Dublin's Inner City 'Zombies'

Ray Palmer

Snake Plisken wrote: »

Madrid is nowhere as bad as Dublin sure the cops turn a blind eye to the putas around the city centre but I don't see the same amount of junky scum in and around Sol compared to that congrigate in and around the main Street of out captial city.
Now african migrant ganga selling knock off Real Madrid T shirts handbags etc now that's a different matter!

You don't see prostitutes walking around just off Grafton street or around Temple Bar. In Madrid they are all over the main shopping streets and tourist areas. The street traders in many European cities are aggressive and dangerous which just because they aren't Irish Zombies doesn't mean they are much better. You won't see the junkies in other countries because they act differently or they are just moved out of sight. They were in Madrid when I was there and I saw them but I felt the hookers everywhere was something I had not seen in other cities even compared to Amsterdam.

London has a noticeable junkie population and people here didn't seem to notice. They are in tourist places and a walk through Camden really shows it up.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Saw a delightful creature outside James hospital today. In a hospital gown, bare arse hanging out, stumbling away from the hospital. How much resources have been wasted on this cretin in the last 24 hrs? An ambulance crew to pick him up, treat him and bring him in. Doctors and nurses to admit and treat him some more. And now guards to pick him up since he's walking around bare arsed. Such a waste

angel eyes 2012

Grayson wrote: »

What can they do? most of the time the junkies harmless. I walk through the city centre most days and I've never seen them bother anyone. Sure they get into shouting matches with each other, they'll try to scab a fag and some beg, but they're rarely violent.

One of the senior executives in my company lived next to merchants quay for two years when they arrived from the US. It shocked them at first but they got used to it and even they say the junkies are harmless.

The vast majority of addicts are just addicts and aren't violent. If they were then we'd have daily, hourly even, muggings and attacks. We don't.

The worst thing about them is the sight of them shambling around, but that's not a crime is it? We do need to have better drug treatment and better addiction services, but those are public health issues, not policing issues.

I agree, having grown up in Dublin and now working in the city centre or town as us natives call it, the addicts have always been around and the vast majority are harmless once you don't stare them out, which I see people do. In fact, I'm rarely frightened or feel threatened and have walked on streets that other posters have mentioned with no issues. The only occasions I would have left a space, feeling threatened would have been around people with drink on them, at the end of the night and often on these occasions the perpetrator could be a patron in a pub drinking excessive amounts.

Honestly, an aggressive drunk is more of a risk than a mostly, passive but annoying heroin addict. The new zombie phenomenon, which I suspect is more of an risk and that's the proliferation of members of the public on their smart phones. I saw a cyclist nearly killed on O'Connell Street as he was texting while cycling and similarly I've seen near misses involving pedestrians on phones walking into the pathway of the Luas.

Back to addiction- one thing for sure is involving the Gardai and increasing prison sentencing for the possession of drugs is of absolutely zero benefit to the addicts and to society in general. Decriminalisation of certain drugs and then diverting any savings from the justice system should go towards treatment centres. It's been proven time and time again that the current policy just doesn't work.

Foweva Awone

I'd say a lot of it is to do with people using spice in recent months, much cheaper than crack or gear and has a very fast "zombie" effect. Horrible stuff, very addictive and very easily available, even in prisons etc.

Pkiernan

This is a result of budget cuts and the far left approach to crime and no punishment.
Add in unending welfare and you have the perfect storm for Zombieland.

Snake Plisken

Ray Palmer wrote: »

You don't see prostitutes walking around just off Grafton street or around Temple Bar. In Madrid they are all over the main shopping streets and tourist areas. The street traders in many European cities are aggressive and dangerous which just because they aren't Irish Zombies doesn't mean they are much better. You won't see the junkies in other countries because they act differently or they are just moved out of sight. They were in Madrid when I was there and I saw them but I felt the hookers everywhere was something I had not seen in other cities even compared to Amsterdam.

London has a noticeable junkie population and people here didn't seem to notice. They are in tourist places and a walk through Camden really shows it up.

This is a discussion about junkies not prostitutes also the cops have cracked down on the prostitutes around Gran Via and on the streets around Calleo compared to previous years I've been there. Don't see as many junkies around the city center and certanly a lot less compared to Dublin. Plus what's the population of Madrid? Over 6 5 Million including the surrounding area. Certainly not anywhere as bad as it was in the 80's also according to this article it's moved indoors where you have drug dens https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/12/narcopisos-spains-drug-flats-see-communities-unite-to-fight-heroin-threat

Get decent money working in those methadone clinics.

