Unsafe suburbs?

cholle · November 2014

I was just wondering: when people say that a certain suburb is unsafe, is it really dangerous to live there, or are they just exagerrating?

Of course common sense dictates that as with any city in the world, you really shouldn't be putting yourself in a situation that you know will put you in danger, e.g. walk alone in dark alleys at night, flaunt valuables, leave your bags unattended, etc. But other than doing those precautionary measures, is it actually possible for these "unsafe" suburbs to be relatively safe for us to live in?

I currently work in Strathfield and I'm currently looking for a place since I've been living in Blacktown with my cousin and I find the commute a bit too long. Many of the suburbs near Strathfield - especially the ones with more affordable rentals - are deemed to be unsafe: Lakemba, Punchbowl, Bankstown, Auburn, Ashfield. Then there's also other suburbs like Blacktown, Mt Druitt, and Redfern that have quite a bad reputation. Mostly crimes to property lang daw like robbery and vandalism (which is still annoying) but there have been a few cases of crimes to persons like rape, mugging, people beating random people up, etc.

Pero iniisip ko rin kasi, sino ba ang nagsasabing "unsafe" yang mga lugar na yan? I was telling my colleagues earlier today that I was going to view a place in Punchbowl, and they were all like, "NOOOOO!" "Do you have a bulletproof vest?!" "Do you have a death wish?" Stuff like that. Well, they were all white females.

But I mean, is it really that bad???

P.S. It's kind of sad when I think about how I used to live in Singapore and it was so safe that even in the so-called unsafe areas there I never feared for my safety. I lived in Little India for 1.5 years and I've had colleagues who were "impressed" that I could live there because they think it's a dangerous place. It really isn't. I could walk down any street in Little India at any time and not fear that someone will mug me or harrass me. Naglalakad nga ako ng mga 2-3am doon na maraming bitbit pero kebs lang ang mga pana na nakatambay sa damuhan haha. Live and let live lang sila.

Now it somehow feels I've taken a step backward in terms of security having moved here. Di na pwede yung naglalakad ka sa kalye na nakalabas ang cellphone, dapat mas mindful na kase maraming medyo siraulo, etc.

kremitz · November 2014

Curios din ako to know which suburbs ba ang ok to live na reasonable naman ang rent. Nagchcheck kasi ako online kaso pag maynakita naman akong mura lang lagi sinasabi ng hubby ko hindi daw safe jan.kesyo may namatay o may news etc bout sa suburb na yun. Eh sabi ko naman dito naman sa pilipinas normal n yang mga crimes etc hehe

TasBurrfoot · November 2014

@cholle - big adjustments nga for us who has lived in Singapore...

But then again you will get use to it. A bit of common sense will go a long way in keeping you safe!

Gone are the days na kung gutom ako at 2AM; aalis ako ng bahay at maglakad papunta sa 24H McDo sa may AngMoKio Hub...

cholle · November 2014

@kremitz Totoo nga -- kung laking Maynila ka alam mong meron talagang mga delikadong lugar. Pero ang safety net kasi natin kahit papano lokal tayo eh, we know the language, alam natin kung saan tatakbo for help, etc. Dito kasi medyo iba. May mga suburbs na kilala pala talaga as gang-capitals of Sydney, well sabi nila dati lang naman daw yun pero mukhang naglilinger ang reputation. Hence mura ang properties (kaya dun din ako tumitingin ngayon hehe)

@TasBurrfoot Diba? Di ka masyadong magdadalawang isip lumabas ng alanganin na oras noon

TasBurrfoot · November 2014

@cholle - i could go on and on about safety in Singapore but nevermind! Ehehehe...

It is one of the 3 thing that I missed in Singapore (the others being the delicious food and the convenience/affordability to travel within Asia and Europe)...

But Australia is home now so ayun!!

vhoythoy · November 2014

@cholle - i could go on and on about safety in Singapore but nevermind! Ehehehe... It is one of the 3 thing that I missed in Singapore (the others being the delicious food and the convenience/affordability to travel within Asia and Europe)...

But Australia is home now so ayun!!

Sa liit kasi ng singapore huli agad kapag may luko2. Lahat may ic at fingerprint. bilis pa mag respond mga lespu na kahit mukhang mga rotc students lang kahit sa maiingay na kapitbahay hehehe. If may serious crimes man sa singapore kadalasan dahil sa matinding selos (mag jowa). One time i went and report a missing wallet sa yewtee police station, and very impressive. ganda ng station and mababait mga police dami pa awards na nakapaskil hehe.

