Do you feel safe walking around the city anymore

xoxyx

Let me start off by saying that I am a Dublin city girl through, and for the last four years or so, I've been living smack bang in the middle of the city centre and loved almost every minute of it.

However, recently, I've been noticing a change in the people that hang around the city, to the point where I'm not sure I feel comfortable walking around town on my own at nighttime.

These days, when I'm coming home from a late train or bus, 99% of the time I have people coming right up to me and asking for money, change, whatever. Yesterday, I was coming off a 10pm train and, when I told a guy that I didn't have any change on me, he put his hands on my shoulders and his face right in mine and shouted that he didn't believe me. Scared the crap out of me, but some Luas security people were around and intervened.

The time before last, I was waiting on the Luas and a girl came over. She was off her face. Talking about how somebody had stabbed her in the stomach and showed me a (very old - think it was a cesarean) scar as proof. Her eyes were pointing in different directions and she was sweating from head to toe. She asked me for money and I said I didn't have any on me and just hopped across the Luas line to where other people were because I was a bit worried / scared.

Was outside a coffee shop recently, and a guy came over and asked us three girls for change. We all said no and he moved behind us and punched my friend in the back.

Earlier on tonight, I went out to Spar and, on my way back, I passed by a guy having a great conversation with a street light. Walked by him, noticed a short while later that he was walking in the same direction as I was. Thought nothing of it, until I got into my apartment complex and shut the gate after me and he came running up to the closed gate and started shouting at me to "beware" "my time will come".

I love where I live, but I'm really starting to dread being out at night. I don't think it has always been this bad, but I'm wondering are desperate times leading to desperate situations.

Does anybody else think that Dublin city is getting worse? I'm really thinking of moving at this stage because I feel nervous around my home anymore.

Lumbo

I'm from Dublin. This is nothing new.

xoxyx

Not new, but I think it's getting worse.

gurramok

Same as always, that sounds like the Luas Red Line from Connolly to Tallaght but city centre exclusive. Most drug clinics are in D1, hence the attraction of the worse of these types from all over to your location.
As everyone knows, certain parts of the city are grand for walking and others not. Its grand where i am at night for example, it certainly is not in parts of the city centre.

Jay D

It's not getting worse, if anything I'd say it's getting better. For the whole time I grew up around the city centre and hung around, I would never see the police searching junkies around the place. That's definitely changing. You're always going to get saps like those you spoke of though.

Don't be so timid. Maybe start a self defense course, get fitter and more confident.

arybvtcw0eolkf

xoxyx wrote: »

These days, when I'm coming home from a late train or bus, 99% of the time I have people coming right up to me and asking for money, change, whatever. Yesterday, I was coming off a 10pm train and, when I told a guy that I didn't have any change on me, he put his hands on my shoulders and his face right in mine and shouted that he didn't believe me. Scared the crap out of me, but some Luas security people were around and intervened.

That would scare the crap out of me too!.

Is it getting worse?, I really don't know tbh.

Personally I'm not intimidated by street people, but thats not to say I don't keep my wits about me when I'm out.

Jay D suggests a self defence class - tbh most are useless, but if its something which interests you then something reality based is the job.. They'll instruct you on street smarts, but visit the Self Defence & Martial Arts forum first for advice as a lot of these people are just exploiting your fears.

Other than all that I can only say stay switched on, and stay smart.

Kintarō Hattori

Jay D wrote: »

Don't be so timid. Maybe start a self defense course, get fitter and more confident.

I think you're being quite unfair there. The situations described would scare the bejaysus out of most women (and a lot of men) no matter how well they are trained in self defence.

RebelButtMunch

Junkie gets animated in depressed city shocker. Write to the indo.

stargazer 68

I dont even like walking around town during the day - do my shopping in blanch or swords now- and certainly wouldn't go at night any more unless there was a crowd going.

RebelButtMunch

Dovies wrote: »

I dont even like walking around town during the day - do my shopping in blanch or swords now- and certainly wouldn't go at night any more unless there was a crowd going.

If your afraid to walk around the city during the day I think you have a problem.

stargazer 68

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

If your afraid to walk around the city during the day I think you have a problem.

Why? Scumbags and drug addicts aren't vampires that only come out in the dark!

