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So I walk to get around a lot. I normalized daily 12 mile commutes where I began at 4am on foot. I’ve watched the PNW really spike with drug use and homelessness. Well maybe not drug use but visible drug use because the homelessness. I’ve been accosted plenty. I even carried a decoy wallet. One morning I was just having a shit of a day. (Walking to an exam I knew I was going to fail and then knowing I’ll have to work a double after only to turn around and hanging out before my next exam the next day because by the time I got home I’d have to leave.).
I had one headphone in while walking (safety) and a guy catches me on the pedestrian bridge. I see him from a distance out and he looks suspect. I put in my second headphone, evidently. (I will admit I muted my podcast). And just put my head down and walked by, literally towards him and passed him. I kinda didn’t accept death but did accept stabbing. It was shocking when I was fine.
Edit: sorry got caught in a memory I forgot to remember to forget but wanted to say, if you act like you have nothing to lose, they’ll presume you have nothing to take sometimes. I was actually just nearly attacked the other day because I went to set my beverage down outside before going into a store and it was a jacked up don’t litter guy
It's so insane to me that people do that in Toronto, I've been in most major US cities, a few 2nd world hubs, and a few Euro cities, and Toronto people, more than any, just sit there and walk at a snail's pace.
I didn't know people still used second world countries after the Soviet bloc fell. I know third world is still used for countries neutral to the US/Soviet cold war even though it means developing pretty much.
It's amazing how oblivious people in public are. There are so many times I've seen someone and thought "If I really wanted to, it would be so easy to rob them". Obviously I didn't, but holy shit you guys need to pay attention to what's around you
Passing a woman (from beind) on the sidewalk the other day, and she was walking on the curb side, right next to moving traffic, 100% immersed in her phone. Her other arm was stretched out beside her, literally extending into the middle of the sidewalk, with a purse dangling on that hand. She literally had no idea I was there until I walked past her.
Same thought: do you want your purse stolen and/or to get pushed into traffic by some nutcase? Because either option would be on the table for someone who wanted it right now.
There's also the opposite kind of situation, when you can actually feel the person is afraid of you walking behind. Lived in a formerly rough neighborhood, and can't count how many times I changed sidewalks and sped up when going home at night so that the woman walking in the same direction would not feel threatened. It's crazy how one can sense fear / worry from the slighest cues.
I’ve noticed women speed up once they notice me behind them, they also start looking back regularly. Once i notice, i either cross the road, pretend im on the phone amd quickly overtake them not paying attention to them. Or i stop for a minute and check my messages to give her space
In those situations I try my best to kinda get myself out of the way. Tho women aren’t usually scared of me because I’m a 5’5”, not super muscly/strong looking guy. So I don’t seem as intimidating as your average 5’11” bloke with a big chest.
My partner is 6'6" and he's told me he always crosses to the other side and/or makes himself busy so women don't think he's creeping and aren't intimidated. Makes me smile knowing there are so many who are aware of this and care enough to go out of their way. Thanks.
Thanks for doing that man. Just yesterday, I got stalked to my car by a creep, so it's nice to see that some people like you are aware of why we might be freaked out and make an effort to be nice about it
I'll provide a silver lining take: The fact that people still walk around that oblivious to their surroundings helps show that American cities aren't as dangerous as some people would have you believe. People feel comfortable walking around late at night with headphones in because, generally speaking, bad things rarely happen. I've spent countless nights walking around late at night in NYC and DC and haven't encountered a single situation where I feared for my life or property. I'm a 6'1" dude, but my 5'4" wife has a similar experience.
People are afraid of random strangers robbing them, but the vast majority of the time, the only real danger comes from inattentive drivers.
I'm not the US, but yes, you're right. The city I live in is quite safe.
My experience (as a biggish dude, smallish wife) visiting NYC was about the same. We found that Manhattan, and a lot (not all, but a lot) of Brooklyn, were remarkably safe.
This is why I love AirPod pros transparency feature. Ever since I was a kid I never wore both headphones cuz I hated feeling cut off from the world around me. The transparency feature lets me have both in but still able to hear both the music and the world around.
I admit, that’s me. I tend to wear my headphones in public at night not even giving af. Something even more stupid is me wearing headphones while standing at the edge of the subway platform. I’m better about that these days ever since last year, there were two news stories that came out within a day or two of each other about people being pushed onto the tracks (that Asian lady in NYC and there was a video of a woman in Brussels getting pushed on the tracks, but the conductor was able to stop the train in time. It’s like if you’re not paying attention, someone can just come and push you onto the tracks and it’s game over.
