apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Also: If someone wants to come in your building but they don't have a key, don't let them in. If they're there to visit someone they can be buzzed in.

Don't read Sara Gran's COME CLOSER. I recommend it to all my friends, but not if they live in industrial areas. It's a literary fiction horror novel about a woman who moves to a loft and slowly goes mad and/or becomes demonically possessed.

This is really interesting for me as I am about to move into a similarly not-that-bad-but-somewhat-unsafe neighborhood. Good tip on the GPS thing, I never would have thought of that.

One of the best neighborhoods I lived in was considered a scary one. We were 2 blocks from the methadone clinic, and when I saw tourists wandering around (map and camera) I would point them back to the touristy area. I can't agree more about knowing your neighborhood. There were 3 pizza places on my street and all of the workers kept an eye-out for me. One let me know a lady was knocking on my door while I was out (it was my mom). If you can't have a dog make sure you never walk alone at night. If someone is following you spit LOUDLY on the ground.

If you need a list as long as that to feel comfortable, you are probably not temperamentally suited to living in the 'hood and should maybe stick to to the nice safe suburbs.

this is good advice that everyone should take generally, regardless of their presumed neighborhood safety.

Ok, I have to ask, why the spitting loudly tip? Safety via gross out?

I live in a bad part of Los Angeles, and I will admit that sometimes things can get a bit hairy. I saved myself a lot of trouble by owning a horrible cell phone and never taking anything really expensive with me out at night.

of course you could also talk to yourself loudly like you're crazy, that might creep out a predator -- i'm not sure of that spitting loudly on the ground. what does that do?

Be a kind host and realize many people won't feel comfortable visiting your home in a crappy neighborhood - no matter how much you want to show off the beautiful apartment.

Once you live somewhere your comfort level changes to accept it, so it's easy to forget how friends and family might feel in the same place.

And if there's a problem with car break-ins, go the extra step and clean out your glove compartment and leave it empty and open, so they know there's no ipod or gps hiding inside.

This is sound advice ANYWHERE.

Agree completely with Sluggy64. The big mistake a lot of people make is that because they are in a "safe" area they believe that they don't have to be street smart. I know someone who was mugged at gunpoint in Oak Park, it can happen anywhere.

On the other hand it is still always possible to live somewhere that is too dangerous and you really should consider paying more to live somewhere better if you can. I've lived in south chicago for the last 2 years and there were many many reasons that made it doable.

- my work was a block away, very convenient!
- the building I live in is on a main street with lots of businesses, so cops patrol it every night
- police station 2 blocks away (doesn't guarantee fast response time however)
- I'm female living alone, and the building I live in has an office open 24/7 due to assisted living situations in several of the units. I have somewhere to go if I get spooked.
- there is a bus that stops RIGHT at the front door to my building
- my personal rule was to always be inside by the time the businesses close, and frankly it's everyone else's because the streets are completely deserted after that.

I definitely believe the *most* important thing is to know all of your neighbors. You look out for each other and know what's going on in the area.

HOWEVER I got laid off and I'm taking my butt out of here ASAP (I just found a place in Hyde Park :D). It was my job that made living here doable, cheap rent is not a good reason to risk getting shot...

I think additional good advice is to know where your nearest police station and emergency room is. Also the CPD website has maps of every neighborhood showing where crimes are and what type: http://gis.chicagopolice.org/

I also live right in front of my job, so that's a big plus. But, when that's done, I'm moving the hell out jejeje.

BTW, I love my little apartment anyway...

1. This will be controversial, but _don't give away money_!
2. Keep moving! Not from apartment to apartment, of course, but in your personal space--keep moving. (Variant of "walk with purpose" above.)
3. I agree with 'look people in the eye': the neighborhood belongs to you, too!
4. Also with 'never leave things in your car'; once lost a haul of baby shower gifts for visiting friends :( .

I'm about to move in to a warehouse/industrial unit a few doors and a building away from my current work as a graphic artist. The warehouse space will give me the space and opportunity to return to fine arts, like I did fornearly a decade (it may be a precarious time for the business of art, but a painter PAINTS or goes crazy. Besides, it'll be a cool place to loft out..... There is already one fellow here in the business park that does it, and the space and cost are great, for Orange County....less than a dollar a square foot, and it is very near the Metro/South Coast Plaza area, to boot....the neighborhood is deserted at night and on weekends, save for the recording studio next to my work (and am thankfully NOT going to be next to). It's not new, it's not dirty or scary, but it definitely is not for everyone. Me, I can't wait. April 1st is the move-in date.

