French Quarter Street crime ???

[sunspots]

I will be in New Orleans in Early Aug......
Just how bad is the street crime there now?... Been reading some stuff on line ...sounds pretty bad...... I just want to go around and do the memory lane thing of part of my mis spent youth and hang out...... not planning on hobbying ( especially not with street girls)...
So what is the real deal on street crime there these days?

[yohollyrock]

Since Katrina, the city is a shit hole! The Quarter is safe during the day with tourists, but at nite the predators come out looking for innocent people with no street sense. Don't go down dark empty streets or get off of the beaten path. I'll put it to ya this way---when the helicopters came in to save these animals during Katrina---they shot at the helicopters!! We don't want to be saved---wees still gotta go loot and steal froms peoples---or ---there was a mothers day parade recently where some fine upstanding young man decided to make a name for himself and gunned down 19 people!! I REST MY CASE!!

[whattaguy]

Originally Posted by yohollyrock

Since Katrina, the city is a shit hole!

What bullshit. It's quite the opposite in fact. The city, as a whole and for the average person, is safer than prior to Katrina.

As far as the Quarter goes, it's fine as long as you avoid empty side streets and don't be wandering around drunk at 2 am.

[LA Man]

Whattaguy is right. New Orleans is the same as before and same as in the 80's when I was in school there. Yes the gang rivalry is a little heavier with the Hispanuc influx to help rebuild after Katrina yet that typically is not in touristy areas.

In the 80's and 90's you tried to stay off dark streets at night and were subject then as now if you are dribbling around to loose your wallet and get your ass wiped if you try to fight back.

Use your best judgement and NOLA is great to visit. Lived there three times, happier visiting now and it's only an hour away!


PS A reputable provider is a much better deal than going for extra's in the titty bars of Bourbon. That is unless your into 250-300 dollar BJ's or possibly a quickie.

[Mysterydate023]

Sadly, I have to agree with the observations and advice the the others gave. One added bit of advice, the answer to "where you got your shoes" is "on my feet".

[trekker]

A small town lover is still going to think of New Orleans as a rude, crude shithole, but it's a little better than it was before Katrina. Stay in the busy areas of the Quarter. There will be a few pickpockets and some small time hustlers trying to make sucker bets like the "where you got your shoes" mentioned earlier. Baton Rouge and Houston are the new homes of thousands of the people who made NOLA a crime farm, but the city is making a comeback in that area.

[keri2114]

Originally Posted by whattaguy

What bullshit. It's quite the opposite in fact. The city, as a whole and for the average person, is safer than prior to Katrina.

As far as the Quarter goes, it's fine as long as you avoid empty side streets and don't be wandering around drunk at 2 am.

AGREED!!!

[MrGiz]

Why do you think New Orleans is still voted as the #1 Favorite SuperBowl City?

The French Quarter Tourist area / Casino / Warehouse District / Restaraunt / Music areas are as safe as any other big urban area in the country.... just don't get lost away from the bright lights.

Oddly enough though.... the dark alleys in and around St Louis Cathedral still offer some of the finest photo scenes.... I still think it's a Magic Zone!

Go Have Fun!! Try not to get too drunk!!

[Nicolet]

Even better still, take a local with you when you want to see the sights! We have lots of lovely ladies that would be happy to escort you wherever you want to go.

[Old Horn Dog]

Violent crime is continuing its 20 year slide. That's also true of NOLA. Crime is down here since Katrina. The lower 9th is largely abandoned--most of those people stayed away & never moved back. Whole areas of mid-City that used to be pretty bad are now being gentrified, although I wouldn't hang out right on Tulane Ave--but north of Banks west of Carrollton is fine, and north of Canal west of Jeff Davis is fine too. "Shooting @ helicopters". SMDH--urban myths & legends really do die hard, or are we still going to perpetuate "cannibalism in the Superdome"? Please don't listen to ignorant, prejudiced people. Yes, several people were shot in NOLA over Mother's Day--in the 7th Ward. No sane tourist would visit there; it's a bad area. Bad things happen in bad areas. Last time I checked, there were bad areas in every city--including Dallas. NOLA is no different from the rest of the planet in that regard. The number of good areas is steadily growing and overall NOLA is much better than pre-2005. Le Quartier & Marigny & CBD & Warehouse & Lower Garden are fine. Follow the advice of the others, stay in the lighted areas of the Quarter so you're not taken for a sucker, don't hang out in public housing projects, 9th Ward, 7th Ward, or Broadmoor, play nice & take Nicolet w/you.

There's actually been a spate of robberies recently in the Garden District, but it made the news b/c overall, the city's robbery rate is way down from even last year. Furthermore, the Garden District is, overall, still a good part of town w/lower crime than some other parts & lower crime overall than last year or 2011. Crime in NOLA will continue to be newsworthy, esp. as it becomes more rare, much like other mass shootings & airplane crashes. Please don't let others scare you away from a fun, unique & fascinatingly-weird place. I've only lived in the area for a bit over a year & in mid-City since New Year's, but I can read crime statistics & tell the place is way better than it was a few years back. Neighbors, landlord, local providers--all agree NOLA is safer & nicer than it was. Plus, I can walk around @ night & either feel creeped-out or not--normally I don't. I also don't get drunk & wander off into crappy areas. You sound like you have some common sense, partially b/c you had sense enough to ask how things were before visiting. Use that while you're here & you should be fine.

[JS42]

I have made New Orleans my vacation spot 4 years running (will be there again in 2 weeks) and never had a problem yet. Follow the advice of staying away from dark, empty alleys, close to the crowds, and keep your wallet in your front pocket and you will be fine. Just my experience and opinion, but I think New Orleans gets a bad rap with it's reputation.

In the French Quarter, police have a heavy presence and makes sure they are seen by everyone. New Orleans knows this particular area is important for tourism and they make the place pretty damn safe, imho.

[sunspots]

I have been around my share of "bad areas".. I have a good sixth sense about things...and I don't look like an easy target.. I had read about an incident of a group of kids jumping somebody...I was specifically wondering if this is something that is happening?

[sunspots]

Originally Posted by Nicolet

Even better still, take a local with you when you want to see the sights! We have lots of lovely ladies that would be happy to escort you wherever you want to go.

Nicolet
sounds tempting.. but I have pretty much quit " the hobby".. will be looking in the civilian sector

thanks

[sunspots]

Thanks for the info..... I just wanted to hear from some locals... A while back here in Austin there were gangs doing initiations by attacking people on sixth st.. and it was lets say, " under reported" in the official news.....Just was wondering if there was something going on like that in NOLA

[Old Horn Dog]

Originally Posted by sunspots

Thanks for the info..... I just wanted to hear from some locals... A while back here in Austin there were gangs doing initiations by attacking people on sixth st.. and it was lets say, " under reported" in the official news.....Just was wondering if there was something going on like that in NOLA

I don't watch the news on TV. Haven't read anything except the Garden District robberies recently, and again, that's news-worthy b/c it's now unusual rather than every-day. They actually caught some of them. It wasn't a "gang initiation" thing--it was 3 guys working together to rob people for their stuff--in other words, NORMAL robbery (or as describe it: "crime we all know & understand" LOL). Happens all over, but no, I don't know or haven't heard (and I PROBABLY would, although not guaranteed) if there were something like you described going on.