Comments on: Dear PoP – Is Petworth Safe

By: BlackDog

BlackDog — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:23:22 +0000

I am born and raised in Adams Morgan. Yes I miss the ease of getting a cab. I miss being able to walk up the block get to restaurants and bars. But the Adams Morgan I grew up in is no more. The block I lived in now has a security guard to protect it. I now live in Petworth and feel just as secure as I did when I was a kid. My roomate has left her windows open in her very nice car open many times and nothing has been stolen. The best thing of all is the amazing views. I can have breakfast and look at much of Rock Creek and the view at dinner time is even more amazing.

By: m.e.

m.e. — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:33:46 +0000

i lived in a major city in the midwest for a few months between the time i lived in NYC and when i moved here, and i was scared to death. M-F, there was NOBODY on the streets for blocks. everyone was at work. sometimes guys would sit in this one park, and if they saw someone walking past, they’d dodge behind the trees to get closer. i mean, it was weird. all those mammoth houses and gigantic yards and nobody around–certainly nobody walking, hardly any cars driving past. during rush hour, the buses ran every half hour, creeped me out completely. i love petworth. one of the most interesting and enjoyable places i’ve ever lived. and not least of the attractions is this blog. thanks be to PoP for SEEING all the fascinating things and pointing them out.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:07:48 +0000

@ Skeletor — Does that include the CHUDs?

By: Skeletor

Skeletor — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:12:52 +0000

Petworth is safe enough, ‘cept for the cannibals.

By: Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:28:42 +0000

After over 100 responses it’s clear what the answer is: It depends on one’s personal definition of “safe.” That was also the answer before any responses were posted.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:15:17 +0000

I moved to DC from South Carolina and was scared to death of the ‘big city’. I moved to Petworth after living in Adams Morgan for a year and I will honestly say I like it 100 times better. My neighbors are amazing and the area is growing quickly. It is a good move- And houses are actually affordable!!

By: Odentex

Odentex — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:03:24 +0000

M.e.: Places like Nebraska may not be far enough. A man was beheaded by a total stranger on a bus in the middle of nowhere, Manitoba, Canada last year. Beheaded.

Unless you decide to live by yourself in an underground compound there is always the slight chance that someone might do you wrong. Though, statistically, the persons most likely to do you wrong are people you know very well and not psycho ex-carny workers with sharp knives and a Greyhound “See Canada” Pass.

By: ShermanAveGuy

ShermanAveGuy — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:24:07 +0000

In Columbia Heights here, but close to Petworth.

Is it safe? I think that’s a complicated question with a complicated answer. I love my neighborhood. I love that I can walk everywhere I need to go. I like my neighbors. I like how alive the area feels.

Yes, there is crime, but I have not been a victim of any seroius crime. Someone stole a light from my front garden, and someone once walked off with a flower pot from my front stoop, but that’s about it.

I don’t think it’s an accident that I haven’t been the victim of serious crime. I don’t walk alone late at night. I don’t let people walk behind me. I let them pass me. When passing alleys, I often get off the sidewalk and into the street lest someone jump out. I walk fast and purposefully.

To get back to the question at hand “is it safe?” It can be safe, but it takes work on your part, and there are risks. Are the risks worth it? Absolutely!

By: m.e.

m.e. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:23:58 +0000

PoP…I agree…Petworth can be very dangerous. I bumped my shin the other day, and now I have a SCAB on it! boo hoo.

This question just blows me away. I used to live in a very…um…upscale part of town, for which people pay exorbitant prices in order to have that address. and let me tell you, it was like living in stop-n-shop for thieves. a young visitor from another country was murdered on the way home from the movies by a gang of hooligans driving around in a car. They slashed his throat and robbed him. And several of the condos in my former residence were burglarized within a span of six months. so my humble opinion is to keep your eyes open and your head up wherever you live. if you don’t like the city, move to western nebraska and watch the tumbleweed.

By: kari lou

kari lou — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:12:09 +0000

My advice is to walk around the area you are thinking of living in during the day, and again at night.

I think ladies often have a fear that men just can’t relate to, which sucks, but we have to own it and take care of ourselves.

And Anon, leave PoP alone. This website is wonderful, and is great for the coummunity.