And you know what's not for ME, btw... roommate situations, living with family, living in an apartment complex, the suburbs, a gated community, a preplanned loft, or any other manner of cattle-clusterfu**s that dominate Orange County.

It's ironic, diving into the heart of the business area for peace and quiet. (whilst planning my ultimate escape from the materialistic and superficial southland).

Ikea's as-is has been a BIG help in my being able to get the place going. I just picked up today a set of Akurum kitchen counters clad with stainless steel . Normal price for the pieces I picked out.... over 300 bucks, and I paid about a hundred.

But anyway, I look forward to the challenges and potentials of the place. Maybe I should start a Flickr.....8^)

^ Do start a Flickr, btoddster, I'd definitely visit it!

(Great post, Sarahrae!)

All fascinating posts, but can someone please explain the spitting thing? It's driving me crazy trying to work it out!

So interesting to read about living in really risky areas, we live in Sweden, where I would say there are no risky areas to live. Still a lot of people thought we were stupid to move to a segregated suburb, still some of them don't like to visit and think we are crazy to not move before our first child arrives in june. But this is Sweden! You can't walk for more than 10 minutes without finding yourself surrounded by trees or nature in som way, especially not in this woody suburb. I lived in Paris for a while, no one asked me if I wasn't frightened of walking home at night, but I was. I also was nervous when we lived in a nice part of the city we live in right now, where the streets were empty from very early in the nights. People who live here work all sorts of hours, you are never alone when you walk from the station, no matter what time it is. I never feel unsafe, but our friends who don't visit often do.

Ha! That's my building at the end of the alleyway in the photo! It's not actually a dangerous neighborhood at all, but I won't walk the dog at night in that alley. I'm scarred from growing up in NYC in the 70s.

I only had trouble with theft moving from one place to another. While my former neighbors in Sauganash were looting my garage of everything I left for the new owners, I had to be carefull not to leave anything tempting outside the new home in Andersonville I moved into and rehabbed. I lost a $300 extention ladder my first week here, it was totally hidden from view at the side of the house. Thieves feel very comfortable exploring empty or under construction houses.

I lived in a so-so neighborhood here in Kansas City (55th St. between Troost and Paseo for our other KC readers) for about 8 months while I rented after moving here. I never felt terribly unsafe personally as I have two dogs and a shotgun, but I'll share my few experiences:

1) Street parking. Kids were always sitting and standing on my car, so I have the dents to show it. Plates stolen once, stickers stolen several times (that's a Missouri thing. Most people get their stickers stolen every few months so thieves don't have to pay taxes to renew their car registration). Also my Thule roof rack got ripped off my car. Thought it was stolen but a kid pointed it out in the bushes a few months later, so it was just simple vandalism.

What I really didn't like about the street parking was that I parked in the same place all the time. Because of the no parking zones around there, I didn't have much of an alternative unless I wanted to park a block away and in a worse neighborhood. Coupled with the fact that my dogs bark for anyone who comes to the door, a smart burglar would notice my car gone, then could knock on the door, and if no dogs were barking they'd know I was gone, probably for the weekend. That said, I never had a break-in.

2) Neighbors. My neighbors were pretty nice. I was the only white guy that I ever saw around there, so I think I was a bit of a novelty. That said, I deal with a lot of different type of people in my work and I've travelled a lot, so I like people and I'm not scared of skin color. Things changed when my next door neighbor's brother got out of jail. This was about 2 months into my stay in this neighborhood. He did nothing at all except sit on the porch and drink from 7:00-ish in the morning until after midnight, every day, all weather. Sometimes he took a few minutes out of the day to fight with his brother or girlfriend. Brother was taken out of the house on a stretcher several times. The ex-con brother asked me for money every time I came or went, and that got really, REALLY old. Sometimes he was cool, but most of the time he was an a$$hole about it. I even told him, "Look... I'm NEVER going to 'loan' you money, ever, so you might as well stop asking" but he never did stop and sometimes he would yell at me about being a "racist" because I wouldn't give him gas money. Living three feet away from a bully who would harass me EVERY time I came or went, 7 days a week, became very, very stressful.

