Originally Posted by HomelessScientist
...Also, the violent crime rate in Oakland is mostly driven by gang/drug turf wars. If you stay out of that business, you'll probably be fine.
And those turf wars are actually quite close to the OAK airport/Coliseum BART station. Still, a couple of blocks makes a big difference. Even in the roughest neighborhoods, being on BART or in its stations is very safe. There's crime within the system here and there, but it's rare when you consider how many people use BART.