Are many parts of the US like this?

[ankietyjoe]

Even the estates around London just aren't this bad. I used to walk through the 'So Solid' estate on the way to school. I was ridiculously naive at the time, nothing ever happened. Later I lived in the rough side of Brixton, nothing ever happened.

I think the main difference between the UK and US that fuels this kind of thing are prisons as cheap labour camps. As far as I can see, there is no motivation for the US to clean up the streets because then it would also cut off the supply of cheap labour.

And I have never seen ANYTHING in the UK that compares with what I saw on the outskirts of a rough part of LA. Both in terms of scale and intensity.

[Fishmanpa]

I lived in Philly for a while and I can tell you, there are areas like in that video where you just don't want to go. I worked for a company in N Philly before they moved to NJ and they literally had a fenced in parking lot and you needed codes to get in. There was a time I worked a 2nd shift and when I left at 11pm, I basically blew through stop signs and lights until I got South of the area because of what I saw on the streets. I drove through areas of Baltimore, NY and other large cities that were similar. There are places like that in most major cities in the US. Homeless encampments, run down slums, dirty, ugly, poor. Horrible living conditions. It's sad :(

There are equally run down, very poor and crime ridden areas in the rural parts of the US as well. Even in the small town I live in, there are homeless and very run down, poor areas. Contrary to what the overall town impression is, there's also a huge drug problem as well. A weekly read of the arrest and indictment records affirm it.

FMP

[WiredIncorrectly]

Thanks for sharing Fishmanpa.

What was responsible for the downfall of these areas (in particular Philly)? Is it the drug problem and the looting/robbery? That entire strip in Philly is closed down but the guy says that only started happening in recent years. Apparently it was a good business area in the past.

[WiredIncorrectly]

Even the estates around London just aren't this bad. I used to walk through the 'So Solid' estate on the way to school. I was ridiculously naive at the time, nothing ever happened. Later I lived in the rough side of Brixton, nothing ever happened.

I think the main difference between the UK and US that fuels this kind of thing are prisons as cheap labour camps. As far as I can see, there is no motivation for the US to clean up the streets because then it would also cut off the supply of cheap labour.

And I have never seen ANYTHING in the UK that compares with what I saw on the outskirts of a rough part of LA. Both in terms of scale and intensity.

Did it feel a bit nerving being a foreigner in the non tourist areas? Did you have an issues while over there being British?

[Lencoboy]

Even the estates around London just aren't this bad. I used to walk through the 'So Solid' estate on the way to school. I was ridiculously naive at the time, nothing ever happened. Later I lived in the rough side of Brixton, nothing ever happened.

I think the main difference between the UK and US that fuels this kind of thing are prisons as cheap labour camps. As far as I can see, there is no motivation for the US to clean up the streets because then it would also cut off the supply of cheap labour.

And I have never seen ANYTHING in the UK that compares with what I saw on the outskirts of a rough part of LA. Both in terms of scale and intensity.

When I visited my day centre in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire for the first time in 2017, I felt a bit of a sense of unease as the 'vernicular' of that particular part of Burton very much reminds me of parts of Handsworth, Birmingham, and I imagined all kinds of dodgy scenarios playing out there.

Even though at face value said area of Burton might look a bit iffy, it's actually fine (at least during normal daytime hours) and generally has quite a good community atmosphere, plus so far (touch wood) I've never had any issues there personally. There is also a virtual lack of graffiti and litter problems in said area aren't really mega serious either. Most certainly far removed from 'bandit country'!

Sometimes it seems that negative perceptions of certain places are actually all in the mind, especially once one gets to know those areas properly.

Let's face it, even 'notorious' areas like Brixton, Handsworth, etc probably aren't always quite what they seem.

[MyNameIsTerry]

When I visited my day centre in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire for the first time in 2017, I felt a bit of a sense of unease as the 'vernicular' of that particular part of Burton very much reminds me of parts of Handsworth, Birmingham, and I imagined all kinds of dodgy scenarios playing out there.

Even though at face value said area of Burton might look a bit iffy, it's actually fine (at least during normal daytime hours) and generally has quite a good community atmosphere, plus so far (touch wood) I've never had any issues there personally. There is also a virtual lack of graffiti and litter problems in said area aren't really mega serious either. Most certainly far removed from 'bandit country'!

