4 ms·

In my city (west coast), public transport is simply not safe anymore (especially as a woman) due to lack of law enforcement or deterrents from crime. In my car

In my city (west coast), public transport is simply not safe anymore (especially as a woman) due to lack of law enforcement or deterrents from crime. In my car - I feel safe. I am taking Krav Maga classes, but man, it didn't used to be this bad.

asdff 3y ago
I think the perception of risk is what is off more than anything. LA metro for example saw about 180 violent crimes on it last year. For a system that sees almost a third of a billion boarding a year, the risk of violent crime happening is so low it doesn't make sense to consider. I expect the crime rate is similarly low on other transit systems. https://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/CrimeStatReports/2023-May-CrimeStats.pdf https://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/CrimeStatReports/202...
- presentation 3y ago
  That said the risk of crazy people ruining your day for no reason is not low. Ultimately the problem isn’t transit (rather it’s part of the solution), the problem is that the US social fabric is messed up.
  - asdff 3y ago
    Its the same risk you face walking on the sidewalk or going in a grocery store though where you are also liable to find these crazy people.
JPws_Prntr_Fngr 3y ago
I strongly recommend finding a gym for Brazilian jiu jitsu, judo, muay thai, boxing, etc. They're constantly being testing and evolved through MMA fights, and they'll get you some full-contact, full-intensity sparring experience.
- TurkishPoptart 3y ago
  How does this compare to Krav Maga classes?
  - JPws_Prntr_Fngr 3y ago
    Kind of like comparing SWAT CQB technique to Gun Kata [0] [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U02E2sjwlLM&pp=ygUIZ3VuIGthdGE%3D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U02E2sjwlLM&pp=ygUIZ3VuIGthd... One's real, and it's used in real violence every day, and one's not. Basically, just look up what UFC fighters train - that's what actually works.
- watwut 3y ago
  I am not sure I want to travel on the bus with a scared man trained in multiple martial arts. All the stats say that criminality is pretty low, I am safe on the bus, but fearful scared trained dide sounds like someone who will make it less safe for all of us.
  - TurkishPoptart 3y ago
    You have no idea what you're talking about, but I'm glad you feel safe on the bus. Criminality stats are low, so the chances of being assaulted on our light rail or buses is indeed low, but it only takes one incident to lead to loss of life or injury. I'm not a "scared man", I'm trying to prepare myself for unhinged situations, which we've been witnessing at an increased rate after 2020, when our city/county reduced police and law enforcement presence. Here's an article about the massive rise in homicides in our county since 2019 [1]. Maybe the numbers are "low" to you, but it's 1000x higher than in countries such as Japan. I won't go further into the reasons why due to risk of being downvoted by people unwilling to accept the new reality of west coast urban life. [1]: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/seattle-has-surpassed-2022-homicide-toll-with-3-months-left-in-2023 https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/seattl...
    - ianburrell 3y ago
BobaFloutist 3y ago
I encourage you to check the stats, driving is one of the most dangerous things people routinely do, and nearly always far more dangerous than taking public transit.
- TurkishPoptart 3y ago
  Here's a case of rationalists misinterpreting risks based on data. Driving is a risk I accept. Being mugged or assaulted by someone on fentanyl with limited police or law enforcement on public transport is a risk that I cannot account for.
  - lmm 3y ago
    > Driving is a risk I accept. Being mugged or assaulted by someone on fentanyl with limited police or law enforcement on public transport is a risk that I cannot account for. Why the difference? Maybe you feel like you're more in control of what happens when you're driving? But realistically however safely you personally drive, you'd still be at risk of being driven into by someone else (and there's a parallel breakdown of the rule of law where uninsured, unlicensed drivers are everywhere nowadays) and there's not much you can do.
    - the_doctah 3y ago
      You can't compare getting raped to getting in a car crash. This line of argument is ridiculous.
      - TurkishPoptart 3y ago
        Right. I don't understand their thinking process here.
      - BobaFloutist 3y ago
        I would rather get raped than die. Most people would. Edit: Actually, now that I think about it, what cases are you talking about where people get full on raped on public transit? That seems vanishingly rare, if at all extent.

