Is Oakland like any other city or is it THAT bad?

[paris]

Its funny how you can tell just from posts who the suburbanites are and who has actually lived in a real city. Oaktown is no worse that other cities and if you look deeper at the whole issue you would see its actually not bad at all. I regularly hang out in Oakland and never fear for my life,even after dark. I am browner than most so that may have alot to do with it. I also have grown up in places similar to Oakland in the South. They look scary cause you dont know them, the language or customs. Frankly people as scared as some of you, put off the vibe of victim regardless of where you are in the world. Ironic how places like Oakland make the masses feel like us minorities do every time we leave anywhere! The fear you cats feel is just like what we feel when we are in Walnut Creek, Sebastipol, or Half Moon bay! Cops harrassn, natives look like they want to hang you from the nearest tree, etc., etc.

nah. You go to black neighborhoods as a white man in any major city and you're not packing heat, you're in a rough spot. You go to white neighborhoods as a black man and you might get a roaming eyeball or two. Black people are much more racist in this way.

I'll leave it at that.

 

[ArcticBlast]

a hood is a hood no matter where it is. i've lived all over, and every city or town has its own "rough area". i suggest you go to some tropical paradise like Jamaica, or maybe mexico, see how "hood" it is...in fact, i don't even think that word really applies to places like that

ArcticBlast

 

[SoCaliSmoker]

Paris and Rainman just had two great posts!! Very true

 

[Rainman]

nah. You go to black neighborhoods as a white man in any major city and you're not packing heat, you're in a rough spot. You go to white neighborhoods as a black man and you might get a roaming eyeball or two. Black people are much more racist in this way.

I'll leave it at that.

Typical White guy answer on the subject. You assume that all Blacks are packin in their hoods and are out to do harm to you as a White guy in the area. You also assume that because you arent doin the harm yourself its much more safer for everyone where you live. We minorities already kno what you fail to admit. When we come into your neighborhoods it isnt "you" who gets your hands dirty in pursuit of oppression but your police force. How is your gang any more dangerous than the ones in the ghettos?


Artic - Good point! Check out Tiajuana or the "favelas" in Brazil then talk to me about dangerous places to be after dark.

 

[paris]

Typical White guy answer on the subject and I will leave it at that.

If I'm wrong I'd love to hear more. Always curious to hear the perspectives of people from a different path.

 

[LJB]

Its funny how you can tell just from posts who the suburbanites are and who has actually lived in a real city. Oaktown is no worse that other cities and if you look deeper at the whole issue you would see its actually not bad at all especially compared to Chicago, Atlanta, or the project bottoms of the South. I regularly hang out in Oakland with friends and family and never fear for my life, even after dark. I am browner than most so that may have alot to do with it. I also have grown up in places similar to Oakland in the South. They look scary cause you dont know them, the language or customs. Frankly people as scared as some of you, put off the vibe of victim regardless of where you are in the world. Ironic how places like Oakland make the masses feel like us minorities do every time we go anywhere! The fear you cats feel is just like what we feel when we are in Walnut Creek, Sebastipol, or Half Moon bay! Cops harrassn, natives look like they want to hang you from the nearest tree, etc., etc. Thats way scarier than anything running the streets of Oakland.


Yeson215 - Its obvious you are old and possibly white so if it makes you so uncomfortable being in Oakland - dont go! And please stop the crusade to tell everyone on IC how bad Oakland is. How many threads have you said the exact same thing as in this one. You dont know the blocks and prolly only drive by once and a while so please stop.

Dude when you visit Walnut Creek and Sebastopol, the native suburbanites are scared of you, not the other way around. You might be afraid of a little harrassment by the white trash Kali cops, but don't try to tell us the soccer moms in Walnut Creek and the hippies in Sebastopol have you squirming in your Timberlands. That's got to be a joke.

 

[Mrs.Babba]

I stopped at a bus stop for like a SECOND and a cop gave me a ticket when I was in Oakland one day! ..I told him I was lost and just stopped to see where I had to go, he said "Your lucky I dont make it a moving violation, I could you know' dickhead!
And yeah..dont drive down a strange street with 2 women in the car...you get some crazy ppl trying to get you!! scary times!
We mainly just go to the OCBC there and get the heck out!
And yea I live in a small town, and I like it just fine

ohh and that ticket costs me $250 bucks! grrr

 

[redspaghetti]

