Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In addition to being dangerous, Albuquerque is an ageist, sexist, racist place filled with people who judge you based on what they "think" they know about you. I have encountered this almost daily since I got back. Salt Lake, the town I am so fond of mentioning was not nearly as dangerous and obnoxious. Take it down a notch you grey haired freaks. You don't know me. It is truly scary to think I was happier (and safer) surrounded by cult members (the LDS) and mountains (the Wasatch Front)!!
Of course you would be safer in Salt Lake. It's nearly a 100% homogeneous theocracy. When you have homogeneity, everyone can nearly think alike and be alike. I even see some of this in Omaha, since many people have lived here all their lives and have no interest in living elsewhere. Same goes with Minnesota (I lived there for nearly 13 years.)
Utahans are known for a great work ethic. That's great. I saw at times a real lack of a work ethic in Albuquerque, but it was not limited to those from Albuquerque. I see a real difference in how people work on either side of the Mississippi. I wasn't too impressed with the assistant manager at the apartment complex I rented from, and she was from a town in Montana. She was not very thorough and did not exactly say what I wanted to hear regarding mailed rent checks. She lied in a way. Of course, she wanted to impress her bosses, too, and that will happen anywhere.
Ageist? I gave up here in the Midwest for finding an office job (in nice corporations) since they didn't want to go with my good resume in accounting, but wanted me to take their "personality profilers" and base things on that. Really, they were used to weed people out on age, since they asked for my age on the test. They wanted people who were young, females who wore their stupid long skirts down to the ground, or wore baggy bottom pants dragging the ground. Ageism is happening all over the country, I found out, which is why I'm leaning in the direction of my own business and just living cheaply.
Sexist? I don't know about that. I never really felt ABQ was a sexist place. If men wanted to hold doors for me, I thought that was great. If men wanted to consider me looking nice (and at 46), then I figured "bring it on."
Racist? Many places are racist. It's all over. And, you will find more of that now since Obama is in office. I wanted Obama and still like him in office, but I have seen a real backlash of people of all ages, but especially older ones - seniors, who just want to take him down. Now, that's racism. The whole health care debate is bordering on racism.
Unsafe? Frankly, I never really felt unsafe in ABQ. I lived in unsafe cities, and cities nearer to other really unsafe cities: Wilmington, DE near Philly; Richmond, VA; Arlington, VA near DC; Minneapolis when it was called Murderapolis. I hiked those trails in the foothills frequently, and sometimes got home later than I wanted. Felt unsafe? Not at all. I know there were times when I was the last one out of the Bear Canyon Trail Head in High Desert. I was the last car in the lot. I didn't feel unsafe. A little unsure since I couldn't see in front of me and didn't want to lose the trail, but not unsafe.
Remember, Elizabeth Smart - the saintly, white Mormon raised girl - was taken from her home in a very nice neighborhood, where everyone looks alike and is perfect. Another Lake Wobegon.
I'm not mocking her. I admire her for what she has become (she is a beautiful young woman now) and for how she acted in the courtroom, and she will do her mission out of the country, most likely. She is not afraid of what the world has in store for her, on a mission in what can be a dangerous area. But, many people in places like Utah, Idaho, and other nice, white areas, feel it can never happen there, to them. And, one way to feel safe, is to believe, it can happen anywhere.
I have worked as a teacher, in public middle schools, in two other states before coming to APS. I was in Tucson, AZ and Raleigh, NC. The kids were not perfect by any means but at least drugs, weapons and fights were not a daily occurrence. I remember one of our kids in AZ was caught with pot and it was the talk of the school for months. Here it happens so often most teachers in our school never even know anout each individual case anymore.
Just to prove my point that ABQ is not the safest place on the plant read Jacki Chan's blog. His stuff was stolen from his car while here (8 cars were hit total that night). I mean come on...even Jacki Chan isn't safe. That has to say something
What really gets me, is how much anecdotal evidence is used when discussing crime, in any forum in city-data. Yes, there certainly is crime in ABQ and people should be aware of their surroundings, but to place it as a defining characteristic of ABQ is ludicrous.
Papillon Mom...Considering your experiences, I think it would be good for your spirit to try another location. While we (my family) like a lot of things about ABQ, we are also bothered by the thug culture that abounds here. There is a common misconception that simply being street savvy will keep you out of trouble. While that may certainly lower the odds, it doesn't guarantee anything. We've had a couple of bad experiences here in the past 20 years, but it hasn't run us off yet. But...we also personally know people who have been shot, car-jacked or mugged. None of these people were looking for trouble. In the case of our friend who was shot, she was simply getting into her car after getting gasoline.
Austin's crime rate is higher than average, but a bit lower than ABQs. I hope your experiences are positive there
Quite a few people got picked off while pumping for gas or returning to their cars after shopping in the Fall of 2002 in the DC area.
Car-jackings happen everywhere, as do muggings. Start believing it can happen anywhere, including Austin and other places, and you'll be safer.
I have worked as a teacher, in public middle schools, in two other states before coming to APS. I was in Tucson, AZ and Raleigh, NC. The kids were not perfect by any means but at least drugs, weapons and fights were not a daily occurrence. I remember one of our kids in AZ was caught with pot and it was the talk of the school for months. Here it happens so often most teachers in our school never even know anout each individual case anymore.