asdff 3y ago

I think the perception of risk is what is off more than anything. LA metro for example saw about 180 violent crimes on it last year. For a system that sees almost a third of a billion boarding a year, the risk of violent crime happening is so low it doesn't make sense to consider. I expect the crime rate is similarly low on other transit systems. https://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/CrimeStatReports/2023-May-CrimeStats.pdf https://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/CrimeStatReports/202...

presentation 3y ago
That said the risk of crazy people ruining your day for no reason is not low. Ultimately the problem isn’t transit (rather it’s part of the solution), the problem is that the US social fabric is messed up.
- asdff 3y ago
  Its the same risk you face walking on the sidewalk or going in a grocery store though where you are also liable to find these crazy people.

JPws_Prntr_Fngr 3y ago

I strongly recommend finding a gym for Brazilian jiu jitsu, judo, muay thai, boxing, etc. They're constantly being testing and evolved through MMA fights, and they'll get you some full-contact, full-intensity sparring experience.

TurkishPoptart 3y ago
How does this compare to Krav Maga classes?
- JPws_Prntr_Fngr 3y ago
  Kind of like comparing SWAT CQB technique to Gun Kata [0] [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U02E2sjwlLM&pp=ygUIZ3VuIGthdGE%3D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U02E2sjwlLM&pp=ygUIZ3VuIGthd... One's real, and it's used in real violence every day, and one's not. Basically, just look up what UFC fighters train - that's what actually works.
watwut 3y ago
I am not sure I want to travel on the bus with a scared man trained in multiple martial arts. All the stats say that criminality is pretty low, I am safe on the bus, but fearful scared trained dide sounds like someone who will make it less safe for all of us.
- TurkishPoptart 3y ago
  You have no idea what you're talking about, but I'm glad you feel safe on the bus. Criminality stats are low, so the chances of being assaulted on our light rail or buses is indeed low, but it only takes one incident to lead to loss of life or injury. I'm not a "scared man", I'm trying to prepare myself for unhinged situations, which we've been witnessing at an increased rate after 2020, when our city/county reduced police and law enforcement presence. Here's an article about the massive rise in homicides in our county since 2019 [1]. Maybe the numbers are "low" to you, but it's 1000x higher than in countries such as Japan. I won't go further into the reasons why due to risk of being downvoted by people unwilling to accept the new reality of west coast urban life. [1]: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/seattle-has-surpassed-2022-homicide-toll-with-3-months-left-in-2023 https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/seattl...
  - ianburrell 3y ago

BobaFloutist 3y ago

I encourage you to check the stats, driving is one of the most dangerous things people routinely do, and nearly always far more dangerous than taking public transit.

TurkishPoptart 3y ago
Here's a case of rationalists misinterpreting risks based on data. Driving is a risk I accept. Being mugged or assaulted by someone on fentanyl with limited police or law enforcement on public transport is a risk that I cannot account for.
- lmm 3y ago
  > Driving is a risk I accept. Being mugged or assaulted by someone on fentanyl with limited police or law enforcement on public transport is a risk that I cannot account for. Why the difference? Maybe you feel like you're more in control of what happens when you're driving? But realistically however safely you personally drive, you'd still be at risk of being driven into by someone else (and there's a parallel breakdown of the rule of law where uninsured, unlicensed drivers are everywhere nowadays) and there's not much you can do.
  - the_doctah 3y ago
    You can't compare getting raped to getting in a car crash. This line of argument is ridiculous.
    - TurkishPoptart 3y ago
      Right. I don't understand their thinking process here.
    - BobaFloutist 3y ago
      I would rather get raped than die. Most people would. Edit: Actually, now that I think about it, what cases are you talking about where people get full on raped on public transit? That seems vanishingly rare, if at all extent.