Its funny how you can tell just from posts who the suburbanites are and who has actually lived in a real city. Oaktown is no worse that other cities and if you look deeper at the whole issue you would see its actually not bad at all especially compared to Chicago, Atlanta, or the project bottoms of the South. I regularly hang out in Oakland with friends and family and never fear for my life, even after dark. I am browner than most so that may have alot to do with it. I also have grown up in places similar to Oakland in the South. They look scary cause you dont know them, the language or customs. Frankly people as scared as some of you, put off the vibe of victim regardless of where you are in the world. Ironic how places like Oakland make the masses feel like us minorities do every time we go anywhere! The fear you cats feel is just like what we feel when we are in Walnut Creek, Sebastipol, or Half Moon bay! Cops harrassn, natives look like they want to hang you from the nearest tree, etc., etc. Thats way scarier than anything running the streets of Oakland.


Yeson215 - Its obvious you are old and possibly white so if it makes you so uncomfortable being in Oakland - dont go! And please stop the crusade to tell everyone on IC how bad Oakland is. How many threads have you said the exact same thing as in this one. You dont know the blocks and prolly only drive by once and a while so please stop.

You're a native there so im guessing you're used to it, i travel a lot around the worlds and live in a lot of bad cities and i think oakland, camden, east la are really bad and i am browner then a brownie.

I've witness people getting rob in daylight in the middle of the street, i've seen people getting stab in daylight and all kind of crazy stuff.

Maybe you're not around the bad seeds as much as you think. I cant live my life constantly looking over shoulder and fear for my life which's why i moved away. Of course the city has it up and down but in this case i think it has more down then up.

 

[Rainman]

Paris - You asked and I gave!

LBJ - I know what I am dealing since you assume I wear timbos "homie". I actually wear a suit or tie most days and still get harrassed by your cops and neo-nazis(I mean hippes). No joke.


Mrs B - That is just wrong on every level but the cop prolly thought you were a pimptress and the girls with you, worked for you! Also there are dickhead cops all over the world and they do that kinda shit to us all. I would offer that you check out BPG if you havent already. One of the better sort of secret spots with a good vibe in the area.


RedS - I am no native. I just know the area and the people which arent all gangbangers and robbers. Camden is nice and East LA is what it is. I have traveled all over the world and Oakland does not have the market cornered on strife and danger. As for looking over your shoulder, I do that everywhere I go near or far. Its called self preservation.

 

[DoubleJ]

Artic - Good point! Check out Tiajuana or the "favelas" in Brazil then talk to me about dangerous places to be after dark.

It's all relative.

I've been to favelas in Rio, Salvador, Fortaleza. Been to dirt poor areas of Lima (Peru) where people live under cardboard and bin liners and dont eat for days. I felt safer in some of those areas, with people openly walking with assault rifles in the street, as I have done growing up and spending time in certain areas of North London.

People can do bad things anywhere.

 

[ddrew]

I know, I get tired of hearing all the reports of the robberies and muggings when people of a different color come into Beverly hills, or the other rich white neighborhoods, oh wait, that doesn't happen often does it? I guess the people of color must not be putting off a "victim vibe" in the white neighborhoods like white people do in minority neighborhoods.

Victim vibe my ass, it's about where the people who victimize others are that's the problem here, not some "vibe"

 

[LJB]

Paris - You asked and I gave!

LBJ - I know what I am dealing since you assume I wear timbos "homie". I actually wear a suit or tie most days and still get harrassed by your cops and neo-nazis(I mean hippes). No joke.

Right, I said the cops. By the way, they're not my pigs. I'm a civilian. What do you think every person that disagrees with your worldview is a cop?

What no one believes is that soccer moms / hippies scare you.

If you're wearing gangster gear, they're going to steer clear. And I'm sure profile your ass when your in their stores. But scare you?

And suited up or wearing a tie?

hahahahahahahaha

I think you have a very vivid imagination. Every white person is out to get you, right?

 

[Mrs.Babba]

Paris - You asked and I gave!

LBJ - I know what I am dealing since you assume I wear timbos "homie". I actually wear a suit or tie most days and still get harrassed by your cops and neo-nazis(I mean hippes). No joke.


Mrs B - That is just wrong on every level but the cop prolly thought you were a pimptress and the girls with you, worked for you! Also there are dickhead cops all over the world and they do that kinda shit to us all. I would offer that you check out BPG if you havent already. One of the better sort of secret spots with a good vibe in the area.


