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Gee, you don't think Fort Washington Avenue and 162nd Street is more dangerous than Park Avenue and 82nd Street? Your logic is specious.
I don't really get your point Viral. Who was it directed at, and in response to what?
For the record I spent a considerable portion of my life living there during what was probably that neighborhood's lowest point. So maybe I'm a bit biased but no I don't think the neighborhood is dangerous now.
If it's on Riverside Drive, it's not bad. Everything is relative, of course. Riverside and 155th isn't the same thing as Riverside and 72nd. But I tend to judge neighborhoods this way: I ask myself if I would be willing to live there. If the answer is 'yes,' then it's not bad. Simple but effective!
Don't just fixate on Riverside Drive. There are only buildings on Riverside Drive and the viaduct across the street. You have to go to Bway to get to transportation, shopping, post office etc.
The OP is trying to get a comparison to the areas of Forest Hills or Park Slope. It can't compare. I'm comfortable up there. But would a Forest Hills person or a Park Slope person be comfortable. I went to a function up there in the fall, my friends from Bayside couldn't wait to jump in their cars and go back home after it was over, and they were Dominican. They were ok inside the place we were at, but very uncomfortable outside.
The other question is would he/she be confined to a small comfort zone. Maybe if you are very comfortable in Park Slope or Forest Hills you won't be. Even though overall it is ok.
I'm really grateful to all the perspectives given so far. It has helped me very much. So far, it doesn't sound very attractive -- a place to be tolerated rather than sought after. I'm certainly not afraid of Dominican people, having lived the first half of my life in a poor village in Mexico, but after spending the second half of my life in the American 'burbs I've gotten used to a certain daily living style.
Actually I am not so much concerned about my own physical safety (crime happens anywhere, etc.). Rather, I own a dog that is of the breed that gang members like to steal and fight. When I walk him, I get a lot of welcome and unwelcome attention. Iwould not feel comfortable living somewhere with a considerable member of gang members and parading my dog amongst them several times per day every day. This is a case where I'm not afraid of entering rough neighborhoods, I just don't want the homes RIGHT AROUND mine to be full of potential dognappers. It may sound crazy, but you should SEE the envy and drooling that comes over bangers when they see my dog, enough to make me wait until they're out of sight before I go into my house right now.
So unless I'm misreading, I would have a fine residence andbuilding on Riverside Drive but would be entering the 'hood, the ghetto, whatever you want to call it, every time I walk around the corner, shop on Broadway, or go to the 1-train.
As always,Force, go and hang out and walk the neighborhood at different times. That will give you the only real answer.If I had paid too much attention to some of the posts on this board I would never have moved to the neighborhood that I recently moved to. It was good to hear what others thought to sharpen my senses and powers of observation but in the end I decided that I was totally comfortable . I don't regret my decision.
I have had a couple of bad experiences on Riverside, so I'm not to fond of the area. Mainly because it's so isolated and across the river basically. If something were to happen to you there, I'm not sure help would come right away. But I guess Riverside in terms of crime is safe, but when you start heading east to Broadway, you're in the hood. The area is Dominican and is heavy with drugs. Basically, 155th is the gateway to Harlem from Washington Heights. Those are the heaviest drug spots in Manhattan. But I dont think its absolutely terrible, but if you're coming from the burbs, it may not be too pleasant.
Gee, you don't think Fort Washington Avenue and 162nd Street is more dangerous than Park Avenue and 82nd Street? Your logic is specious.
For the record, NYU provides escort service. Is Astor Place comparable to 162nd St? Escort service is no indication, that was his point.
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