Question from an American - what are considered the roughest areas in Britain?

I've always wondered. What are the top three? Are they breeding grounds for famous British boxers?

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Originally Posted by Rantcatrat

I've always wondered. What are the top three? Are they breeding grounds for famous British boxers?

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moss side - manchester
east end of glasgow
south london
everywhere in liverpool

I lived in Salford for a year whilst at Uni and that's very rough. Parts of Manchester are also quite dicey. I've heard bad things about Moss Side, but there are a number of areas that you might think twice about. It's all very grim up there really!

I suppose a number of boxers have come from around those parts. Hatton being the most obvious.

London is full of rough areas but being the capital that has to be expected. Obviously loads of famous fighters have come from here

Most major towns and cities have rough areas.
some of the most famous are moss side in manchester as has been mentioned. Glasgow. St pauls in Bristol. lots of places in london, particually south east - new cross, lewisham etc. Parts of Nottingham. Sheffield did have a bad rep but has got a lot better.
Oh by the way Miles my friend went to uni in Salford. Salford uni not manc uni.

So is it gangs?

Saw a thing on it the other day, they have began here in the outer Sydney suburbs bored kids looking for the adrenaline rush of getting or giving a group beating.

In Melbourne we have weakaassed teens that target mostly Indian students and indian tourists to beat and rob as they are soft targets.
Many vietnamese and some Chinese lads run some of the herion around and they will fuk over anyone who threatens them, except for our bikers who run all the ampetaimines.
We have young gangs here but they stick to there own drains in there own areas the little rats. we get alot of train violence from these types if they move around.

I think the older more set up gangs that run just for illeagal money drugs and power should go and recruit them or rub them out before they get too big themselves;cause the cops havent got a real handle on any of them at all.

In truth everywhere has bad areas, obviously the major citys have got bigger areas.

Manchester is pretty bad in certain area's Salfords not that bad really, depends on which area of Salford, South Manchester Gorton,Longsight there rough as bears arses.

London The city is the Roughest ;D

haha it's a shit hole! :p

Here's your answer

YouTube - Straight Outta Clacton!


Seriously though, I worked here for 7 years and it's funny as fukk

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Originally Posted by ryanman89

St pauls in Bristol.

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;D

Pompey used to be a nice place then ICB moved down here and its turned to dogshit. Stabbings and random chess tourneys taking place in the middle of town each night.

Coppers don't know what to do

Hit him where it hurts. Raid his gaf for PS2 Games and bar him from gamestation.

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Originally Posted by BIG H

Here's your answer

YouTube - Straight Outta Clacton!


Seriously though, I worked here for 7 years and it's funny as fukk

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I only understood every third word or so and I know nothing about Clacton but that was funny as hell.

This morning going to the track, there was murder going on. A Big Hole appeared in the road 50ft deep, when I left the Police were looking into it ;D

In terms of being similar to US levels of crime, I'd say that Glasgow, Manchester & London are the only ones that are really comparable.

Glasgow is apparently stab-happy, haven't been there myself, but I hear they don't play up there. Moss Side & Longsight in Manchester are definitely bad.

As for London, there's bad bits all over, Tottenham & Hackney in the North/East bit of the city, Harlesden/Acton in the West & basically a big part of South London, which I live slap bang in the middle of. Brixton, Peckham & Lewisham (where I live) are the 3 worst areas.

We usually get a couple of shootings or stabbings in a week although fortunately more people wear bullet-proofs & stabproofs nowadays so there's less fatalities, even if occasionally a stray does hit someone like with that Polish nurse. There's a lot less that goes on in the street (as in drive-bys & that) than there used to be, largely because having permanent armed police units on patrol (in the boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham) has basically pushed the major gang warfare underground, meaning that the big incinerator nearby is basically becoming a giant crematorium.

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Originally Posted by JazMerkin

In terms of being similar to US levels of crime, I'd say that Glasgow, Manchester & London are the only ones that are really comparable.

Glasgow is apparently stab-happy, haven't been there myself, but I hear they don't play up there. Moss Side & Longsight in Manchester are definitely bad.

As for London, there's bad bits all over, Tottenham & Hackney in the North/East bit of the city, Harlesden/Acton in the West & basically a big part of South London, which I live slap bang in the middle of. Brixton, Peckham & Lewisham (where I live) are the 3 worst areas.