Sometimes it seems that negative perceptions of certain places are actually all in the mind, especially once one gets to know those areas properly.

Let's face it, even 'notorious' areas like Brixton, Handsworth, etc probably aren't always quite what they seem.

I can remember areas like Handsworth being a problem for work scheduling (more 20 years ago) as meter engineers had experienced attacks and thefts when out on the job. My dad worked across much of the West Midlands and said similiar.

[WiredIncorrectly]

When I visited my day centre in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire for the first time in 2017, I felt a bit of a sense of unease as the 'vernicular' of that particular part of Burton very much reminds me of parts of Handsworth, Birmingham, and I imagined all kinds of dodgy scenarios playing out there.

Even though at face value said area of Burton might look a bit iffy, it's actually fine (at least during normal daytime hours) and generally has quite a good community atmosphere, plus so far (touch wood) I've never had any issues there personally. There is also a virtual lack of graffiti and litter problems in said area aren't really mega serious either. Most certainly far removed from 'bandit country'!

Sometimes it seems that negative perceptions of certain places are actually all in the mind, especially once one gets to know those areas properly.

Let's face it, even 'notorious' areas like Brixton, Handsworth, etc probably aren't always quite what they seem.

I worked at a charity shop in Burton on Trent when I was in the D Cat prison. I found it to be a decent area. I didn't venture into the suburbs though. I've been to Handsworth many times. Lots of murders happened on that Soho road. I was going to go to Birmingham City university but opted against it because I'd have to get the bus from Aston to the university. Aston can be a bad place too.

It can be all in the mind. It's like prison, if you keep your head down and you're not involved in the illegal activities nobody cares about you. But many people would instantly be scared of prison thinking it's a place where they're going to be bullied. But, bravo to the officers they always kept me on the induction wings and away from the regular wings where I probably could have had some drama. And yeah, I would be scared to go back to prison because the officers might not be so cushy with me next time around.

I think Moss Side is one of the worst places in the UK. Scotland can be rough too in some parts.

[Lencoboy]

I worked at a charity shop in Burton on Trent when I was in the D Cat prison. I found it to be a decent area. I didn't venture into the suburbs though. I've been to Handsworth many times. Lots of murders happened on that Soho road. I was going to go to Birmingham City university but opted against it because I'd have to get the bus from Aston to the university. Aston can be a bad place too.

It can be all in the mind. It's like prison, if you keep your head down and you're not involved in the illegal activities nobody cares about you. But many people would instantly be scared of prison thinking it's a place where they're going to be bullied. But, bravo to the officers they always kept me on the induction wings and away from the regular wings where I probably could have had some drama. And yeah, I would be scared to go back to prison because the officers might not be so cushy with me next time around.

I think Moss Side is one of the worst places in the UK. Scotland can be rough too in some parts.

Yes, Burton is generally OK, though, like most places, it has its problems, but again, like most places, they're probably concentrated more in specific 'wards'.

Ditto for my own town, Tamworth, which again for the most part, is generally a decent area with a great castle, but like Burton, there are certain areas of the borough that can sometimes be a bit iffy, most notably certain parts of the Glascote and Wilnecote 'wards', though still, hardly 'bandit country' nor 'riot city'!

I live in the northern-most part of the borough.

[Noivous]

Hey Wired how's it going my friend?

I drive through a section of Boston fairly regularly. It's called Methadone Mile - and they ain't kiddin. Thousands of (mostly young) junkies up and down the sidewalks. You'll see them sleeping, shi**ing, pissing, fuc*ing, shooting up, fighting, begging...all in broad daylight. That s not an exagerration. It's allowed. Not legal but cops just look the other way. If one comes up to my truck I'll give em 5 or 10 bucks and shoot the breeze a bit. It's the girls that break my heart for some reason. This crisis has been around awhile. It was created by big pharma BTW...in conjuction with the US government that is.

[Fishmanpa]

Thanks for sharing Fishmanpa.

What was responsible for the downfall of these areas (in particular Philly)? Is it the drug problem and the looting/robbery? That entire strip in Philly is closed down but the guy says that only started happening in recent years. Apparently it was a good business area in the past.

It was those things plus gangs and the like. Many are on Government assistance etc.

FMP