RebelButtMunch

Dovies wrote: »

Why? Scumbags and drug addicts aren't vampires that only come out in the dark!

There's a city full of people out there walking around without any bother. A CITY FULL. Who's crazy, you or them?
p.s Vampires don't exist.

Warper

The city centre is getting worse particularly the Northside. O'Connell St, Boardwalk, Henry St, Abbey St, Parnell St all are complete sh1tholes now with junkies on every corner. It is truly shocking stuff. I think because the city centre is so small the problem is exaggerated. There are no nice parts of the Northside CC anymore and that is a fact.

cosmic

I can't say I've noticed, OP. I don't mind walking around the city centre alone during the day or at night.

keane2097

Warper wrote: »

The city centre is getting worse particularly the Northside. O'Connell St, Boardwalk, Henry St, Abbey St, Parnell St all are complete sh1tholes now with junkies on every corner. It is truly shocking stuff. I think because the city centre is so small the problem is exaggerated. There are no nice parts of the Northside CC anymore and that is a fact.

I do find a fairly big difference when you cross the river - usually feel safe & sound on the southside, northside always seems a bit more run down and has a bit more of an edge.

RebelButtMunch

keane2097 wrote: »

I do find a fairly big difference when you cross the river - usually feel safe & sound on the southside, northside always seems a bit more run down and has a bit more of an edge.

Id agree with that. The junkies dont bother me that much, they are slow and a bit dopey. Its roving gangs of jobless yobs that would be the risk. As long as you stay in well populated areas and are not flashing the cash the risk is really tiny.

arybvtcw0eolkf

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

There's a city full of people out there walking around without any bother. A CITY FULL. Who's crazy, you or them?
p.s Vampires don't exist.

Tone down the attitude please.

stovelid

In terms of street safety, I honestly feel that Dublin hasn't changed in any meaningful way from when I was a teenager (80s) to the present day. Northside or Southside.

Maybe it's just perception: Maybe I just feel safer these days because I'm a grown man. I'm not a hard chaw in the slightest but I think when you're younger, you're on the radar of young scrotes that bit more and hence more wary. Plus I'm male which probably helps.

When I'm honest with myself though, I really don't think that things are any worse than 20 years ago. The Luas is a good point though. I hate the Jervis and sometimes the Abbet street stops which really do tend to draw a lot of mad types in one area.

It's stupid to suggest that there is something wrong with people (especially women) being intimidated by junkies or other street life though.

RebelButtMunch

stovelid wrote: »

In terms of street safety, I honestly feel that Dublin hasn't changed in any meaningful way from when I was a teenager (80s) to the present day. Northside or Southside.

Maybe it's just perception: Maybe I just feel safer these days because I'm a grown man. I'm not a hard chaw in the slightest but I think when you're younger, you're on the radar of young scrotes that bit more and hence more wary. Plus I'm male which probably helps.

When I'm honest with myself though, I really don't think that things are any worse than 20 years ago. The Luas is a good point though. I hate the Jervis and sometimes the Abbet street stops which really do tend to draw a lot of mad types in one area.

It's stupid to suggest that there is something wrong with people (especially women) being intimidated by junkies or other street life though.

Isn't that that a bit sexist?

Anyone can feel intimidated. It's a natural survival instinct. The problem lies when this becomes inflated to the point of not being able to walk during daylight in a first world city.

admiralofthefleet

keane2097 wrote: »

I do find a fairly big difference when you cross the river - usually feel safe & sound on the southside, northside always seems a bit more run down and has a bit more of an edge.

you can blame DCC for that. they have continually neglected the northside of dublin and will continue to do so. they (the councillors) have a lot to answer for

keane2097

lol @ the idea of women being more vulnerable to intimidation by miscreants being sexist :rolleyes:

RebelButtMunch

keane2097 wrote: »

lol @ the idea of women being more vulnerable to intimidation by miscreants being sexist :rolleyes:

Feel free to explain why women should feel more vulnerable.

stovelid

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Isn't that that a bit sexist?

I'm willing to stand by the assertion that a 6ft tall grown man will be less likely to get hassled by scrotes than a woman or a teenager (of any gender).

It's not sexist in the slightest.

You sound like you've been on a wind-up from the word go in this thread.

keane2097

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Feel free to explain why women should feel more vulnerable.

