I made a big, long rambling post in the thread about a particular instance of safety in Paris. This thread here.
My aim was to try to give some tips for sketchy areas in big cities. Many here are experienced in cities, but some folks come from more rural or suburban areas, coming into contact with city life at proper street level in Europe. I'll paste in what I wrote earlier here to see if anyone feels it's worth talking about.
It would be interesting if anyone wants to tell me I'm right or wrong about any of this stuff, or have your own thoughts and additions. I am quite interested in the differences between your experiences of North American cities and European cities. Is there anyone who grew up in a small town and stayed there until venturing to a big European city?
Would like to hear any anecdotes of being a bit sketched out in Europe and how you deal with it.
In general, I think the inner cities in Europe are a bit different to the US. Even if there's crackheads and graffiti, it doesn't necessarily follow that one is in immediate danger.
There's a few people with drug problems around my neighbourhood, even though it's a gentrified mix these days. Facts are that you need to be really desperate, or plain nuts to start with, if you're going to think about robbing passers by with threats. The majority of people are just trying to get along with life, even if they have got a drug problem. Very few people are at the stage of robbing or assaulting strangers, even if they are obviously too high in public.
If there are groups of men around, don't look, don't stare. Really do mind your own business. If anyone says anything, or shouts once you've passed, don't react. If there is street drug dealing or prostitution around, try not to catch anyone's eye. Again though, even if you obviously see it, you're not going to be beaten up by someone selling drugs. That would be bad for business.
I've got no problem saying a firm "no" to people if they ask for money. Sometimes blanking them is ok, but generally saying no is better. I've had someone say to me that being ignored is the worst feeling. In Europe, it's unlikely to lead to threats, but be ready to walk away. [edit: keep walking. Don't stop for people in the street out of politeness]
I've no problem stopping people mid-story and telling them I'm not giving them any money if I do happen to be engaged in some way. If the story includes "I've just got out of jail" that's a sign of bad things to come. I've heard that twice in situations that got a bit hairy. There used to be two "brothers". I'd see in Glasgow city centre every Friday. They'd always lost their bus fare and needed to get home. People's stories in the street are sometimes made up. On the other hand, there's a guy I see locally who I've known for over a decade I give money to sometimes. He's got a drug habit, which we've talked about, and looks to me like he's suffering from a motor-related disease aside from that. You just need to accept that 99% of the time that money you give to people in the street is going to drugs. It's just how it is.
This isn't Paris specific. Brussels Midi Station came up in another thread recently. I'd say folks should visit Brixton or Peckham if they're in London, but they both have a real rough side. It's usually folk that involved in a different sort of lifestyle, through choice or luck, that are most at risk. When you go into the big European cities I really don't think there's the same threat of violence that you'd think of in Downtown LA or Kensington in Philly.*