How bad is Oakland California?

Maxmosbey

Maxmosbey

Final Approach
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I need to get serious.
The company that my wife works for is having their annual conference in Oakland, CA. My cousin lives in San Jose, but he was born and raised in Oakland. I'm trying to get him to come up and see us while we are there. He said he would come up for lunch, but he didn't want to be in Oakland after dark. Is it really that bad?
 
I have no first-hand knowledge... but after watching some recent documentaries, then Goggling it, I'd say it's pretty bad. According to the documentaries, there are sections of town the cops won't even go into at night. And there have been some problems within the police force. In spite of the crime rate, the number of officers has dropped. One article I just read says that the average Oakland police officer has triple the number of incidents to deal with as the average CA LEO. I hope it's getting better.

I can't help but laugh... every time I go to Mexico, everyone always asks if it's safe... take a look at your own home, people.
 
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Maxmosbey said:
The company that my wife works for is having their annual conference in Oakland, CA. My cousin lives in San Jose, but he was born and raised in Oakland. I'm trying to get him to come up and see us while we are there. He said he would come up for lunch, but he didn't want to be in Oakland after dark. Is it really that bad?
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Depends on the neighborhood, but it can be pretty rough. There's no neighborhood in the US I'm afraid to be in 'after dark' and have never had a problem anywhere, but people say I'm lucky and/or nuts. If you're concerned, stay in Berkley or over in SF and just take the BART to Oakland during the days for the conference.
 
How bad is Des Moines?

Parts of Oakland really suck. Parts of Oakland are quite nice. Like any big city. If you've hit the jackpot and your conference is at the Claremont, don't worry at all.

If it's near Oakland Airport, that's middle-of-the-road. I wouldn't leave valuables in the car in plain sight or flash wads of bills.

If it's in an hourly rate motel on East 14th St., find the organizer and throw him in the Estuary.

Nothing in Oakland is as bad as southside Chicago or SW DC.
 
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Maxmosbey said:
The company that my wife works for is having their annual conference in Oakland, CA. My cousin lives in San Jose, but he was born and raised in Oakland. I'm trying to get him to come up and see us while we are there. He said he would come up for lunch, but he didn't want to be in Oakland after dark. Is it really that bad?
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Well, Oakland certainly isn't like Ames. (Been in the latter; nice town.) I doubt the conference would be held in a bad area so you're likely safe as long as you avoid known trouble spots.
 
Fly into SFO, stay in downtown SF and commute in via BART. I just had to visit some of our offices in Concorde, the other side of Oakland and I still commuted to SF, it's just a much nicer place to be.
 
There are very nice parts of Oakland, and there are very not nice parts of Oakland. The convention center itself isn't bad but it's near neighborhoods you really don't want to be in after dark.
 
Agree that there are nice parts of Oakland and some not very nice parts. Just like many large cities.
 
I'm always amazed at what a bad rap Oakland gets. I lived in Oakland for nearly 20 years and found it to be about the most friendly and tolerant place I've ever lived. Other than a couple of minor thefts, mostly my fault, I was never victimized and neither was my wife. My business and hobbies took me into "bad" neighborhoods often and I never had a problem.

That said, take the same precautions as you would in any urban area and you will be fine. MAKG gave good advice about the neighborhoods. I spent a lot of time around East 14th/San Pablo Ave and never had a issue. OTOH, not a place for a woman to be alone at night.
 
The last time I was in Oakland someone put a gun to my head on the sidewalk about 3pm. Relieved me of my cash. Never had desire to return. Musta thought I was leaning to my billfold side. :dunno:
 
Back when I had my POS Ford, I used to go junkyard hopping south of the Coliseum. Crappy neighborhood, but I never had anything stolen nor any problem with the locals whatsoever. Another site was in Richmond. Same story. A third was in a middle class suburb outside Newark near Leslie Salt. There, I had my $45 car stereo stolen.
 
When one is in any of these questionable areas they are just playing the odds. Making it through without trouble any number of times is no indication of perceived present or future safety. If an area is not considered safe for women at night, who would want to be there at any time of day?
 
