hsmall

Would you like to enlighten us as to why you feel unsafe in the UK? You live in Russia. Sure you feel safer there?

ilcannone

Absolutely. Sexuality stuff aside, I personally feel that Moscow is a great deal safer than London. In London, I tend to feel a lot more paranoid about personal safety. Yes, London has a lot more tourists compared to Moscow, but even so.

Also, having been attacked a couple of times without any provocation whatsoever in other parts of the UK and generally facing a lot more aggressive people in the UK, I've yet to experience anything worse than being pushed on the metro in Moscow.

In addition, there's a much stronger police presence across Moscow in pretty much most of the city. It can get a bit annoying at times, but I'm thankful for it.

I know people will disagree with me, I know people will find my views controversial, but hey...

bitterproffit

Juarez Mexico, parts of Miami (my hometown), parts of Detroit. The last time I was in El Salvador, it was like something had changed and I felt unsafe there for the first time ever.

I grew up in a sketchy part of Miami in the 70's, so I am probably more wary than I should be, but I knew the 'vibe' in El Salvador had changed the minute I left the airport. This was two years ago.

Loren Pechtel

Where are you finding this?! The only place I can think of a tourist might end up that's like this is east of the downtown casinos. Even then it's a reasonable area during daylight hours.

Note that, unlike what one magazine reported, our crime rate is actually low for the size of the city and it's disproportionately property crime besides (all the tourists attract pickpockets, all the security discourages crimes that will be noticed.) I have never felt uncomfortable walking anywhere other than due to the heat.

(What happened with the high crime rate report is some fools looked at the crimes reported to the Las Vegas Metropolitan police department divided by the population of Las Vegas. Oops, most of "Las Vegas" isn't actually in the city of Las Vegas. The "Las Vegas" strip isn't!)

helvetic

I have never ever felt unsafe in Vegas; and that includes being in downtown, being offstrip, etc.

Oakland, CA, on the other hand. Or even Bayview/Hunters' Point/Tenderloin in SF where I live… much much shadier.

Taiwaned

Compton, LA - early 90's. Just after the riots.

Georgetown, Guyana - 90's. Would never venture out without a local. Friend got mugged.

Maluku_Flyer

Port Moresby, PNG. Especially after dark.

SwissBritMiss

Can I ask why? PNG is on my list - mostly for the diving, but it'd be a shame to miss out on some of the local culture.

I have a pretty high "dodginess" threshold (tiny solo female, no issues at all in Brazil / Honduras / etc.)

Reds2011

Been a ​​​​long time since I have spent time in POM and PNG in general, but I imagine not much has changed.

Violence against women is endemic. You would probably be ok passing through and diving at a resort but otherwise it's a very high risk destination for a solo woman.

Only place, as a 188cm and 100kg man, that I have actually been concerned. And that's in a career of oilfield work worldwide over 20+ years.

Maluku_Flyer

Generally hostile locals. You'll be fine at places like Walindi or any of the other dive resorts. Just resist the urge to visit the local bars at night.

deniah

The only 2 places I've felt off in, and preferred to be at the airport or home: Cairo and Manila.

The only country whose expatriates tell me not to go (rather than the default opposite which is imploring others to visit): Venezuela.

And that comes from many many friends and colleagues.

invisible

See my example earlier in the thread. Venezuela now is Congo of South America.

BenA

Not at all - 3rd Avenue is still incredibly dangerous in the CBD, with regular stabbings/shootings near the high-volume bus stops. If anything, it's gotten worse. It's crazy the difference one street makes - walking up to 4th gets you into the highly-trafficked shopping district where things are generally fine.

The substance abuse and homelessness crisis in Seattle has gotten much, much worse over the last five years or so, and the civic leadership has systematically failed to do anything about it. There was a "10 block strategy" earlier in Murray's mayorship that helped for a while, but the effects of that seem to have worn off and we're back to square one again.

WorldLux

Some streets of Downtown LV definitely look shady at night. Didn't feel unsafe though. I felt unsafe in China: The strict regime and the language barrier certainly don't make me feel safer. Pre-Arab spring Egypt was definitely strange too with heavily-armed soldiers ridding shotgun on certain road segments.

On the other hand, the places I felt safest are Japan followed by the UAE.

BuildingMyBento

In what way did that make you feel unsafe? Internet? Hotels making copies of passport pages? Just curious.

I've always found the most dangerous aspects of China to be the driving (don't wear a seat belt; if you do, then that means you don't have confidence in my driving ability, food/hygiene, and pollution.

There were a handful of times when locals thought I was a Uyghur, but nothing ever came of it.