RedS - I am no native. I just know the area and the people which arent all gangbangers and robbers. Camden is nice and East LA is what it is. I have traveled all over the world and Oakland does not have the market cornered on strife and danger. As for looking over your shoulder, I do that everywhere I go near or far. Its called self preservation.

hahah Rainman, yea Im sure thats what he thought!! We love the BPG, we go there all the time, were there at New Years..went to the Furthur show at the Bill Graham aud. best time!

 

[VT_Fire]

RedS - I am no native. I just know the area and the people which arent all gangbangers and robbers. Camden is nice and East LA is what it is. I have traveled all over the world and Oakland does not have the market cornered on strife and danger. As for looking over your shoulder, I do that everywhere I go near or far. Its called self preservation.

huh?

 

[freeganja]

There was 509 murders in Chicago in 2008. What was Oaklands number? 125 in 2008.

 

[SoCaliSmoker]

There was 509 murders in Chicago in 2008. What was Oaklands number? 125 in 2008.

What were Chicago's population totals?

A 2007 estimate puts the city's population at 2,859,700 In 2000, in the larger Chicago Metropolitan Area, i.e. the city plus its suburbs, there was a total of 9,157,450 residents in 2000.

And today, 3.0 million in the city itself and 9.5 million in the Chicagoland (Chicago and it's suburbs) area.



And how about Oakland??

Based on United States Census Bureau estimates for 2008, Oakland is the 44th-largest city in the United States with a population of 404,155.[3].

404,155??? Thats it??


Save your tired ass comparison. Small population Oakland to large population Chicago. Both are from Wikipedia and makes your statement useless. That means little Oakland puts Chicago in the trash can.

Next person please.......

 

[freeganja]

What were Chicago's population totals?

A 2007 estimate puts the city's population at 2,859,700 In 2000, in the larger Chicago Metropolitan Area, i.e. the city plus its suburbs, there was a total of 9,157,450 residents in 2000.

And today, 3.0 million in the city itself and 9.5 million in the Chicagoland (Chicago and it's suburbs) area. ??



And how about Oakland??

Based on United States Census Bureau estimates for 2008, Oakland is the 44th-largest city in the United States with a population of 404,155.[3].


Save your tired ass comparison. Small population Oakland to large population Chicago. Both are from Wikipedia and makes your statement useless. That means little Oakland puts Chicago in the trash can.

Next person please.......

FYI , I didnt get those figures from wiki. Those figures were in the newspaper. the population in Oakland in the census was 399,484. Ive lived in Chicago and have been to Oakland. Have you ever been to Chicago?

 

[SpasticGramps]

I guess Oakland is pretty bad.

Y'all need to come down and stay in New Orleans and the 504 for a little while. Murder capital of the US. Better be on your toes no matter what part of town you are in. People do not play down here. Everyone is carrying.

 

[SoCaliSmoker]

I guess Oakland is pretty bad.

Y'all need to come down and stay in New Orleans and the 504 for a little while. Murder capital of the US. Better be on your toes no matter what part of town you are in. People do not play down here. Everyone is carrying.

Now this is a statement I can live with! I was in the South doing hurricane relief work after Katrina and I was in Houston, Galveston and just 3 hours away from Louisianna for over 7 months. Plus I have friends in Sri Port Louisianna.

You don't wanna be down in the South, believe me. They don't play around. Oakland is pretty bad but I wouldn't know where to start in Louisianna. I've seen some pretty bad parts in the South, and even though the people were great (they had manners) I knew I shouldn't be in some of these areas after dark. You know it when your there.....

 

[Rainman]

Guys its not a fight for the toughest city. It is simply a question on Oakland's bad rep among users here. It has problems and bad areas but just like all major cities there is good and people who are not gangsters or hoodies but stuck in a area based on so many life issues or situations that that is where they end up. Some of you on here talk crazy and want to debate race and neighborhoods like it matters. Others drive by Oakland on their way to the jeweled areas of the bay and never even go near the place. Others are simply basing ops. on rap songs and artist descriptions. The people here who have traveled and seen major cities already know what Oakland is, its like all big cities! Good on some sides bad on others. Whats new or terrible about that?

JBJ - I just dont have the time or the enrgy brotha to get into with you so.....

Mrs B - I am so glad you like that place! I just recently checked them out on the word of a friend and found it groovy.

DD - So its ok to live in Beverly hills, dress fancy, talk with perfect English and be all nonviolent in their daily lives but own 20 buildings in the hood with poor living conditions for tenants as long as they dont dress like thugs. Who is the real gangster?

VT - I was being fecitious about the swamps so relax the the spincter muscle.

Socal - Very rational look at the numbers