The cores of most US cities are more dangerous than most of southern AZ.

I totally agree! It's amazing how much power the media has over the public's perception.I did a road trip with my Mom a few years back and she refused to go anywhere near the border, i.e., I-10 West from El Paso. But she was fine with Phoenix. She routinely drives past Newark and Camden, NJ though. Makes zero sense. Irrationality will rear it's ugly head when people think about crime in certain places, once again, it comes back to the news media. One american getting murdered in Juarez will receive multiple times more press than in DC, if reported at all.
I was looking at some different statistics and the most dangerous places are East of the Mississippi with a few exceptions in TX and CA. Only when the data is considered from a very wide perspective (entire metro area) does places in the SW show up. Las Vegas is just as dangerous as Phoenix or Albuquerque and people don't hesitate about going there. They worry about the plane crashing or loosing money on the craps table. However, the safest places are also generally East of the Mississippi as well. The NW does not appear to be on the crime radar overall.

The last table finally mentions NM and AZ.
http://www.morganquitno.com/cit04pop.htm

More recent, similar data.
http://www.morganquitno.com/cit07pop.htm

City data gives a crime rate per city with the average being 319

Albuquerque 583
Boise 304

Overall data says to stay away from cities in general and you will be OK. Human beings are the most dangerous animals on earth.

Short answer: move to Boise. The border up there is safer.

I live 15 miles from Mexico and I worry about being stabbed by a homeless person; you don't see homeless Mexicans very often in San Diego. I read the other day that many are anti-immigrating back across because the US wasn't as prosperous as they thought it would be. I still go to TJ and Rosarito but now I usually bring someone with me.

Just another .02

POLUKO wrote:More recent, similar data.
http://www.morganquitno.com/cit07pop.htm

City data gives a crime rate per city with the average being 319

Albuquerque 583
Boise 304

Overall data says to stay away from cities in general and you will be OK. Human beings are the most dangerous animals on earth.

Short answer: move to Boise. The border up there is safer.

I live 15 miles from Mexico and I worry about being stabbed by a homeless person; you don't see homeless Mexicans very often in San Diego. I read the other day that many are anti-immigrating back across because the US wasn't as prosperous as they thought it would be. I still go to TJ and Rosarito but now I usually bring someone with me.

Just another .02

I often hear data about car accidents and cardiovascular disease being what gets most of us, and death by intentionally dangerous human on human violence is more shocking than it is common.

I haven't checked this source (popped up first on a google search) carefully, but if anyone wants to have some more morbid fun with data...:
http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/usa-cause-of-death-by-age-and-gender

...it even has maps by state for various ways one can die: http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/usa/cause-of-death/violence/by-state/

BTW, according to city-data.com, crime in Albuquerque was steadily trending downward to an overall 2010 rating of around 475...not sure if the trend has continued since then. Here is a slew of categorical data and a map if anyone wants to geek out: http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Albuquerque-New-Mexico.html

I've had more than enough data, so I'm off to the library for something else. Then I've got to get out on some hikes before the heat wave hits this weekend (unlike AZ, 90's is a heatwave for those of us on the central coast of CA). I might have to take a dip in my friend's pool. I used to drive through Paso Robles often. I bet it will hit 100 there.

Keep thinking this was supposed to be mountain-related ... ??

What about lightning ? The summer monsoon season will be coming to AZ and NM shortly . Really don't think Boise has anything (lightning-related) to worry 'bout.

Bully ... me thinks I've just been ... THUNDERSTRUCK ..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlHO4V9vWRY[/youtube]

This degenerated quickly...

Thanks to those with useful responses.

birdhead wrote:This degenerated quickly...

Thanks to those with useful responses.

For SP, it did amazingly well.

Birdhead, I'm not sure if you'll check up on this thread again...

In my experience (looking around as someone in the K-12 education field and now as a parent), sometimes an entire area has great schools or has mediocre schools, but in most cases there are some of both in a given city. As I mentioned previously, visiting schools would be ideal, but I've used this site to quickly gain some sense of which schools and neighborhoods are worth finding out more about: http://www.greatschools.org/
.
.
Larry, I don't listen to music while in the mountains, but my live album with Thunderstruck often gets played when the local classic rock station airs the hockey game on work out night. It makes me be able to lift more weight or something.

Someone mentioned something that reminded me of my trips down Baja to Cabo and back. I recall that there is some rock star that likes to hang out down there. His scene had trouble holding my interest, except maybe for a bit when I was 20. The 90's were a strange time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDQYsVLTHFU

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptHLjsPWbMs[/youtube]

Sunny Buns wrote: Looks like the 1 percenters got all the good stuff!!!

That's what I was thinking! Bast*rd*!
http://media.photobucket.com/image/mel%20torino/Holsti97/MelTorino.jpg

I told myself I would leave this thread alone since I helped flush it down the toilet but it's funny how things work out...I am waiting for the police as we "speak". I also wanted to get this down while it's fresh in my head.

I was taking a walk on the rocks by the sea in Ocean Beach, CA. Part of San Diego. It's is late, bars just closed but I am sober, just couldn't sleep, and came around a corner. There were a group of 10 latinos drinking on a concrete barrier, about 3 were girls. They asked me for change of a 20, I said I didn't have it, and told them they had a nice drinking spot. I started to feel a little nervous. Two approached seeming friendly, and started quickly swinging, landing 2 hits on my left face for sure, some near my mouth I guess. They grabbed my hoodie, might of hit me more but they sucked at it, I fell down and thought it was all over. The movie kids popped in my head. My closest escape route was the ocean and actually considered jumping off the rocks if they didn't start stabbing me, which I expected. I can swim well. But, I got up, I got out the hoodie somehow (I think it was zipped up starting out but cannot remember unzipping it) , and ran. The rocks were wet, which might be my advantage now that I think of it, and I fell several times. I noticed a vodka bottle come flying by missing me by a few feet as I ran like gump. I had to climb a 4 foot sandstone section and I thought that was it. I could hear them yelling "get him" and stuff. Once over the rocks, it was warp speed, but still wet so I fell a few more times, abrading my elbows, hips and ankles. Once in a deep puddle, soaking me completely. The next obstacle was a flat 2 or 3 foot wide degraded concrete slap about 75 feet long...in the dark. If I fell I would be in the ocean or rocks 10 feet down. No problem though, calm and cool, after that I looked back and they were far behind. I got to my bike, considered leaving it, but got it unlocked and was gone.