Case in point: the neighborhood can go any direction at any time, and a pretty OK neighborhood can change quickly. Also your personal experiences can vary greatly depending on the nature of the people you run into most frequently.

I think the post on not wearing an iPod, etc is fine, but the reality is that if you are a yuppy living in a yet-to-be-gentrified neighborhood you're going to stick out like a sore thumb. Low income people are very street-smart and observant. Not using your iPod or your Bluetooth Star Trek communicator isn't going to fool anybody! Always be aware of your surroundings and carry pepper spray. Be most careful of coming/leaving your home in a state of inebriation as it makes you a very easy target because of slower reaction time and less observation of your surroundings.

For me, the breaking point was the neighbor (I also wanted to buy a house, so he was incentive to do it sooner than later) as well as a drive-by shooting that took place on my corner. When I started hearing gunshots that was enough for me. I broke my lease and was out of there two months later.

One additional comment about the neighbors thing... my brother and his family live in the suburbs of Des Moines and have a weird neighbor (walks into their house sometimes without asking, etc... no boundaries. He'd meet the business end of my shotty one day and probably stop doing that lol). He stresses them out enough that they were looking to move last year and are still thinking about it. So, pretty much anywhere you live a lot of your experience will depend on others, unfortunately. I like living close to town, but I definitely see the appeal of a few acres out in the country. When I'm home I want peace and to be alone. Having neighbors bothering me constantly would be a HUGE annoyance.

I've lived in nice and rough neighborhoods and I agree that this is sound advice anywhere.

I used to live in a loft building in a rather rough neighborhood in Brooklyn and our building stuck out like a sore thumb because it was full of mostly (relatively--to the rest of the neighborhood) rich kids. Needless to say, people in our building were the victims of many muggings, robberies and other unpleasantness. I think the best piece of advice is to just be hyper-aware of your surroundings, walk with a purpose, act like you know your way around the neighborhood and if you have to ask for directions be friendly and courteous without seeming naive.

The Ipod thing is also good. I would also suggest that you avoid taking out expensive Iphones or BBs on the street. Also: I would always keep my hands in my coat jacket because I found that people were less likely to mess with you when they didn't know what was in your hands.

My neighborhood is pretty dicey but I'm in the rare situation that probably 98% of the violence in my neighborhood is VERY personal. So as long as I don't take anyone's "usual" parking spots or just call in sick to work if someone has blocked my car in or whatever may be the problem then I'm A-OK. I'm still careful though.

And I have another tip from a friend who had a very bad experience in her neighborhood. If you get your neighbor's mail in your box and you don't know them VERY VERY well, DO NOT bring it to them. Just write a note for the postman.

The scariest place I've lived was Wrigleyville.

As someone who lived in one of NYC's worst neighborhoods for the first 21 years of her life (largely without incident, because of common sense), I would like to say: if you feel like you have to do fifty billion things in order to be safe, you need to go back to your nice neighborhood. Seriously.

I would have gone nuts without my headphones (worn in ANY neighborhood to block out catcalls). And if the owners of your stores speak enough english and/or are just generally inclined to do more than scowl and take your money, your 'hood is probably not so bad. Hell, if you have an actual business located there, you're ahead of my hometown, which was a stretch of cheap supermarkets and liquor stores.

You should walk purposefully anywhere. And be aware anywhere. If your neighborhood is prone to violence, the only thing that might save you in a confrontation is a weapon and a willingness to use it.

We live on a main street, that has churches, houses and stores and a bar. On the right side of the street is a very nice, trendy up and coming neighborhood. On the left side of the street is the not so pretty, not so safe neighborhood (i.e. police stings, drugs, prostitutes, etc.).

Living on the main street in an old apartment building I can say we feel somewhat safe. We wouln't take a walk at night on the bad side, let's just say.

The thing I am most adament about is not to open to anybody you don't know who buzzes in. Living on the first floor, I would hope people take this seriously. I once had a guy buzz and swear at me and yell when I said I wouldn't let him in (who does that anyways?). So in this old building there is also a mix of individual, some old people, some young, some ''young professionnals'' and some people who are just weird. (2 weeks ago, the guy in front of us had a girl he had never seen, staring at his door and touching the door for a good 15 minutes before the girls living in the apartment next to him convince her to 'go home'... We are still not sure what that was about).