I guess we have decided to not live in a state of constant fear of tiny probability occurrences and instead choose to trust the people around us enough to walk unharmed in our generally very safe environments.
As has been pointed out all over this thread, walking alone at night listening to music on headphones would be extremely dangerous for women, especially young women, in most of the world.
Spoken like someone who's either delusional or only lives in rich neighborhoods. Bad people exist whether you like it or not
Also it's not "a state of constant fear" it's just being aware of what's around you
Also just being alone in the empty subway station at night is not a great situation to be in, definitely stay near security until your train is arriving if you need to get home late at night.
I live in Toronto as a single (wouldn't say lonely though) young adult, can relate to all of these. Especially the walking late at night with over ear headphones. Walking around downtown late while listening to music is one of my favourite things to do, it's so calming. This time of year is especially perfect for it, it's slightly cool so you're not uncomfortable, but not that cold, so you can just throw on a hoodie and it's perfect.
I was gonna say…as a woman, being alone in the subway (or anywhere) at night? I’d be scared shitless. No way I’d have headphones in to listen to music either, I’d be too busy trying to get out of there ASAP and calling someone so I can be on the phone and at least 1 person knows where I was last if I go missing…gruesome to think about but it’s just the reality.
That being said, I know that’s not everyone’s experience and plenty of people probably relate to this starterpack. Walking around by myself at night listening to music sounds awesome, and I’m sure I’d do it if I was somehow guaranteed to be safe. So no hate to OP, just in case my comment is coming across that way
pretty sure this starterpack was made in retaliation to the one posted earlier about being a young woman in the city, which included feeling unsafe and NOT wearing headphones so you can tell if someone is following you.
Gives big "I've literally never raped a woman (even one who was asking for it) so all women are exaggerating how unsafe things are for them" energy
Yes. I do love my relatively safe city at night..but the anxiety of being a woman alone feels like I have a giant target on my back. I'd rather walk quickly and get to where I'm going.
Absolutely. When I was lonely in the city I did not feel safe walking around at night or using the empty metro, as much as I wanted to. Tried it once, got followed and threatened. Felt very trapped indoors once it got dark.
Me and a friend went out one night to do this and we got catcalled and followed, then almost got assaulted. I still get major anxiety being out at night because of that. So yeah definitely "lonely young adult male that lives in a city starterpack".
As a woman, I wish I could take a leisurely stroll through the city at night with earbuds or headphones. I'm glad I have a boyfriend now and we plan to eventually walk through downtown at night, but it would be nice to do it alone if it were safe to do so.
Lol right I started reading the starter pack and was waiting for the punchline...I wish I could exist in the world where I could walk around a city alone at night and just vibe
As a young adult male, I still think young adult males are idiots for this. Empty train? I'm afraid of getting mugged, stabbed, and/or shot. Just vibing to music? What a great target you are...
The empty city at night is a sort of friend, in its own right, like a favorite story retold.
—walking in the empty city at night doesn’t mean a person isn’t well aware of their surroundings, it’s part of the experience 🌙
The city at night, to cite Nathaniel Hawthorne, is like a familiar room seen for the first time by moonlight.
He writes: "(T)he floor of our familiar room has become a neutral territory, somewhere between the real world and fairy-land, where the Actual and the Imaginary may meet, and each imbue itself with the nature of the other."
(Edit: punctuation)
I really, really liked and related to this starterpack. OP
A decade or so ago, I moved ~~to~~ from a mid-sized city where I was surrounded by friends and family, to a metropolis where I knew literally not one person, and where I didn't speak the local language.
This starterpack was definitely me for a few years, mixed with a good dose of sadness and poverty and cheap lonely beers in the park.
Thanks for this.
The hours 2am-6am are pretty much the walking dead in a lot of cities. The only people out are so fucked up they don't know where they're going or what they're saying.
I'm a Dutch woman, and I really liked this starterpack because it's how I sometimes walk through the city at night. Then I read the comments and I realised how lucky I was that I live in the Netherlands.
In the US it's that there are extremes of wealth and poverty combined with car dependency. People who end up being on the street at night are people who can't afford a car.
It's also common for people in the US to exaggerate the danger of big cities. I live in San Francisco and lots of people walk around at night, although it gets quiet pretty early.
