There's a sidewalk in my town that is very unsafe!

Looks like 160-200 gun-related deaths per year in the UK:

http://www.gun-control-network.org/GF07.htm

Since the countries have very diffeerent numbers of population, here are the rates of gun homicides per 100,000 population:

USA: 4.08
Canada: 0.54
England/Wales: 0.12
Japan: 0.04

http://www.gun-control-network.org/GF01.htm

Now is the need for all that sarcasm really called for? I asked a simple question based on statistics which were from the US and I asked for your thoughts on the matter.

We have travelled all over the states for the past ten years and have used common sense just as we would in our own cities in the UK - anywhere can be deemed unsafe areas if you don't use some caution. But I didn't expect to be ridiculed by some responses for asking a query - I thought that's what this forum was all about - isn't it?

Thanks to everyone who kindly gave me sensible answers, it's useful and obviously put my mind at rest, which is exactly what I hoped for.

lynn100
which month are you planning to travel?

lynn100, the reason people are being sarcastic is that the State of Arizona is such a huge and varied place that to ask, "Is it safe?" is like asking, "I've heard Planet Earth has a lot of violence - is it safe?" Your vague question is impossible to answer.

Now, if you want to ask something very specific like, "Is Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe safe on a Saturday night after ASU has just beat U of A to clench a Rose Bowl berth?" or "Is South Phoenix safe at night?" then a more specific answer could be provided.

Andrew

We Plan to fly into Vegas about 23rd Oct 2007 so probably be at GC for about 26th?

Sorry, lynn100, I too thought the way you phrased your question left you open to dismissive responses - especially coming from someone who's "travelled all over the states for the past ten years".

We can't claim anything quite so extensive, but we've racked up over 7,000 miles or 11,000 km of driving and visited 19 states (Arizona included) in the US. The only time I remember feeling even slightly uncomfortable was in a bus depot in Savannah late one night.

It's pretty common knowledge that America's admittedly sobering crime stats are overwhelmingly generated in certain neighbourhoods, and they're not hard to identify and avoid.

We were there in November last year and weather was nice sometimes requiring a light jacket as far north as Prescott.
We don't like big city but we so enjoyed the first capital of Arizona which was Prescott.
Sedona is just beautiful and the Granite Dells are also. Of course you must see the Grand Canyon that is a most amazing sight! Have a great trip.

Sorry you did not get the kinds of answers you expected, but in all honesty this is the same kind of question (in reverse) that can be found on many Europe forum. i.e. .. is London safe? I've heard about pick-pockets in Paris, will my wallet be safe? Should I wear my diamond wedding ring in ____ (fill in the city) ? I've heard about crime on the Underground, Metro, whatever, will I be safe? Will the gypsies in Barcelona bump into us and steal our purses? Should I wear a moneybelt because crime in _____ (fill in the city) has been on the news. The list goes on and on and on and on.

Unfortunately, your question irked many of us, including myself. Perhaps if it has been phrased differently you would have gotten different answers.

Arizona is a huge state in area. I rather doubt any tourist is going to find themselves in one of the more crime ridden areas, however ... just like in any place you need to be aware of your surroundings and the people around you. Common sense when traveling, whether it be in London or Sedona should prevail. We've been to Europe many times and the UK about 15 times, on trains, planes, buses, cars, in cities and in towns. All were great visits, but we did do our best to use common sense when traveling :-) and we do stay out of areas that "don't look right".

United States—States
Most Dangerous States, 2006
2006 rank State 2005 rank
1. Nevada 1.
2. Louisiana 2.
3. New Mexico 9.
4. Arizona 3.
5. Maryland 4.
6. South Carolina 5.
7. Florida 6.
8. Tennessee 7.
9. Alaska 8.
10. California 10.

Thought some of you may be interested to see this isn't a figment of my imagination - but in fact comes from your own US Stats.

This is what I took my information from and it refers to serious crime. Now perhaps you can see why I referred to Arizona as the state - only because the stats did! I was just asking for your input on where you would consider unsafe.

Also, I think if some of you read questions correctly you may have a different outcome, for example, most posts after my last one repeated the exact things I'd already pointed out, such as any city can have potential dangers it's about useing common sense.

My questions were never meant to offend anyones home cities, so please don't take it as such. But Fodor's forums have become notorious for ridiculing people - if you need more specific info from someone why not just ask that instead of trying to make people look stupid.

Thank You Joanzee for your kind words of encouragement, I'm sure we'll have a great trip as we always do in US.

I have my doubt's about asking for more info though after this!