We usually get a couple of shootings or stabbings in a week although fortunately more people wear bullet-proofs & stabproofs nowadays so there's less fatalities, even if occasionally a stray does hit someone like with that Polish nurse. There's a lot less that goes on in the street (as in drive-bys & that) than there used to be, largely because having permanent armed police units on patrol (in the boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham) has basically pushed the major gang warfare underground, meaning that the big incinerator nearby is basically becoming a giant crematorium.

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You seem to have a decent amount of money, I know you travel for work and that you flew to the U.S. to see Pacquiao - Hatton, so why do you live where you do (if you don't mind me asking)?

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Originally Posted by skel1983

In truth everywhere has bad areas, obviously the major citys have got bigger areas.

Manchester is pretty bad in certain area's Salfords not that bad really, depends on which area of Salford, South Manchester Gorton,Longsight there rough as bears arses.

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To be fair I haven't lived up there in a fair few years. I was younger and a little more wide eyed then, so it certainly seemed very rough and you wouldn't want to hang out in the local pubs too much.

A friend of mine working in local government around there said that apparently the local government has spent a fair bit of cash trying to regenerate parts of Salford, but I haven no idea how accurate this is or what level of success it had.

In all my time living in Salford and Manchester I never got into a single confrontation and that was despite me being a typical student and spending a lot of time in bars. I've been punched on the nose more in Korea and had many more confrontations here. Despite that I still percieve Northern England as far more dangerous. I think perhaps my character has changed somewhat.

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Originally Posted by JazMerkin

In terms of being similar to US levels of crime, I'd say that Glasgow, Manchester & London are the only ones that are really comparable.

Glasgow is apparently stab-happy, haven't been there myself, but I hear they don't play up there. Moss Side & Longsight in Manchester are definitely bad.

As for London, there's bad bits all over, Tottenham & Hackney in the North/East bit of the city, Harlesden/Acton in the West & basically a big part of South London, which I live slap bang in the middle of. Brixton, Peckham & Lewisham (where I live) are the 3 worst areas.

We usually get a couple of shootings or stabbings in a week although fortunately more people wear bullet-proofs & stabproofs nowadays so there's less fatalities, even if occasionally a stray does hit someone like with that Polish nurse. There's a lot less that goes on in the street (as in drive-bys & that) than there used to be, largely because having permanent armed police units on patrol (in the boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham) has basically pushed the major gang warfare underground, meaning that the big incinerator nearby is basically becoming a giant crematorium.

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That name brings back memories! I used to do relief work in the bookies to supplement my meagre student resources and would get shipped out all over Manchester. Longsight was one, Ardwick was another, the Picaddily one was actually alright. I met a lot of very interesting people, but definitely some that you would want to be careful around.

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Originally Posted by CFH

You seem to have a decent amount of money, I know you travel for work and that you flew to the U.S. to see Pacquiao - Hatton, so why do you live where you do (if you don't mind me asking)?

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I think how I live probably gives you the impression there's more than there is. The travel was for a work placement in Europe, so they covered my travel & living costs. The money that went on Hatton-Pacquiao, (which when taking hotel, flight, fight ticket, spending dough into account was about £2000) was money both me & my girlfriend had saved up together over the previous year for a holiday. I mean, by the standards of where I live, my family is pretty well-off, but I think if you compared us to most people in Britain, we'd be considered 'poor' by some.

I still live here, because it's where I grew up & even with everything wrong with it, it's the place I feel comfortable & all my friends & family are still here. I probably would have been just like most of my friends growing up headed either to jail or an early death, if it hadn't been for 2 teachers I had in my community college, who basically changed my life & because of them I've now got 2 degrees & at least some possibilities at 23. I know that the area isn't going to get better whilst the only role models are drug dealers & sports stars long gone, so I feel like if I just leave than I'd basically be selling out. I might feel different once I have kids as I don't know if I'd want them growing up here as it is now, but until then I want to actually at least try to do something positive for my community & leaving it behind won't do that.

I am from Manchester and have lived about 3 doors down from Ricky Hatton from a kid to my early twenties, it has always made me laugh when I have read stories of Ricky fighting his way up from the mean streets of Manchester its really nice round here

I play rugby and work in Salford there are some rough as f**k places round there but as everywhere some nice places and some good people too

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Originally Posted by JazMerkin

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Originally Posted by CFH

You seem to have a decent amount of money, I know you travel for work and that you flew to the U.S. to see Pacquiao - Hatton, so why do you live where you do (if you don't mind me asking)?