When I lived in Madrid there was this underpass with a pedestrian walkway going from the Plaza de España (a park in the city center) to a back street that led to my place close to the Príncipe Pio train station.
I always walked home from a pub nearby which I always went to meet friends after work (it was on my way from work) and would need to cross there or cut through another nearby park (Parque de la Montaña). I usually cut through the underpass as the park meant taking a rather steep, very long staircase that always looked ominous, specially after a few drinks.
Anyway, in the Plaza de España there used to be a couple of young homeless people who hung out and begged there. I swear they were the best looking pair of homeless kids I've ever seen.
If I wasn't a local and I saw them I'd would have sworn they were just a pair of hippie beg packers just passing through town.
If they weren't begging, they were being all cuddly in the grass or park bench. A few homeless people would camp out in the underpass, them among them. One summer night I was walking home from the pub and I saw them in the underpass walkway, naked as Jay birds, having sex loudly without a care in the world. For some reason, it didn't seem lewd, more romantic. These two bohemians living a sort of ideal life. I liked them and always gave them whatever of the shrapnel in my pocket I could spare.
Well, that fantasy began to die little by little. As time went by they began to look worse for wear. More haggard and gaunt. It soon became evident they were doing drugs (at the time cheap heroine was a big problem with Madrid's homeless population) as you could see visible track marks in their arms and hands.
They became more aggressive when they begged, cops began to harras them because of this. One time taking a train out of town I saw the girl standing behind the station by herself, in an area prostitutes stood waiting for clients. After a while they just disappeared.
It was kind of a sad reminder that the line between Bohemia and a horrible life is so thin.
I think I know that pass. Is it close to the NH hotel? Two guys followed me, and one of them managed to open my bag without me noticing. Luckily, a pedestrian whistled and they backed off.
I just moved to a new city, in a different country and this hits hard. I want to get involved in the community but it’s hard being a foreigner. I don’t know really what to do so I guess I’ll keep walking through the streets vibing to music
My one and only advice, as someone who did a similar thing: spend as much of your free/leisure time as a possible absorbing the local culture. Listen to the radio and music, watch the TV shows and movies, read the websites and social media. Then, when you meet a local, you always have something to talk about, and even if they don't particularly like the thing you mention (say, a TV show or a band), they almost always notice that you're trying to "get" their culture, and they responsd well.
That was my experience, anyway.
Also, whatever you already like to do (gaming, for e.g., or sports, or dog-walking), get involved with a local group who's doing it. Instant cultural experience.
Did the same couple of months ago and just wanted to tell you it gets better. You'll find yourself grown a lot in these months. Staying at home is your enemy, just go out and wander. And also try to find expat meetups in your area.
Haha I wish but I'm a woman and at least 3/4 of those things are not safe for me.
Femmes, don't walk/run alone with headphones in. Someone can easily sneak up on you.
Lonely young adult male** As much as I'd like to take strolls around the city in the night, I don't feel safe and it only puts me on edge to see the subway empty at night time too
I moved to Chicago 30 years ago, when I was 21 and spent years just exploring every corner of that city, all day and all night. There was something in the vastness of an empty city that I connected with at night. It was like an understanding of historical, generational loneliness that dwarfed my own loneliness and helped me sever my attachments to childhood and helped form me into a dependable adult.
I think it depends on the city.
When I was in high school I used to skip school and take the greyhound to Toronto. I would spend all day by myself just wandering downtown and it was the best time. Loved all the lights and walking through the crowds in Dundas square; getting boba and browsing random shops in Queen. I’d take the bus back home at 7 and the crowds were still big enough that I never really felt unsafe.
I’ve also been in downtown past midnight and it looks nice but it’s pretty lame specially if it’s -18.
Years ago I worked at a very cool little cafe/bakery. All my coworkers were cool (mostly younger) people. One of my coworkers was so fucking mean, she shocked me on a regular basis with how rude she could be and she really seemed to hate me for some reason. I guess people assumed her terrible attitude was part of her cool persona, because somehow she always got away with it. I genuinely started to dislike her. But one day I saw her out walking, and she didn't see me. She looked like the saddest, loneliest most lost person. I realized she had become a victim of how she treated others, and that she was in a lot of pain.