Just to prove my point that ABQ is not the safest place on the plant read Jacki Chan's blog. His stuff was stolen from his car while here (8 cars were hit total that night). I mean come on...even Jacki Chan isn't safe. That has to say something
I didn't look at the site, but I will comment about stuff stolen from cars.
What kind of car did Chan have? I would bet a really nice one. Target.
Also, was the stuff visible in the car? Any stuff? Target.
I have had my car since August 2002. I have parked that car for months at a time in the various cities and states: Minneapolis, MN; Media, PA (suburb of Philly); St. Louis Park, MN (suburb of Minneapolis); Norfolk, VA (fair amount of crime); Milwaukee, WI (good amount of crime); Albuquerque, NM; and now Omaha, NE.
No break ins. I have a factory installed stereo - same one since the day I bought the car. I suspect nobody wants it, but I like it. It sounds great. Excellent CD player, too.
Nothing you will find in the passenger areas. Not one penny. No cell phone chargers (there are hidden in the area to keep things hidden). No CDs lying about (there are hidden the the same area to keep these hidden, like the cell phone charger). Glove compartment is locked. Why lock it? It's another deterrent to slow the thieves down. Sort of like the chain on a door. No trash bag visible. Not a plastic one from Walmart, not those really nice leather or whatever trash bags you can buy from any auto store, car wash place, or whatever place for $10, $20, even $25. Where do I put my trash? In a beach sand bucket I bought at Target on their dollar rack for $2.50. So, all the would be thieves can see what I have in the bucket - trash.
I don't use a bag for trash since a bag looks like a bag with something in it.
While in Milwaukee, a woman at a day park of something complained that security was weak in the area since someone broke into her car and took her pocketbook, which was sitting on the front seat. She complained that she shouldn't have had to lock it up in the trunk since it was supposed to be a "family oriented" place.
A chick hiking at the Bear Canyon trailhead this past summer or last summer, can't remember which one, had her pocketbook stolen from her front seat of the car, while she and the boyfriend took a hike. She admitted she should have put it in the trunk, but didn't feel like it. She thought it would be safe at that trailhead. She was from Northern Virginia. She admitted she should have known better.
So, remember, folks, if you believe it can happen wherever you live, you will probably be safer and your car not attacked.
Anyone who thinks Albuquerque was "planned" (at least over the last twenty years) does not know the definition of the word and does not know what a straight line looks like.
Have you not looked at a map of Albuquerque the whole esat side has roads that all connect and are stright or were planned that way but later changed to development in the area that later occured.
Albuquerque boomed in the 50's-1960's thats the older patterns of growth and sprawl, today that is different. We leave no room for businesses.
And we would rather design roads to look like snakes and design roads that will ruin your cars, so the rapair shop doesnt go broke or out of business.
Have you not looked at a map of Albuquerque the whole esat side has roads that all connect and are stright or were planned that way but later changed to development in the area that later occured.
Albuquerque boomed in the 50's-1960's thats the older patterns of growth and sprawl, today that is different. We leave no room for businesses.
And we would rather design roads to look like snakes and design roads that will ruin your cars, so the rapair shop doesnt go broke or out of business.
I think there is plenty of room for businesses in ABQ. Certainly many businesses closed up in the NE Heights so those store fronts are open.
I never thought the streets to be like snakes and such. I got around in ABQ very well. Grid patterns. Some areas you had to go around since the developments were put in there. Frankly, I don't believe developments should have the right of way.
But, when I return, I probably won't live in the NE Heights again. Too old and established. I want to be somewhere more centrally located, say around Wyoming and Menaul where I last lived before I moved to Omaha. Or perhaps around Wyoming and Academy. Still close enough to businesses and close to the trails. I felt too out there living in that over touted NE Heights area. And, it didn't seem any safer than where I last lived in ABQ.
One of the most annoying things about newer shopping centers such as the "satellites"
surrounding Cottonmouth is the deliberately designed-in inability to get anywhere
without driving way the hell out of your natural path. I understand that much of
this is "traffic calming" intended to prevent high speed Kamakazi runs across the
lots but in some areas it's gone so far overboard that you have to drive a quarter
mile or more (and sometimes several stop lights) to get to someplace a hundred
yards away.
That's the problem with letting newly minted "planners" loose without proper supervision..
But, when I return, I probably won't live in the NE Heights again. Too old and established. I want to be somewhere more centrally located, say around Wyoming and Menaul where I last lived before I moved to Omaha. Or perhaps around Wyoming and Academy. Still close enough to businesses and close to the trails. I felt too out there living in that over touted NE Heights area. And, it didn't seem any safer than where I last lived in ABQ.
Ummm... last time I checked Wyoming/Menaul or Wyoming/Academy were pretty much in the heart of what most would consider the NE Heights.
Chap
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
was not nearly as dangerous and obnoxious. Take it down a notch you grey haired freaks. You don't know me. It is truly scary to think I was happier (and safer) surrounded by cult members (the LDS) and mountains (the Wasatch Front)!!
