Should I be afraid?

Is this sarcasm?

Even in the worst days of the 80s, no, I don't remember that at all.
Granted, there weren't many kids in the city, but I don't remember criminals being that depraved.

Much of it was drug/money related, and usually single people in interesting spots, late at night. A lot of burglary stuff more than street muggings.

I wouldn't worry about third avenue in the 80s...

I got held up a few times in my teens. Once was right in front of my high school, once was on the subway.... but all of 'em were probably more about young kids being stupid than anything. I can't imagine they would have gone anywhere near a mom.

or ask someone from the NFL to escort your sorry ass

It depends on how desperate the person might be. But a good bet would be simply not to walk your kids through sketchy areas at odd times of day.

Chicago, maybe....?

Lived in Manhattan since 1975; never been mugged.

Well Chicago is such a wonderful and special place that if you happened to get mugged there it would most likely be by a rainbow colored unicorn or a leprechaun that actually gives you his pot of gold instead of stealing your wallet.

Oh and watch out for that Jeff Tweedy, he might single-handedly make Chicago the center of the known universe but he also wields a mean Louisville Slugger.

lived here since '74 and only helped catch 3 or 4 muggers:0 All during the late 70's I might add.....

nyc10023, you are being silly. How much has Lincoln Center changed in the last four weeks? I don’t know what possessed you to post something like this, but it’s silly.

Think I'll mug you myself.

like they say, "the subway is your friend, if you use it properly". NYC is no different than any other urban area, "stay alert, stay alive". Don't do stupid stuff, in stupid places, at stupid times of day. Any more advice, and I'll charge you for it.

10022: exactly, except, in 88 and 89 I lived in a walkup on 83 and 2nd and my apt was broken into twice in the same year, during the day!, while I was at work.

Okay. But why don't they mug someone like me? Is there greater civic-mindedness than I thought?

"But why don't they mug someone like me?"

Sweetie, as I said, since your asking for it, I will be happy to mug you. Please make an appointment.

Steve: Don't knock Newark; they have a great airport.

"But why don't they mug someone like me?"

Because they don't want to get that close.

Maybe they're afraid of you...maybe they think the same way that you'll mug them. :)

In 89 I lived in a first floor apartment in Hell's Kitchen where the front buildling door didn't lock. By some miracle we were never robbed, but three of our neighbors were. Only once since 1985 have I felt threatened, and it was late at night on a dark block in Hell's Kitchen, in the '80s. If we have another crack epidemic, there are certain things to watch for, but until then (and hopefully that will be never) just be alert and use common sense.

stevejhx, cleanslate..ditto

The guy that works in the new Maoz on Broadway and 71st has dreadlocks. Crime is going up.

Making falafel is a dangerous dangerous business, especially uptown.

"If we have another crack epidemic"

Oh, those were the days!

Dreadlocks? Is that the "in" look for muggers today?

Are you reminiscing about your crack smoking years now Steve?

aboutready, were you in a dark alley in Hell's Kitchen trying to score crack? You don't strike me as a crackhead. A pothead maybe, but not a crackhead.

See you would think that the tag aboutready was about ready to buy.

I think it's more like about ready to light up.

10023: "paranoia" is a very bad thing... seek professional help; but please do enjoy your strolls around Lincoln Center. The City is a very beautiful place this time of the year :)

Paranoia is a beautiful thing.

No, JuiceMan, just trying to get home to a rat-infested slum (you know, maybe I should lighten up on my current living situation). I gave up pot in 9th grade. The call of the crack pipe never reached out to me. Now I occasionally overindulge in red wine.

nyc10023, I'm not fond of paranoia myself, but I will confess to holding dear some OCD tendencies, so I can kind of see where you're coming from.

I don't think it will get like it was- I remember walking with a friend on 57th and having to scream for help when a group of guys jumped out of a car and tried to take us or fun Penn Station with the little muggers putting their hand in purses in front of me and getting slugged for trying to stop it. Hey does anyone remember trying to buy a ticket at Port Authority and standing next to you while you were buying a ticket and harassing you for money, another fun time was the guys jerking off on the subway. Good Times

"Are you reminiscing about your crack smoking years now Steve?"

I'm more into tina.

If you want to feed your paranoia about NYC, rent "The Out of Towners" with Jack Lemmon. Black outs, muggings, broken teeth & great scenes of NYC.

TamWatching: Speaking of Good Times, I remember one beautiful spring Sat morning, you know the kind, maybe early April, warmer than it should have been. 10:00am or so. Streets were packed. 1991, Dinkins in Gracie. This thug steals a bike from a teenager that was walking down the sidewalk with it. Big intersection, Lex and 86, The teenager chases the thug as he is trying to peddle away, swinging his jean jacket at the thug and it gets stuck in the spokes. Crowds on all 4 corners are converging to the middle of the intersection where the action is occuring, traffic has stopped. Vigilante justice is about to happen. Suddenly, a guy jumps out of a car, beats the shit out of the thug in about 15 seconds. Stands on his neck in victory, and 300-400 people break out in cheer. A truly singular event. Ah, those were the days! Kinda brings a tear to my eye thinking about it. Good Times.

I lived in Manhattan from 76 until recently. In the beginning of 03 my wallet was stolen at the 68th Street Multiplex (always forget what its name is this year, changes so much) and my identity was stolen

The police were excited as a "gang" based in Texas was hitting multiplexes and I made a good witness. Unfortunately the city was on high alert and there were bigger priorities

I had gone on vacation the day after my wallet was pick pocketed. I reported it and did everything right. Still came home to a letter from Chase accusing me of fraud as a woman who didn't have my pin, but did have my social (health insurance card)deposited a stolen check from still another woman for several hundred K and cashed a check for a good sum of money. I did have too much cash in my account so her deposit wasn't out of the realm of feasibility. But I was a Chase select customer, thought I had closed the account and did everything I was told

Still it felt as if they gave her more access to my accounts than they ever gave me. The letter accusing me of fraud almost drove me to the edge--so yes I would have been very afraid--of me. those were the "good days" when we only had heightened security to worry about

In 85 I was walking down East 58th street with two friends, a man was walking the opposite way with what looked like a baseball bat. It turned out to be a 25 pound steel pipe and he attacked my friend. Within a minute the street was closed, and they caught the man. The police in NY take random attacks very seriously

In 30something years those were my two brushes with criminals and I roamed all over the city at all hours. I feel safer in NY than I do anywhere in the world