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What would make you feel safer?

PearlyPearly Posts: 345 The Mix Regular
Many of us feel unsafe at night or threatened by gangs/crews, people we don't get on with, loopy strangers and so on.

What would make you feel safer and make you think twice about having to use something to protect yourself?

Ideas such as brighter lighting in streets? Anything else?

Thanks for your help - research for articles just to let you know...

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In Leicester I used to be intimidated. Then I realised they were just as scared of me as I was of them.

    I think I'd feel happier if I saw 'them' doing something for charity rather than skiving off school smoking fags outside mcdonalds and laughing at the police.
  • PearlyPearly Posts: 345 The Mix Regular
    safer..

    mmm interesting...

    By the way I may use quotes from here so if anyone objects, don't post on this lol - I will use fake names anyhoo though...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If the general public actually cared about someone other than themselves and their little lives. A while ago I had some problems when walking home, and despite making it quite clear that I wanted the guy to leave me alone and stop bothering me (I was pretty much in tears and kept saying it), everyone just walked past and ignored me, didn't even give a second look.

    I guess thats not something we can do much about though, eh?
  • PearlyPearly Posts: 345 The Mix Regular
    A while ago I had some problems when walking home, and despite making it quite clear that I wanted the guy to leave me alone and stop bothering me (I was pretty much in tears and kept saying it), everyone just walked past and ignored me, didn't even give a second look.

    God that's awful, has sent shivers down my spine. I know exactly what you mean and it's a good point, we are all far too scared to help in situations like this.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Lighting, good signage so I can easily work out where I am, a reasonable provision of maps on those council poster things, being with friends, well lit bus stops/taxi ranks/stations, a staff presence at stations and seeing trouble makers dealt with rather the police/pcso's standing back and watching it happen.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I feel safer when somewhere is brightly lit and is a fairly well used route.
    If its dark I will go out of my way to go down streets where plenty of people use, rather than the quick way.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I feel safer on streets with white lights rather than orange ones strangely. Dunno if that's just because white lights are usually on big open roads though. And it helps if they all actually work. Though I'm more worried about stepping in dog shit or something than being mugged.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I feel safer when somewhere is brightly lit and is a fairly well used route.
    If its dark I will go out of my way to go down streets where plenty of people use, rather than the quick way.

    Same here. I always hate going out at night on my own when it's dark; even when the street lights are on. (they're not that good anyway)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'd feel safer with super powers.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    More police/pcso's on the streets doing regular patrolling.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Tweety wrote:
    More police/pcso's on the streets doing regular patrolling.
    Now you're just being silly, that couldn't possibly happen. The police force having a presence on the street, that'd just be ridiculous, why would you want them to do that when they could be tucked up inside doing paperwork ??

    /sarcasm
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Now you're just being silly, that couldn't possibly happen.


    I don't mean they have to patrol every street all the time :rolleyes: .
    Just more police presense would be better i think. You think i'm wrong that people wouldn't feel safer knowing the police etc are more out patrolling?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Gotta say that if every person hanging around the streets in the media and in politician's speeches wasn't causing trouble or committing crime, then I might be less uneasy with the vast majority of people who don't cause trouble.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Tweety wrote:
    I don't mean they have to patrol every street all the time :rolleyes: .
    Just more police presense would be better i think. You think i'm wrong that people wouldn't feel safer knowing the police etc are more out patrolling?

    I think she was joking?!

    My old work gave me a free rape alarm as i did a lot of walking about in the dark. Having accidently set it off i'm fairly sure it'd put someone off if they actually got to attacking me.

    Having said that though, i very rarely feel safe walking about. Better lighting is a very good idea. It sounds daft but i'd also feel safer if they got rid of overgrown bushes and stuff on paths. Not sure how possible that is though :p If buses ran on time so i don't have to spend ages waiting at bus stops on my own, most of which are dark and out of the way. More presence at train stations is another one, the last time i got a train at night i spent ages waiting on the platform by myself with no one in sight.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Tweety wrote:
    I don't mean they have to patrol every street all the time :rolleyes: .
    Just more police presense would be better i think. You think i'm wrong that people wouldn't feel safer knowing the police etc are more out patrolling?

    Not at all, that would be a brilliant idea...

    ...but the police seem to be too busy eating doughnuts or something.

    The best one was when we got our windows bricked, came 3 days later (after we managed to barricade the front door heh) and said they knew who did it, but we never heard anything again?

    The windows were insured at least though. Also, the police reallllllly didn't want to know when some kids were giving my sister some hassle over some drugs or something. So my mum chased after them and they left her alone :D.

    But from about 17/18 I've looked at 'chavs' in a different light. They often wear hoods because it's cold, and when they shout abuse it's because they're 'having a laugh'. Obviously, it's no excuse, but at least I understand where they're coming from. Knowing and understanding that, means on the whole, I don't really react anymore.

    I think... 70% is in the mind (like, pure paranoia from watching TV, reading the news, politicians etc.), 30% is an actual danger on the street that could be dealt with.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ...but the police seem to be too busy eating doughnuts or something.

