Nobody drives in New York, there’s too much traffic!

Interesting article! I skipped most of the subway data, not my concern down here in Florida. But the crime data is something I’ve often thought about.

Even when stats make plain that large cities like NYC and Chicago have lower crime rates than rural areas, it’s really hard for someone who has lived both to believe.

When we Tulsa (NOT a small town!) boys went to Manhattan, we were stunned at how impersonal the streets were. All we both thought was, “I could drop dead right on the street and people would be mildly annoyed having to step over my corpse.” Our native guide explained which streets were run by which minority groups, where we could and couldn’t go. And I don’t mean black and Hispanic, I mean Haitians go here, Jamaicans go there, etc. Segregated to the city block.

Chicago was friendlier, but still segregated as hell, and I had no illusions about anyone helping me if I was in trouble.

Meanwhile, in Bumfuck, Florida, you won’t spend long stuck on the road before a helpful redneck pulls up to bail you out. My camp’s neighborhood has private dirt roads, with a sandy, nearly impassible part. I pulled up to 3 stuck cars and 3 others trying to get them out. Even mix of black, white and Hispanic folks. I parked up the road, got my shovel out and walked up. “OK. Who we doin’ first?” And BTW, some helpful soul fixed the road for us. No fanfare, anonymous, it was just done, because we take care of each other. People have since improved other parts of the road.

Think that second scenario would play in a big city? No? Because everyone seems afraid of everyone else. So why is that, when rural areas are statistically more dangerous?