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I think how I live probably gives you the impression there's more than there is. The travel was for a work placement in Europe, so they covered my travel & living costs. The money that went on Hatton-Pacquiao, (which when taking hotel, flight, fight ticket, spending dough into account was about £2000) was money both me & my girlfriend had saved up together over the previous year for a holiday. I mean, by the standards of where I live, my family is pretty well-off, but I think if you compared us to most people in Britain, we'd be considered 'poor' by some.

I still live here, because it's where I grew up & even with everything wrong with it, it's the place I feel comfortable & all my friends & family are still here. I probably would have been just like most of my friends growing up headed either to jail or an early death, if it hadn't been for 2 teachers I had in my community college, who basically changed my life & because of them I've now got 2 degrees & at least some possibilities at 23. I know that the area isn't going to get better whilst the only role models are drug dealers & sports stars long gone, so I feel like if I just leave than I'd basically be selling out. I might feel different once I have kids as I don't know if I'd want them growing up here as it is now, but until then I want to actually at least try to do something positive for my community & leaving it behind won't do that.

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You make me laugh the way you describe south London - it sounds like Boys in the Hood ;D

In 33 years i've never seen anyone shot, shot at or stabbed to death (know of it but not actually seen it).

Where is the estate you live on in Lewisham?

I am from Glasgow and it gets a bad rep some times. Many parts of it deserve the name but it's a good City to visit for museums and parks and the nightlife is good in the centre.

Go to a housing estate at you own peril though, as someone said it's stab happy. I have had friends involved in some real nsty shit and my cousin was killed a few years back in a stabbing incident because he had an argument about someone switching channels on the TV in the pub:eek:

I have been chased by people with knives and hammers and axes , was all a bit mental growing up at times. I used to watch running battles with gangs from my Grans 4th floor window at weekends.

I tend to not notice things in other cities at times becasue I got a bit immune to it , can be a bit dangerous as I tend to take things for granted and don't take much shit from local upstarts ;)

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Originally Posted by jamiebhoy

I am from Glasgow and it gets a bad rep some times. Many parts of it deserve the name but it's a good City to visit for museums and parks and the nightlife is good in the centre.

Go to a housing estate at you own peril though, as someone said it's stab happy. I have had friends involved in some real nsty shit and my cousin was killed a few years back in a stabbing incident because he had an argument about someone switching channels on the TV in the pub:eek:

I have been chased by people with knives and hammers and axes , was all a bit mental growing up at times. I used to watch running battles with gangs from my Grans 4th floor window at weekends.

I tend to not notice things in other cities at times becasue I got a bit immune to it , can be a bit dangerous as I tend to take things for granted and don't take much shit from local upstarts ;)

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I've never been to Galsgow, but it scares the sh1t out of me ;D When I was at school we had a lad move into town that was from Easter house, he was an absolute loon lol

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Originally Posted by BIG H

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Originally Posted by jamiebhoy

I am from Glasgow and it gets a bad rep some times. Many parts of it deserve the name but it's a good City to visit for museums and parks and the nightlife is good in the centre.

Go to a housing estate at you own peril though, as someone said it's stab happy. I have had friends involved in some real nsty shit and my cousin was killed a few years back in a stabbing incident because he had an argument about someone switching channels on the TV in the pub:eek:

I have been chased by people with knives and hammers and axes , was all a bit mental growing up at times. I used to watch running battles with gangs from my Grans 4th floor window at weekends.

I tend to not notice things in other cities at times becasue I got a bit immune to it , can be a bit dangerous as I tend to take things for granted and don't take much shit from local upstarts ;)

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I've never been to Galsgow, but it scares the sh1t out of me ;D When I was at school we had a lad move into town that was from Easter house, he was an absolute loon lol

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Bet he was mate, that's the next estate across from where lived, got picked up by the cops one night and they took me to the station in Easterhouse, told me it was more fun letting me walk home than taking me inside to charge me. That was a long night walking in the shadows to avoid being seen !!;D

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Originally Posted by Fenster

You make me laugh the way you describe south London - it sounds like Boys in the Hood ;D

In 33 years i've never seen anyone shot, shot at or stabbed to death (know of it but not actually seen it).

Where is the estate you live on in Lewisham?