Foods were great hehe. You will enjoy the new laupasat kapag bumalik ka. One funny thing nung nag Melbourne nga ako, dami ko binili na mga chocolates (tamtam, etc.) at dairies kasi sobrang sarap2 na ako. Problema pa paano pagkakasyahin sa maleta. then one time nag-grocery ako sa ntuc fairprice at tumingin2, nandun din pala halos ung mga yun. hindi lang talaga ako nagspend ng time tumingin hahaha

kremitz · November 2014

@cholle parang mga bankstown and inner west yung mura kaso pakistani ata o lebanese yung karamihan ng tao dun hehe hubby ko nsa west ryde ngayon. So far ok nmn daw:)

wizardofOz · November 2014

@cholle akala ko maraming pinoy sa Blacktown?

@TasBurrfoot mahilig ka mag-midnight snack ng McDo

cholle · November 2014

I started watching Once Upon a Time in Punchbowl:

They have a series too for Cabramatta where all the Vietnamese gangs are naman.

I also came across this article which basically says Punchbowl was bad news especially in the 80s-90s. I don't know how much of it has changed today.

@vhoythoy @TasBurrfoot Agree re: food in Singapore. Tumaba ako sa Sg hehe. I noticed though that there are a lot more healthier dining options here in Oz so that's good.

@wizardofOz Yup marami ngang Pinoy but it doesn't change the image that it's a dangerous place daw. At least we're not the troublemakers. Even the Pinoys are here will tell you wag magpaabot ng dilim sa station at sa daan. Hirap tuloy gumimik sa gabi hehe halos avoid na lang

legato09 · November 2014

Siguro ang basis is yung crime rate, at sino yung laging nasa news. Pero kung madami na kayo kakilala Pinoy sa Sydney, mapapansin nyo di na wawalan ng pinoy dun sa mga lugar na nabanggit.

Nagtataka din ako, sinasabi nila magulo pero kung titirnan mo ang dami bahay and ang dami nakatira, nawalan nalang kaya sila ng option kaya nanirahan dun??? Or nasanay lang tayo sa gulo sa Pinas (hindi ako galit sa Pinas, nagbibigay halimbawa lang), na pagdating dito eh para sa kanila magulo na pero sa atin eh normal pa kasi mas magulo sa Pinas.

Napansin ko lang din, dun sa mga magugulong lugar na nabanggit, madalang ang puti na nakatira, mostly ibang lahi. Yun siguro ang dahilan kaya nasabing magulo sya.

Siguro kung titira ka sa mga lugar na yan, make sure malapit ka sa police station ;-)

JCsantos · November 2014

Siguro kung titira ka sa mga lugar na yan, make sure malapit ka sa police station ;-)

Not a gurantee, sa akin be sure you are far away from the busy spots yung tipong malapit sa train station, malapit sa mall, malapit sa park, ... i mean malayo ka sa mga ganyan establishment

yung property namin sa merrylands kahit na one block away from the police station nanakawan na ng water heater, plumbing supplies , me nag iwan ng carnap na sasakyan sa basement, tambay na durugista, mga nagbebenta ng drugs sa loob ng garage at the most terrifiying is nag sunog ng kotse sa basement that left us stay in a hotel for 2 weeks

if I were you I will listen pag sinabi nilang un-safe , not worth the risk although wala namang safe na place pero normally locals know it

engr_boy · November 2014

concern ko din yan safety. having lived in Sg for 6 years. Yishun and Woodlands, wala ngang katakot-takot na mag-midnight snack. May malapit na 24 hours hawker hehe. Ngayon sa Perth, dun sa kabilang side ng neighborhood namin. sabi nila medyo magulo daw. kaya di na ako nagbabasketball dun nun nalaman ko haha.

Nag-check ako ng crime maps ng WA (Perth in particular). Check ko din yung crime reports ng Sg. Very scarce yung maps but police data was plentiful. you can draw your own conclusions from these links.

http://www.police.wa.gov.au/Aboutus/Statistics/Crimestatistics/tabid/1219/Default.aspx

http://www.police.gov.sg/img/stats/midyearcrimebrief2014.pdf?_ga=1.154011504.954757530.1415516832

mhej · November 2014

I think overall, based on my observation, big factor is what the drivers for crime are that spell the difference in how dangerous a place can be. Like sa atin sa Pilipinas, crime is rampant primarily because of poverty. Dito, crime is driven by drugs or just because. Yung tipong, wala lang talagang magawa at gustong manggulo, or mentally unstable kaya naghahasik ng lagim.

Sa Pilipinas, nakawan lang. Napapatay ka lang kung lumaban ka kapag nanakawan ka. Pero dito, you can get killed pero wala namang nawala sayo. Napagtripan ka lang.

