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But are these Chicago residents? Or tourists, or people who live out in suburbs who don't pay attention to where they're going and don't venture in too often to Chicago? That I can see happening.
The OP seems to a be long time Chicago resident.
I'm just wondering how one lives in a major city and ends up in bad area without knowing it?
Long time residents. If you live clear on the other end of the city and have cause to go to a place you're unfamiliar with, it can happen. There are pockets within the city you need to stay away from, but you may have to go somewhere pretty darn close. And with all the construction, you may be rerouted and get lost. It can happen. Not everyone has a GPS system.
It would be so much easier if the deal was, "The bad neighborhoods start at X and Y Streets and run SW from there", but that's not the reality in Chicago.
Here's an example. There's an expensive, private (Catholic) high school located in Chicago that draws people from all over the city. Mayor Daley's kids went there. Four miles away, an eight minute car ride, were where the projects were. It wouldn't take much for a parent to get lost on a day they were driving their kid to school, since they live 45 minutes northwest of the area and don't frequent the neighborhood.
People are pretty quick to discount this woman's story, but I believe her and have had the same experience. A couple of years ago I was sitting at an outdoor table at a Starbucks in a strip mall waiting for a friend. A car drove by and I looked up to see if it was my ride. An older black guy was driving and our eyes met for no more than 2 seconds.
I thought nothing of it until I saw he had circled around and passed again very slowly, head turned 90 degees to the side window, his eyes locked on me and an expression of pure hatred that I remember to this day. As he passed he spit out the window forcefully while he stared me down. It was so over the top I laughed, but at the same time it was a little scary and I have no doubt whatsoever that it was black rage that a white person dared to offend him by looking up while he drove by.
People are pretty quick to discount this woman's story, but I believe her and have had the same experience. A couple of years ago I was sitting at an outdoor table at a Starbucks in a strip mall waiting for a friend. A car drove by and I looked up to see if it was my ride. An older black guy was driving and our eyes met for no more than 2 seconds.
I thought nothing of it until I saw he had circled around and passed again very slowly, head turned 90 degees to the side window, his eyes locked on me and an expression of pure hatred that I remember to this day. As he passed he spit out the window forcefully while he stared me down. It was so over the top I laughed, but at the same time it was a little scary and I have no doubt whatsoever that it was black rage that a white person dared to offend him by looking up while he drove by.
And sitting right behind you, but out of your sight, his old high school nemesis!
Living and driving in Chicago, I am very careful to avoid bad neighborhoods where shootings are reported but sometimes you end up in one and just have to drive through.
So anyway, I was stuck at a red light and did my usual which is to leave a good distance between the car in front in case of rear ending. Well, this young black man decided to cross the street and walked in that space. I glanced at him when he first walked in front of my car and he looked at this old white lady with the most intense hatred I have ever seen on a person's face. From the moment he stepped in front of my car until he had to go into the next lane of traffic, he stared at me with that look. I just couldn't take my eyes off of him and was literally dumbfounded.
It was honestly terrible and I have never experienced a look like that from anyone in my 70 yrs on this earth.
My first thought was, the race baiters are winning, they have succeeded and will not be happy until every one hates each other.
This happened weeks ago and I still get chills when I remember it. Has anybody else noticed or felt the hatred in real life aside from the internet?
I wouldn't take it personal. It could have been many reasons for that stare. Your mistake was staring back at this guy because he could have been off his meds or something. I don't like to make eye contact with people when it looks like they are staring (unless they want to pick you up or maybe he thought you left too much space and he wanted to cross behind you). You just never know though.
Living and driving in Chicago, I am very careful to avoid bad neighborhoods where shootings are reported but sometimes you end up in one and just have to drive through.
So anyway, I was stuck at a red light and did my usual which is to leave a good distance between the car in front in case of rear ending. Well, this young black man decided to cross the street and walked in that space. I glanced at him when he first walked in front of my car and he looked at this old white lady with the most intense hatred I have ever seen on a person's face. From the moment he stepped in front of my car until he had to go into the next lane of traffic, he stared at me with that look. I just couldn't take my eyes off of him and was literally dumbfounded.
It was honestly terrible and I have never experienced a look like that from anyone in my 70 yrs on this earth.
My first thought was, the race baiters are winning, they have succeeded and will not be happy until every one hates each other.
This happened weeks ago and I still get chills when I remember it. Has anybody else noticed or felt the hatred in real life aside from the internet?
can you be certain he didn't just step in some dog crap?
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or maybe he thought you left too much space and he wanted to cross behind you). You just never know though.