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I live on Lethbridge. Which bit of South were you from?

I don't find it funny or cool watching people I grew up with going to jail or becoming drug addicts. One of my friends was shot dead in his car just 3 months ago over some stupid shit, so I certainly don't find it at all amusing. I'm not Lefty, I don't think this hard man shit is cool, I think most of the people doing it are just looking for some small, pathetic way to feel important. The problem is these dickheads have taken over as the idols for most of the young boys in the bits, even me when I was 14 & stupid. They have all the nice shit, everyone acts like they're really somebody. There's a lot more decent hard-working people in the area than these fuckers, but we've yet to make someone getting up & working as a postman or a bus driver a desirable job, so kids won't see it that way.

It isn't like Compton or West Baltimore, I certainly don't want to give that impression, I should probably be more specific in some stuff I say, we don't have loads of people just walking along the street shooting each other or pulling drive-bys in broad daylight. The murder rate is barely comparable here to the US thankfully. But, people are still getting killed & it's getting worse. The big problem is drugs, which many people see as the easiest way to money. I'd say 95% of shootings are over drugs or gang wars over drugs. The stabbings are the thing that tend to be over minor issues, like somebody looking at someone wrong or moving to the wrong girl. It's also not like Glasgow where I heard people get stabbed like 85 times.

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Originally Posted by jamiebhoy

I am from Glasgow and it gets a bad rep some times. Many parts of it deserve the name but it's a good City to visit for museums and parks and the nightlife is good in the centre.

Go to a housing estate at you own peril though, as someone said it's stab happy. I have had friends involved in some real nsty shit and my cousin was killed a few years back in a stabbing incident because he had an argument about someone switching channels on the TV in the pub:eek:

I have been chased by people with knives and hammers and axes , was all a bit mental growing up at times. I used to watch running battles with gangs from my Grans 4th floor window at weekends.

I tend to not notice things in other cities at times becasue I got a bit immune to it , can be a bit dangerous as I tend to take things for granted and don't take much shit from local upstarts ;)

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Your guys up there are mad. I remember seeing one Glaswegian guy fighting 7 armed Cypriot police in Ayia Napa, with blood pouring down his face, & the lil fucker (he was about 5'7) was actually winning until one clubbed him over the back of the head with a rifle butt. Actually come to think of it, most Glaswegians I've met have either been frightening lunatics or crackheads. Guess we won't be meeting up for a pint anytime mate ;)

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Originally Posted by JazMerkin

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Originally Posted by jamiebhoy

I am from Glasgow and it gets a bad rep some times. Many parts of it deserve the name but it's a good City to visit for museums and parks and the nightlife is good in the centre.

Go to a housing estate at you own peril though, as someone said it's stab happy. I have had friends involved in some real nsty shit and my cousin was killed a few years back in a stabbing incident because he had an argument about someone switching channels on the TV in the pub:eek:

I have been chased by people with knives and hammers and axes , was all a bit mental growing up at times. I used to watch running battles with gangs from my Grans 4th floor window at weekends.

I tend to not notice things in other cities at times becasue I got a bit immune to it , can be a bit dangerous as I tend to take things for granted and don't take much shit from local upstarts ;)

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Your guys up there are mad. I remember seeing one Glaswegian guy fighting 7 armed Cypriot police in Ayia Napa, with blood pouring down his face, & the lil fucker (he was about 5'7) was actually winning until one clubbed him over the back of the head with a rifle butt. Actually come to think of it, most Glaswegians I've met have either been frightening lunatics or crackheads. Guess we won't be meeting up for a pint anytime mate ;)

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Here was me looking forward to a nice game of dominoes down the pub too;D

I hear what you are saying about shit going down though, it's usually some little toss pot starting shit for nothing at all. It's always been the teaming up against one person that gets me in some places.

The worst Glaswegian is a mix of your experiences , the loony crackhead who also happens to be drunk and in a bad mood.I will say one thing for us though, we do like to stand our corner if we're in the right (or at least our version of right):rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by miles

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Originally Posted by skel1983

In truth everywhere has bad areas, obviously the major citys have got bigger areas.

Manchester is pretty bad in certain area's Salfords not that bad really, depends on which area of Salford, South Manchester Gorton,Longsight there rough as bears arses.

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To be fair I haven't lived up there in a fair few years. I was younger and a little more wide eyed then, so it certainly seemed very rough and you wouldn't want to hang out in the local pubs too much.

