Is it safe to walk around Barrio Logan? (I'm white) (apartment, lease)

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by yakbird

Excuse me if this question is dumb or racist sounding. I grew up in Temecula which is really safe. I just moved to East Village, San Diego and I found a great produce market at National & Cesar E. Chavez and I want to make trips there for groceries. I was telling coworkers about it and a black coworker told me I would "stick out like a sore thumb" and that I shouldn't go down there because it's "gang-ridden". I have to admit I feel weird being the only white guy in a neighborhood or grocery store and I worry about what other people think of me being there. I wouldn't be going there at night or anything. I'm scared enough to leave my studio complex here in East Village at night. I should probably also add that I'm 20 years old and gay.

But I really love this produce market and their salsa. Should I stay out of the barrio?

Don't listen to your co-worker, you will be fine in Barrio Logan during the day. Have you been to the new Farmer's/Public market yet? It's nothing but white people! LOL

And even if you were rollerblading with sparklers in your hands while wearing a tubetop and leggings, the gay thing is a non-issue.

[Bill23]

My suggestion is no. No way. If you do...get out before it gets dark. It is not safe and do not listen to anyone who says it is. Btw...I am 6'ft tall, weigh 210 pounds, and do Crossfit. I would not feel comfortable or safe.

[Jenkay]

Originally Posted by Bill23

My suggestion is no. No way. If you do...get out before it gets dark. It is not safe and do not listen to anyone who says it is. Btw...I am 6'ft tall, weigh 210 pounds, and do Crossfit. I would not feel comfortable or safe.

I'm female, 5'6", and 135 pounds, and I have no issues with Barrio Logan.

[Senno]

Originally Posted by sdurbanite

Don't listen to your co-worker, you will be fine in Barrio Logan during the day. Have you been to the new Farmer's/Public market yet? It's nothing but white people! LOL

And even if you were rollerblading with sparklers in your hands while wearing a tubetop and leggings, the gay thing is a non-issue.

Dude, that was Terry... Didn't know he made it down to SD.


A Tribute to Terry - YouTube

[anthonyramirez]

The way you talk, the questions you ask, you mentioned Temecula twice and that you're gay which could easily be something they won't know but if you mentioned it I take it that it's something obvious about you... I can tell you would really stand out, don't know how to act around gang members

I spent some weekends there and grew up in these kinds of neighborhoods and was in a gang for a while. One thing is you can never say for sure what will happen. Every hood is unpredictable because people are all different. If one kid feels like showing off or thinks you'd be easy to mess with or doesn't like you it can turn into something. I been shot at in a neighborhood that was less tough in broad daylight just for walking up on something. Also my girl almost got raped in broad daylight in Barrio Logan. She's a model with a tiny waist and F cups but still, if you think there isn't anyone in that neighborhood that would do that to you 5'6" 135 Jen... my girl thought she was safe, too and she had friends there. Everyone says they haven't had any problems until one day they have a problem. There's human trafficking in that gang. They have ties to the Mexican Mafia. I have family in that Mafia, it's not joke. Go there if you want but know if a van pulls up and takes you there will be no escape, witnesses or news coverage.

And every guy I know if he is in the barrio long enough ends up in a fight. Maybe not so much after you're old but you sound young still. I know you're gonna go so don't act weak/scared but don't act hard, drive up, get your salsa and drive home. I eat at a Cambodian place in Long Beach. I know it's gang territory so I don't act like I'm in Temecula when I'm there.

"If you ain't ever been to the ghetto don't ever come to the ghetto cuz you wouldn't understand the ghetto stay the f*ck out of the ghetto" - Naughty by Nature same's true of Barrios. But you can go to that farmer's market jaja

[Pedro2000]

Originally Posted by anthonyramirez

The way you talk, the questions you ask, you mentioned Temecula twice and that you're gay which could easily be something they won't know but if you mentioned it I take it that it's something obvious about you... I can tell you would really stand out, don't know how to act around gang members

I spent some weekends there and grew up in these kinds of neighborhoods and was in a gang for a while. One thing is you can never say for sure what will happen. Every hood is unpredictable because people are all different. If one kid feels like showing off or thinks you'd be easy to mess with or doesn't like you it can turn into something. I been shot at in a neighborhood that was less tough in broad daylight just for walking up on something. Also my girl almost got raped in broad daylight in Barrio Logan. She's a model with a tiny waist and F cups but still, if you think there isn't anyone in that neighborhood that would do that to you 5'6" 135 Jen... my girl thought she was safe, too and she had friends there. Everyone says they haven't had any problems until one day they have a problem. There's human trafficking in that gang. They have ties to the Mexican Mafia. I have family in that Mafia, it's not joke. Go there if you want but know if a van pulls up and takes you there will be no escape, witnesses or news coverage.