The worst injuries are 4 chipped teeth, everything else will heal. I would like to thank summitpost for inspiring me to hike and climb...for keeping me in shape mentally and physically. I would also like to thank the the NAVY, George W. Bush, and Saddam Hussein for giving me training and experience. If I had my glock, which doesn't leave my house, those rocks would be red. Might consider a concealed carry permit now, pretty sad it has to be that way. Next time I might not be so lucky.

Still no cops have arrived to take my statement, hope they got them.

I am moving to Boise.

POLUKO wrote:I told myself I would leave this thread alone since I helped flush it down the toilet but it's funny how things work out...I am waiting for the police as we "speak". I also wanted to get this down while it's fresh in my head.

I was taking a walk on the rocks by the sea in Ocean Beach, CA. Part of San Diego. It's is late, bars just closed but I am sober, just couldn't sleep, and came around a corner. There were a group of 10 latinos drinking on a concrete barrier, about 3 were girls. They asked me for change of a 20, I said I didn't have it, and told them they had a nice drinking spot. I started to feel a little nervous. Two approached seeming friendly, and started quickly swinging, landing 2 hits on my left face for sure, some near my mouth I guess. They grabbed my hoodie, might of hit me more but they sucked at it, I fell down and thought it was all over. The movie kids popped in my head. My closest escape route was the ocean and actually considered jumping off the rocks if they didn't start stabbing me, which I expected. I can swim well. But, I got up, I got out the hoodie somehow (I think it was zipped up starting out but cannot remember unzipping it) , and ran. The rocks were wet, which might be my advantage now that I think of it, and I fell several times. I noticed a vodka bottle come flying by missing me by a few feet as I ran like gump. I had to climb a 4 foot sandstone section and I thought that was it. I could hear them yelling "get him" and stuff. Once over the rocks, it was warp speed, but still wet so I fell a few more times, abrading my elbows, hips and ankles. Once in a deep puddle, soaking me completely. The next obstacle was a flat 2 or 3 foot wide degraded concrete slap about 75 feet long...in the dark. If I fell I would be in the ocean or rocks 10 feet down. No problem though, calm and cool, after that I looked back and they were far behind. I got to my bike, considered leaving it, but got it unlocked and was gone.

The worst injuries are 4 chipped teeth, everything else will heal. I would like to thank summitpost for inspiring me to hike and climb...for keeping me in shape mentally and physically. I would also like to thank the the NAVY, George W. Bush, and Saddam Hussein for giving me training and experience. If I had my glock, which doesn't leave my house, those rocks would be red. Might consider a concealed carry permit now, pretty sad it has to be that way. Next time I might not be so lucky.

Still no cops have arrived to take my statement, hope they got them.

I am moving to Boise.

That's the beauty of being young. free and mobile ... being able to move around from place to place the rest of your life.

Strongly suggest giving this a quick listen ..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xmckWVPRaI[/youtube]

POLUKO wrote:I am moving to Boise.

Wow! Twisted! I'm glad to hear you escaped mostly OK and are keeping a sense of humor, as well as as sense of gratitude about the incident! I suspect your attitude reflects well on how you will move forward. I hope your teeth and your mind don't end up giving you much grief. Hopefully your teeth aren't in too bad of shape or can be repaired without costing an arm and a leg.

That was a crazy scenario to find yourself in, but were you able to ID anyone despite that? Hopefully justice is served and the cowardly assailants don't continue to be a scourge and a waste. Sad. They are lucky nobody was seriously injured or killed.

My sister was carjacked in Oakland and suffered from PTSD for awhile. Hopefully your training, life experiences, and attitude will help ward that sort of thing off.

Well, in Boston once... gee, why is no one else taking the escalator up from the subway? Could it be that large group of adolescents? I was saved by my 1) ability to block punches, and 2) my fitness, which allowed me to jump on the side of the escalator and run up the side to the top.

Every night in Boston got me close to such a situation. I was normally alert enough to avoid confrontation.

I'm ok, just a black eye and some missing skin. Dentist is going to cost me a lot though.

I wasn't able to get a good description, more like just the clothes they were wearing and the generic racial appearance, since it was dark and it happened very fast. The police were lacking, in any tactical sense, to attempt to catch them since they were at the bottom of a cliff and facing the ocean. Only two ways out unless they started swimming with their over sized jeans hanging below their asses...not likely since I doubt they even know how.

The police told me they "scattered" and couldn't get them which really means they ran in one of two predicable directions. Lazy bureaucratic wastes of tax dollars are one reason people feel like they can mug someone and get away with it. Another reason is all of the effective self defense weapons are illegal here, giving thug free reign and forcing me to consider carrying something illegal to even up the odds next time. I wish I had my bear mace.

The police also were hesitant to even write a report about it because it might waste their time. This happens often enough so that they were complacent towards me. They also refused to give me rubbing alcohol for my wounds. However, the female cop did show some compassion but was lower ranking and didn't want to rock the boat I assume.

Come at me bro