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I got punched in the face for no reason in 2005 on 120th and Broadway. This was in broad daylight and these punks came out of no where and punched me in the face. This guy chased the punks off and asked me, "Why didn't you fight back, is it cause you white?" and I was like, "Hell yea", but I'm not a coward. I was outnumbered and afraid they might pull a knife or something. I have lived in Brooklyn my whole life, 19 years, and can say that Brownsville is a very dangerous neighborhood. The people live in dire poverty and the area is very influenced by gangs and violence. It has been rooted in the neighborhood since the beginning of the 20th century. Yes, when the Jews lived in Brownsville it was still a slum.
I understand where you're coming from. I've been to the worst neighborhoods in the nation, New Orleans, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, LA, and so on and I know how to handle myself in bad areas. As a muscular, 200lbs, 5'9" black male, I usually don't get any slack in those "hoods" and I can take on 1 or 2 guys but what worries me are the young groups(or should I say packs) of guys "wilding" out trying to prove something. I do get dirty looks though, if i'm in an area that people are unfamilar with me.
They do punk (bleep) stuff to prove themselves to the older gang members or just part of gang initiation. Real(older) thugs really don't have much to prove so they don't worry me but if i'm alone in an unfamiliar area and see a group of 3 or more teens, then i'm putting my guard up and walking on the other side and taking a detour. They have nothing to lose and tons to prove. Being tough is one thing, being stupid and trying to fight 2 or more people is plain stupid unless you have no choice. I'd have to put aside my pride and back down to a group of punks. Go to the Daily News website, a 12 year got stabbed in the face and killed as part of a gang initiation.
As another poster said, a white will not be bothered many times in a predominantly high-crime Black or Hispanic area unless they appear to be a druggie because they don't want any extra attention. I look like too many people and worry that i'd be mistaken for someone else. As for the OP, please get rid of your false sense of security or you'll be rudely awakened. I've lived and spent a lot of time in places a lot more dangerous than NYC as a whole but I don't think this city is totally "safe".
Perhaps the reason why you feel so secure is that you stay in your "comfort zone" - take the train lines you know, get off the stops you are familiar with, walk the same route day after day. Now if we were to take you out of your comfort zone, would you feel as secure?
I am a native NY'er and let me tell you, there are some streets I wouldn't frequent - and I've been to every borough and most of the neighborhoods when times were really "hairy" in the 70's and 80's. Yes, today the city is far safer, but never underestimate the ability for this place to surprise you - sometimes in unfortunate ways and even in the "safest" or "trendiest" of neighbhoods. My guess you are living in trendy Williamsburg - continue on the L train and get off at the Franklin Ave. stop, or take a walk over to Morgan Avenue at night - let me know how safe you feel. If you live in downtown Bklyn, head over to the other side of Flatbush and walk in a few miles, let me know how comforting that is - particularly in the summertime at night. If you're in Bay Ridge, head over to Sunset Park; hang around the park or head over to 3rd Ave by the highway. If you feel like exploring outside the borough, head up to the So. Bronx, like the OP mentioned at Boston Post Road - where the popping noises are not firecrackers going off. There are too many places to list, but those are just some examples.
As far as being "afraid", I think a more appropriate word is "aware", "very aware of your surroundings".
I can see your point, but I do have to say that I've been living off of Morgan ( L train stop ) for two years now and never felt threatened. In fact, my wife can go out alone and shop at night and I don't fear for her safety in the least - besides everyday husbandly anxieties. Eye of the beholder.
KRS - going to juarez is quite different from the NY neighborhoods. Juarez has more killing but its all drug-related cartel killing. The danger is being in the wrong place at the wrong time- like when they are spraying bullets. Other than that the place is safe - people from El Paso would routinely go there for lunch dinner or to party.
Moderator cut: Removed YouTube video for language issues, well past PG-13 standard
This is Coney Island projects even though it says Brownsville. Coney Island is pretty gritty as well. M.O.P. the rap group was just doing a tour of their old hood which is Brownsville. M.O.P. is a dope group though.
Last edited by bmwguydc; 01-10-2010 at 11:40 PM..
Reason: Removed YouTube video
I think there is a big difference between going to an area and living in it. That's why you see people make comments like those. There are very, very few the city that I would not go (probably East New York or Brownsville or a few other particularly bad areas late at night), but there are plenty of places I would not live. For example, I have no particular compunction going to, say, a party in a warehouse in Bushwick. But would I live in Bushwick? Hell no.
Now, given that crime can technically happen to anyone at anytime (I was a victim of assault on a quiet street in a safe, suburban part of Staten Island, so I understand that) repeated exposure to the possibility greatly increases your chances. So, the odds of you being victimized going to an area once, or even sometimes, is much, much, lower than the odds if you return to that area day after day, night after night.
Once again: Going to an area and living in it are two different things.
All that said, yes, there are some posters who greatly exaggerate the danger of certain NYC locales. No argument there.
As some have said, there's crime but it's not crime ridden. Cities are like that. As much common sense as you're capable of and attention to your surroundings will generally work almost anywhere you are.
Take any part of living someplace, make it a question all by itself, sit back and watch the exaggeration fly! Good luck!
Being somewhere for a temporary period of time and living there are two completely things and would result in two completely different viewpoints (that of a visitor and that of a resident). As a visitor, there are things you may miss (or see) that are/aren't part of the ordinary (this can be negative or positive), whereas residents see it all and can therefore have an opinion on whether it's truly "dangerous" or not.
I have been in rough areas (I have a lot of family in Brownsville, East NY and South Jamaica) and nothing has happened to me. But I would never generalize these neighborhoods (except South Jamaica because I go through there EVERYDAY especially at night and during the day, hang out there, family lived/lives there and lived adjacent to it) as not being "dangerous" because I haven't experienced the entire realm of the neighborhoods.
I just think you should be careful with what you say because some person could read this (especially a non-NYC native) and think hanging out in south bx or east ny at 2am is safe.
Exactly. There are no dangerous areas in NYC anymore. I don't understand why every few days a new thread will pop up asking whether and adress in BK Harlem or the BX is safe to live. Everywhere in NYC is safe!!
This is a joke. I have never seen a big city without rough neighborhoods, and New York is the king of big cities. Crime may be down, but it's not gone, and I am sure it happens in some places more than others. Let's not just proclaim wishful thinking as reality.
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