A friend of mine working in local government around there said that apparently the local government has spent a fair bit of cash trying to regenerate parts of Salford, but I haven no idea how accurate this is or what level of success it had.

In all my time living in Salford and Manchester I never got into a single confrontation and that was despite me being a typical student and spending a lot of time in bars. I've been punched on the nose more in Korea and had many more confrontations here. Despite that I still percieve Northern England as far more dangerous. I think perhaps my character has changed somewhat.

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What are you doing in Korea? Seoul? My best friend lives in Seoul. I'm a big fan of the city.

Are the areas described - South London, parts of Manchester, and Glasgow (is that Scotland?) - comparable to US tough? The last time I was in London I was under the impression the more destitute areas were bad in the sense there were crackheads and fistfights, but they weren't horrible. Also, in the states, most of the bad areas in the major west coast and east coast cities although not all (Youngstown, Ohio where KP is from is pretty hard from what I gather), are predominately african american or latino, are the bad areas in the UK predominately one racial group? Mixed? Russian (JOKE - like in Eastern Promises)?

Growing up in LA, I was jumped a dozen or so times, and I lived in a good area, but it was in the middle of the city. It kind of came with the territory that would happen if you know what I mean.

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Originally Posted by JazMerkin

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Originally Posted by Fenster

You make me laugh the way you describe south London - it sounds like Boys in the Hood ;D

In 33 years i've never seen anyone shot, shot at or stabbed to death (know of it but not actually seen it).

Where is the estate you live on in Lewisham?

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I live on Lethbridge. Which bit of South were you from?

I don't find it funny or cool watching people I grew up with going to jail or becoming drug addicts. One of my friends was shot dead in his car just 3 months ago over some stupid shit, so I certainly don't find it at all amusing. I'm not Lefty, I don't think this hard man shit is cool, I think most of the people doing it are just looking for some small, pathetic way to feel important. The problem is these dickheads have taken over as the idols for most of the young boys in the bits, even me when I was 14 & stupid. They have all the nice shit, everyone acts like they're really somebody. There's a lot more decent hard-working people in the area than these fuckers, but we've yet to make someone getting up & working as a postman or a bus driver a desirable job, so kids won't see it that way.

It isn't like Compton or West Baltimore, I certainly don't want to give that impression, I should probably be more specific in some stuff I say, we don't have loads of people just walking along the street shooting each other or pulling drive-bys in broad daylight. The murder rate is barely comparable here to the US thankfully. But, people are still getting killed & it's getting worse. The big problem is drugs, which many people see as the easiest way to money. I'd say 95% of shootings are over drugs or gang wars over drugs. The stabbings are the thing that tend to be over minor issues, like somebody looking at someone wrong or moving to the wrong girl. It's also not like Glasgow where I heard people get stabbed like 85 times.

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Ah right, I know where you mean, big estate. I've just moved after living for ten years up the other end of Lewisham high street near the hospital. I've lived in quite a few different places in London, I'm from Bermondsey.

I don't think you're a bullshitter, gloryfying or a fantasist mate. It's funny how we live in the same place but experience things differently. I don't really know about these youth gangs. The only dealings i've had with them was when they robbed a bar/club I was working in a few years ago (3 times). Thankfully they didn't shoot me or carve me up (;D).

Happen to live in east london which is supposedly populated with drug gangs and of course my beloved football hooligans yet can hand on heart say i or my family have never had a single problem with the area.

you do the odd pikey kid flying around on a scooter and giving you lip while your walking the dog but apart from that its relatively a trouble free zone.


Having followed west ham up and down the country i can hand on heart say the one place in britain i hate to visit is liverpool.

When we play liverpool/everton away its the only 2 times of the year your pretty much told if you take your car and park in and around the stadiums its at your own risk. Dont acknowledge talk to or even make eye contact with the locals. It really is that bad.

I love going to Liverpool, visit my Hubcaps. ;D

Worked in Ilford for 2 years (Seven Kings) which is said to be tough but it's not at all, never had any fuss in London either or Southend where I live (well there was one thing but not a biggie). Had much worse in Bradford and Leeds.

Moss Side is dangerous. Had a mate work down there who went for a piss some place, a public toilet or something.....and a guy put a gun under the cubicle door and demanded keys for his truck lol.