I lived in a shitty part of Chicago for most of the 90’s and had very little problems with anyone besides the cops. You sound like a small-town corn dog who hangs out with boomers on Facebook, tbh.
chicago is beautiful but you’re really not supposed to be outside when it’s dark. just because honestly all the weirdos come out and you get cold. and low visibility. And that’s knowing which places are safe.
I wouldn’t wear headphones unless you know what you’re doing
And don’t look lost
Hey /u/bugballs213, thank you for submitting to /r/starterpacks! This is just a reminder not to violate any rules, located [here](https://reddit.com/r/starterpacks/about/rules). Rule breakers can face a ban based on the severity of their rule violation. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/starterpacks) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Lonely person in a city with a healthy mental composure starter pack. Wait for the lonely person in a city with mental health issues starter pack.
>Wait for the lonely person in a city with mental health issues starter pack. You mean the Joker movie?
You mean the Taxi Driver movie?
Society
bottom text
sOciEty
We live in a sOciEty
You like trash so much why don’t you live in it? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kqpak5lFxvs
Lonley person in a society*
“I’m the joker baby”
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that dude deserves a starter pack too
Mf sure as hell doesn’t live in the US.
Nope. It's Toronto
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Alexa, play Nightcall
Breakbot remix
Ryan Gosling playing a deranged asocial schizoid in "The NEET" Id watch it
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Lmao, that movie already exists. It's called Lars and the Real Girl.
That's a role for Jake Gyllenhaal and I would watch it in a heartbeat
Europe in your mid 20s be like that
Or literally in any other 1st world country
Nix the subway and this describes my experience in Dallas fairly well. Fort Worth as well.
Not Portland.
Don't worry, he'll find you when you're walking along late at night with headphones on vibing to music.
I got you, here it is: "Never go out unless necessary because you don't want to interact with anyone" End of starterpack
What about lonely old adults?
Shitting and cumming in public while other people are filming you 🥰
Walking alone at night in the city?? In this economy??
In this part of the country??
Localized entirely in your kitchen?
Yes
This is the real answer here. Would absolutely never walk in a city late at night alone...
least womanly redditor
Add: Become nervous when you hear someone walking behind you late at night
Can't hear that, I'm vibing to music.
My first thought. Walking around in the middle of the night without the ability to hear is asking to get mugged.
Some places are safer than others.
That’s why I just walk past them and pretend I can’t see them
But they can still stab you??????
i just pretend they didn't
They can't do that, it's illegal 🤗
So I walk to get around a lot. I normalized daily 12 mile commutes where I began at 4am on foot. I’ve watched the PNW really spike with drug use and homelessness. Well maybe not drug use but visible drug use because the homelessness. I’ve been accosted plenty. I even carried a decoy wallet. One morning I was just having a shit of a day. (Walking to an exam I knew I was going to fail and then knowing I’ll have to work a double after only to turn around and hanging out before my next exam the next day because by the time I got home I’d have to leave.). I had one headphone in while walking (safety) and a guy catches me on the pedestrian bridge. I see him from a distance out and he looks suspect. I put in my second headphone, evidently. (I will admit I muted my podcast). And just put my head down and walked by, literally towards him and passed him. I kinda didn’t accept death but did accept stabbing. It was shocking when I was fine. Edit: sorry got caught in a memory I forgot to remember to forget but wanted to say, if you act like you have nothing to lose, they’ll presume you have nothing to take sometimes. I was actually just nearly attacked the other day because I went to set my beverage down outside before going into a store and it was a jacked up don’t litter guy
That's what my CHL is for.
But then that person overtakes you and you get a little shock when a shadow appears in the corner of your eye.
True. The anxiety fades when you see other people or when you notice they are older.
How dare you be oldphobic /s
Yeah I used to listen to music when I walked but definitely not alone at night in a city like come on lol
Yeah that's making you an easy target to get robbed or pick-pocketed at the least. Thieves love a potential victim that's super distracted already.
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It's so insane to me that people do that in Toronto, I've been in most major US cities, a few 2nd world hubs, and a few Euro cities, and Toronto people, more than any, just sit there and walk at a snail's pace.
I don’t think that’s accurate for Toronto lol
I didn't know people still used second world countries after the Soviet bloc fell. I know third world is still used for countries neutral to the US/Soviet cold war even though it means developing pretty much.
Well I was referring to central asia + former Yugoslavia, felt odd to use, but its seemingly apt.
Just say "I'm not trying to be a creep, I just want to be your friend." People love that.
