Where is Overtown and is it crime ridden city? (Miami: homes, living in)

[PBCboy]

Originally Posted by burgler09

That's overtown?! I was driving through there and didn't even realize it was bad.. thank god it wasn't night.

That's not Overtown, that's downtown. That area is safe to drive around in at night.

[xxs78]

Excuse me,this is not a provocation,but why to pity about the crimes in all cities and to give some guns to the people!

[Overtown USa]

When I first saw this while doing a google search for an old blog I thought it was a joke. I could not believe that there are people out there who would openly fear a part of Miami. Weak kneed elitist or just afraid of the working poor? I have lived in Overtown for five years. It is six blocks from my job at the Miami Herald. Many of my coworkers live here as well. Everyday I see little boys and girls walking to school in Overtown. They are not armed and do not need pOlice protection. At night old ladies walked to the park or to church or to one of the many corner grocery stores. Some nights we walk down to Culmer park to go fishing.

Oh now I understand. When you drive through Overtown you see our homeless neighbors and think that these people that are sleeping under the bridges are there to rob you. No. They are there to get out of the rain; escape the fire ants; and to hide from murderous wealthy kids from the suburbs.

[big mean bear]

Originally Posted by Overtown USa

When I first saw this while doing a google search for an old blog I thought it was a joke. I could not believe that there are people out there who would openly fear a part of Miami. Weak kneed elitist or just afraid of the working poor? I have lived in Overtown for five years. It is six blocks from my job at the Miami Herald. Many of my coworkers live here as well. Everyday I see little boys and girls walking to school in Overtown. They are not armed and do not need pOlice protection. At night old ladies walked to the park or to church or to one of the many corner grocery stores. Some nights we walk down to Culmer park to go fishing.

Oh now I understand. When you drive through Overtown you see our homeless neighbors and think that these people that are sleeping under the bridges are there to rob you. No. They are there to get out of the rain; escape the fire ants; and to hide from murderous wealthy kids from the suburbs.

They don't call it "the Swamp" for no reason Mr. Overtown pride.

[immigrant]

Originally Posted by Overtown USa

When I first saw this while doing a google search for an old blog I thought it was a joke. I could not believe that there are people out there who would openly fear a part of Miami. Weak kneed elitist or just afraid of the working poor? I have lived in Overtown for five years. It is six blocks from my job at the Miami Herald. Many of my coworkers live here as well. Everyday I see little boys and girls walking to school in Overtown. They are not armed and do not need pOlice protection. At night old ladies walked to the park or to church or to one of the many corner grocery stores. Some nights we walk down to Culmer park to go fishing.

Oh now I understand. When you drive through Overtown you see our homeless neighbors and think that these people that are sleeping under the bridges are there to rob you. No. They are there to get out of the rain; escape the fire ants; and to hide from murderous wealthy kids from the suburbs.

Could have not said it better really. It's something simple minded people only understand when the circumstances make you. Others might get it after a few walk throughs, some don't need to experience to understand, quite a few need to be sleeping in a shelter, under a bridge, no job, go through mental issues to understand what it's like. It's not an easy walk and people kicking someone who's already down doesnt make it any easier.

Ignorance and bias based fear has taken over a good share of folks.

[Tungsten_Udder]

We stopped at a Wendy's in (well, or near--I'm not sure of the exact boundaries, either) Overtown when we were down there last week and the scariest thing there was the girl waiting on us who tried to tell my wife (a vegetarian for a couple days per week (it's a religious thing)) that the stuff she was pointing at in her salad wasn't meat, it was bacon.

[Bob Osborne]

I lived In the Overtown area for about a year in 1991. I rode a moped and was assulted on a regular basis. Dodging beer bottles, being clipped in traffic, being called cracker. Once while stoped at a light I was squirted in the side of the head with a supersoaker. I soon discovered routs to avoid Overtown. And Liberty City. Staying out of these areas eliminated all those problems with the exception of the traffic assults. I guess a white guy on a moped is just to tempting.
My advice ? Don't drive a moped.
Oh, I just remembered . I Have a good friend that was in a serious accident near Africa Park. By the time help arrived he had been relieved of all valuables. He is Cuban.
Good luck.

[Overtown USa]

Hi Bob:

Did you really have such bad experiences while driving though OT? That is outrageous. Was it a kid or an adult that sprayed you with a water gun? That was over 17 years ago. The area still has many homeless people and people who just seem to prefer to hang in the streets but now there are more families and and a few not so scary black people..

[dadeguy]

I do some work in the overtown area, greater bethel ame church is one of my customers. I have never experienced a problem in overtown at any time of the day or night even when I have thousands of dollars worth of tools exposed to open view.

[Banx]

Originally Posted by Bob Osborne

I lived In the Overtown area for about a year in 1991. I rode a moped and was assulted on a regular basis. Dodging beer bottles, being clipped in traffic, being called cracker. Once while stoped at a light I was squirted in the side of the head with a supersoaker. I soon discovered routs to avoid Overtown. And Liberty City. Staying out of these areas eliminated all those problems with the exception of the traffic assults. I guess a white guy on a moped is just to tempting.
My advice ? Don't drive a moped.
Oh, I just remembered . I Have a good friend that was in a serious accident near Africa Park. By the time help arrived he had been relieved of all valuables. He is Cuban.
Good luck.

Lol c'mon, is this serious? I mean who the hell carries a super soaker with them out on the streets that just happened to catch u at that exact moment waiting at a redlight? lol.