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| Is OTR diverse? Heck yes! Scary? Eh. (photo by 5chw4r7z) |
But. But!
It's so SCARY in Over-the-Rhine!
Is it?
I mostly find it quiet... especially in the winter. I find it interesting. I find it diverse. I find it impossible to avoid my fellow humans... but not particularly scary.
It sucks when people get shot, get hurt, when bad things happen in my neighborhood... it really does. It also sucks in Westwood, Fairfield, Avondale, Clifton Heights, and other neighborhoods in the area.
The people I interact with on a daily basis - my neighbors - are an eclectic bunch. I am surrounded on both sides of my apartment building by Mercy Housing - that is, Section 8. You know, THOSE people. What people? People who aren't like me? Yep. We're all co-existing in close quarters. It's what people do in cities.
I'm not saying bad things don't happen. I'm not naiive; they do. But for the last 20 years we have been conned into this self-important state of believing we are special enough to be singled out, that there is terrifying danger lurking around every corner.
FBI statistics show we are living in a time with the least amount of violent crime in the last 40 years. Increased isolationism through suburban living, a 24 hour news cycle and crime-based TV shows (don't even get me started on Criminal Minds!) inflate our fears to the point where we think that EVERY stranger is out to get us. Come on. You're just not that important.
There was an editorial the Enquirer ran about a man who went downtown and Over-the-Rhine one Saturday, and had a great time with his family. When he came home he found out someone had been shot hours after he had been through the neighborhood, and declared he would think twice before going down again.
That's like saying you will never ever set foot in a car again after that multi-car pile up on the Brent Spence Bridge (or any other of the hundreds of car accidents that happen in the area every year, many of them deadly.) We certainly don't see that happening. "Safe" is a pretty relative term; taking risks is an inevitable part of life.
Look. You can do what you want. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I refuse to let fear or intimidation keep me from living my life. I've been mugged. I've had my house broken into. Yet, I move forward; I won't let fear of the past prevent me from the future. There's too many amazing things going on downtown and Over-the-Rhine to let the remote possibility of something bad happening prevent me from participating.
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| just a few of the fun and ridiculous things I could have missed out on by avoiding the 45202 |
If you don't buy or sell drugs or engage in prostitution, your odds of being shot in Over-the-Rhine automatically decrease by about 95%. Thieves mostly strike when they see opportunity - leaving change in your car or absentmindedly counting your cash while walking down the street will increase your odds.
That being said, here are my tips for decreasing your chances of being a victim of crime, anywhere. Don't come crying to me if it doesn't work, or blame me the next time something happens (because it will.) I'm just telling you what I do. No guarantees. Okay.
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How to Stay Safe(r) - Anywhere.
* Don't carry a purse/bag if you can help it.
Purses are easy to grab and run off with, and are shiny and inviting. Only carry what you absolutely need - card/cash/id, keys, phone, chapstick. Put them in your pockets or utilize a friend with pockets if necessary. Alternatively, wear a bag or purse that goes across your chest instead of over your shoulder.
* Be aware of your surroundings.
Only keep one headphone bud in. Know what and who's around you. Walking with your head buried in your smart phone is a great way to get punched in the face by someone wanting your phone (a friend of mine found this out the hard way)
* Protect your ish.
Lock your phone. Get renter's insurance. Set up a GPS locator phone app to see where it's gone if it gets taken.
* Don't walk into trouble if you see it.
Riding your bike up hill and see a bunch of teenagers at the top? Turn around. Have the option to walk down a deserted dark street or go one block over to the busy, well lit one? Duh. See a drug deal going down? Ignore it.
* Engage.
Even if the person walking down the street from you sounds/smells/acts/looks different than you, the odds of them actively wanting to hurt you/take advantage of you are small. Smile. Say hello. 9 times out of 10 they will... smile and say hello right back. It's crazy, really.
* Listen.
Panhandlers happen. I try to listen to people when they're talking to me without initially brushing them off. They may have an elaborate story. They may want your money. They may just be wanting to talk your ear off. They may need directions. Before you brush someone off, listen and understand what it is they're asking you for.
Nothing made me feel more like an jerk than when I cut a woman off once who was just wanting directions to a coffee shop. If they do ask you for money and you don't want to give them any, just a smile and "Sorry, I don't have any" will do.
