my guard and apprehensive in NYC, just aware of my surroundings, not out of fear, but just as to not get so comfortable in NYC something can happen. If for no other reason than to avoid getting pick pocketed, which is something I've never worried about in Norfolk.

[keesh_j]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

I feel perfectly safe walking around NYC after dark. I can't say the same for Norflok.

I second that! I am much more comfortable walking around Brooklyn at night than Norfolk. People here are crazy!

[nc919va757sc803]

This is complete nonsense. The south bronx in NYC has projects that have 15-20 murders a year. Brooklyn has neighborhoods more dangerous than the whole city of Norfolk. NYC still has open air drug markets, actual gang wars, actual drug wars, Norfolk and surrounding cities aren't the same as NYC at all smh the numbers fool you but this is bogus. Have any of you spent time in any of these cities ghettos? Portsmouth is ghetto but still only in a small city way not anything like NYC. It is still more dangerous than Norfolk. Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Newport News are dangerous in places but those places aren't nearly as dangerous or as large as the dangerous areas in NYC. They often are surrounded by suburbs NYC stays ghetto for miles the 757 is "urban suburbia" if that makes sense.