<p>I live in San Francisco in what for here is a med-crime area and go out at night all over.</p>
<p>The surrounding areas, passing through on bus or train were if not neccecarily more dangerous, more bleak than anything I have ever seen by far.</p>
<p>Probably 90% of the buildings on many blocks were boarded up, old rail bridges falling down, collapsing factories, the only businesses that were open were food drives. Nearly no windows unbroken, especially to the west. The crowd on the bus through there was friendly enough though.</p>
<p>It actually was a selling point for me as a suburb-hating urban photographer, regardless of the likelihood of death/frequent-mugging.</p>
<p>Driving down State Street makes me want to leave.</p>
<p>What is wrong with Chicago students - Red Line Garfield is much scarier than Green Line Garfield, and why in God's name wouldn't you take the #6 bus instead?!</p>
<p>I rode the train from downtown to Garfield (55th) near Washington Park for 10 years (often took the #6 bus back because of where our lab was) and never had a problem. This was before they changed the names to Red Line, Green Line etc. so I can't say which it was. </p>
<p>I did have one humorous experience. A group of teenagers got on at one stop and I as stood up to move to the exit door they began walking through the train hitting the back of each seat shouting "Disciples, Disciples". One kid knocked into me and I almost fell. He quickly reached out grabbing my arm and said, "excuse me sir." </p>
<p>I chuckled for at least two days over that one.</p>
<p>I grew up in Hyde Park and took the buses and the "el" everywhere. I have seen and heard it all!! Chicago is much safer now than when I was there in the 70's and 80's. You can thank the past mayor and present Mayor - Washington and Daley. The U of C. police presence is everywhere which does make some people feel safer. But crime can happen anywhere. Our car was broken into in the middle of rural Vermont and everything was stolen. WE felt very violated. This was at the same time I was going into NYC taking graduate classes at NYU. Nothing ever happened to me there! Isn't that ironic? It is true that more crime seems to happen in American cities though. Soooo.......</p>
<p>My advice to anyone who lives in Hyde Park or another urban area do the following:
1) If you are a female, take a self-defense class. I did this at age 15 and it was the best thing. There are things I learned in that class that have stayed with me all this time (I'm now 50!).
2) Always look around you and make sure you are not followed. I always double check around me when I am walking at night in the city. But check around you during the daytime also. I had my purse snatched in the middle of the day.
3) Trust your instincts and your gut feeling. If you feel something is not right, it probably isn't. For example, i was walking home form the bus station one night and I thought someone was following me. Someone was. I yelled out at them and walked to the street where there is more light. I ran home (yelling) in the middle of the street b/c I felt safer there. They ran away.
4) It is always safer to travel in groups. Or find a buddy to travel with you.
5) Do not walk around south of 63rd street or north of 47th street by yourself at night.
6) If someone holds you up at gunpoint or knifepoint, throw your money away from them and run the other direction.
7) If you must walk alone at night (really late) act a little crazy such as talk out loud to yourself and don't walk in a straight line. People will avoid you, I guarantee it!</p>
<p>My wife used to live in Manhattan when she was in her 20's and ride the subway to Harlem where she worked beginning at 4:30 AM. She said one reliable way to avoid harassment was that when she would see someone looking at her, she would start to pick her nose. She said it worked every time!</p>
<p>neverborn - of course you should venture past the Hyde Park/Kenwood boundaries. I did all the time, but just know where you are and be aware. Please don't get me wrong - the city is there to explore and has much to offer. Please don't hole yourself up in your dorm room or apartment in Hyde Park and never venture to new areas. There's a great jazz/blues club at abut 33rd and something (geez I can't remember!) but it has awesome music and we used to go in groups to that club at night. We used to go tothe Caribbean Village down in the 70 something block and dance the night away. It probably isn't there anymore.</p>