AndrewJRenko

Pkiernan wrote: »

This is a result of budget cuts and the far left approach to crime and no punishment.
Add in unending welfare and you have the perfect storm for Zombieland.

So which countries/cities have solved this problem by (presumably) ending welfare, budget increases and a far right approach to crime?

BrokenArrows

Most cities have big drug problems, however most cities dont allow that problem to be so obviously visible on the streets, nevermind the main streets of the city.

The Gardai should be shifting those addicts off the streets every second of every day but instead they are in a lot of cases just left alone.

Richard Hillman

Used to work at Christchurch cathedral and I would see Zombies 3-4 days of the week. Not sure how big Fentanyl is getting but there is a real distinction between guys that have taken heroin and if it is Fentanyl that I was seeing. Whatever these people were taking, it's on a whole different level of zombie than you regularly see.

scopper

super_furry wrote: »

How many cities have you visited? Dublin's drug and homeless problem is relatively minuscule compared to most other major international cities.

This is not true, and especially so when it comes to the core or tourist part of most major cities (with exceptions around some big attractions). We also have for sure the most visible homeless of any major city by a mile.

Interested Observer

super_furry wrote: »

Madrid, Paris, London, Manchester, Glasgow Lisbon, San Francisco - sweet Jesus I've never seen more people **** in the street than in San Francisco - they're all much, much worse than Dublin. Even Rome is collapsing under it's own rubbish.

I'm not saying that there isn't a problem, but it's nowhere near as bad as most other major cities.

I was in Washington DC last week and the homeless problem there is shocking. There are little homeless villages set up under bridges.

These threads pop up every now and then and they're ****ing embarrassing.

Interested Observer

scopper wrote: »

This is not true, and especially so when it comes to the core or tourist part of most major cities (with exceptions around some big attractions). We also have for sure the most visible homeless of any major city by a mile.

This is complete fiction. You have no idea what you're talking about.

Grayson

angel eyes 2012 wrote: »

I agree, having grown up in Dublin and now working in the city centre or town as us natives call it, the addicts have always been around and the vast majority are harmless once you don't stare them out, which I see people do. In fact, I'm rarely frightened or feel threatened and have walked on streets that other posters have mentioned with no issues. The only occasions I would have left a space, feeling threatened would have been around people with drink on them, at the end of the night and often on these occasions the perpetrator could be a patron in a pub drinking excessive amounts.

Honestly, an aggressive drunk is more of a risk than a mostly, passive but annoying heroin addict. The new zombie phenomenon, which I suspect is more of an risk and that's the proliferation of members of the public on their smart phones. I saw a cyclist nearly killed on O'Connell Street as he was texting while cycling and similarly I've seen near misses involving pedestrians on phones walking into the pathway of the Luas.

Back to addiction- one thing for sure is involving the Gardai and increasing prison sentencing for the possession of drugs is of absolutely zero benefit to the addicts and to society in general. Decriminalisation of certain drugs and then diverting any savings from the justice system should go towards treatment centres. It's been proven time and time again that the current policy just doesn't work.

agree 100%. the addicts aren't the source of crime. I walk from smithfield up to the centre most days and they're harmless. Drunks around templebar are worse. Walking through there late at night or waiting for a nightlink is about as scary as it gets in dublin city centre.

Grayson

scopper wrote: »

This is not true, and especially so when it comes to the core or tourist part of most major cities (with exceptions around some big attractions). We also have for sure the most visible homeless of any major city by a mile.

I've said it before in this and other threads, and others have said it too, San Francisco is far, far worse. I was shocked and disgusted by what I saw there. What makes it even more sickening is that there's so much money there.

Edit to add:

The BART is a subway system in SF. Here's a video that was taken at one of the exits

old_aussie

Put a positive spin on it.

Advertise it as a tourist attraction.

Put a few "Don't Feed The Zombies" signs up and open a "tourist memento" shop.

Charge the tourists to pose with the zombies, have a "Walking Dead" week.

Tourists love to go home with a few trinkets to show family and friends......hey look at this neat used syringe I bought at the "Dublin walking dead" festival.

AllForIt

Yeah complete and utter druggy zombies are allowed to walk around the shops in the city center because to blacklist them is akin to being racist. Blows my mind what goes on these days all thanks to SJW's. Some ppl think they add character to the place and to look down your nose at them is a reprehensible trait. Plus their existance in the first place is all your fault so you deserve to suffer them for being so privileged. No reason low lifes shouldnt be allowed to enjoy the city center just because they are lower social class when working ppl cant afford to live near work in the city cause they cant afford it. Anyway its their territory so no chance they would be housed anywhere else. Its their right to live in or near the most sought after area in Ireland despite the fact they dont earn a penny.