The other thing I would say is important is to buy blinds or curtains. If we are sitting on the couch in the living room with the curtains open, people from the street can see us and it doesn't really makin me feel at ease so we leave that part of the curtains closed.

"The scariest place I've lived was Wrigleyville." OH C'mon it isn't THAT bad..

I have lived in crack-ville Phoenix and in hooker-ville Texas. Now I live in a small, quaint village in Michigan. It doesn't matter where you live. There are dangers everywhere. They vary from place to place, but don't get fooled into thinking anywhere is safe.

The windows were stolen out of my car in Phoenix. Yes, just the windows. My entire car was stolen in Texas. Methheads break into houses here on a weekly basis-occupied or not. My husband had all the change stolen out of his car in our driveway here-by drunk kids. I think that going out after dark- by yourself- male of female- is always a crap shoot.
That said- you can't live your life scared. Just watch out for yourself. Be prepared. Have a plan. And lock your doors and pull your curtains. I can't tell you how much I have seen by just driving by a house in the evening.

I live 5 blocks from the new president, but on the wrong side of what used to be the DMZ line between "good" and "bad." It's the most beautiful street I've lived on, even though it still has a few vacant lots. It is beautiful, and safe, because of the largely African-American heroes who stayed when the neighborhood declined, prevented tear-downs, and worked hard for years to get redevelopment going. I'm always grateful to them. Having lived in the city of Chicago for almost 16 years, I can say that unless a neighborhood is experiencing active gang violence, it's gonna be pretty safe for regular, law-abiding folks. Yes, the odd robbery occurs on the street, and those are scary, but given the population density the odds of that happening to YOU are still pretty low. In fact, living on the South Side has been much safer than when we lived in trendy Wicker Park (about 10 years ago) where we had gunshots at our house, graffiti, break-ins, belligerent homeless, arson in nearby homes, and very poor police service.

I moved to Baltimore city after growing up in a semi-rural area in the southern part of the state and it did take me a while to adjust to homeless people and the sound of gunshots at night and just urban blight in general.

The one thing I've definitely learned is that if you're walking somewhere always keep your head up and definitely walk with a purpose. I took a self-defense class a few years ago and the instructor gave us a few tips on how to carry yourself with confidence and one of the things she said was to walk as if you had a gun in your purse and you weren't afraid to use it.

Another tip- if you do want to give some change to the homeless put some aside in your coat or pants pocket ahead of time. Don't go digging around in a purse or wallet, they might grab it and run. I usually give my pennies and nickels away like this, people are usually more interested in quantity, so if they hear your pocket jingling with coins they'll readily accept whatever you have to offer. I always keep about 20 cents in my pocket every day for this.

i used to live in a somewhat sketchy area of atlanta. there was a half-way house on the corner, hookers regularly around, and one time a mobile meth-lab got busted across the street.
we definitely knew our neighbors and they would let us know if someone's car got broken into or anything else.
i never left anything in the car and didn't walk around the neighborhood late at night- though most nights it probably would have been okay due to all the men going to the nearby leather gay bar.
my sister (and roommate) was pretty friendly with the hookers- which i'm not sure was a good idea or not. she would bring them clothes if they looked cold standing outside. on one hand, it could have been good cause they were out there a lot and could have watched out for us and our place. on the other hand- they might have tried to take advantage of her kindness or the knowledge of where we lived, but thankfully, they were hookers with hearts of gold.

re:spitting.. it kind of says "dont mess with me.. im rude, loud, and not afraid to hit you".. but i think it really only works with: walking with your head up, and looking like you aren't afraid of every passer-by.

If you look weak and afraid.. you look like an easy target.
try to look like you'll put up a fight.

I live in the Suzy cream-cheese suburbs of Houston. We just had a lady abducted and killed from the Kohls parking lot in broad daylight. These tips are good for anywhere you live! It is easy to get comfortable in a nice quiet upscale neighborhood. This is a false security and it is sad when we are reminded of it by something bad happening.

