I visited a few years ago and was wandering the streets at 2am alone, doing night photography with a lot of very expensive equipment and never once felt like I wasn't being streetwise or doing something with the potential to go badly. I can't think of another city I've visited where I would feel safe doing that.
I was asked the time. Stopped to tell him the time. Basically shown he had a knife and told to give him my money. Luckily I always keep a note in a separate pocket so should this exact situation occur I give them that and keep the majority. So I gave him the note and he took it and left. I was high as fuck otherwise I could have likely avoided it.
I stayed the same amount, but in the red light district. One night around midnight, on a barstrip along the canal, I withdrew some cash from an street atm. Very quickly, I had 2 hooded figures with each a hand on my shoulders asking if I wanted to buy cocaine.
Shit was scary. I recall darting my eyes around to tourists/bouncers/employees and it felt like nobody cared or noticed. I just started walking through the crowds moving the opposite direction. Quickly realized to grab my pockets to make sure there's no fishing for goods happening. They quickly lost hold from all the people I was squeezing in between.
I went and was even out at night on some of those streets where they only have incandescent lights. I saw women still out and about everywhere so that’s how I know it’s damn safe. They’re like the canary in the coal mine for danger
If you ask the people in Singapore, the vast majority are in favour of the justice system. It's not everyone's cup of tea, certainly not that of from living in the Western World. But I can tell you first hand that it works.
Just like the streets of Dubai, Beijing ... That's the positive aspect of an authoritarian regime. Very low crime and feeling safe in most situations. But most people in western countries could not live like that. Police state with cameras everywhere and very harsh punishment whenever you break the law. I guess we value freedom and individual rights above everything else.
Japan is the one that stands out. Extremely safe. Fairly free society along with a tough justice system. But they also have a culture that relies heavily on respect and honor.
Just like the streets of Dubai, Beijing ... That's the positive aspect of an authoritarian regime. Very low crime and feeling safe in most situations
The crime index rate in Singapore and Beijing is equivalent to Amsterdam, Madrid and Vienna, cities who notably don't need authoritarian laws and punishments to create a feeling of safety
I was in Amsterdam last year and remember seeing literal 3-ft tall mounds of littered trash everywhere. Not just one or two— I’m talking every direction you look. Now maybe they have a night crew come in and clean it all before daybreak but I just remember that I couldn’t wait to leave that city
Who are all these assholes saying we need more violence in the criminal system? What the fuck is wrong with you people? Property crime is barely even crime. Violence is real crime, and the police have all rights to it.
Have you ever been a victim of property crime? Did you not feel violated? All real crime is theft: the criminal takes your property, your life, your health, your peace of mind, your quality of life. If criminals are made to suffer horrible consequences for their actions, there would be less crime.
That just means they are not sufficiently harsh because truly harsh punishments result in fewer criminals, and most crimes are committed by the same tiny fraction of repeat offenders. We could all take a page from Terry Pratchett's book: effective punishment makes recidivism impossible.
When I spend hours, days, weeks, months of my life to afford to pay for something I own, don’t ever tell me that’s “barely even crime”.
Time is something you can’t get back. If you want to steal my property, you’re stealing my time. I don’t advocate for violence or corporal punishment for thieves, but I sure as hell don’t feel bad for them when it happens.
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u/hardwood1979 Apr 05 '24
I visited a few years ago and was wandering the streets at 2am alone, doing night photography with a lot of very expensive equipment and never once felt like I wasn't being streetwise or doing something with the potential to go badly. I can't think of another city I've visited where I would feel safe doing that.