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Q: Personal safety. Compare the city where you live in China to the city where you lived at home.
The United States government travel advisory says that as a rule, Chinese cities are by far some of the safest, at least in terms of violent crime, robberies, etc., etc. Please compare the city where you live now to the city where you came from. Has this been true in your experience?
12 years 12 weeks ago in Health & Safety - China
Actually, there is no reason for me to answer this question, as you will provide a list soon with all the relevant data by way of comparison, in the original languages (which only you will be able to read), and then, as you launch into your personal experience in dozens of cosmopolitan captials around the globe, you will undoutably produce fact after fact exclaiming how China is indeed, the saftest country in the world, while at the same time insinuating the dangers of every other global country and city!
And see, I stayed on topic the whole time. Let's do it again sometime soon. Oh, and "you're welcome."
981977405:
Do you mean "undoubtedly"? Is that the word that you were attempting to spell?
giadrosich:
No, it's my own secret language, one of the many that I'm fluent in.
Since I've been here, 4 of my colleagues have had their wallets stolen. Some even on pay day, meaning all their wages have vanished for the month. So, yes, in terms of pickpocketing, China is a cut above my home city.
981977405:
Urumqui has a reputation for being a not safe city in terms of petty crime and frankly given what has happened there the past two years, I don't understand why any foreigner would place such a risk upon himself or herself by even going there.
yian:
To that, I shall only reply that life is more interesting in places tinged with a heavy aura of ignorance based on fear and 'terrorist' rhetoric.
yian:
Additionally, let's not forget that violent protests occur all over the world from time to time. Would you have suggested not visiting certain parts of America during the Civil Rights era? Pure cowardice.
Well, in all the time I lived in my hometown, there was one unarmed convenience store robbery, and the perpetrator was a sixteen year old who was caught within about half an hour. The clerk recognized his jacket and the boy was rooted by word of mouth. My town didn't actually have police, they had to drive in from a larger town about forty minutes away. That town, itself, had less than ten police officers.
I am currently in one of the most developed cities in China, and pickpocketing is a very common occurance. Breaking and entering is a common occurance, annually numbering in the thousands, and the was a even a rash of computer and purse thefts where I work.
Compared to my hometown, this Chinese city is Babylon.
By the by, I was in Shanghai just now, and every store and window in the south part of the city had a reward sign (100, 000 yuan for information leading to the arrest) posted for a man who had commited multiple murders by gun in Nanjing, and who was last seen in that area.
981977405:
True enough I suppose but one can hardly compare Cranbrook, British Columbia, population 18,000 to Shanghai, China (25 million?). Thank you for your observations and response to the question, however.
kchur:
I'm not from Cranbrook. That's a good 3-4 hour drive from my town. Per capita - which is to say incidences of violent crime per thousand people - Shanghai's violent crime rate is much higher.
For the most part, I feel safer in China than I do back home. UNLESS I am crossing the street...
Well, I guess there is more crime, since I stay in a city in China, and I didn't live in a city back in America. However, I haven't experienced any crime myself, so I consider myself lucky.
This place is far more dangerous than people think. Crime isn't reported in the media, so it isn't on your mind. But, I know at least 5 people who have been physically assaulted in muggings here in China. I never knew ONE person who had such an experience back home. Rape is out of control here too. I am scared to death of my wife walking the streets at night.
My friend was in hospital for an injured friend when an unconcious girl was brought into the hospital. She'd been beaten, raped and thrown into the river. Later that night, while her friend was being treated she went out for a smoke and the doctor was there too on a break. She asked him about the rape and what the police would do. He said, dead seriously, "This happens so much, we don't even call the police."
981977405:
What you write is anecdotal, nothing more, nothing less. Please provide statistics from a reliable, neutral source to back up your claims here.
Ammia:
I personally feel safer here than I do back in the States or Canada (walking in the streets late at night), but that could just be because I either don't hear about these issues on the news or don't know anyone who's personally witnessed or experienced this. I'm nevertheless inclined to believe nevermind. Don't see how it would be in his interest to lie about such things. And the doctor's reaction is really frightening.
nevermind:
Oh B*LLSH1T. Everything you write is anecdotal because China doesn't report crime or crime stats in its media. And you ASKED for my experience, I gave it to you I answered your question exactly how you wanted me to.And, I would like to point out that I have been the victim of crime twice in 24 hours now. Both by taxis. One guy slipping me a fake note and just on my way home now some guy tried to pull the "I forgot to turn the meter off scam" but I caught it in time.
The only stories of crimes here you ever hear are from word of mouth.
THAT is what scares me the most about China. For all we know China could be the crime capital of the world but we will NEVER find out because 99.99999% of crime here is not reported.
Better to keep the Chinese people afraid of the big bad USA, and not the truth about their own country.
Look what Canada's travel advisory says
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=55000
"Canadians in China should exercise a high degree of caution at all times. Isolated acts of violence, including bombings and protests have occurred."
981977405:
And this is what it says for the United States: (the Canadian Government says, that is) Criminal occurrences are frequent in many U.S. cities, and tourists may be targeted. Canadians should exercise normal security precautions.
And the same report by Canadians for Great Britain:
Canadians should exercise caution, maintain a high level of personal security awareness at all times and in all places, and monitor local media for the latest information on threats to security.
nevermind:
Well: a " high degree of caution at all times." Sounds a damn site worse than "normal security precautions" doesn't it? And the one about the UK is in the wake of their riots.
Besides we're talking about China. Could you please stay on topic.
maybe statistically china cities are by far some of the safest- but why am I more cautious and self aware of the surroundings here?!? it is true a lot of petty crime that happens are not reported..
In my case, the big bad interwebz says nothing good about my city, but I feel quite safe. I'm rarely alone, though.
(981 - the claim you make in your question of today - that foreigners are jealous of China's economic 'ascendance' - is equally unproven! In any case, surely an anonymous forum is an appropriate place for empirical evidence, based on human responses, to be given.)