I haven't heard of any big news yet, but I also presume there is a concern around hate/race crimes in Sydney given that we are living in a multi-cultural society.

It's up to us to ensure our safety. So I agree with what most folks say. When the locals say it's dangerous in a certain suburb, believe them regardless of how familiar you are with crime back home in the Philippines.

multitasking · November 2014

@kremitz Ryde is a nice place.. we are renting a two bedroom apartment for 380 a week... Isang tumbling lang nasa Top Ryde mall na..

In terms of safety.... I've been in the area for more than a year now.. ala naman naging problem...di nakakatakot maglakad kahit na medyo late sa gabi.. :-*

kremitz · November 2014

@multitasking onga po maganda daw sabi n hubby

kaya most likely jan din kami maghahanap ng apartment next year pagdating namen n baby

cholle · November 2014

@multitasking @kremitz Yup, I might consider Ryde na rin. Yung problema ko rin kase hirap maghanap ng pet friendly rental hehe. Sana makakuha na ako soon sa magandang lugar

vhoythoy · November 2014

@multitasking @kremitz Yup, I might consider Ryde na rin. Yung problema ko rin kase hirap maghanap ng pet friendly rental hehe. Sana makakuha na ako soon sa magandang lugar

Di ba maganda sa blacktown. marami daw pinoy dun

kremitz · November 2014

@cholle sa west ryde actually hubby ko. Yun yung may train station kc hehe

wizardofOz · November 2014

How about sa Paramatta.. maganda ba doon?

Dami ko napapanood sa Youtube na promotional campaign para dun manirahan and mag-work

JCsantos · November 2014

How about sa Paramatta.. maganda ba doon?

Dami ko napapanood sa Youtube na promotional campaign para dun manirahan and mag-work

Its a little bit expensive

cholle · November 2014

@vhoythoy I'm currently staying in Blacktown. Nah I don't like it here so much. Masyadong malayo na for me.

@wizardofOz medyo okay lang siguro Parramatta

Pero ang preference ko talaga is Inner West, East, or Lower North Shore. Ideally near parks para masaya si doggy hehe

vhoythoy · November 2014

How about sa Paramatta.. maganda ba doon?

Dami ko napapanood sa Youtube na promotional campaign para dun manirahan and mag-work
Its a little bit expensive

mukhang maganda nga sa paramatta na check ko sa youtube.

cholle · November 2014

Ang tingin ko kasi sa Parramatta parang Jurong East hehe. Don't want to live there but yeah it's convenient.

wizardofOz · November 2014

@cholle may doggy ka

saan galing doggy mo, sa Oz mo na binili.. hindi kasi allowed kapag galing pinas ang pets diba?

vhoythoy · November 2014

Ang tingin ko kasi sa Parramatta parang Jurong East hehe. Don't want to live there but yeah it's convenient.

Ah ok. Convenient pero medyo malayo layo sa city. Pero laking improvement ng jurong east ngaun after magbukas n west gate at jem. Hehehe

cholle · November 2014

@vhoythoy yup, exactly!

@wizardofOz my dog is from Singapore, category 2 country siya which means she's allowed subject to at least ten days in quarantine

JCsantos · November 2014

Parramatta is said to be the next sydney cbd, kung makabili kayo ng property dun sigurado magandang investment

I mean nsw state government is grooming parramatta as the next big thing in nsw, next to sydney marami na ring work oppurtunity sa parramatta

kulitong · November 2014

how about sa hurstville? ok po b doon? thanks!

cholle · November 2014

Parramatta is said to be the next sydney cbd, kung makabili kayo ng property dun sigurado magandang investment

I mean nsw state government is grooming parramatta as the next big thing in nsw, next to sydney marami na ring work oppurtunity sa parramatta

Yup, coupled with the second airport to be built in the west, Parramatta does look like it's set to be the second CBD.

Still don't want to rent there for now hehe

cholle · November 2014

Sooo after all the talk of certain places being unsafe, I eventually ended up renting in the ghetto - at Punchbowl! Going to try the place for 6 months - balitaan ko kayo kung buhay pa ako after nun! Hehe

vhoythoy · November 2014

Sooo after all the talk of certain places being unsafe, I eventually ended up renting in the ghetto - at Punchbowl! Going to try the place for 6 months - balitaan ko kayo kung buhay pa ako after nun! Hehe

Ayos yan! Goodluck hehe. Wala lang yan, kung talagang malas ka kahit nasaan ka pa same din. Pero ganda ng name punchbowl hehehe