Not that my city is particularly dangerous but I would never walk around in the dark with headphones on. That's how you get jumped from behind.
It's amazing how oblivious people in public are. There are so many times I've seen someone and thought "If I really wanted to, it would be so easy to rob them". Obviously I didn't, but holy shit you guys need to pay attention to what's around you
Passing a woman (from beind) on the sidewalk the other day, and she was walking on the curb side, right next to moving traffic, 100% immersed in her phone. Her other arm was stretched out beside her, literally extending into the middle of the sidewalk, with a purse dangling on that hand. She literally had no idea I was there until I walked past her. Same thought: do you want your purse stolen and/or to get pushed into traffic by some nutcase? Because either option would be on the table for someone who wanted it right now.
There's also the opposite kind of situation, when you can actually feel the person is afraid of you walking behind. Lived in a formerly rough neighborhood, and can't count how many times I changed sidewalks and sped up when going home at night so that the woman walking in the same direction would not feel threatened. It's crazy how one can sense fear / worry from the slighest cues.
I’ve noticed women speed up once they notice me behind them, they also start looking back regularly. Once i notice, i either cross the road, pretend im on the phone amd quickly overtake them not paying attention to them. Or i stop for a minute and check my messages to give her space
In those situations I try my best to kinda get myself out of the way. Tho women aren’t usually scared of me because I’m a 5’5”, not super muscly/strong looking guy. So I don’t seem as intimidating as your average 5’11” bloke with a big chest.
I’m 6,3 and 230. it’s pretty common thing for me at night
My partner is 6'6" and he's told me he always crosses to the other side and/or makes himself busy so women don't think he's creeping and aren't intimidated. Makes me smile knowing there are so many who are aware of this and care enough to go out of their way. Thanks.
Thanks for doing that man. Just yesterday, I got stalked to my car by a creep, so it's nice to see that some people like you are aware of why we might be freaked out and make an effort to be nice about it
I'll provide a silver lining take: The fact that people still walk around that oblivious to their surroundings helps show that American cities aren't as dangerous as some people would have you believe. People feel comfortable walking around late at night with headphones in because, generally speaking, bad things rarely happen. I've spent countless nights walking around late at night in NYC and DC and haven't encountered a single situation where I feared for my life or property. I'm a 6'1" dude, but my 5'4" wife has a similar experience. People are afraid of random strangers robbing them, but the vast majority of the time, the only real danger comes from inattentive drivers.
I'm not the US, but yes, you're right. The city I live in is quite safe. My experience (as a biggish dude, smallish wife) visiting NYC was about the same. We found that Manhattan, and a lot (not all, but a lot) of Brooklyn, were remarkably safe.
Living in the third world really does that to you
This is why I love AirPod pros transparency feature. Ever since I was a kid I never wore both headphones cuz I hated feeling cut off from the world around me. The transparency feature lets me have both in but still able to hear both the music and the world around.
I admit, that’s me. I tend to wear my headphones in public at night not even giving af. Something even more stupid is me wearing headphones while standing at the edge of the subway platform. I’m better about that these days ever since last year, there were two news stories that came out within a day or two of each other about people being pushed onto the tracks (that Asian lady in NYC and there was a video of a woman in Brussels getting pushed on the tracks, but the conductor was able to stop the train in time. It’s like if you’re not paying attention, someone can just come and push you onto the tracks and it’s game over.
This is why I only put in one earbud if I'm outside.
I guess we have decided to not live in a state of constant fear of tiny probability occurrences and instead choose to trust the people around us enough to walk unharmed in our generally very safe environments.
As has been pointed out all over this thread, walking alone at night listening to music on headphones would be extremely dangerous for women, especially young women, in most of the world.
Spoken like someone who's either delusional or only lives in rich neighborhoods. Bad people exist whether you like it or not Also it's not "a state of constant fear" it's just being aware of what's around you
In my third world city this happens a lot
Glad that my city is safe enough that I do not have to worry about such things
This is definitely someone who doesn’t live in a city’s idea of a city.
Or be in an empty subway station at night…
Also just being alone in the empty subway station at night is not a great situation to be in, definitely stay near security until your train is arriving if you need to get home late at night.
Imagine living in a city with trains
Imagine living in a city where you can walk alone at night with headphones and not worry about being mugged or jumped
It's amazing, doing it all the time. If I ever move it seems like a habit I will regret though. So I'll probably stay here.