Someone I worked with a few years ago had a holiday party at her home near the Harvard Ave. area of Allston (for those reading from Boston), and someone else from the office needed help navigating to the area after work that day, so we took the Green Line, and when we got out, she mentioned more than a few times that she felt like she was in a Dirty Harry movie. It is such a busy area, but I guess that type of urban atmosphere really affects some people.

I don't think having to "remember" a list of sensible tips is the right way to go about it. People need to adapt to their surroundings if they're going somewhere unfamiliar, or to their perception, unsafe, even to visit. It's probably not the best idea to move to a new city and find out later that it's in the shittiest part of town, but depending on your tolerance level, using these tips outlined by Sarahrae is a good way to make yourself adjust. I live in a fairly safe and unbusy area (my main concern when moving to Boston was not being stuck in the neighborhoods with all the keg parties and college kids, then easy public transportation and pets allowed), but I used to work close to Roxbury in the South End, and I regularly take classes out in Somerville. I remember last year getting off the bus to arrive at my first class and being scared to walk up the street past all the deserted junkyards with their high galvanized metal walls and nowhere to run and hide, and now I don't really care.

Yes, I take off my iPod. I know where I am and a couple ways to get there. I'm known at at least one store. I walk with purpose. Even though that screaming woman isn't really yelling at anyone in particular (that I can see), it's all cool. That angry guy with the speech impediment who picks someone out and then yells at them, I found out his name and how to get him to calm down, and that he's not trying to hurt me. I'm a tall person and I know how to look like you probably want to mess with someone smaller. It's not by virtue of size, this is a skill, not something you send people back to their safe neighborhoods for lacking.

That said, I wouldn't want to live in a neighborhood where it's so deserted that it's not recommended to go outside after the shops close. The night is part of the day and if I want to go somewhere, I don't want to think of the night as when things suddenly turn unsafe, that's psychological. I live in such a residential neighborhood, there aren't a lot of people all over all the time, but I feel safe at 8pm, I feel safe at 3am. I've said hi to the folks who dig in the recycling for cans and bottles, because I know they are only here for cans and bottles. When it's deserted, it's almost a certainty there really is no one out there to be scared of.

One of the "scariest" places I've ever lived was in a small rural town in Oklahoma. I lived in subsidzed housing and several of my neighbors were drug dealers, ex-convicts...there was even a prostitute. I grew up in a very safe Maryland suburb, so it was a little overwhelming to be in such an unfamiliar place as this small town. However I have to say that I've never felt safer in my life. My neighbors looked out for me, as I did for them, and I'll never forget them. I loved living there.

Now, I'm in Baltimore, MD. I've lived and worked in several "rough" neighorhoods and the dynamic of city life is much different than that of a rural town (at least in my experiences). It's been harder for me to know my neighbors, as many of them tend to keep to themselves. I'm careful at night, I don't leave things in my car and I'm always vigilant. It's the most you can do in any city. Bad things can happen anywhere I guess, but no matter where you are I think it's always a good idea to know who lives next door, or who owns the pizza joint across the street.

I don't see myself staying here forever. In the five years I've lived in Baltimore, I've never felt completely at ease. It sometimes seems like there's too much to consider - lock your car, make eye contact, walk with a purpose, etc. After a while, it wears on you. Still, I try to smile or say hello when I pass someone on the sidewalk and I'm surprised by how often the gesture is returned. I've also met a lot of wonderful people here who have welcomed me into their lives.

The funniest part is that of all the places I've lived, I still consider the suburb where I grew up to be the least friendly; a place where I felt safe, but secluded at the same time. And by the way, there's nothing scarier than a hurried soccer mom whipping through a parking lot in her mini-van. I'd rather be asked for a dollar than plowed down by a car full of kids on their way to piano practice. Go figure.

Not to rain on everyone's safety parade, but you should check out Barry Glassner's book "The Culture of Fear"... might make you think for a couple minutes before reproducing the idea that poor neighborhoods are dangerous places to live.

I'll echo that this is good advice for any location.

Don't just LOOK like you're willing to put up a fight, be ready to actually DO it. Be willing to put your fingernails in your assailant's eyes, to close their windpipe, or to kick them royally hard in the kneecap (hard to run with an injured knee). Be loud, too. Make the idiot wish they never put in the effort to attack you.

