Santa Barbara Dangerous?

[Vicelord John]

I want to ask this from you all.

I, through a long and bizarre story, have ended up in SB with no car, change of clothes, food, etc. I walked from my hotel room to a grocery store about a mile away and midway there I noticed a lot of shitty cars, Spanish moneygram type stores, and homeless. In the grocery store some gangbanger looking types started talking all weird to me. I asked the girl at the grocery store if it was a bad neighborhood. I got a very quick "yes, it's very dangerous." i was on edge the whole walk back down Milpas through the lower east side and am now reading about lots of gang activity there.

I am not sheltered at all... I live in downtown Phoenix so I'm used to seeing a little grit, but this place is getting to me. Is this an unsafe city?

[jamesinclair]

Originally Posted by Vicelord John

have ended up in SB with no car, change of clothes, food, etc.
Is this an unsafe city?

You should be safe. I mean, what exactly are they going to steal from you...?

[plinko]

It depends on where you go. I know exactly where you are talking about (I live about 10 blocks from there) and shop at that grocery store often.

Basically on the Lower East Side there are a couple of street gangs. They mostly leave others alone and fight with each other (the occasional stabbing or street fight).

Along with one other gang infested neighborhood, it's probably the only place I wouldn't walk around at night alone in this city (though Milpas Street itself is just fine).

It certainly isn't any worse than DT Phoenix, you just have to smart.

The rest of the city is amongst the safest neighborhoods in the US.