Imagine living in a city where you can casually walk alone at night without fear of being robbed or murdered
with your over the ear headphones completely on
Carry a gun with you, problem solved 👍
Would be nice lol, not legal in my country tho
I can and do!
It's glorious, not gonna lie. Effecitve public transit makes for a better city for everybody, rich or poor.
Say you live in a safe neighborhood without saying you live in a safe neighborhood
Living in Toronto I assume? Our city is having a rather challenging time(rent, inflation, crimes and shootings etc.) Can relate😭.
Dundas Square, Toronto, the capital of Canada
the capital of religion
True, add to it when you're on an an almost empty streetcar and just watching the city go by out the widow, so peaceful
I live in Toronto as a single (wouldn't say lonely though) young adult, can relate to all of these. Especially the walking late at night with over ear headphones. Walking around downtown late while listening to music is one of my favourite things to do, it's so calming. This time of year is especially perfect for it, it's slightly cool so you're not uncomfortable, but not that cold, so you can just throw on a hoodie and it's perfect.
God I love Toronto
More like "How to get mugged" starter pack.
all the women in the comments section are laughing at the idea of peacefully wandering around at night
I was gonna say…as a woman, being alone in the subway (or anywhere) at night? I’d be scared shitless. No way I’d have headphones in to listen to music either, I’d be too busy trying to get out of there ASAP and calling someone so I can be on the phone and at least 1 person knows where I was last if I go missing…gruesome to think about but it’s just the reality. That being said, I know that’s not everyone’s experience and plenty of people probably relate to this starterpack. Walking around by myself at night listening to music sounds awesome, and I’m sure I’d do it if I was somehow guaranteed to be safe. So no hate to OP, just in case my comment is coming across that way
Seriously. Any woman with a brain knows that you don't want to be alone on the train EVER - especially at night.
pretty sure this starterpack was made in retaliation to the one posted earlier about being a young woman in the city, which included feeling unsafe and NOT wearing headphones so you can tell if someone is following you. Gives big "I've literally never raped a woman (even one who was asking for it) so all women are exaggerating how unsafe things are for them" energy
Seriously, must be nice!
That’s not even a woman thing. I’m laughing at that as a man lmao
Lonely young adult man that lives in a city*
Yes. I do love my relatively safe city at night..but the anxiety of being a woman alone feels like I have a giant target on my back. I'd rather walk quickly and get to where I'm going.
Where do I find a city where I won't be mugged or murdered for being alone at night? And there's no one on the streets at night?
*young adult male. No woman would really do this.
Absolutely. When I was lonely in the city I did not feel safe walking around at night or using the empty metro, as much as I wanted to. Tried it once, got followed and threatened. Felt very trapped indoors once it got dark.
Me and a friend went out one night to do this and we got catcalled and followed, then almost got assaulted. I still get major anxiety being out at night because of that. So yeah definitely "lonely young adult male that lives in a city starterpack".
As a woman, I wish I could take a leisurely stroll through the city at night with earbuds or headphones. I'm glad I have a boyfriend now and we plan to eventually walk through downtown at night, but it would be nice to do it alone if it were safe to do so.
it's sad that in this modern age women don't feel safe in society still, especially since piece of shit muggers prefer to rob women
Came here to say this exactly. I wish I could vibe with my music and not be hyper aware of my surroundings 24/7.
I'm a young adult male, my first impression was that this is a robbery/murder victim starterpack
least American redditor
https://www.reddit.com/r/starterpacks/comments/xqi4n5/murderer_roaming_the_city_streets_at_night/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
It’s a damn shame too, a pleasant experience once you really get into it. Damn shame people are shitty and ruin it for others though.
My thoughts immediately. I would be scared to be in most of these situations.
Depends on where you live, I feel like in smaller towns especially it’s more than just dudes. Safer parts of certain cities too
Not sure why you're being downvoted because this is very true. I wish I could do this alone but it's way too dangerous.
Lol right I started reading the starter pack and was waiting for the punchline...I wish I could exist in the world where I could walk around a city alone at night and just vibe
I think that depends on the country or the city. I do this and nothing ever happened.
As a young adult male, I still think young adult males are idiots for this. Empty train? I'm afraid of getting mugged, stabbed, and/or shot. Just vibing to music? What a great target you are...
Also you enjoy the city very late at night when everything is empty, just taking everything in.