AndrewJRenko

AllForIt wrote: »

Yeah complete and utter druggy zombies are allowed to walk around the shops in the city center because to blacklist them is akin to being racist.

I think this earlier post applies again.

AllForIt

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I think this earlier post applies again.

I lived and worked in London for many years of my life and never seen the level of scuzz there in the west-end or other hotspots as you see in Dublin. Nothing like it because its not tolerated in the one place you definatly dont want them to be visible. Homeless ppl are one thing but non-working ppl walking around the city all day long is not something you see. We allow it here like some kind of fked up weird fettish for the lower social classes which for me is utter madness.

Sycamore Tree

The city centre is beyond redemption and I reckon most Dubliners avoid it for the most part.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Sycamore Tree wrote: »

The city centre is beyond redemption and I reckon most Dubliners avoid it for the most part.

Clearly you don't visit Dublin often. If at all.

AndrewJRenko

AllForIt wrote: »

I lived and worked in London for many years of my life and never seen the level of scuzz there in the west-end or other hotspots as you see in Dublin. Nothing like it because its not tolerated in the one place you definatly dont want them to be visible. Homeless ppl are one thing but non-working ppl walking around the city all day long is not something you see. We allow it here like some kind of fked up weird fettish for the lower social classes which for me is utter madness.

The idea that shops can't bar whoever they like whenever they like is just silly. They can refuse anyone, anytime. The only problem would arise if they bar somebody because of their race, or their gender, or their sexual orientation or whatever.


They share data between themselves about undesireables, breaching GDPR regulations every day without a care in the world.

ligerdub

There are a few things to consider here. There are different ways this issue is tackled, or indeed not tackled.

There are plenty of places around the world where they shoo vagrants and drug users off the streets into who knows where. Any visitors there would think it looks great, which is does, but they'd be wrong to think there's no drug problem there.

Dublin does not have that style. Our unfortunates are very visible and for the most part are left to their own devices. Is that worse than booting them from the streets? Actually as I write that I'm not sure what my answer to that would be!

There's also the larger national approach as to how to control the use of drugs and mental health issues. As far as Dublin goes I think there is a visible rough sleeper population, it's a serious problem, and there seems a large percentage of them who are serious drug users. On the whole I think Dublin is reasonably safe though, and although our streets are filled with a large population of junkies, they aren't Olympic level headbangers. The headbangers in New York for example are properly off their rocker, I can only assume the drugs on the streets of Dublin are different to the likes of there, but there's also the question of support granted to such individuals. We have a socialised healthcare system, so at least the drug users stay on the reservation.

There's no doubt that there seems to be a more potent blend of drugs in play these days, and this is true pretty much everywhere. I think the more worrying thing is how far these drugs will go as they evolve, and how many more people are going to fall into that trap.

There will always be a fair population of people who fall through the cracks and just can't handle life. I don't see this as a problem that will disappear any time soon, in Dublin, or anywhere else.

AllForIt

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

The idea that shops can't bar whoever they like whenever they like is just silly. They can refuse anyone, anytime. The only problem would arise if they bar somebody because of their race, or their gender, or their sexual orientation or whatever.

They share data between themselves about undesireables, breaching GDPR regulations every day without a care in the world.

I visited Dublin at the weekend. I saw 2 junkies in the Iilac shopping center. Abosolute horrors of ppl to see. The security on the doors did nothing to prevent them from walking in. They are allowed to wander around wherever they like so real life experience totally contradicts what you say.

AllForIt

ligerdub wrote: »

There are a few things to consider here. There are different ways this issue is tackled, or indeed not tackled.

There are plenty of places around the world where they shoo vagrants and drug users off the streets into who knows where. Any visitors there would think it looks great, which is does, but they'd be wrong to think there's no drug problem there.

Dublin does not have that style. Our unfortunates are very visible and for the most part are left to their own devices. Is that worse than booting them from the streets? Actually as I write that I'm not sure what my answer to that would be!

There's also the larger national approach as to how to control the use of drugs and mental health issues. As far as Dublin goes I think there is a visible rough sleeper population, it's a serious problem, and there seems a large percentage of them who are serious drug users. On the whole I think Dublin is reasonably safe though, and although our streets are filled with a large population of junkies, they aren't Olympic level headbangers. The headbangers in New York for example are properly off their rocker, I can only assume the drugs on the streets of Dublin are different to the likes of there, but there's also the question of support granted to such individuals. We have a socialised healthcare system, so at least the drug users stay on the reservation.