    Knowing what its like being a police officer (as other half is one) i think thats a little unfair. But like everything there are bound to be lazy ones. But all in all police work very hard.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Tweety wrote:
    (as other half is one)

    Do you polish his helmet ? :D

    *insert applicable joke about truncheon here* :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Tweety wrote:
    Knowing what its like being a police officer (as other half is one) i think thats a little unfair. But like everything there are bound to be lazy ones. But all in all police work very hard.

    Well of course, people in the services are on the whole good at their jobs and committed, else why would they do it?

    Nevertheless, the fact that the police are overstretched as it is stands, it's like the Roman empire or something. Started with amazing armies everywhere, but then they got spread too thin and were left with a core of professionals who would sort out the real work, and the day-to-day militias who weren't properly equipped or trained.

    I think community support officers are a great idea, the problem is they have no power whatsoever except for talking and calling HQ. They can't make arrests and as such you get young kids being abusive to them which in itself appears intimidating to other people.

    In any case, I know the police are there but they can't deal with things like intimidation or anti-social behaviour, because they need to concentrate on real crime. More police would work, because then there would be some who could deal with anti-social behaviour, but that won't happen because as a country we have limited resources.

    So, other ways of tackling anti-social behaviour (which I genuinely believe is one of the main causes of fear) must be considered. I think first and foremost is teaching people to respect others. Whether that's through charity work or national service, I'm not too fussed. I don't see why everyone hates the idea of national service, because I think it was strubbles who said, in Austria? they have to do two years service, but it can be for the military or something 'nice' (i.e. non violent), like working with the ambulances etc.

    Of course, the risk of *actual* violence is probably lower now than it ever has been - government figures support this. However, the *fear* of violence is what needs to be stopped...

    :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    RubberSkin wrote:
    Do you polish his helmet ? :D

    *insert applicable joke about truncheon here* :)

    It's well polished ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah i also agree PCSO's are a great idea but i think they need a little more power otherwise people just piss all over them.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Let's hope the OP doesn't decide to quote any of these "polised," helmet comments ;)

    As for feeling safer on the streets, Glasgow has introduced a number of measures relatively recently which are all aimed at improving safety at night time on weekends when there are a lot of drunk people/people in general on the streets.

    A so called "Nite Zone," has been introduced around the taxi rank in front of the Central train Station which gets really busy on Saturday nights/Sunday mornings and extra lights have been fitted there to make it brighter. They have also installed cameras and you see more policemen around. There used to be trouble with drunk people queue jumping for taxi/being drunk and just generally starting fights and that's why these measures were introduced.

    Have a look at this link for the news article regarding the Nite Zone. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4492266.stm

    On a personal note, well lit areas definetely make me feel safer as would seeing more police on the streets.

    *Edited* To add the link to the news story.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    More reliable transport at night would make me feel a lot safer, I get really tetchy waiting for buses, the lightings crap and although there's a timetable in reality you have no idea when one's coming.

    My earlier post was complete sarcasm, hope the edit makes that clearer!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Pearly wrote:
    Many of us feel unsafe at night or threatened by gangs/crews, people we don't get on with, loopy strangers and so on.

    What would make you feel safer and make you think twice about having to use something to protect yourself?

    Ideas such as brighter lighting in streets? Anything else?

    Thanks for your help - research for articles just to let you know...
    I dont know really, I always thought of cameras that have speaker phones on them so that say if someone was attacked or threatened, it could be used as a deterrent.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I feel safer on streets with white lights rather than orange ones strangely. Dunno if that's just because white lights are usually on big open roads though. And it helps if they all actually work. Though I'm more worried about stepping in dog shit or something than being mugged.

    They're in the process of changing all the street lights on our road from orange to white. I think it's going to be quite a widespread thing, though it's a lot more to do with traffic-related problems than street crime I do believe! I've never liked those orangey lights, they give me an Exorcist vibe :p

    I generally feel quite safe on the streets 'round here, despite the fact that it is a very dodgy area. I think better lighting in parks and similar places is something that is too often overlooked, it knocks ten minutes off my walk home if I go through the park, but it is pitch black from 4pm at this time of year. Outdoor car parks are bad for lighting too, I've noticed, and I always feel quite anxious and end up running for the car in a panic like I'm a lunatic myself!
  • PearlyPearly Posts: 345 The Mix Regular
    Outdoor car parks are bad for lighting too, I've noticed, and I always feel quite anxious and end up running for the car in a panic like I'm a lunatic myself!

    Yes I know exactly what you mean!

    What I think is quite 'funny' is how many of us, me included, will call someone on our mobiles to feel safer in that someone is on the other end of the line - but I reckon that actually makes us more vulnerable?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't see why everyone hates the idea of national service, because I think it was strubbles who said, in Austria? they have to do two years service, but it can be for the military or something 'nice' (i.e. non violent), like working with the ambulances etc.

    People are against it because its stupidly expensive, and the Army are against it because they dont want lots of people to look after who dont want to be there.

    As for how we can make the streets safer, lighting has a lot to do with it, street design (especially on estates), cameras are somewhat useful although are frequently not good enough quality.

    That and changing police priorities to give them more time to concentrate on actual offences against people.
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