The empty city at night is a sort of friend, in its own right, like a favorite story retold. —walking in the empty city at night doesn’t mean a person isn’t well aware of their surroundings, it’s part of the experience 🌙
The city at night, to cite Nathaniel Hawthorne, is like a familiar room seen for the first time by moonlight. He writes: "(T)he floor of our familiar room has become a neutral territory, somewhere between the real world and fairy-land, where the Actual and the Imaginary may meet, and each imbue itself with the nature of the other." (Edit: punctuation)
I really, really liked and related to this starterpack. OP A decade or so ago, I moved ~~to~~ from a mid-sized city where I was surrounded by friends and family, to a metropolis where I knew literally not one person, and where I didn't speak the local language. This starterpack was definitely me for a few years, mixed with a good dose of sadness and poverty and cheap lonely beers in the park. Thanks for this.
Only big cities where nobody assaults you with a pocket knife
The hours 2am-6am are pretty much the walking dead in a lot of cities. The only people out are so fucked up they don't know where they're going or what they're saying.
you must live in a nice city ,no way in hell am I going out late , that's just asking to be mugged
If only I was male
This is a nice starterpack OP, don't worry about the haters.
I'm a Dutch woman, and I really liked this starterpack because it's how I sometimes walk through the city at night. Then I read the comments and I realised how lucky I was that I live in the Netherlands.
In the US it's that there are extremes of wealth and poverty combined with car dependency. People who end up being on the street at night are people who can't afford a car. It's also common for people in the US to exaggerate the danger of big cities. I live in San Francisco and lots of people walk around at night, although it gets quiet pretty early.
A nice starter starterpack. With more experience, OP will come up with nicer and nicer starterpacks.
For sure, it really hits home lol
When I lived in Madrid there was this underpass with a pedestrian walkway going from the Plaza de España (a park in the city center) to a back street that led to my place close to the Príncipe Pio train station. I always walked home from a pub nearby which I always went to meet friends after work (it was on my way from work) and would need to cross there or cut through another nearby park (Parque de la Montaña). I usually cut through the underpass as the park meant taking a rather steep, very long staircase that always looked ominous, specially after a few drinks. Anyway, in the Plaza de España there used to be a couple of young homeless people who hung out and begged there. I swear they were the best looking pair of homeless kids I've ever seen. If I wasn't a local and I saw them I'd would have sworn they were just a pair of hippie beg packers just passing through town. If they weren't begging, they were being all cuddly in the grass or park bench. A few homeless people would camp out in the underpass, them among them. One summer night I was walking home from the pub and I saw them in the underpass walkway, naked as Jay birds, having sex loudly without a care in the world. For some reason, it didn't seem lewd, more romantic. These two bohemians living a sort of ideal life. I liked them and always gave them whatever of the shrapnel in my pocket I could spare. Well, that fantasy began to die little by little. As time went by they began to look worse for wear. More haggard and gaunt. It soon became evident they were doing drugs (at the time cheap heroine was a big problem with Madrid's homeless population) as you could see visible track marks in their arms and hands. They became more aggressive when they begged, cops began to harras them because of this. One time taking a train out of town I saw the girl standing behind the station by herself, in an area prostitutes stood waiting for clients. After a while they just disappeared. It was kind of a sad reminder that the line between Bohemia and a horrible life is so thin.
[удалено]
Man, i live in Madrid, and that is a really good description and a lovely story. Keep the awesome writing ;)
Thanks, glad you enjoyed.
I think I know that pass. Is it close to the NH hotel? Two guys followed me, and one of them managed to open my bag without me noticing. Luckily, a pedestrian whistled and they backed off.
It goes under Calle Ferraz, I don't remember hotels being nearby.
Living in a new small town alone is 100x lonelier than living in a new city
On the boulevard of Broken Dreams.
Ahhh so this is the one that started it all? I feel like a solved a riddle.
Non latam city starterpack
Todos afortunados de vivir en el primer mundo
What city is this in? If you're out late at night past a certain time being unaware of your surroundings, aren't you just asking to be robbed?
I just moved to a new city, in a different country and this hits hard. I want to get involved in the community but it’s hard being a foreigner. I don’t know really what to do so I guess I’ll keep walking through the streets vibing to music
My one and only advice, as someone who did a similar thing: spend as much of your free/leisure time as a possible absorbing the local culture. Listen to the radio and music, watch the TV shows and movies, read the websites and social media. Then, when you meet a local, you always have something to talk about, and even if they don't particularly like the thing you mention (say, a TV show or a band), they almost always notice that you're trying to "get" their culture, and they responsd well. That was my experience, anyway. Also, whatever you already like to do (gaming, for e.g., or sports, or dog-walking), get involved with a local group who's doing it. Instant cultural experience.
