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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.
so, since car jackings and crime can happen everywhere, does that mean Im just as safe in a city like Juarez,Mexico (2000 murders,kidnappings) or somewhere like Rio Rancho,NM(maybe 1 murder this year and simple petty thefts), I've heard that line so many times but people cant just say "crime can happen everywhere", yeah crime CAN happen everywhere but thats like saying, "dont be concerned with OK City's tornadoes, it could happen in ABQ"
is the crime the same in-
Detroit and Aspen
Atlanta and Malibu
Jackson,MS and Provo,UT
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
I may be thinking of the "far NE Heights" - say High Desert, those tony apartment places on Academy and Eubank and in that area. Streets east of Juan Tabo, Sandia Heights. Wyoming and Academy and Wyoming and Menaul are more centrally located for me.
so, since car jackings and crime can happen everywhere, does that mean Im just as safe in a city like Juarez,Mexico (2000 murders,kidnappings) or somewhere like Rio Rancho,NM(maybe 1 murder this year and simple petty thefts), I've heard that line so many times but people cant just say "crime can happen everywhere", yeah crime CAN happen everywhere but thats like saying, "dont be concerned with OK City's tornadoes, it could happen in ABQ"
is the crime the same in-
Detroit and Aspen
Atlanta and Malibu
Jackson,MS and Provo,UT
nope, not at all
I'm not saying someone is safer in one city over others. One needs to look at other factors - say in Juarez you have the drug cartels and drug lords. You don't have much of that in RR or in some areas of Albuquerque. Crime can happen anywhere - even in Provo, Utah. Some folks a few years ago moved to some nice, white place in Idaho - to escape all the violence going on in their native California. Cookie cutter homes. What they thought would be a crime free place. Not even a year later, their home was burglarized and they were held hostages during the time. Cops later told the area resident's, "don't move here thinking it isn't going to happen." This couple left a side door unlocked and windows unlocked. The criminals entered through the side door.
Interesting how you pick cities with a larger percentage of African Americans to be more crime ridden and oppose them with cities like Aspen, Colorado, with all its "beautiful people" skiing the slopes; Provo, Utah, where the white populations is pretty high in the rankings; and Malibu with the Jennifer Astin crowd.
I wouldn't leave my windows or doors unlocked in Rio Rancho anymore than I would in Albuquerque. Frankly, when it comes to cars and homes, I don't trust anyone on the outside. I'd rather keep them locked and the stuff out of sight to avoid any problems later.
It doesn't take crime from those who live in the neighborhoods. Many criminals come from other areas to rob in certain neighborhoods.
[quote=Papillon Mom;11620398]Osmanthus- We have lived in the same house the entire time we have lived here. It is in the Summit Park neighborhood. Not a bad area as far as I know. I really don't mean to scare anyone off. Some people love it, it is just not for us. I always think that if we had moved here straight after Tucson it would not have been such an adjustment. Moving here from Raleigh, however, total wake up call.
Is Summit Park neighborhood east of UNM (near Carslie/ Lomas)?
I gave some thought about this 'stranger at the door' incident.
The fact is ...for the past 2 1/2 years, I've had, a dozen times, a stranger knocking on my door where I currently live ( a quiet middle class neighborhood)....spreading 'god's words' or trying to convince me to 'buy something'... Fortunately nobody tried to force themselves in...but these things can happen anywhere.
NM has relatively more homeless/poor people, so the chance of people at the door asking for money can be higher than other places. I live in the Bible belt where there is a church every other block, so the chance of people at the door talking God can be more likely than any other places...
A few houses in my subdivision had been burglarized (with minor items missing from the house and garage) and a few cars have been stolen from the driveway last year. Strangely enough though, I still feel very safe in this neighborhood. I even forgot about this burglary.
I don't remember feeling unsafe in Albuquerque when I lived there. Of course, I was a student and young and we all lived in the student ghetto near UNM. I know only one person who got mugged when I lived there, but he was walking alone at night a few streets south of Central near UNM. Everybody knew that's not what to do...
However, I wonder if people are getting more aggressive these days...with the population growth (causing congestion around the city) and the recent economic down turn...? It's hard for me to get the feel for the changes(both positive and negative) that ABQ might have gone through.