Some people fear that by fighting back they will only further anger their attacker. Most are looking for an easy target and will not waste their time with someone who puts up a fuss.

When it comes to violent crime, you are more likely to be harmed by your "husband" (insert family member or acquaintance here) than any stranger. Statistically speaking, it is highly unlikely that some random act of violence is going to happen to you!

That said, I'm no Pollyanna. But for most people, the issue is property crime. I'm not downplaying the level of violation, loss, expense, time, and inconvenience of property crimes. But there is a difference.

Everyone -- regardless of where you live -- needs to be in the habit of safeguarding themselves from property crime. Go to your local police department website, or look online for neighborhood watch tips. There are many! And most are very easy.

Your car is probably your most vulnerable point. If you're in an area prone to property crime, I'll take the "don't leave things in your car" adage one step further: "Don't leave ANYTHING in your car."

Probably the biggest issue associated with property crimes is drugs. Drug users will break into your car for:

---a few quarters left on your console.
---a bag of dirty clothes meant for the drycleaner (they don't know what's in the bag)
---your cell phone charger, ipod cable....
---ANYTHING

More tips regarding your car:
---Keep a copy of your registration in your purse or wallet (not in your glove compartment)
---Don't keep valuables in your trunk (once they access your car, they can access your trunk)
---Score your registration tags so they can't be removed intact
---Secure your license plates

My car has been broken into 4 times over the last 2 years (in front of my house). What did they take last time? A bag of cat food. And then they sat in the car, smoked a cigarette, and burned holes in my seats. (Fortunately my car is already a piece of crap!)

But it did cost me $300 and a part day off work to replace the broken window. Hours with LAPD. A lot of irritation.

allston's not that bad (I say as I'm counting the days until my lease is up...)! but really, grungy though my street may be, I've never felt unsafe.

other tips:
- obvious as it may seem, don't wander around drunk (especially young women). have someone (sober) walk you home and always carry enough money for a cab (and even then, try not to take it alone).
- get your keys out before you get to your door.
- take a self-defense class. even if it doesn't make you the next karate kid, you'll feel more confident and less afraid.

but as others have said, be aware wherever you are. when I worked retail a few years ago at a very upscale mall, a woman was raped in the middle of the day in a security patrolled, well-lit parking garage. you can't live your life paranoid, but you can be smart and prepared.

nikkibee-
I agree with you but I'd like to point out that there is no such thing as "inborn" common sense, pretty much every human behavior/habit is learned. I was sheltered enough growing up that street smarts had to be acquired much later- on the other hand this stuff is second nature for me now and it really does start to seem like common sense. But my point is that it doesn't start out that way if you don't grow up with it.
I don't know if any of your comments were directed at mine but when say businesses I also mean cheap supermarkets, liquor stores, and money-laundering front stores that sell cellphones, underwear, and bedding in the same shop lol. However where I live has a handful of banks and decent restaurants which is significant, but its still pretty bad as the main street is the dividing line between two different gangs. In any rough neighborhood it is a handful of violent people who ruin it for everyone else, *especially* if its in an area where you can't trust the police.

KTG -
Yeah it's psychological but then there's still the basic fact that your visibility of your surroundings is reduced after dark. In the spring and early summer here the turf wars flare up and the streets really *are* trouble after dark... and in the daytime lol, but my #1 reason for moving is not wanting to get caught in crossfire. Not only that I have known two people who have had a relative killed due to this *on my block* in the last 6 months. Gunshots at night I can deal with but there were a couple of times last year where drivebys were happening in broad daylight on heavily populated streets. Noooo thanks.

arroyo-
It's true statistically that you're more likely to be attacked by someone you know (it's around 75% or something?), but in a small way I fear the aftermath of an attack more because it is more often than not VERY difficult for a woman to get justice (that's a whole other discussion though) and there is a cultural stigma against female victims of assault. And when you know several people who HAVE been attacked out of the blue it does give you the attitude that it's better to err on the side of caution. Sometimes it annoys me to feel like I can't go out as much as I'd like if I can't get a ride home after, but if I want to stay out late partying I can just crash at a friend's place for the night, which can be a good idea anyway, no designated driver required. ;)

I have to agree with everyone who's said if you need a list that long to feel safe... you're probably better off elsewhere. I currently live in a small, tourist town with no "wrong side of the tracks" so it's become a bit of culture shock to visit Toronto or something like that. When I'm visiting friends who live in a slightly shady area, I always make sure to ask if there's a safe place to park. If not, I look into attended parking garages that have a good track record with friends.