Oh god there's absolutely no chance I'd even consider spending any time at explaining it to you.

RebelButtMunch

stovelid wrote: »

I'm willing to stand by the assertion that a 6ft tall grown man will be less likely to get hassled by scrotes than a woman or a teenager (of any gender).

It's not sexist in the slightest.

You sound like you've been on a wind-up from the word go in this thread.

good scientific process you got going there.

stovelid

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

good scientific process you got going there.

I'm finished discussing this.

RebelButtMunch

keane2097 wrote: »

Oh god there's absolutely no chance I'd even consider spending any time at explaining it to you.

I'm glad. Thanks you've spared me chivalrous nonsense

Anyway the CSO page makes for some good reading even though their stats are old.

Male victims of crime in 2006 classified by age group. 5.7% of population
Female victims of crime in 2006 classified by age group. 3.6% of population

_blank_

stovelid wrote: »

You sound like you've been on a wind-up from the word go in this thread.

I agree.

colly10

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

good scientific process you got going there.

Women are significantly weaker on average than men, do you think this is a myth

RebelButtMunch

Des wrote: »

I agree.

Yes, facts from the CSO are a windup :rolleyes:

RebelButtMunch

colly10 wrote: »

Women are significantly weaker on average than men, do you think this is a myth

I don't know what that statement is to tell you the truth. There are plenty of things people in general can do to make themselves safer. Physicality is only one facet of that.

al28283

Warper wrote: »

O'Connell St, Boardwalk, Henry St, Abbey St, Parnell St all are complete sh1tholes now with junkies on every corner. It is truly shocking stuff. I think because the city centre is so small the problem is exaggerated.

I've lived in Dublin City for nearly 30 years and this has always been the case, always

mikemac

xoxyx wrote: »

However, recently, I've been noticing a change in the people that hang around the city,

You are in Dublin city centre four years OP and it wasn't much better then
So I'd disagree that it has gotten worse

You were considering a move outside the city centre
Well choose a good area is obvious.

I've never had an issue in the city centre but many issues like glass bottles thrown at me in Ballyfermot and abuse from the little scrotes

I'd say certain suburbs are worse then the city centre so choose where you go

Lex_Diamonds

I do reckon town has more junkies and beggars than five years ago. But Dublin is just getting worse in line with the rest of the country. I hear the same in reference to other towns and cities of our declining isle.

RebelButtMunch

Lex_Diamonds wrote: »

I do reckon town has more junkies and beggars than five years ago. But Dublin is just getting worse in line with the rest of the country. I hear the same in reference to other towns and cities of our declining isle.

I'd agree. Statistics on this are rubbish, and probably purposefully so.

John_Rambo

Dovies wrote: »

I dont even like walking around town during the day - do my shopping in blanch or swords now- and certainly wouldn't go at night any more unless there was a crowd going.

That says more about you and your personal insecurities that anything else, people go about their business in the city every day with new born babies, kids, elderly people etc... not a bother on them. I have been spending weekends in the city for about twenty years and lived in the centre for twelve years. I have felt a bit nervous two times.

xoxyx, you need to move to somewhere in the city that suits you better.

Robdude

I've found drunk/drugged/weird/creepy/shady people are far more likely to call out, talk to, approach, a woman at night than a man. I used to live in a bad part of town back in the United States with my wife. I'd go out at night and I might see some shady looking people and they mostly left me alone. My wife would go out at night and they'd call out to her, talk to her, come up to her far more often than they would to me.

youcrazyjesus!

It's so much worse now than it was 4 years ago. Dublin is the worst city I've been to for this sort of harassment.

RMD

It's always been like this. Problem is the main drug related projects / facilities are fairly clustered together in Dublin 1 so they all congregate together in that area. That said, town is still safe and I feel fine going about my business there. If someone honestly doesn't feel safe in town during the day, they're far to easily frightened.

John_Rambo

youcrazyjesus! wrote: »

Dublin is the worst city I've been to for this sort of harassment.

www.ryanair.com

dats_right

In my view things have improved significantly over the past twenty years or so.

starviewadams

Don't really think that it's changed all that significantly over the last few years.I remember coming into town as a teenager in the mid-late 90's and you'd always get approached by drunks or drug addicts looking for smokes or change and I still see that every day when I'm in town.