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Originally Posted by Rantcatrat

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Originally Posted by miles

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Originally Posted by skel1983

In truth everywhere has bad areas, obviously the major citys have got bigger areas.

Manchester is pretty bad in certain area's Salfords not that bad really, depends on which area of Salford, South Manchester Gorton,Longsight there rough as bears arses.

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To be fair I haven't lived up there in a fair few years. I was younger and a little more wide eyed then, so it certainly seemed very rough and you wouldn't want to hang out in the local pubs too much.

A friend of mine working in local government around there said that apparently the local government has spent a fair bit of cash trying to regenerate parts of Salford, but I haven no idea how accurate this is or what level of success it had.

In all my time living in Salford and Manchester I never got into a single confrontation and that was despite me being a typical student and spending a lot of time in bars. I've been punched on the nose more in Korea and had many more confrontations here. Despite that I still percieve Northern England as far more dangerous. I think perhaps my character has changed somewhat.

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What are you doing in Korea? Seoul? My best friend lives in Seoul. I'm a big fan of the city.

Are the areas described - South London, parts of Manchester, and Glasgow (is that Scotland?) - comparable to US tough? The last time I was in London I was under the impression the more destitute areas were bad in the sense there were crackheads and fistfights, but they weren't horrible. Also, in the states, most of the bad areas in the major west coast and east coast cities although not all (Youngstown, Ohio where KP is from is pretty hard from what I gather), are predominately african american or latino, are the bad areas in the UK predominately one racial group? Mixed? Russian (JOKE - like in Eastern Promises)?

Growing up in LA, I was jumped a dozen or so times, and I lived in a good area, but it was in the middle of the city. It kind of came with the territory that would happen if you know what I mean.

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I teach English out here. Seoul is alright, but not my cup of tea. There are too many Koreans there! I like to visit every now and then to get certain shopping fixes, but it's too mental for me to live in. It's the same in the UK really, as I would never consider living in London. But London is far less busy than Seoul and doesn't have everybody crammed into high rise project style apartments. London also has a lot more to see IMO. I much prefer smaller cities and towns though, where you learn to navigate and know where everything is.

I find it strange how places develop with all this attitude and toughness. It's one of the reasons I enjoy living where I do. Nobody is ever going to pull a gun on you and the worst you are ever going to get is a dirty look. Even when I went home to England in Harrogate (which is a relatively decent small town) last time out I remember me and some friends pulling up for some petrol and there were these teenagers none of us knew all shouting over "You twats. Do you want to start? Come over here!". We just looked at them and did wanker hand gestures and drove off....but still...where do these pricks come from? And why do they do it? I've never seen that kind of behaviour from kids living out here and they wouldn't dare. But back home they just don't give a shit. It's fucked up.

Not exactly tough stuff, but still pointless and wrong. It's just that if they were conditioned in a rougher area they might be mopre prone to stab you. :-\

As has been mentioned, I lived in east London for a few years, and never really felt truly threatened there, though I was in the University areas (Bow and Mile End). Only fights I got into were of my own making, though the owner of Kennessy fried chicken in Stepney once chased me down the road and hit me with a stick after I pinched one of the baseball caps of the guys working there.

However, there was always stuff in the paper about the estates not half a mile away from where we were (Ocean estate), but apart from some minor gang arguments on open mic rap nights in the local was alright.

I think some of the provincial towns which have lost industries can be much worse than the cities....if a small town loses its main employer, drugs, violence, muggings and robberies just go through the roof. I'd much rather park my car on an estate in the East End than on an estate in Caernarfon.

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Ah right, I know where you mean, big estate. I've just moved after living for ten years up the other end of Lewisham high street near the hospital. I've lived in quite a few different places in London, I'm from Bermondsey.

I don't think you're a bullshitter, gloryfying or a fantasist mate. It's funny how we live in the same place but experience things differently. I don't really know about these youth gangs. The only dealings i've had with them was when they robbed a bar/club I was working in a few years ago (3 times). Thankfully they didn't shoot me or carve me up (;D).