'Is it safe?' Is not the correct question. The correct question is how many people will you come across that will consider rolling you for your wallet? Is that number greater then the average number of those people in your hometown?
 
Oakland is as safe as any big city if you have "street smarts". If you look like you just rolled in from Kansas, you might have an issue, but if you have "street smarts", Oaktown ain't any different than NYC, Chicago, SF, LA, Dallas, Seattle, New Orleans, etc....

I used to live in Alameda and used the Fruitvale BART station (which now has its' own movie out) every day.
 
I hope your wife works for a karate school. Otherwise, why would they book a conference in Oakland.
I guess cause like Mari says, it is just your average city.
 
I started off as an EMT in oakland, yes Oakland does have some rough areas, but keep your street smarts, stay around the airport or jack london square after dark and you will be just fine.
 
JoseCuervo said:
Oakland is as safe as any big city if you have "street smarts". If you look like you just rolled in from Kansas, you might have an issue, but if you have "street smarts", Oaktown ain't any different than NYC, Chicago, SF, LA, Dallas, Seattle, New Orleans, etc....

I used to live in Alameda and used the Fruitvale BART station (which now has its' own movie out) every day.
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So what is it when someone with "street smarts" gets victimized? Was it by someone who is street "smarter"? What does street smart mean?

I think it means you're too dumb or unfortunate to get off the street....
 
Dave Krall CFII said:
So what is it when someone with "street smarts" gets victimized? Was it by someone who is street "smarter"? What does street smart mean?

I think it means you're too dumb or unfortunate to get off the street....
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Basically, if you see a group of large black men holding AK's, it's advisable to go the other way.
 
Dave Krall CFII said:
When one is in any of these questionable areas they are just playing the odds. Making it through without trouble any number of times is no indication of perceived present or future safety. If an area is not considered safe for women at night, who would want to be there at any time of day?
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What part of this thread is not "playing the odds?

Going into a rough neighborhood is also not a guarantee that anything at all will happen to you, except your blood pressure might rise. It's actually rather unlikely, even in a really nasty neighborhood.

And you can get robbed in any neighborhood. Palo Alto (and Atherton) does not have a zero crime rate.
 
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Oakland, like any other big city with "transitional" areas, is as dangerous as you are vulnerable to local predators. The key is to either be vigilant and remain mindful of your surroundings or stay out of those "transitional" areas.
 
JOhnH said:
I hope your wife works for a karate school. Otherwise, why would they book a conference in Oakland.
I guess cause like Mari says, it is just your average city.
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Because it's about 1/3 the cost of San Francisco. And you can visit San Francisco in 1/2 hour on BART. Clean, fast and safe. Seems like a pretty good reason to me.
 
According to this, Oakland is ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in America and it lead the nation in robberies in 2012, so maybe there's reason for concern. When I used to visit family in Tracy, they were way more leery of Sacramento and Stockton.
 
MAKG1 said:
How bad is Des Moines?

Parts of Oakland really suck. Parts of Oakland are quite nice. Like any big city. If you've hit the jackpot and your conference is at the Claremont, don't worry at all.

If it's near Oakland Airport, that's middle-of-the-road. I wouldn't leave valuables in the car in plain sight or flash wads of bills.

If it's in an hourly rate motel on East 14th St., find the organizer and throw him in the Estuary.

Nothing in Oakland is as bad as southside Chicago or SW DC.
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How's the pizza?

-Rich
 
RJM62 said:
How's the pizza?

-Rich
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Can't say it has great pizza. But food wise, they do have some good restaurants, but if you want to eat go to Berkeley, just a few minutes away. Hella awesome places to eat there.
 
I love Oakland but I did see a concert there one night and later found out there was a shooting. I do go there at night, alone, to meet people for dinner, and park my car and walk over all the homeless people.

Then again, I was born and raised in SF and took the subway since I was 8 years old.

Just what I'm used to, I guess.
 
Edit: by walk over I do not mean literally. I just mean there are people loitering, hanging out, there are homeless people, there are crazy people, whatever. I guess I have street smarts.

