Is Chicago really dangerous? (Naperville, Detroit: transplants, employment, wedding)

[knitgirl]

You can't say you will ALWAYS be safe on a given street, you have to use your street sense. If you had any. This is really getting tiresome.

[slow_nerve_action]

Originally Posted by chris0681

Well I understand that there are a few bad areas in Chicago, Its just that someone told me on here to not walk around the loop after 8 pm, and not to walk around at all after 11 pm, I was just curious what you people thought about that, and what streets to stay within on the east and south.. thats really all I need to know. thanks.

Wow.

Thats not good advice.

I walk around the loop regularly after 8pm, and a couple nights a week after 11pm. If I remember right, you did as well...and nothing happened.

Come down here and see for yourself. We aren't bloodthirsty Law & Order SVU extras. Well, except during the Cubs/Sox series. Then all bets are off.

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by chris0681

Well I understand that there are a few bad areas in Chicago, Its just that someone told me on here to not walk around the loop after 8 pm, and not to walk around at all after 11 pm, I was just curious what you people thought about that, and what streets to stay within on the east and south.. thats really all I need to know. thanks.

Haha, well the only reason I could see not to walk around the loop after 8pm is because it would be fairly boring. That's after hours, it's the business district, and there wouldn't be much open/many people around outside the State Street area or up north of the river.

I can see avoiding walking around after 11pm on the same dangerous streets I would avoid walking around BEFORE 11pm - but it's not rational to think that all 3 million people in Chicago need to be in their homes by 11pm because the entire 237 square miles turns into some crazed warzone or something.

Streets in general are more dangerous after dark than not. That's true the world over.

I'd be more aware walking around in Lincoln Park, Lakeview or whevever at 11pm compared to 11am, but that doesn't inherantly mean it is GOING to be dangerous.

I walk around after 11pm multiple nights a week, have been doing so for 10 years in this city, and I've yet to run into a single problem above seeing drunks.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by CityJerk

Conversely, the North Side is jarringly safe. The only thing to worry about in the North Side of Chicago is crippling boredom . . . and jocks. Lots and lots of jocks.

This is overly simplistic. The North Side has plenty of crime, particularly in certain parts of Uptown, Rogers Park, Albany Park, and Avondale. And of course, there are nasty CHA projects like the Lathrop Homes, Marshall Field Homes, and even Cabrini Green (diminished, but still there). But "North Side rough" is nothing like "South Side rough". On the north side you won't see many all out ghetto neighborhoods, but there are many neighborhoods that have rough spots mixed in.

And I think we've talked about the safe areas of the South Side ad nauseum on this forum. To say it is ALL ghetto is an overstatement, though the uniformity of "badness" down there is striking compared to the North Side.

[Lookout Kid]

My rule when I worked in the Loop was that I avoided taking the CTA home after 9:00 p.m. But it's not because I didn't want to walk around the Loop at that time... I was more worried about the subway station and my walk home through Uptown. It was risk minimization more than anything--since my office picked up the cab fare anyway.

Parts of the Loop are kind of deserted after work hours, but Millenium Park has really added a lot of energy to the eatern edge of the Loop. And of course, there are people walking to and from the theaters late at night--usually without incident. It's basic city living stuff. You avoid situations where you are alone in a deserted area. Eyes on the street are a good thing. I don't think any other major city is different in this respect.... Not even the newly sanitized New York City. I mean, I had a friend robbed in Paris in broad daylight--so you always have to be careful wherever you are.

And since many readers of this forum are not from Chicago, I feel we need to make the clarification between "the Loop" and Chicago's greater "downtown" area. The "Loop" is only the part of downtown contained within the four-sided loop created by the elevated tracks. River North, the Mag Mile, River East, Streeterville, and parts of the Gold Coast, West Loop, and South Loop are usually also considered "downtown" by most people. The Loop is mostly offices, so parts of it are kind of deserted at night. But it also contains the theater district, the Lyric Opera, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and many other night time cultural offerings.

[jdiddy]

They will smell your fear, Chris. Be wary.

[spartanalia]

Originally Posted by chris0681

Well I understand that there are a few bad areas in Chicago, Its just that someone told me on here to not walk around the loop after 8 pm, and not to walk around at all after 11 pm, I was just curious what you people thought about that, and what streets to stay within on the east and south.. thats really all I need to know. thanks.

It was me-please allow me to clarify. As a petite white female in her early 20s I am going to take far different precautions than a 6ft tall 200 lbs 35 year old male. I gave you MY OPINION, not facts. I have friends who gallivant around Chicago drinking and partying until 3 am and haven't had any problems. As for not walking around the loop after 8, that was my law firm's policy because it's a liability issue. I have walked around the loop after dark countless times after dark but it is shady. There are lots of bums. Nowadays I also take the CTA home from the loop after 9 pm and feel safe doing it alone. Then again, the east side of the loop (where I work now) is much better than the west side of the loop, which is deserted after the officeworkers leave for the day. The Loop is only the areas between Lake, Wabash, Van Buren and Wells. I walk around River North and the Gold Coast all the time after 9 pm and haven't felt uncomfortable.

As for not walking around after 11 pm, I would not walk a long distance alone as a young female. But I wouldn't walk around ANY city after 11 pm alone, whether it's Ann Arbor or Detroit. I have walked short distances alone after 11 pm and have never felt threatened, but it's not a smart thing to do. People do get jumped, but it's really not that hard to take a cab. Generally though it's not like I think I'm gonna get jumped if I don't take a cab, I'd just rather not risk it.

If you're really this terrified to live in a city then maybe you should rethink it. What people are telling you is that yes, there are areas of Chicago that are extremely dangerous and you should avoid them. And yes, crimes do occur in the nice areas, but crimes happen everywhere-not just Chicago! My family had a vehicle stolen from our garage while we were at home in a small Southern town. Granted, it was because our garage door was cracked for the cats to get in and out and no one was outside. It's all about being aware of your surroundings and being smart!

Just out of curiosity, why are you even considering moving to Chicago? Even many of the suburbs have high crime rates. Maybe you should move somewhere like Utah.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by spartanalia

It was me-please allow me to clarify. As a petite white female in her early 20s I am going to take far different precautions than a 6ft tall 200 lbs 35 year old male.

I'm the 6 ft tall 200 lbs 35 year old male, so my advice is based on this. Though I do have a wife and kids, and my wife is often in the Loop after 8:00 p.m. But she's lived here for nearly fifteen years and knows what to avoid.

[jdiddy]

He's actually thinking about moving to the outer burbs. 6 pages of placating someone who's worried about what may happen if he moves to Waucanda, but visits the Field Museum once a year.

Dude crazy.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

He's actually thinking about moving to the outer burbs. 6 pages of placating someone who's worried about what may happen if he moves to Waucanda, but visits the Field Museum once a year.

Dude crazy.

Oh. Dude crazy. Word.

Well in that case, Chris, YOU'RE IN THE JUNGLE BABY!!! YOU'RE GONNA DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!! !!!!!!!!