<p>Has anyone ever been down town after 11:00 PM, it has soo many violent people, like me and my friends were walking on the side walk on main street, and we saw a guy get like jumped, it was pretty bad, he wasnt hurt but they had stole his wallet, i think. And every time we would pass a group of local kids they would stare at us,(mad dog us) and since a few of my friends are girls, they would like make cat call's and say like "dammnnn" while looking at their ass's, every time we passed them. It was kind of scary. We were also walking and these guys tried selling us some weed. </p>
<p>I am just wondering if any one else has experienced this yet?</p>
<p>It's not very pleasant first day experience for us at all at Merced. After moving in on Sunday, we went to Walmart to pick up some stuff. When we came out of the store, we found two horizontal black line made with a permanent marker on our car.</p>
<p>Adrean19:
that stuff happens in every city. Have you ever heard that in every city there's a good side and a bad side? If so, then that night you must have been on the bad side of Merced - may be you shouldn't go to the "bad" side any more; I'm sure you wouldn't go to the "bad" side of your hometown or any other city's BAD side that you're unfamiliar with. I guess you live and learn.</p>
<p>AZQN:
Wow that's very unfortunate. I wonder why when i went to walmart in Merced on move in day nothing happen to my car or my parents? Ummm must have just been a case of bad luck.</p>
<p>Leviathan08, You're fortunate nothing happened to your car. It doesn't mean that if nothing happened to yours it wouldn't happen to someone else.</p>
<p>Not to rag on the city of Merced but I've noticed most of the people who live here are of the lower income socioeconomic level. I've been to the Walmart that AZQN visited (near Bestbuy?) and I have to say it was one of the worst Walmarts I've been in.</p>
<p>Since most people are poor (sorry) from what I've seen already, it would indicate why violence would be so prevalent, especially at that time of night that Arian19 went to downtown. If you go anywhere past 10PM, you should be prepared if stuff were to turn sour.</p>
<p>Leviathan08 and I are from the Bay Area which would probably indicate why we are so relaxed about this kind of behavior around us. We're used to it since it's pretty common where we live but if you come from a safe place like Mission Viejo, I could see why you would be surprised. They also may have been "mad dogging" you since it was probably obvious you were a college student, an outsider to their community (or maybe because you had some girls with you and they were jealous? :P ). </p>
<p>It's just basic probability and a serious case of bad luck that bad things happen to good people. It would probably happen more so in Merced due to the quality of life there. Please note I'm not speaking for the whole of Merced since there could be pleasant areas that I have yet to visit. I'm only speaking of what I've seen already.</p>
<p>is it really that bad, I thought it was fairly nice up here compared to where i was originally from. i havent really noticed any of this, maybe its because i only went to town while it was still light.</p>
<p>Ah yes, a word of caution - Merced is not the safest city out there. My worst experience in Merced involved a gun going off directly next door to my apartment, with the bullet piercing my wall 2" above my bed then flying through the kitchen wall and ricocheting inside the kitchen, finally landing on the floor. Good thing it happened during the winter break while I was in LA...the bullet pierced the wall right where my head would be on my bed.</p>
<p>Besides that, just had a few encounters with some homeless people but nothing too physical. Also there have been quite a few instances of my friends having their cars broken into.</p>
<p>im not gonna say it's not ghetto. but as most say, there's a bad and a good side. i didnt live relatively in the safest area(which had me caught and seeing a lot of things i really didnt want to) but the school itself is nice yet in the middle of nowhere.
i myself am applying there but probably heading to humboldt state.</p>
<p>The safest place is anywhere above Olive ave. Downtown is not a good place to go at night unless your in a big group. I wouldn’t recommended going pass 16 st or Yosemite park way because beyond that is the low income residential and the site of most of Merced crimes. Why do you think UC Merced is so far away from downtown?</p>
<p>Berkeley is close to Richmond/Albany a very unsafe area.</p>
<p>I’d post that UCI, located in Irvine, is also very safe. But I’m afraid that I’d likely get owned by someone posting about the rare murders that occur in the city itself.</p>
<p>Honestly I don’t get what the big deal is about downtown. You treat people with a little respect, it’s usually offered right back. If you’re dressed prep, walking around with an attitude, and make snide comments under your breath you might have it coming. I love main street. You got quizno’s, starbucks, a nice theater that shows 3d flicks, italian restaurant with gelato ice cream, or coldstone creamery if you prefer that. There’s a few antique shops, barber shops, a comic shop and 2 guitar spots. THere’s the Partisan that has live shows (and decent shows i might add) 2 nights a week. All of this is in close walking distance with an In and Out just a ways down MLK street. I’m living in the Tioga apartments which I love cause all the amenities and entertainment is in walking distance. Plus this old place shares a history with Yosemite’s initial tourism boom as it was a grand hotel with the train station near by. Fascinating to me. The airconditioning sucks I’ll admit it… but so far I love this spot. You’re only 1 1/2 -2 hour drive from the yosemite valley. Oh… and if any of you guys are interested in staying at the Tioga Apartments for a semester to check it out let me know. I get a free month’s rent for referrals. its about 525 for a 1 bedroom and 425 for a studio.</p>