IS IT SAFE TO WALK FIVE BLOCK ON NOSTRAND AROUND 10 to 12pm

anonymous · April 2008

Hi,
My roommate, her boyfriend and I are moving to Nostrand and Quincy in May. I didn't realize that it is in one of the more dangerous place in new york. The walk from the apartment to the A train stop is 10 to 15 min on NOSTRAND AVE. I have alot of night classes, and they usually end at 9:20pm. If I estimate and say that by the time I get to the stop at Nostrand from Manhattan, it is 10:30 at night, would be a safe to walk back by myself alone?! This is very important, becuase I'm still thinking if I should keep the apartment or find somewhere else. Thanks

brooklynzcookin · April 2008

Yo,

Have you lived in new york for a while and/or other cities? I live on Nostrand in Crown Heights and regularly drive up through Bed-Stuy. While not being as dangerous as say East New York, it still can be a bit unnerving to walk through there late at night. It really depends on your comfortability walking late at night in a primarily residential neighborhood with some sketchy characters (as in many neighborhoods in Brooklyn). The best way to tell is to go there during the night and see for your self how you feel.

tennisfan · April 2008

Hi,

I used to live in Williamsburg (Brooklyn), then Woodside (Queens) before moving to Bed-Stuy, I actually live not far (few blocks) for the intersection you mentioned.

BrooklynzCookin said it all.
I would advise you to walk in the neighborhood to find out how comfortable you would be. I don't think it is a dangerous place at all. It is located between Clinton Hill and Williamsburg. It is up and coming with nice restaurants like Le Toukouleur (Bedford Avenue and Quincy St.) or coffee shop like Tiny Cup (Nostrand Ave and Clifton St.). You have a supermarket two blocks away and YMCA four blocks away. If you have a dog, there is a great dog run three blocks away.

If the walk to/from the A train stop is too long, you may want to use the G train which is just four blocks away (a quick five minute walk).

I hang out a lot in Williamsburg and come back late night around 12:00AM-1:00AM, I haven't had any problem so far. I see many girls walking alone as well.

Good luck!

Tennisfan

jocelyn · April 2008

Subject: Be Worried

I just moved to Nostrand & Madison at the beginning of April. I too did not know how bad the area was. I knew it was bad, but not this bad.

Starting from the night I moved in, there has been shooting almost every night. About 2 weeks ago, there was a LOT of loud gunfire coming practically from my corner. AND THIS WAS AT 9:30 P.M. I was lying in bed trying to take a nap and I heard shots, then police sirens, then more shots. Then about an hour later there were MORE shots, coming from the vic. of Nostrand & Jefferson.

This Friday night that just passed I heard more gunfire at about 12 midnight. I had just come home from dinner with a friend. So I could've easily been on the street.

I have not heard shots since then, and this is the longest stretch of days that has gone by without me hearing gunfire.

As far as OTHER types of violence goes? I think it's safe(r) otherwise as far as muggings, break-ins & the like. You would just keep your wits about you & your eyes open and your apartment secure.

But to me, there seems to be a high chance of getting caught in some cross-fire one day....

tennisfan · April 2008

I've been living in the neighborhood since Dec. 07. I have never heard a gunfire. I am sure it may happen like anywhere in NYC. Even in Williamsburg supposedly the hottest neighborhood in Brooklyn, there are gunfires.

Look at the very instructive GMAP:
http://tinyurl.com/2gtw7l

As you can see there are two Police precincts not far, which explains that you can see lots of police presence everyday.

mod note: please use tiny url!

carmen · April 2008

I lived about 4 blocks from that corner for 2 years and didn't experience any super-scary incidences at night, although I was followed into my building and pushed around a bit in the middle of the daytime. I witnessed/was a part of an altercation involving a gun at a chinese food place, but even that didn't really taint my view of the hood (it was some scared-looking 13 year old kid pulling a gun on some oher dude, trying to scare him I would imagine.)

I've heard gunshots but I've heard gunshots in park slope, too. It's not terribly well-lit and it's pretty dirty, but its cheap and about the best you can get for the price and proximity to the city. Plus there's plenty of parking!