It's been over 15 years since I left Albuquerque. I did not want to leave NM, but I was offered an out-of-state job that I couldn't turn down. I had lived in Albuquerque for 7 (very happy) years, and I always thought I'd return some day.... and no, Papillon Mom, don't worry, you haven't scared anyone off (at least not me). All the positives about NM that I already know will never change. I'll return to NM, when it is the right time for me to return...
I've been reading the posts and enjoying what everyone had to say about NM and ABQ. Brings back lots of fond memories, smiles, and giggles, etc.
Along with many other contributors, EnjoyEP described NM really well. Although I don't remember which thread he wrote all about NM, I think anybody who is not familiar with NM should read what he wrote. What he wrote is right on....(the intoxicatingly beautiful twilight skies 'I' can never be tired of watching, delicious/addictive green chili stew-over breakfast burriots or huevos, cool starry summer nights with no mosquitos, peaceful Rio Grande nature center walking trails, etc., etc. to list some...).
Does anyone know/remember a horse stable where you can get riding lessons and rent a horse to ride along the river (by the reservation)? I think it was called 'Los Amigos Stables' (?) near Alameda(?)... It was absolutely freeing experiance to ride along the river. Even if I'd forget how to return to the stabe, the horses knew their way and always brought me back to the barn safely.
As for APS students and students anywhere.... What I've learned after teaching (including some challenging group of students) here and there for some years..... is that kids are kids after all and they are not the problem. Some are lucky enough to have parental support (or any kind of support), but a lot of them are not so lucky. It's not their fault they are the way they are. What's more challenging for me to deal with has been the school politics and No Child Left Behind....
I agree there is no such place that is 'perfect'.
I absolutely cherish those 7 years I lived in Albuquerque, although not everything went smoothly. The positives overwhelmingly outweigh the negatives...
I always thought my current location was less than ideal in comparison to Albuquerque and some other places I've lived, but when I look back, there are so many positives I took for granted about this place.
Negatives do exist, but it is a lot easier to deal with them, when you don't forget about the positives and appreciate them.
so, since car jackings and crime can happen everywhere, does that mean Im just as safe in a city like Juarez,Mexico (2000 murders,kidnappings) or somewhere like Rio Rancho,NM(maybe 1 murder this year and simple petty thefts), I've heard that line so many times but people cant just say "crime can happen everywhere", yeah crime CAN happen everywhere but thats like saying, "dont be concerned with OK City's tornadoes, it could happen in ABQ"
is the crime the same in-
Detroit and Aspen
Atlanta and Malibu
Jackson,MS and Provo,UT
nope, not at all
The tornado analogy is excellent and should be easy for anyone to understand. Remember about 10 years ago when a tornado hit Salt Lake City? Okay...so we know it can happen there. But...we also know the chance of a tornado hitting a town in Oklahoma in any given year far exceeds the chance of a tornado hitting a town in Utah. Tornado chasers hang out in places like Oklahoma, not Utah. Crime can also happen anywhere, but it's far more likely you'll encounter crime in some places than others.
Don't know if anyone posted this, but I have to tell a certain poster, from way back on page 7, that most people with a college degree know that "irregardless" is not a word. Perhaps you come across as uneducated? With a huge chip on your shoulder? Hmm, not too difficult to see why no jobs for you!
I'm not saying someone is safer in one city over others. One needs to look at other factors - say in Juarez you have the drug cartels and drug lords. You don't have much of that in RR or in some areas of Albuquerque. Crime can happen anywhere - even in Provo, Utah. Some folks a few years ago moved to some nice, white place in Idaho - to escape all the violence going on in their native California. Cookie cutter homes. What they thought would be a crime free place. Not even a year later, their home was burglarized and they were held hostages during the time. Cops later told the area resident's, "don't move here thinking it isn't going to happen." This couple left a side door unlocked and windows unlocked. The criminals entered through the side door.
Interesting how you pick cities with a larger percentage of African Americans to be more crime ridden and oppose them with cities like Aspen, Colorado, with all its "beautiful people" skiing the slopes; Provo, Utah, where the white populations is pretty high in the rankings; and Malibu with the Jennifer Astin crowd.