Don't look like you're lost or get buried in your cell phone and you'll be fine.
 
Oh, and avoid Oakland after a Raiders game. If the Raiders lose, they burn cars in the street out of anger. If they win, they burn them out of celebration.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Oh, and avoid Oakland after a Raiders game. If the Raiders lose, they burn cars in the street out of anger. If they win, they burn them out of celebration.
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That's funny. The last time I was in Oakland, I met a friend for dinner at Yoshi's (Sushi / Jazz Club). He was in my car after dinner and I was driving him back to his friend's apartment, where he was staying.

He had the latest and greatest iPhone with "Siri" when that was cool. We decided to ask "Siri" - since we were in Oakland - This exact question:

"Siri, is it Raiders' Season?"

Siri said "I do not understand Raiders season"

Hilarious.
 
Like any big city. there are safe sections and DEADLY sections....

Orlando is a tourist town.. Go to Church Street Station and it is kinda safe.. walk two blocks west to Parramore and Central and a black person has a 'shelf life' of an hour or so... A white person will be a chalk outline in just seconds...:eek::hairraise:....

Body bags are not included in your vacation package and must be purchased separately...;):sad:
 
I live in Oakland, there is a $3,500,000 home walking distance from me that just sold. You can find it on Zillow and hence find my general location. :wink2:

When I take my car for some nice hand-wash I take it just 7-10 min into not a very nice part of town but still feel absolutely safe.
 
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Old Geek said:
Because it's about 1/3 the cost of San Francisco. And you can visit San Francisco in 1/2 hour on BART. Clean, fast and safe. Seems like a pretty good reason to me.
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Exactly. I imagine they can book a conference in Oakland for a fraction of the cost of booking one in the City (SF). Oakland actually has better weather for those allergic to summer fog and cool. I hear they just redid the area around Lake Merritt and now it's pretty nice. I've been to the Lake Chalet restaurant on Lake Merritt within the past couple years and wouldn't think twice about going there alone, but I do many things alone and, like Kim, I grew up around cities.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Edit: by walk over I do not mean literally. I just mean there are people loitering, hanging out, there are homeless people, there are crazy people, whatever. I guess I have street smarts.

Don't look like you're lost or get buried in your cell phone and you'll be fine.
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So, what should we do if we are lost ? :confused:
 
NoHeat said:
Yes, I checked the statistics. Here, for Oakland:
http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Oakland-California.html

Look at the " per 100,000" numbers, then find another city to compare.

I was responding to your post where you referred to the city of Des Moines. There are much safer cities in Iowa, but Des Moines is nevertheless much safer than Oakland.
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I'll say it again. What part of Oakland? If you don't think it matters, you're not thinking at all.

I used to live in Oakland, specifically, Rockridge. It was a very interesting place to walk around at night. I was never robbed, never threatened, though I was occasionally asked for spare change (but that was a lot worse a couple of miles northwest -- still plenty safe at night; I lived there, too for a year or so).

You can run around in fear or you can deal with it. I won't live somewhere where I can't go out at night. There are a couple of places that qualify, but not many.
 
Dave Krall CFII said:
So what is it when someone with "street smarts" gets victimized? Was it by someone who is street "smarter"? What does street smart mean?

I think it means you're too dumb or unfortunate to get off the street....
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If you don't know what street smart means, you don't have them, and you need to stay in Kansas and skip life.
 
Old Geek said:
lived. Other than a couple of minor thefts, mostly my fault....
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Broken California thinking. Theft is never your fault. People should leave stuff that isn't theirs alone. Even the guys at the homeless shelter know that basic rule of civilization.
 
Henning said:
Depends on the neighborhood, but it can be pretty rough. There's no neighborhood in the US I'm afraid to be in 'after dark' and have never had a problem anywhere, but people say I'm lucky and/or nuts. If you're concerned, stay in Berkley or over in SF and just take the BART to Oakland during the days for the conference.
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BART is threatening to gon strike. :yikes:
 
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