<p>The advises I gave above are for those kids just arrived in college from a rural or suburban area to an urban university. Most of the mugging/assult incidents are happenning to kids in that category becasue they are unfamiliar to the new environment and are not alert to dangers. Once they are used to the urban environment, they should know what to do, where to go and how to protect themselves.</p>
<p>I thought the two wallets idea is great and a lot of old timers work in the bad neighborhoods do have a prepared cash wallet for muggers. I have also heard that if the money is too little, the mugger got angry at the muggee and ended up assult the muggee. However, there are no set rules, whether you have money on hand or not.</p>
<p>Sorry, but thats just plain silly. You have any data on the percent of urban/suburban/rural kids who get mugged on city campuses?</p>
<p>Kids do not live in a cocoon. Whether they came from a suburban area, a rural area or the heart of a downtown area, if they are going to school in an urban area they are (1) going to have a reasonable plan for safety- perhaps even moreso if it is a new experience for them and (2) they are going to get inundated with on/off campus safety guidelines during freshman orientation. To imply that someone who is coming from a rural area is a hick from the sticks who is ignorant of reasonable /logical safety plans and would not know how to be careful or vigilant is a little, no a lot insulting. In fact, if anything, the kid who grew up in the city might be a bit overconfident and less vigilantor cautious than the kid who is unfamiliar with this lifestyle. Quite possible it is the city dweller, not the farmboy/girl who gets mugged. Besides, kids don’t wear a sign that says “I am from the sticks- mug me” on their backs.</p>
<p>I would NOT advise dressing in shabby clothes.</p>
<p>If you look reasonably respectable, you are more likely to get a positive response if you must ask a passerby for help (e.g., “Somebody just mugged me, and I think I’m hurt. Can you call 911 for me on your cell phone?”).</p>
<p>Also, if you look respectable (and especially if you are wearing business clothing), you can walk into any hotel in a major city and go to the restroom without being stopped. You can even ask a hotel employee where the restroom is, and you will get a polite response. This has nothing to do with safety, but considering the low availability of public restrooms in many central cities, it is a handy thing to know.</p>
<p>My D regularly travels between Hyde Park and pretty much everywhere in Chicago and has done so for the past 3 years. She uses all methods or transport available to her, including the Metra, El (Red Line) and bus. She goes to the Loop, the Northside, way out on the west side, pretty much everywhere. When she was working 2 summers ago, she took buses into neighborhoods many would classify as marginal as part of her job. Now this is a girl raised in the NYC suburbs who took the train to the City and then subways to her internship when she was 14, but there are few times when she has felt unsafe in Chicago. Actually, the time she has felt most unsafe is when she takes a cab, alone, from Midway back to campus. Then she has been known to call me and stay on the phone for the entire ride. Rules for existing in any city apply…be aware, don’t flash large sums of money, and have something (a la the second wallet) to give to a would-be mugger. Last proviso, if out late at night and the new Loop shuttle (U of C provided) isn’t convenient or available, make sure you have money to take a cab. I would not suggest the Red Line, alone at night., Just be sensible, stuff happens everywhere.</p>