I always have problems with stats in general, and that list specifically is very, very curious. I have no idea what they were looking at or how they counted. But, I am VERY surprised to see SC and Tenn in the top 10 "most dangerous" states in the US. I drive the southern US for business, and I can tell you I feel more safe in those two states than the vast majority of the country I've traveled for leisure.

No mocking here intended Lynn, but if you can't read the tone of your posts that generated the quality of repsonses your received - well, never mind then.

Perhaps by now you've read a vast amount of posts regarding traveling the SW as recommended and have noticed the absence of what you refer to as "ridicule". IMO the quality of the question has a lot to do with the quality of response. IMO only, of course.

Hi Lynn,
I don't think your question is that out of line. It may not have been phrased right, but people here can get picky about stuff like that.
We visited Arizona about 6 years ago on a business trip. Scottsdale was very posh. I personally did not like the desert. I found I am more of a mountain and tree girl. So my opinion will be very different than someone who loves the climate there.

But as to your question, I felt that the area we were in had very defined class differences. The very rich live not too far from the very poor. I admit that I did not feel the safest there. Maybe because the class divisions were so apparent and in your face. There were some very fancy stores. Nobody was ever in them. Maybe because it was 107 degrees farenheit that day and the heat made you feel like you were in an oven? I just had a bad feeling there. That is just my opinion. You will probably go and have a great time. If you find you like the desert climate, you will love it there.
Nothing bad ever happened to us while on our trip in Arizona. It was just a vibe I got from the area we were in.

What we seem to have here is another clueless chastiser.

Could that list include things like accidental deaths (car and industrial accidents) and overdoses, as well as violent crimes? Because that list seems odd to me, too. Heatstroke is certainly a "danger" in a few of those states for some of the year.

If she can't read the tone that generated sharp responses, then she's not alone. I can't either! Actually most responses were fine and somewhat amusing (Andrew :) ). She is not from the US...she read some ridiculous stats, had concerns as a result, and asked a simple, and to her, valid question. Crap! So the stats were absurd, entire states aren't unsafe. Enough with the lecturing for Pete's sake!!

I still would like to know "unsafe" in what way. Statistics can be tweaked to reflect most anything. I live in Southern Arizona, yes there is crime. MOST (not all) but MOST is drug/gang related. We have a large Hispanic population in AZ, if you follow the news you will see that the overwhelming majority of crime is Hispanic against Hispanic. Most of this crime is drug related in some way. I do not want to be bashed for saying this but facts are facts. While other races do commit crimes, the overwhelming majority (unfortunately for the good Hispanic people we have) of crimes in AZ are not commited by the other races. There are wonderful Hispanic people here, but it's the bad guys that get the news. (isn't that the usual way ?)

Car theft is common in border states, i.e. CA, AZ, NM & TX. Cars can be snatched and driven across the border in a short time (where they disappear). Of course, here are murders, robberies, etc. In this day and age most places have this. There are no "paradises" left I'm afraid. Like everywhere else, murders here in AZ(that are not drug/gang related) generally are family (husband/wife) related.

I find it fascinating that NV is #1 on the list - most of NV is empty desert :-) Las Vegas is what most people think of if they think of NV at all and yes, there is also crime there, but the average tourist is not in those sections of town (or should not be). LV has a very diverse population and is growing like crazy, again most of the crime is drug/gang related and does not affect the average tourist (I go to Vegas alot and also have friends living there).

Statistics are fascinating, I just wonder what exactly they are referring to. Crime in regard to population ? Crime in regard to natural wonders? Crime in regard to diversity of citizens ? It makes no sense without knowing how the stats came to be.

All I can say is visit Arizona, enjoy the scenery and relax.

starrsville, the reason SC is on that list is that Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Hilton Head combined get about 20 million visitors per year but only has a permanent population of about three million people.

The total number of crimes with the tourist number added in is only divided by the three million number.

So in actuality, that number is grossly skewed.

Merry and Lori, I'm racking my brain trying to figure out what could label those states as "dangerous" too. They are almost all warm weather states. What could the variables be? Snakes? Lightning strikes?

Can't believe it's normal crime stats - but maybe it is. Would love the source.

Toss in Texas and a few more southern states and it could be a list of Miss America states :-)

"Thought some of you may be interested to see this isn't a figment of my imagination - but in fact comes from your own US Stats."

Without knowing the source of that list, or how they defined "dangerous," the list itself is meaningless. It's not even clear (as pointed out above) whether it's based specifically on crime data.

starrsville, I'm sure it is the total number of crimes committed by tourists and locals but divided by locals only.

Does that make sense?