My wife and I are traveling to the US around Christmas, first staying a couple of nights at Sonder Gabriel Richard in Downtown Detroit before heading on to NYC. We were initially unbothered by what we considered overblown and outdated stereotypes about the area. We weren’t worried about getting stabbed or shot.

Now my wife is hearing from coworkers and family, including family who live in Detroit, about the grave danger she’s in if she stays in downtown.I’m irritated by the anxiety these people have spawned out of nothing. Maybe I’m naive but my gut still says that they’re blowing things out of proportion, and at worst it’s a little seedy around there.

Would any locals like to comment on how poor a choice we made staying in downtown Detroit as first time travellers to the US? We’re Australian if that matters somehow.

  • @[email protected]English
    9•2 days ago

    I’ve never been to Detroit but I’m from NY and lived in a “scary” part of NYC that my pearl clutching wealthier suburban family did not approve of…

    So long as you mind your business, don’t dress flashy, and pay attention to your surroundings (ie, don’t walk around with your head glued to your phone and headphones blaring) you should be fine, like any other city in this world.

    As a woman when I lived in NYC the one unsettling thing is catcalling, idk if that’s a thing in Australia but I imagine (some) men are the same everywhere in the world. Best to ignore it and move on.

    Most people are just trying to go about their day and like you don’t want any problems. The reputation of American cities being violent hell zones is almost entirely fabricated and the violence that does exist are mostly between people who already know each other / gang shit.

    The shit suburbanites say about urban areas is mostly the product of white flight and redlining, look up those two phrases to read up on the history of racism in housing. “Dangerous cities” is often just a dog whistle for “minorities live there”.

    Edit: also, especially coming from Australia during your (hot af) summer, do prepare for extreme cold. That’s the biggest risk to you. The cold is not an exaggeration. If you’re unfamiliar with dressing for extreme cold I can give you some tips…