Safety After Hours

[tld221]

I've mentioned before on GC how i've gotten increasingly paranoid about walking the streets in my neighborhood. Shootings (and other sorts of violence) are pretty common around these (and other neighborhoods i've lived in) parts but now it affects how I move about my day.

Last night, as I was leaving a party (in another "dangerous" neighborhood), I was deathly afraid walking the half-block to my friend's car, thinking a shootout would break out any second. This coming from someone who has no qualms taking the bus or subway late-night, or doing errands outdoors late-night (ie. running to the drugstore, doing laundry).

On a related note, one of the people the party was for decided not to show, because as he was leaving his house, he saw someone get shot in the middle of a drug raid. He, not being from the area, was so shaken by the situation that he stayed home. I also have friends who will (for example) not take the subway after 10pm (and opt for a cab or stay at a friend's) and generally don't go out/travel at night.

All this to say, how do you regard your safety, especially after hours? Do you set limits on how late you travel? Alone vs. in a group? Refuse to ride public transit alone (or at all)? Don't drive alone in certain areas/highways?

I suppose you could never be too safe, but where do you draw the line? Is it a matter of getting older? Because I've grown up in the midst of this kind of stuff but never really bothered me until now.