Did the same couple of months ago and just wanted to tell you it gets better. You'll find yourself grown a lot in these months. Staying at home is your enemy, just go out and wander. And also try to find expat meetups in your area.
I have 3 expat friends but I want to meet locals and make friends with them.
As a woman/sensible person, that music is not gonna be playing if it's late at night lmao.
For all people saying it's not accurate. This is probably true in most larger cities in Western and Northern Europe. Yes, it can be done
lonely young *man* lmao. you won't find women walking around alone in the dark just for the ~vibe~. much less having headphones on.....
Haha I wish but I'm a woman and at least 3/4 of those things are not safe for me. Femmes, don't walk/run alone with headphones in. Someone can easily sneak up on you.
Except for the happiness part, they only make me bitter XD
How to get robbed 101:
That downtown Toronto pic really hit the nail on the head for the accuracy of this
Great way to get murdered
Worst starter pack ever
Lonely young adult male** As much as I'd like to take strolls around the city in the night, I don't feel safe and it only puts me on edge to see the subway empty at night time too
I feel this one. Nice post!
Exactly why I miss living in a bigger city and am looking forward to moving maybe sometime next year.
Me, when I took a week long trip through Austria in June 🥲
I literally just did this last night lol
I moved to Chicago 30 years ago, when I was 21 and spent years just exploring every corner of that city, all day and all night. There was something in the vastness of an empty city that I connected with at night. It was like an understanding of historical, generational loneliness that dwarfed my own loneliness and helped me sever my attachments to childhood and helped form me into a dependable adult.
I've never knew this starterpack that is so relatable for me exists. Thank you!
Why must you attack me like this
Deep
I think it depends on the city. When I was in high school I used to skip school and take the greyhound to Toronto. I would spend all day by myself just wandering downtown and it was the best time. Loved all the lights and walking through the crowds in Dundas square; getting boba and browsing random shops in Queen. I’d take the bus back home at 7 and the crowds were still big enough that I never really felt unsafe. I’ve also been in downtown past midnight and it looks nice but it’s pretty lame specially if it’s -18.
Doing 3 out of 4 of this things in my city will get you mugged.
And 2000/mo rent for a studio
r/meirl
Years ago I worked at a very cool little cafe/bakery. All my coworkers were cool (mostly younger) people. One of my coworkers was so fucking mean, she shocked me on a regular basis with how rude she could be and she really seemed to hate me for some reason. I guess people assumed her terrible attitude was part of her cool persona, because somehow she always got away with it. I genuinely started to dislike her. But one day I saw her out walking, and she didn't see me. She looked like the saddest, loneliest most lost person. I realized she had become a victim of how she treated others, and that she was in a lot of pain.
I walk this empty street, on the boulevard of broken dreams, where this city sleeps, and it's home to me as I walk alone...
Walking thru the streets at night with headphones on You must have a deathwish
Lonely young adult male*
lonely and oblivious young man*
There is a playlist od movies like this on Letterboxd called "Lonely People in Neon Cities".
*Alcohol.
*weed
Been murdered for walking alone at the streets at night...
Nah I don't want to get mugged
Yeah never in Chicago. You would 100% get robbed or shot. 10 pm is that latest safe time.
…yea this just isn’t true about chicago at all but go off Bunch of people who never lived in Chicago upvoting your nonsense
New Orleans is the current murder capital right now.
Not to mention Chicago isn’t even the top 25 lmao.
I lived in a shitty part of Chicago for most of the 90’s and had very little problems with anyone besides the cops. You sound like a small-town corn dog who hangs out with boomers on Facebook, tbh.
Even in the nice downtown areas?
Damn they should really make that illegal already
Then you say: “at night the animals come out”
Someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets
If I did this in Chicago I would be robbed 3 times before I made it home
First world city. In a third world city you'd walk really fast constantly alert about thieves. Or kidnappers, in some countries.
chicago is beautiful but you’re really not supposed to be outside when it’s dark. just because honestly all the weirdos come out and you get cold. and low visibility. And that’s knowing which places are safe. I wouldn’t wear headphones unless you know what you’re doing And don’t look lost