Safest nighttime blocks?

apollonia666

So with the string of muggings in the area lately, I started wondering which blocks are best lit and/or most populated at night and therefore maybe a bit safer to walk on after dark, especially if you're traveling alone between Washington and Flatbush. Any suggestions? Any blocks you think are particularly dark and deserted and heebie-jeebie-inducing?

king without a crown

I wouldn't say theres any particular blocks that are safer. Opportunists really don't seem to care. As rule of thumb, the busier and more well lit blocks would appear to be safer. But if you look at the recent string of Robberies, they've been happening at all times and places. My #1 Tip of the year is for people to.... GET OFF THEIR CELL PHONES!!!!!!!! I understand why people do it, and I also sometimes catch myself doing this. Distraction is the reason why it's illegal to drive while using a hands held cell phone, and it's also the same reason why you shouldn't bury your head in conversation. If you walk down the street looking assertive and make eye contact with people you're less likely to be victimized.

restless native

Here's an experiment: Next time you're outside, notice the difference between black and latino young people walking down the street, and certain other types of people who are not so, how should I say, 'acclimated' to an urban environment.

The black and latino kids are looking either straight ahead or left or right, but their eyes are always level, and it's easy to catch eye contact with them.

As for the 'other' type of individual, they are looking up, down, at their iPhone, at the tall buildings, at the latest eatery that's opened up in 'The Nabe' - basically they are looking at everything and anything EXCEPT their immediate surroundings. Add a cell phone to the mix and you're dealing with a bonafide space cadet.

Accordingly, it doesn't take much to see why certain behavior just invites one to be victimized. :idea:

carnivore

Restless Native wrote: Here's an experiment: Next time you're outside, notice the difference between black and latino young people walking down the street, and certain other types of people who are not so, how should I say, 'acclimated' to an urban environment.

The black and latino kids are looking either straight ahead or left or right, but their eyes are always level, and it's easy to catch eye contact with them.

As for the 'other' type of individual, they are looking up, down, at their iPhone, at the tall buildings, at the latest eatery that's opened up in 'The Nabe' - basically they are looking at everything and anything EXCEPT their immediate surroundings. Add a cell phone to the mix and you're dealing with a bonafide space cadet.

Accordingly, it doesn't take much to see why certain behavior just invites one to be victimized. :idea:

If you think that awareness of one's surroundings is the exclusive province of blacks and latinos, or that only whites walk around obliviously talking on their cellphones, you obviously aren't paying that close attention to your surroundings. Or maybe your vision is so clouded by your own bias that you aren't able to see the reality.

smokin joe

at the risk of hijacking this thread back to its original point, and disappointing everyone who'd rather read another episode of "who's a racist?" i don't know which are the safest blocks but i would nominate park between vanderbilt and underhill as a particularly long, dark, often-empty stretch that has seen more than its share of violent crime.

here's hoping that all the new renos there will shed some light on the matter.

now black to your regular program. . .

MOD NOTE: You're right of course. Sorry for responding to the trollbait.
-C

apollonia666

Thank you for trying to keep things on-topic, Smokin' Joe!

I do try to be very aware of my surroundings when I'm walking around even when it's not dark, and I stay off my cell phone and never wear headphones, all that stuff. Those are very good general tips, but they're things most people should already be aware of, and I thought a discussion specifically about the blocks with the most lighting and traffic (and, conversely, which ones have the least of both) might produce some helpful additional info specific to our area.

Here are a couple off the top of my head: St. Marks between Underhill and Washington is well-lit at night but not particularly populated. I've found Bergen between Underhill and Washington to usually have a few more people around, and it's not terribly dark on that block at night.

stacey

apollonia666 wrote: Here are a couple off the top of my head: St. Marks between Underhill and Washington is well-lit at night but not particularly populated. I've found Bergen between Underhill and Washington to usually have a few more people around, and it's not terribly dark on that block at night.

I have to agree with you -
I feel safer walking on St. Marks bet. Vanderbilt and Underhill because there are usually regulars playing ball there who I know would keep an eye out or up Bergen because there tend to be more people walking on that block. I know the block of Underhill I live on tends to have more people around because of the bar and the bodega on each corner. Just so you know most of the people who live on my block would not hesitate to come out when they hear a commotion and help out someone in need.

medusa

I think the real question is: what's the safest route from the subway to my house.

