I just moved to a new area of town, and it is not exactly the kind of place you want to be after dark. I have 5 other housemates, and we have only lived here for a month, but so far we have had two bikes and a grill stolen (all locked up), the top on my s2k was slashed, and there are marks on the one windowsill that is not barred from someone trying to pry it open. In addition to that, we get accosted all the time by people in the neighborhood. I was walking with my housemate last night and there were 3 huge guys standing on our sidewalk and as we went by, one of them said 'you boys about to get robbed.' Then when we got back 10 minutes later, there was a crazy homeless guy sitting on our steps drinking beer and talking jibberish.

Basically, our neighborhood sucks. I know most of you guys will just tell me to move to a nicer area, but this is my college campus and we have a one year lease on the house. I dont like leaving my house by myself after dark, and judging by the marks on our window, being in the house probably isn't that much safer. Is there anything I should do? I can't carry a handgun, and I dont think carrying a knife would be a good idea because it might just escalate a situation and get me killed instead of just hurt/robbed. I was thinking about getting a dog like a German Shepherd or a Doberman Pincer, but we dont have a very big yard, so I dont know how well that would work.

All I have to say is, I can't wait until our lease is up and I can move somewhere else.

 

I know you don't want to hear it, but I would just move out. Pay the early termination penalty and move elsewhere. I think a 30 minute commute would be worth it if it means losing all of this ghetto-ness.

 

Saab, I met you at the Dragon & you're a really nice guy. I can't picture you living in a setting half as bad as you describe. How about consulting w/ a lawyer or perhaps somebody from your college's student association about this. Honestly, if it's like you describe, you should be able to get out of the lease due to the serious threat of something happening either to you, your housemates, or more of your property. Obviously the landlord (or whoever gave you the schpiel about the place) wasn't telling you the truth.

 

how much does it cost for a stun gun? taser whatever they are called.... of course you would have to walk with it actually in your hands at all times......

if you have any way to afford it, I would take a different place.... maybe sell your spot for cheap to a different college guy and move out?

goodluck...... not sure what kind of tasers, but I think some can sort of shoot the electric shock from a few feet away????

 

Tough.....I bet your early term fee might be cheaper than a new top or paint job though.

A sensitive alarm and mace is all I would recommend if you stay.

 

Yeah- I mean, I dont live in the projects, but it is an urban area with a mix of college students and low-income permanent residents. I live about a mile away from Over the Rhine, the honest-to-god 'dont even drive through there at night' area in cincinnati. I like my neighborhood during the day- there is plenty of culture, and everything I need is within walking distance, but after dark there are shootings, drug dealers, and police sirens going off every 5 minutes.

Eh, I guess it is just something I will have to deal with. It might just be culture shock- I grew up in a predominantly white suburb, and now I am living in the city limits in a town with a lot of racial issues. I dont really know how to act when I am walking by myself and 5 huge guys come up to me and yell "where's my 40 acres and a mule?" And I'm not really a big guy (6'1" and 145lbs), so I tend to worry about confrontations and that kind of stuff a little bit more than most.

 

go to the gym and get ripped up

 

i saw you find another house and move out. i used to live in the ghetto and damn it sucks ass. my staero would get jacked all the time. so i just moved out and pay the fees. it's worth it!!!!

 

X 100

Also, carrying a concealed weapon (gun, mace, taser, etc.) may just help to escalate the situation...I mean, say you do prevent someone from messing with you the first time with a taser...okay, now what makes you think they'll stay away...they *may* come back with more of their folks, or worse yet with a deadlier weapon than you're carrying...you know how some people are about "payback"...nowadays, you just never know...

I'm not trying to scare you, but just trying to give you an honest opinion...

 

i only paid $500 for a glock17