* If you've got a gut feeling something's wrong, go with it.
If someone's getting in your physical space, if you have an uncomfortable feeling something's not right, there's nothing wrong with being abrupt and getting to where you need to go - inside your car, inside your apartment, inside a random bar/shop/restaurant/intersection where there are people and where it's well lit - do it. It's a balance.
* Other unconventional ways of guaranteeing people will give you your space:
Wearing ridiculous hats. Riding a pink bike. Sobbing loudly and uncontrollably while walking down the street in the middle of the night. Singing or dancing down the sidewalk. Not that I would know from experience...
I don't think guns solve any problems. I suppose a whistle or pepper spray or something might be useful, but then I'd have to go and get some and that sounds like work.
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I made a choice to live in Over-the-Rhine because I wanted to be challenged with humanity, every day. I wanted to be caught up in the exhilaration that comes from being surrounded by people during a street fair or at Findlay Market. I enjoy being greeted every day by Marc Antony, one of the more outgoing homeless residents, or Ed the car washer guy, engaging friends and strangers as I walk or bike down the street.
I didn't want to live in a bubble, by myself, isolated in a non-descript housing complex, hemmed in by development I couldn't get to without driving, intentionally cooping myself up in the American dream. Being around people has its trade offs. I'll take the risk that comes with the overwhelming good, every time.
Great post, and amen on the single earbud. I learned that the hard way in Clifton Heights a few years back (and I still live there).
ReplyDeleteHello! I'm a total creeper and found your blog through my friendship with Isaac. Having said that, I want to thank you for writing this. I'm so tired of having my Kentucky brethren freak out every time I talk about hanging out in OTR. It's so discouraging to see people you love limit their experiences because of their fear.
ReplyDeleteHigh five!
Thanks for posting this. I agree fully. I've also been mugged. It sucks to have a gun pointed at your gut. However, it's worth it to live in a vibrant, living and diverse neighborhood. I had my car broken into far more often when I lived in a exurban apartment complex in a "safe" part of Columbus, and I took all of the supposed precautions.
ReplyDeleteOne additional hint I do... If I'm out at night, I carry an old flip phone. Sounds silly? It's better to hand your useless flip phone over to an over zealous teen wielding a weapon, than your uber expensive smartphone. I haven't had to rely on this trick but hey. Be prepared never hurts. You could just as easily get mugged this way using the outdoor restroom at a gas station in the burbs.
Thanks guys. And no worries, Becky. I'm a creeper too.
ReplyDeletegreat post jennay.
ReplyDeleteand i guess this makes me the poster child for diversity...and non scariness?! nothing screams diversity and no fear than tambourine playing! :)
sometimes, [read always], i wanna break 5chw4r7z's camera.
Great post, Jenny...
ReplyDeleteWe moved here about a year ago with our 6 year old - the comments about that have been ridiculous ("OMG...you're going to take your daughter down there?" or "OMG...where will she play?" or "Seriously, you're all going to get shot").
We love it, and moved for the reasons you listed (as well as a few personal ones).
What a fantastic neighborhood (and made more fantastic due to neighbors like you). Hope we can connect sometime. :)
"If you don't buy or sell drugs or engage in prostitution, your odds of being shot in Over-the-Rhine automatically decrease by about 95%." I tell people this all the time. But there is still some sort of crippling fear that keeps people out of densely-populated, diverse, urban areas.
ReplyDeleteWhat's funny is that, these days, I feel much safer in the city than I do in suburbs. I went to visit a friend on a quiet, gorgeous street in North Avondale and, as I walked to my car at the end of the evening, I was suddenly gripped by fear. It was so dark and quiet and eerie. No people. No signs of life. Every sound made me jumpy.
Once you begin to "own" your place in an urban landscape, you see it differently.
So, that's the thing I'd add to your list:
*Become familiar.
People in your neighborhood should recognize you, know who you are. It should be obvious that you belong there just as much as they do and that you're not going anywhere anytime soon. The kid down the street is less likely to steal from a neighbor they see every day (and will recognize them) than a visitor who looks like they've never seen a homeless man before.
And babies and dogs help keep you safe, too.
There's an unwritten code about not hurting someone with a baby and dogs can be scary.