There's no doubt that there seems to be a more potent blend of drugs in play these days, and this is true pretty much everywhere. I think the more worrying thing is how far these drugs will go as they evolve, and how many more people are going to fall into that trap.

There will always be a fair population of people who fall through the cracks and just can't handle life. I don't see this as a problem that will disappear any time soon, in Dublin, or anywhere else.

Out of sight out of mind is the best policy where touristic and social hotspot areas are concerned imo. No one is comparing low social class lifestyles between city's and countries. The argument is how to deal with them if we cant get rid of them altogether which is prolly impossible.

My gripe is that there are those who thing we should suffer them in the one place you'd rather not see them at all.

AndrewJRenko

AllForIt wrote: »

I visited Dublin at the weekend. I saw 2 junkies in the Iilac shopping center. Abosolute horrors of ppl to see. The security on the doors did nothing to prevent them from walking in. They are allowed to wander around wherever they like so real life experience totally contradicts what you say.

I can't tell you why those security guards let those two people in the Ilac at the weekend. I can tell it wasn't from 'fear of being called racist', as you suggest. Security staff can bar anyone they choose with reason, once that reason isn't the race of the person involved.

Sadb

Ray Palmer wrote: »

How can you say that about Madrid? The place is overrun with hookers. The police standing around watching them get business. In broad daylight.

You would need to be blind not to see them along with the junkies who are also hookers.

I think some people here just don't notice foreign drug addicts the way some tourists see people in tracksuits are athletes.

I can honestly say I didn’t notice one hooker if there were any. We were around all the tourist spots but wouldn’t have been out late. I didn’t see one single homeless person around the plaza mayor for example or on any main road/park/tourist attraction. We did walk home a small side street one day back to our hotel and came across a homeless camp in an empty building plot, we simply avoided walking on that street again.
During the summer when I was in Dublin one weekend I saw 5/6 homeless people sleeping on the footpaths in temple bar, 2 junkies fighting on the Luas track at Stephens green and another 2 junkies cornering people at the atms across from trinity. This was all in the space of an hour or 2 in the middle of the day.

SHOVELLER

Interested Observer wrote: »

super_furry wrote: »

Madrid, Paris, London, Manchester, Glasgow Lisbon, San Francisco - sweet Jesus I've never seen more people **** in the street than in San Francisco - they're all much, much worse than Dublin. Even Rome is collapsing under it's own rubbish.

I'm not saying that there isn't a problem, but it's nowhere near as bad as most other major cities.

I was in Washington DC last week and the homeless problem there is shocking. There are little homeless villages set up under bridges.

These threads pop up every now and then and they're ****ing embarrassing.

I live in DC and while there are homeless who do take up parks there are no junkies walking around the Mall or downtown. In any case it is irrelevant as the topic is Dublin. Going back and forth comparing other cities is pointless. 
Dublin has junkies walking around like zombies because the clinics are in the city centre. A solution needs to be found to stop this.

SHOVELLER

Interested Observer wrote: »

super_furry wrote: »

Madrid, Paris, London, Manchester, Glasgow Lisbon, San Francisco - sweet Jesus I've never seen more people **** in the street than in San Francisco - they're all much, much worse than Dublin. Even Rome is collapsing under it's own rubbish.

I'm not saying that there isn't a problem, but it's nowhere near as bad as most other major cities.

I was in Washington DC last week and the homeless problem there is shocking. There are little homeless villages set up under bridges.

These threads pop up every now and then and they're ****ing embarrassing.

I live in DC and while there are homeless who do take up parks there are no junkies walking around the Mall or downtown. In any case it is irrelevant as the topic is Dublin. Going back and forth comparing other cities is pointless. 

Dublin has junkies walking around like zombies because the clinics are in the city centre. A solution needs to be found to stop this.

MonkieSocks

AllForIt wrote: »

I visited Dublin at the weekend. I saw 2 junkies in the Iilac shopping center. Abosolute horrors of ppl to see. The security on the doors did nothing to prevent them from walking in. They are allowed to wander around wherever they like so real life experience totally contradicts what you say.

They always head to shopping centers, it their primordial need deep inside their subconscious mind to seek bargains in the pound shops there within.


Seen a good documentary in 2004 about it when Burt Reynolds is shot in the head by a Sniper Baby from the sixth story window.



Bleedin deadly it was!