When I was growing up (in a less safe neighborhood, in a less safe time) I had a very specific route to my house from the subway. I always walked on a particular side of a street because it had more people out. And I was always completely aware of my surroundings. I never came home on the subway after 10 pm. After 10, I took a cab if I could find one willing to go to my neighborhood.

So I agree that people should be aware, but I also think that this sucks. I hated it as a kid and wondered why the hell my parents didn't move to the suburbs to save me from it. It pisses me off to think that I may need to remember those urban survival skills.

vanilla

i don't know, i got sort of approached by three teens tonight on sterling and underhill. it was weird. i looked them all in the eye when i saw them coming and one tried to get up real close to me while yelling disturbing things - so, i kept moving closer almost into the street and just stopped and stared at them. the other 2 kept yelling for the one getting closer to just leave me alone. so he left me alone and that was that. weird. weird.

apollonia666

That's really unsettling, Vanilla!

Part of what made me come up with this topic was because I was planning to go to a friend's place at Underhill and Sterling last night and had been thinking about what the best-lit route was from my place to that intersection. Nothing was happening around there when I was there, though (arriving around 10:30 and leaving around midnight).

Glad you're okay. What kind of "disturbing things" was he yelling -- could you make it out? Did what he was yelling give any kind of hint as to why he zeroed in on you?

alafairnadia

so, I live on Washington, closest to St. Johns. when I'm coming home from, say, Beast (corner of Bergen & Vanderbilt), my general route is this: Vandy to Prospect, Prospect to Underhill, Underhill to Park, Park to Washington, Washington to my house. why? okay. I stay on Vanderbilt until the 'safest' cross to Underhill. partly this is because I know a lot of folks who owner-occupy condos, co-ops and brownstones on that block, also because it is well-lit. but, that same street, between Underhill and Washington, is dodgy as hell. AND on Washington, there is a really weird, often open/openish, alley next to the C-Town that, in my brain, is the ultimate drag-the-victim-into space. I avoid it like the plague, especially late at night. so. one block on Underhill. why not continue to Sterling? Park is shorter. also, Park is one of the primary thoroughfares East in our neighborhood. so. Park it is. also, the streetlights have been repaired and the North side of the street is very well illuminated as a result. also, should anything particularly disturb me, I'm pretty sure I can run/sprint to the cop-shop on Park and Grand. and Washington, to me, equals safety (outside of that dodgy-ass alley that should be gated but mostly isn't). it is generally well populated, even late. at 2 a.m. there are plenty of cabs bringing people home from other parts of Brooklyn or the rest of NYC. before midnight the liquor store is open, which is another place to jump into looking for safety. and Ripple is generally open until 4 a.m. also, it is very well lit, and a lot of the apartments facing Washington have bedrooms facing that avenue, so screaming could, in fact, yield results.

have I overthought this to an extreme degree? yes. but I think I have pretty much outlined my choices very well.

oh. I ALWAYS avoid scaffolding. that is primary stomping grounds for dodgy ass folks.

apollonia666

Overthinking? Maybe, but I think knowing one's neighborhood that well is really important. And this is exactly the kind of info I thought might be helpful to share.

I feel pretty safe on Washington late at night too. On my way home I generally veer off onto Grand to head to Bergen, but if it's really late I'll go out of my way a bit and stay on Washington to Bergen. Grand is well-lit, but hinky stuff sometimes goes on over on St. Marks between Classon and Grand. So I try to avoid St. Marks and Grand late at night, and I also try to avoid walking past the back entrance to the parking area behind the Knox apartment building (the building is on the corner of St. Marks and Grand and the parking lot entry is on Grand between St. Marks and Bergen). Over the past year and a half or so there have been some car break-ins and muggings and shifty people hanging around in the dark in that parking lot, and I don't like walking past the entry very closely when it's late.