I wouldn't leave my windows or doors unlocked in Rio Rancho anymore than I would in Albuquerque. Frankly, when it comes to cars and homes, I don't trust anyone on the outside. I'd rather keep them locked and the stuff out of sight to avoid any problems later.
It doesn't take crime from those who live in the neighborhoods. Many criminals come from other areas to rob in certain neighborhoods.
It never even occured to me that I picked cities with large black populations, I guess I dont think of people races when I think of cities, anyways, the reason I did pick them is cause they have high crime rates, some of the highest in the country, and the other cities I listed have low crime rates and small populations. My point is, while crime can happen everywhere, some places it is more likely, and you cant really use that saying "Crime can happen everywhere".
lets say I feared about being shot, so I chose to live in Juarez over Boise cause I know I could get shot in Boise too, but Im a hell of a lot more likely to be shot in Juarez.
I'm sorry I said it and sorry I moved back. Albuquerque is not a diverse, thriving metropolis and the attitudes I've encountered here reflect that. There are nice people here it's true. There are also a lot of unsophisticated rude types who are not coping well with the growth spurt Albuquerque is going through. I've been talking to people around town about the apparent hostility since I got back. It's perfectly fine to wish Albuquerque would become a metropolis. Everyone would benefit. If that is not what most people want though then it won't happen, and those of us who want to live in a bigger, more sophisticated area will invariably leave. No big deal.
I lived in a big metropolis, like Minneapolis, for 13 years. I know that Phoenix is that big metropolis, and I also know that Phoenix has big traffic problems, cookie cutter neighborhoods all over the place, too. I would never want to live in that city.
I had my issues with ABQ - it's culture got to me at times. But, I did have decent job opportunities in ABQ, and only due to my own inconsistencies, my own instability about what I wanted or though I wanted in life, my own issues with things going on in my life, then, did I not pursue those job opportunities, nor want them when I did pursue them, and left those jobs. That was only in the Summer of 2008. I passed up a lot of opportunities in the ABQ area, I'm afraid, during that year. I also passed them up since I was always trying to chase a career with more schooling.
I think I'm over that stuff now - chasing careers and schooling on top of schooling. And, for me, now, what I find important is my health, my wanting to maintain decent health (by hiking, walking, exploring the outdoors), and just engaging in different hobbies that I never could do while always taking classes and working in corporate jobs.
So, frankly, although I had my issues with some of the ABQ culture, I will most likely return sometime in 2010. If I can live on nearly minimum wage in Omaha, I can make it in ABQ on the same income, and enjoy the hikes when not at work, which I can't do here.
I don't need Phoenix or Las Vegas. Frankly, with my skills and encouragement of younger people to enter school, I think ABQ could use me to encourage the folks native to the area that they can succeed and help support them in their endeavors. It is now important for me to pass the baton and help others.
ABQ may be a few years behind some other places. I'm from the East Coast, so I could notice the difference in Albuquerque, but it doesn't need to grow too fast. It does need better jobs for people, and better opportunities, but so does Detroit, Providence, and a few other places in between. I've seen cities try to grow too fast, and they have really felt the pinch now.
After reading all these theads about Albuquerque, I feel that for some people Albuquerque is a great place to live, to start over, or to spend a few years in. For others, Albuquerque can be a dangerious and crime ridden place. Like many cities, Albuquerque has its good and its bad side. For this reason, if anybody is thinking of moving to Albuquerque or anywhere else, please visit first before you decide to rent a moving truck. Take a look around, talk to people, visit blogs, and make sure the city fits, for each city has it own culture. If a city does not fit you, perhaps you might need to turn down that job that might bring you and your family here despite the better pay you might get for the move. Please, don't settle down in a city that does not agree with you. The money isn't worth it; the time in wasted emotinal energy isn't worth it either. You will only regret it later, and you will come to resent yourself and doubt yourself in the future. So if you have decided on Albuquerque after a visit, or a few visits, and the family is happy about it too--Welcome! If not, good luck and best wishes on finding a new city.
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