New Orleans ghettos and where to go for driving tour? (violent crime, how much)

[Rocko20]

I had the opportunity to "tour" dangerous Baltimore neighborhoods when I worked in Maryland for 2 years.

I chickened out. I didn't feel like being stared down, see massive trash on the streets and sidewalks, view abandoned and boarded up houses, see used needles and condoms on the street, or hear distant gunshots and police sirens.

You need some testicles to drive in some of these low income high crime neighborhoods. It's nothing you've ever seen before.

[the_little_truth_writer]

Originally Posted by Rocko20

I had the opportunity to "tour" dangerous Baltimore neighborhoods when I worked in Maryland for 2 years.

I chickened out. I didn't feel like being stared down, see massive trash on the streets and sidewalks, view abandoned and boarded up houses, see used needles and condoms on the street, or hear distant gunshots and police sirens.

You need some testicles to drive in some of these low income high crime neighborhoods. It's nothing you've ever seen before.

Yes, and OP, if you go in and cannot get out on your own, do not expect that you will necessarily be able to reach police, and even if you do, do not expect that they will come in after you. Please do let us know how much you enjoyed your "tour."

[Vanderbiltgrad]

They have a gentleman who does this on You Tube for a living. I used to tutor kids in very poor urban neighborhood. To be honest to be around drugs, homeless people, uneducated people and people living in poverty is not really a lot of fun. It is more depressing than anything.

[Brucifer]

[the_little_truth_writer]

Originally Posted by Vanderbiltgrad

They have a gentleman who does this on You Tube for a living. I used to tutor kids in very poor urban neighborhood. To be honest to be around drugs, homeless people, uneducated people and people living in poverty is not really a lot of fun. It is more depressing than anything.

Exactly. If the OP were working toward an advanced degree (or even an honours B.A. or B.S) in Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, or even Art, or if OP was a politician or charity worker with some sort of church group, or if s/he were a documentary film maker or reporter for a newspaper or a magazine, etc., it would make more sense, but to want to go "out of curiosity??? Most people want to avert their eyes from homelessness, endemic poverty, and crime even if it is only depicted in print or on film, much less in person.

OP, here is an idea. Maybe you should tour some of India's poorest areas and really enjoy yourself. Until then, why not get a real feel for New Olreans's ghettos by spending a few nights at a homeless shelter so you can have the full experience of being the victim of violent crime; having no decent place to bathe or even use the loo; of having no place to prepare a decent meal and sit down to enjoy it; of having nothing to do day and night except try to stay alive; of waking up in the morning and finding out that the wino who was sleeping on the floor a few feet away from you the night before was rolled and stabbed to death whilst you slumbered. First hand experience is always best you know.

[earslikeacat]

Just drive around a middle class neighborhood and do a good deed: help hold a door open, give someone directions, comfort someone.
You are NOT thinking straight and may not make it out alive. Please don't go anywhere near the NOLA ghetto.

[pwduvall]

In response to the OP proposition, I say go for it. I am a white person living in a part of Baltimore that Nibbidy feared to tread - but nowhere near the worst part of town. Whenever I visit a new city, I always try to visit the place that the locals say is the worst neighborhood. I am usually disappointed that it isn't the kind of dystopia that I can find in relatively small parts of Baltimore (and not in the whole city, by the way.) I didn't find anyplace that I found particularly bothersome when I visited New Orleans, but I may not have found the very worst neighborhoods. I did venture into a neighborhood in West Philadelphia one time that would give some tough parts of Baltimore a run for their money.

Anyway, if you having a reason to be in troubled neighborhood, people won't be so suspicious of you. Since I do community development in troubled parts of Baltimore, I always have a reason to visit other troubled places, just to find points of comparison. When I visit really tough neighborhoods in Baltimore for work, I like to carry a clip board or some other evidence that I am working - especially a list of addresses. When a neighbor questions what I am doing, I tell them that I am just going down my list - which is true and usually satisfies them. That is all a long way of saying, if you truly want to shop at Lowes, I say go for it.

[Chicagoland60426]

Originally Posted by Vanderbiltgrad

They have a gentleman who does this on You Tube for a living. I used to tutor kids in very poor urban neighborhood. To be honest to be around drugs, homeless people, uneducated people and people living in poverty is not really a lot of fun. It is more depressing than anything.

Are you referring to Charliebo313, btw? He travels through run down parts(occasionally, he does go through the good parts) of the cities in the Midwest, South and Northeast.The two most frequent cities he drives through are Detroit(where he lives and hometown) and Chicago. He even visited my hometown in the Chicago area.

[skeddy]

I think it's a great idea to see how people live in crime ridden inner cities. Makes you appreciate what you have. Never liked NO, too many people with chips on their shoulder for me.

[sconley9922]

Originally Posted by cBach

Central City is generally the area with abject poverty. New Orleans East has the worst crime and lots of rundown homes and apartments that never were fixed up.

Gentilly still has some rough areas. The Lower 9th Ward has some rough areas and also gentrified areas (Make It Right).

Check those out!

I disagree. Not central city, but, The upper and lower ninth have some of the worse areas in the city...the East does not have the worst crime. There are houses and apartments that do need tending to tho.