I also generally try to avoid blocks where there's a lot of construction. A lot of blocks in this area that are kind of creepy late at night right now will be a lot more populated eventually, at least.

vanilla

something like, "just b/c i'm black, don't be scared of me", something about me being white and having really curly hair, "suck my dick", and also something starting with, "ever from the 1st grade miss...". and he kept calling me miss.

they were walking really REALLY fast down sterling towards vanderbilt and i was walking towards underhill. it was almost 2am, i was just walking home and there really wasn't anyone else out.

i was just like, "what do you want"? and the other kids told him to leave me alone. maybe he was on drugs or just trying to creep me out.

but, yes... i was alone out and it was 1-2am. i wasn't happy to see 3 teens about to cross my path after all the "mugging stories" being told about a gang of 3 teens mugging them. maybe they sensed that i was seeking out a possible "escape" route or maybe i seemed nervous or i have no idea. and yes, this is nyc... so yeah.

alafairnadia

vanilla wrote: but, yes... i was alone out and it was 1-2am. i wasn't happy to see 3 teens about to cross my path after all the "mugging stories" being told about a gang of 3 teens mugging them. maybe they sensed that i was seeking out a possible "escape" route or maybe i seemed nervous or i have no idea. and yes, this is nyc... so yeah.

or hopefully the aggressors friends realized what a dipshit he was being and were trying to hold him back.

whatever it is, I'm just glad you're okay. the neighborhood is still the neighborhood, but as like many of the recent posts have stated, a lot of disgruntled teens have decided to take out their teenage angst on random people in the neighborhood. it's very interesting. and weird. and scary. I think you handled yourself well, vanilla, and we can all learn a lesson from your experience. thanks.

king without a crown

Last night another 14 yr old shithead was arrested for Robbery at Classon and Lincoln Place. Stole a nice Indian guys cellphone, so its not just women and whittey getting Robbed. Also this same shithead had almost 20 cellphones on him when he was arrested.

apollonia666

Good to know, King! Maybe if enough of these guys get busted word will get around and some of the kids who think mugging is an acceptable alternative to a part-time after-school job for getting spending money will change their minds.

So... more places around the neighborhood where you feel safe or unsafe walking around at night, folks?

armchair_warrior

when i was a kid, i clean up after animals, i done manual labor, i work in restaurants illegally and so on.

i wish to see canning here.

apollonia666

armchair_warrior wrote: when i was a kid, i clean up after animals, i done manual labor, i work in restaurants illegally and so on.

i wish to see canning here.

Yeah, I worked part-time during the school year and full time in the summer from when I was 14 until I graduated from college. Not to sound like someone's grandpa who walked two miles barefoot in the snow to school every day, but minimum wage was $2.45 an hour when I first started working! It wasn't much money, but it felt good to earn it honestly and to have my own bit of cash to spend.

And I miss canning too. My grandma made some mean sweet pickles.

Anyway, we have PLENTY of threads on muggings and juvenile crime, so back on topic! What streets in the area do you think are safest or not?

armchair_warrior

lol doh hehe i meant caning.

homeowner

As someone pointed out above, there are a lot of blocks on the southern end of the neighborhood (St John's, Lincoln, Sterling, etc) that have dark pockets or wierd blind spots that make them feel less safe. One thing that I noticed is that a lot of people do not have or do not use external lighting outside their brownstones. My folks lived in Bed-Stuy and when I was growing up they were sticklers for having lights on in front windows of the house until everyone went to bed, and the external lights on overnight.

The other big thing that I've noticed is people with large trees, plants, or shrubery in front of their homes that don't keep them pruned and trimmed. There are several houses that always strike me as being key places for an ambush by someone hiding out in a yard and then stepping out behind their target.

Between those two things there always seems to be something sketchy on a most of those blocks. The blocks closer to Atlantic seem to be better lit, and with fewer obstructions, but they are a lot more deserted.

alafairnadia

between washington and underhill, I feel a lot safer on st. johns, sterling, and park than any other blocks. maybe st. marks is also ok. the rest are either dodgy at one end or another or far too narrow (lincoln pl). there is one bit of st. johns right at washington (on the north side of the street) that is unlit and can be a little scary. also, that scaffolding on the west end is a little freaky, but generally well lit.

oh, and I never walk on pacific (any block) alone - it is WAY too empty.