I used to work with street people few years back so I can generally gauge how to deal with these folks and usually I'd either give them a few coppers and have a bit of auld banter or plainly and politely tell them that I've no money/smokes and walk away from them.

I can definitely see how intimidating it could be for a woman on her own waiting for the Luas or bus or whatever though.

artanevilla

Was 'RebelButtMunch' the fella you saw arguing with the lampost by chance? I've noticed an increase in anti-social behaviour around the top of Talbot Street, Amiens Street, and Store Street areas, by gangs of teenage girls believe it or not.

RebelButtMunch

artanevilla wrote: »

Was 'RebelButtMunch' the fella you saw arguing with the lampost by chance? I've noticed an increase in anti-social behaviour around the top of Talbot Street, Amiens Street, and Store Street areas, by gangs of teenage girls believe it or not.

Edited for glibness

I'm entitled to my opinion. I seem to be the only one that contributed any factual data, otherwise the the thread has been about peoples feelings and impressions. Everyone is of course entitled to that, but when people start associating that with facts its irritating. If my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle and all that. Also people thinking that its not safe to walk around dublin is entirely incorrect. Immeasurable probably but generally wrong.

stargazer 68

John_Rambo wrote: »

people go about their business in the city every day with new born babies, kids, elderly people etc... not a bother on them.
xoxyx, you need to move to somewhere in the city that suits you better.

Doesnt mean to say they enjoy doing it! I never said I was afraid (as some other poster said) I simply said I didnt like walking around town. And as for moving - I have just come back after 10 years in the middle east and I had no problem walking around the streets there!

arybvtcw0eolkf

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Edited for glibness

I'm entitled to my opinion. I seem to be the only one that contributed any factual data, otherwise the the thread has been about peoples feelings and impressions. Everyone is of course entitled to that, but when people start associating that with facts its irritating. If my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle and all that. Also people thinking that its not safe to walk around dublin is entirely incorrect. Immeasurable probably but generally wrong.

You know what, I'm doing doorwork in and around the city center for almost twenty years now and I'll tell you now where you can stick your factual data - because everyone here has made some valid points.

As Bob Dylan said "you don't need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows" - your factual data meaning crap all to the person who genuinely feels intimidated walking through the city center.

The sight of addicts, drunks, aggressive beggars, drug dealing and general loutish behaviour isn't something which sits comfortable with the majority of people - and that usually manifests itself in feelings of intimidation by most ordinary folk.

Now stop being so argumentative with people in this thread.

RebelButtMunch

Kellan Silly Spaceship wrote: »

You know what, I'm doing doorwork in and around the city center for almost twenty years now and I'll tell you now where you can stick your factual data - because everyone here has made some valid points.

As Bob Dylan said "you don't need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows" - your factual data meaning crap all to the person who genuinely feels intimidated walking through the city center.

The sight of addicts, drunks, aggressive beggars, drug dealing and general loutish behaviour isn't something which sits comfortable with the majority of people - and that usually manifests itself in feelings of intimidation by most ordinary folk.

Now stop being so argumentative with people in this thread.

Stop arguing and presenting facts? I'm not argumentative with people. I'm argumentative with peoples opinions. If you want to only be in a discussion where people agree with your opinions, then a public forum is not the place for you.
Sad to see the board degenerate to this.

How about this? I walked down the street and it felt safer than ever. In fact I dont think dublin has felt safer.
The sight of people sunbathing in stephens green was delightful.

John_Rambo

Dovies wrote: »

Doesnt mean to say they enjoy doing it!

We do enjoy it.

RebelButtMunch

John_Rambo wrote: »

We do enjoy it.

I walked across the bridge at Hueston station the other day and saw an otter in the Liffey. Took a picture of that and then had my lunch at that little park where Anna Livia is. Took a picture of that with Guinness's in the background. There were a few people there also having lunch. Very enjoyable.

John_Rambo

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

I walked across the bridge at Hueston station the other day and saw an otter in the Liffey...

The otters in the middle East are much nicer.

RebelButtMunch

John_Rambo wrote: »

The otters in the middle East are much nicer.

Probably, this one had all kinds of liffey crap stuck to its whiskers