And every guy I know if he is in the barrio long enough ends up in a fight. Maybe not so much after you're old but you sound young still. I know you're gonna go so don't act weak/scared but don't act hard, drive up, get your salsa and drive home. I eat at a Cambodian place in Long Beach. I know it's gang territory so I don't act like I'm in Temecula when I'm there.

"If you ain't ever been to the ghetto don't ever come to the ghetto cuz you wouldn't understand the ghetto stay the f*ck out of the ghetto" - Naughty by Nature same's true of Barrios. But you can go to that farmer's market jaja

I think a lot of people are just dumb. And it's a reason, sad to say, why a lot of people do have bad things happen to them. When you walk around the same no matter where you are and think nothing will ever happen to you, it probably will at some point. I mean yeah I spent time down in Colombia and stood out like a sore thumb, but nothing ever happened to me, so it must be safe. That's dumb logic.

It's like anywhere really. Some areas are worse than others and obviously if you look like somebody who isn't from the area and you act aloof and out of touch with reality, something might happen. There was this girl I knew where I grew up on the East coast who never locked her house doors, never locked her car doors and said nobody would ever steal or break into her old beat up car. We were both around 19 at that time and she was ok with it and I thought she was crazy. But nothing ever happened to her for a long time. Nobody ever broke into her car. Nobody ever stole anything out of it.

So a couple years later, when we were like 21, she contacted me out of the blue crying and sad and pissed and everything in between. Somebody opened her car door. She was devastated as they stole all her cassette tapes, stereo system, her CDs, and back then CDs were one of those things many people didn't even have, they tore up her back seat with a knife, and so on. They left her car but stole anything that was worth anything in it.

So yeah nothing might ever happen anywhere, but people need to use common sense no matter where they go. If it's an area where it's kind of obvious that you aren't from there, it's stupid to think you can just go along like it's the same as anywhere else. Common sense goes a long way in life.

[Think4Yourself]

Originally Posted by yakbird

Excuse me if this question is dumb or racist sounding. I grew up in Temecula which is really safe. I just moved to East Village, San Diego and I found a great produce market at National & Cesar E. Chavez and I want to make trips there for groceries. I was telling coworkers about it and a black coworker told me I would "stick out like a sore thumb" and that I shouldn't go down there because it's "gang-ridden". I have to admit I feel weird being the only white guy in a neighborhood or grocery store and I worry about what other people think of me being there. I wouldn't be going there at night or anything. I'm scared enough to leave my studio complex here in East Village at night. I should probably also add that I'm 20 years old and gay.

But I really love this produce market and their salsa. Should I stay out of the barrio?

It's fine. Here's a hint, just bacause people in a neighborhood aren't all white doesn't mean it isn't safe. Admitably I have only been down there during the daylight hours but I have never found it to not be safe. I am going to guess you don't shop at 2am so it should be safe for you too. Hell, the public market, where you are going, is filled mostly with white yuppies from the burbs anyway. Who do you think is buying organic humus and heirloom tomatoes?

[Think4Yourself]

Originally Posted by yakbird

Did I mention I grew up in Temecula?

lol, but thanks. Hopefully my coworker was just teasing me.

It's in your head. No, there are not hoards of dark skinned people waiting to attack white people. Seriously, I say that as a white guy who has traveled all over this country and dozens of others. The secret to not becoming a victim is to not being an idiot. That means, don't look like an easy target, don't be drunk and flashing cash, don't be drunk and showing everyone your Rolex, trust your instincts so if it feels unsafe take extra precautions like going in a group with friends. Don't engage in illegal activities like soliciting drugs or soliciting prostitutes, stay in well let areas, pay attention to what the people around you are doing and pay attention to if anyone is following you.

Even criminals want an easy target so be a hard target and they'll move along looking for easier prey. This has nothing to do with Barrio Logan, which is actually a very safe location, and instead is a general life skill. If these rules can serve me well every where from the slums of Latin America, to slums in the middle east, to back alleys in east Asia, to post communist hell holes in Eastern Europe as well as run down places in the EU and the US then it can serve you too. Don't look like a victim, don't act like an idiot, and use common sense and you'll be fine. People are the same the world over.

[CNYC]

I went there to take pictures of the murals one day and there happened to be a bunch of cholos showing off their cars. I asked permission to take pictures of the cars without issues. We even chatted for a while.


The thing I like about mexican hoods is they treat you at face value. If you handle yourself well they respect you and leave you alone. Some other ethnic hoods don't let you off that easy.

Being gay shouldn't matter as long as you aren't flamboyant. Obviously you can be anything you want but being too outwardly gay in the hood could backfire on you.



Go early dress down and know where you are going. If you are still uncomfortable listen to your instincts and don't go.

[Think4Yourself]

Originally Posted by Clevelandgal

I've spent time in barrio logan during the day and had no issue what so ever. I've been in the commercial area and also residential streets for work.are you talking about the new Northgate market? Northgate does have great salsa!

They have a nice marinated meat counter too. Perfect for BBQs and much cheaper than Vons, Albertsons, or Ralphs.