If you're scared, don't move there. I mean, people will read the fear all over your face and you'll be targeted. Also, be aware that catcalling and the like has been a big issue for me (24 year old woman) and I find that to be more irritating than anything "really" violent.

daver · April 2008

indigo wrote: mod note: please use tiny url![/color]

I hate TINYURL's now because they are blocked from my work. So, uh, thanks for nothing mod!

How about we use the [ URL = xxx ] tag or something if you don't want long URL's. BTW, I don't remember seeing anything in the rules about using TINYURL's because I would have strenuously objected to any such thing.

sweet tea · April 2008

that was me on the tiny url. i didn't know it didn't work for some people.

for the record, the link was to the mugging map. i replaced it bc it made the page width like 3x the size of my screen.

there isn't a tinyurl rule, but it has been common practice -- used to be more actively encouraged. i'll try to remember to use the other tag instead.

jocelyn · April 2008

I do want to add to my original response that I do enjoy the neighborhood and I am eager to see more spots opening up, the cafes, boutiques, lounges/bars, etc. I patronize the existing ones and I would like to see more. I can see that the neighborhood LOOKS more rough around the edges than it necessarily is.

But I heard what I heard and it put fear in my heart a little bit. I'm not going to walk around living in fear so basically whatever happens happens.

And just so you know there are a lot of other young artsy student gentrifiers walking around so you won't seem out of place. And there is a high police presence around as someone else mentioned in this thread.

queencallipygos · April 2008

The difficulty that many have in answering you, worrygirl, is that we don't know what your personal comfort level is, and what "safe" feels like to you.

One thing the three of you could do is to try visiting the neighborhood at different times of day -- make a trip there late at night, and walk around and see how you feel. Make a trip there on a weekend and see. On a weekday. You get the idea.

Also, if you see someone coming out of the building where you're thinking of living, talk to them about the neighborhood and see what they have to say.

Then -- you can make your own decision.

anonymous · April 2008

Subject: Re: Be Worried

jocelyn wrote: I just moved to Nostrand & Madison at the beginning of April. I too did not know how bad the area was. I knew it was bad, but not this bad.

Starting from the night I moved in, there has been shooting almost every night. About 2 weeks ago, there was a LOT of loud gunfire coming practically from my corner. AND THIS WAS AT 9:30 P.M. I was lying in bed trying to take a nap and I heard shots, then police sirens, then more shots. Then about an hour later there were MORE shots, coming from the vic. of Nostrand & Jefferson.

This Friday night that just passed I heard more gunfire at about 12 midnight. I had just come home from dinner with a friend. So I could've easily been on the street.

I have not heard shots since then, and this is the longest stretch of days that has gone by without me hearing gunfire.

As far as OTHER types of violence goes? I think it's safe(r) otherwise as far as muggings, break-ins & the like. You would just keep your wits about you & your eyes open and your apartment secure.

But to me, there seems to be a high chance of getting caught in some cross-fire one day....

I live on Madison and Nostrand, too, and I have to disagree with the picture that is being painted here. This poster makes it sound like a battleground on this block and it certainly is not. If you hear this amount of gunfire then I must be deaf, as are all of my neighbors. Yes, I have heard gunshots but NOWHERE NEAR THE AMOUNT that is portrayed here. And when I have heard them they sounded like they were coming from further away, closer to Marcy.

I am not trying to argue with you but you have only lived here a few weeks and sound very freaked out by the area. It is going to get increasingly louder and considerably more foot traffic is going to be around as it gets warmer. Be prepared. Exercise caution, don't walk around by yourself late at night (these are when the muggings I know personally of have taken place) but it's not good to live in fear. If you find that you can't live comfortably in the area then maybe a location change is necessary.

But I strongly disagree with the picture that is painted here. It's not a battleground. It's loud, there's some sketch, but I don't live in fear of being caught in the "crossfire".

tennisfan · April 2008

Subject: Re: Be Worried

Guesty wrote:
But I strongly disagree with the picture that is painted here. It's not a battleground. It's loud, there's some sketch, but I don't live in fear of being caught in the "crossfire".

I agree more with your view.

Usually people like to talk about what they don't know.
Last time I was talking to someone about Williamsburg. He said to me: "I wouldn't like to live in Williamsburg. Is it still unsafe and very industrial?" ...

IS IT SAFE TO WALK FIVE BLOCK ON NOSTRAND AROUND 10 to 12pm

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