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Yeah, I found that a lot, that people who're a bit older than my generation & younger can live here without ever really seeing what we see. Although tonight was an almost comical take on that as a Yardie bouncer decided to try & mug me of my pick & mix :-\:confused:

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Originally Posted by Rantcatrat

Are the areas described - South London, parts of Manchester, and Glasgow (is that Scotland?) - comparable to US tough? The last time I was in London I was under the impression the more destitute areas were bad in the sense there were crackheads and fistfights, but they weren't horrible. Also, in the states, most of the bad areas in the major west coast and east coast cities although not all (Youngstown, Ohio where KP is from is pretty hard from what I gather), are predominately african american or latino, are the bad areas in the UK predominately one racial group? Mixed? Russian (JOKE - like in Eastern Promises)?

Growing up in LA, I was jumped a dozen or so times, and I lived in a good area, but it was in the middle of the city. It kind of came with the territory that would happen if you know what I mean.

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I think during the last comparative year, which was 2007, those 3 cities, London, Glasgow, Manchester, had roughly similar violent crime levels to somewhere just above New York, but quite a bit below LA, in terms of per capita (so that means the number of murders for every 100,000 people in the city for the simpletons among you). New York was 6, London was about 7 or so, whilst LA was 10. There was a thing in all the papers about London & Glasgow being worse than NY. So it's comparable in that sense, but it simply can't be compared with the worst of your cities like Baltimore, Detroit & St Louis in terms of violence. Those all have murder rates in the 40s.

I hear both NY & LA have improved a lot in the past decade, so it's probably more due to the crime rate falling a lot there, than the UK going up substantially. So like I said it's probably comparable with certainly New York, but not the worst of the places in the US. The only thing with not noticing it is we have far less of a boundary between different classes. Like it says above, Fenster & I live in basically the same area but have very different experiences of the level of violence. Although obviously these areas aren't on any tourist maps or any mainline tube lines, so people who come here largely don't know they exist.

In terms of how they are racially, I think Glasgow is pretty white, although jamie will know better than me, the areas in Manchester are supposed to be quite mixed, but I'm not from there so don't really know. As for this bit of South London, it is a mainly black area, but not exclusively, there's still a lot of white people & other ethnic groups around here. It doesn't seem as ghettoised as American cities appear to us, but Brixton, Peckham & Lewisham are predominantly black.

Oh & Peckham is a horrible shithole. There's a saying among people who live in some of the worst places in South London...

'At least I don't live in Peckham' ;D

Yes Jaz, Glasgow is mostly white and the ehtnic mix has come traditionally from the Asian community (Pakistan,India). It does piss me off a bit when violence that has crossed over between the groups is put down to racism though.

When I was growing up it was more or lett based on territory which is pretty much it worldwide at least as far as gang violence. our estate had a fish and chip shop , the surrounding ones didn't , therefore our shop, now pisss off and don't come here , so lots of fights and full on battles over a bag of chips !!!

Ahh for the good old days :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by jamiebhoy

Yes Jaz, Glasgow is mostly white and the ehtnic mix has come traditionally from the Asian community (Pakistan,India). It does piss me off a bit when violence that has crossed over between the groups is put down to racism though.

When I was growing up it was more or lett based on territory which is pretty much it worldwide at least as far as gang violence. our estate had a fish and chip shop , the surrounding ones didn't , therefore our shop, now pisss off and don't come here , so lots of fights and full on battles over a bag of chips !!!

Ahh for the good old days :rolleyes:

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Does this tie in with Memphis's story about getting stabbed in the neck with a chip shop fork?

I don't go for London being massively rough. I used to live in the midlands and every weekend without fail there would be fights all over the place. I don't see it in London. Sure, I've seen it a few times, but no where near on the scale it was in the midlands.

However, I've seen a few things down in London, shootings etc, to make me think it could be seen as rough.

In Britain, small towns at closing time is where most of the violence happens. It's like a fucking zombie movie. seriously

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Originally Posted by superheavyrhun

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jamiebhoy

Yes Jaz, Glasgow is mostly white and the ehtnic mix has come traditionally from the Asian community (Pakistan,India). It does piss me off a bit when violence that has crossed over between the groups is put down to racism though.

When I was growing up it was more or lett based on territory which is pretty much it worldwide at least as far as gang violence. our estate had a fish and chip shop , the surrounding ones didn't , therefore our shop, now pisss off and don't come here , so lots of fights and full on battles over a bag of chips !!!

Ahh for the good old days :rolleyes:

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Does this tie in with Memphis's story about getting stabbed in the neck with a chip shop fork?

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Never heard of a posh place that had cuttlery before ! isn't that why God gave us fingers, for fish and chips......