Other than that, I use common sense to make sure I'm safe.

A semi-related story; When I was in high school, I used to go to an all-ages bar in a crappy part of the big city I grew up in, and us girls used to lace our keys between our fingers when we walked there. It made a punch (or slap?) more dangerous if anyone got handsy.

aysha - I think things differ if you live on a street that's part of a gang territory! My street is not like that, nor do I foresee being comfortable living in an atmosphere where it's not safe to be out after 5 or 6 at night. I would call that an unacceptable condition, it really cramps my style.

When I have to go to Somerville, where I go in Somerville, near Union Square, I made myself comfortable with the atmosphere - how do I know there's no gang turf wars there? I don't. I don't think people are hiding in the junkyards for people to walk by and attack them, it's probably the wrong thing to think, but it's not a walking street, parts of it don't even have a sidewalk. I'm more scared of cars because they drive like no one would be walking on the side of the road. There's really no way that I can see to get in or out of the junkyard when it's locked up for the night and the walls are high, so essentially a deserted street is deserted.

I take a different path now that I've worked out the most ideal bus route, and I feel pretty safe at 9 or 10 at night walking straight to the bus stop (about a 7 minute walk), probably a lot less so if I lived in the area and was on my way home after a late party or crawling home from the bars. It helps that after the first week I signed up for classes, when I was truly frightened of walking up the street, daylight saving time kicked in, and it was light at 6pm, then made some friends who drop me off at the T or the bus afterwards. I'm comfortable walking but I'll take a ride if it's on someone's way, why not! The deserted street turned out a lot friendlier in the dusk than full dark, and then I just got used to it (but not complacent) with regular travel. Beyond that, I've walked all over Boston, I've walked from Somerville all the way back to Brighton at 10pm, and only once felt a little nervous. 10pm is no time to try out what you think might be a shortcut on foot.
Basically, an unsafe area after dark, well you're brave and also smart to move ASAP. An area that seems unsafe and forbidding superficially, however, is merely a matter of familiarity with your surroundings, and following the tips outlined above. I insist this list does not seem meant to deter people from venturing out of their safe-looking neighborhoods, but rather a step-by-step instruction for those people to relax and adjust to their surroundings, if they perceive a lesser safety.

Everyone is capable of getting over the anxiety of strange surroundings, I guess the problem is staying away from things they want to do or people they want to visit out of fear, or being overly trusting and confident that they don't keep themselves and their belongings safe. If violent crime is an actual and prevalent concern in a given area, it changes things considerably than if it's more of a perceived issue.

@akintosyali,

drunken Cubs fans all over the streets are very scary.

I've lived in several crappy neighborhoods. The first I hated, because it was subsidized housing and lived up to every stereotype. In grad school, though, I consciously chose to live in a dodgy neighborhood and obeyed all the above rules, and I just loved it. It was much more me than the condo I lived in, surrounded by drunk undergrads, for six months.

I live in Baltimore, and we're renovating our house. However, the facade is the very last thing we'll address, because I keep an eye out for neighborhood crime, and the houses that get targeted for break-ins are all the really nice, perfectly renovated ones with very 'done' facades.

I used to love great looking (read: potentially expensive-looking) handbags, but now I make a point to use fabric tote bags instead. Still cute but not as muggable in my opinion.

I lived in a somewhat sketchy neighborhood in savannah, ga. Between the large public housing a block away and the fast food places nearby, we had a lot of foot traffic. However, it was one of the most fun places I lived. We sat on our porch a lot, and would give away a beer to anyone that looked like they needed one, so we made friends with the neighbors pretty quickly. Usually it was fun, sometimes annoying when you didn't want to have an hour long conversation about nothing. We never had any problems with crime, and we walked everywhere. I walked my dog at night alone pretty much every night, and occasionally I would see someone that gave me a bad vibe, but I think having the mentality that its your neighborhood too and you belong there helps deter crime. People can sense when you feel nervous and out of place.