OT: Does anyone live in Downtown Hartford?

[MattMang23]

For what it's worth, when my buddy lived in Front Street Lofts I made this walk 100 times, often drunk and blacked out at 2am and would have been the perfect target. Most nights I barely passed a soul, let alone any soul I would have thought shady.

 

[Deepster]

You're talking to a guy who is the stereotype of every scared old guy from the burbs, "urban people" are terrifying to him.

And you’re a guy who’s dad lied and ran from the cops for fun, right?

 

[whaler11]

No wonder Who Ha kills everyone who doesn’t feel like driving in crappy weather to mediocre games - he walks to the XL Center.

 

[Robertelamin]

No wonder Who Ha kills everyone who doesn’t feel like driving in crappy weather to mediocre games - he walks to the XL Center.

More like island hopping to the XL.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

And you’re a guy who’s dad lied and ran from the cops for fun, right?

Whether it was fully conscious or not, kudos for your use of the word "And" to begin your reply. It lends value to my ongoing interpretation of the safety discussion.

After reading the back-and-forths, I'm developing a sense that downtown Hartford is no more dangerous than downtown New Haven, which, among some friends & acquaintances and by certain public perception, has a reputation that's worse than my direct experience.

While I recognize how many Connecticut towns and spaces give me virtually no need to consider even random encounters with risk of physical danger, I appreciate the span and vitality of city life as well as suburban, exurban, and four-season natural rhythms.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Whether it was fully conscious or not, kudos for your use of the word "And" to begin your reply. It lends value to my ongoing interpretation of the safety discussion.

After reading the back-and-forths, I'm developing a sense that downtown Hartford is no more dangerous than downtown New Haven, which, among some friends & acquaintances and by certain public perception, has a reputation that's worse than my direct experience.

While I recognize how many Connecticut towns and spaces give me virtually no need to consider even random encounters with risk of physical danger, I appreciate the span and vitality of city life as well as suburban, exurban, and four-season natural rhythms.

I certainly used to walk around downtown Hartford most weekend nights, and some weeknights, back in the late 80's. Never worried about anything. Ran into some folks who could have been trouble once or twice between XL and the Civic Pub. But I was always with a couple of other guys.

I did drive home to Simsbury on the back streets to took me to Albany Avenue. Usually at 2:00 AM or nearly so. Stopped at the Shell on Albany a few times for Diet Coke to keep me awake for the drive. Never had a problem exactly, but it was probably unwise of me not to take Asylum to Scarborough.

 

[Excalibur]

They do.

Someone doesn't understand the meaning of "random" . . .

 

[Ha Who]

No wonder Who Ha kills everyone who doesn’t feel like driving in crappy weather to mediocre games - he walks to the XL Center.

Unfortunately or fortunately I can’t use that line any longer. I said if Hurley came to UConn I would stop

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I certainly used to walk around downtown Hartford most weekend nights, and some weeknights, back in the late 80's. Never worried about anything. Ran into some folks who could have been trouble once or twice between XL and the Civic Pub. But I was always with a couple of other guys.

I did drive home to Simsbury on the back streets to took me to Albany Avenue. Usually at 2:00 AM or nearly so. Stopped at the Shell on Albany a few times for Diet Coke to keep me awake for the drive. Never had a problem exactly, but it was probably unwise of me not to take Asylum to Scarborough.

My father's 40 year commute from Bishop's Corner to Albany Ave with a right turn on Scarborough to Asylum to Woodland Street, so that was how to get downtown. Over time, I explored all variations on West End streets (Terry St, Westerly Terrace, Woodside Circle Elizabeth St, etc.) but my non-native mother wanted me to never continue on Albany Ave. My father mostly went along but didn't really care, as he'd grown up in the North End and gone to Weaver.

Until my uncle took me around in 2016 to see every house the family had ever lived in before the post-War migration to West Hartford, I had minimal familiarity beyond Daniels Cadillac, Baltimore Drug, Mount Sinai Hospital, a pizza place called (I think, though it sounds odd) Nolan's that sold rectangular frozen pizzas they made for home heating, and a very memorable trip to see Sun Ra's Interstellar Arkestra at the West Indian Social Club one summer vacation from college.

 

[HuskyHawk]

My father's 40 year commute from Bishop's Corner to Albany Ave with a right turn on Scarborough to Asylum to Woodland Street, so that was how to get downtown. Over time, I explored all variations on West End streets (Terry St, Westerly Terrace, Woodside Circle Elizabeth St, etc.) but my non-native mother wanted me to never continue on Albany Ave. My father mostly went along but didn't really care, as he'd grown up in the North End and gone to Weaver.

Until my uncle took me around in 2016 to see every house the family had ever lived in before the post-War migration to West Hartford, I had minimal familiarity beyond Daniels Cadillac, Baltimore Drug, Mount Sinai Hospital, a pizza place called (I think, though it sounds odd) Nolan's that sold rectangular frozen pizzas they made for home heating, and a very memorable trip to see Sun Ra's Interstellar Arkestra at the West Indian Social Club one summer vacation from college.

I worked summers at the HIG and later at the Dept. of Correction after college (on Capital I think?). Always a right on Scarborough on the way in. But I found it easier to go back out taking back streets to Albany, and it was never an issue for me. That said, I had a HS teacher who was pulled from her car at a light on Albany in the afternoon. They grabbed her purse, which was on her arm, yanking her from the car and breaking her leg. Doors need to be locked at a minimum.

 

[husky8273]

Always a right on Scarborough on the way in. But I found it easier to go back out taking back streets to Albany, and it was never an issue for me.

Albany to a right on Homestead is better

 

[riptastic99]

Simple solution to all you guys complaining about how dangerous Hartford is and "would you let your daughter walk her at night?" just stay in your own communities if your so afraid. No one is forcing you to be in the city and I'm sure the people of Hartford don't want you in this space with all that judgement. I'm guessing you are the same guys that walk around and feel threatened when asked for change or only commute into the city for work/sporting events and never actually spend any time interacting with the people.

 

[ctchamps]

Smh what happened to this thread. A bunch of old men worrying about how “dangerous” Hartford is as if random acts of violence happen daily. Go take this stupid argument to the pool. Bad things happen to good people, as long as the frequency is low it doesn’t matter. Way to ruin a solid thread smh.

When you turn old I’ll be laughing at you
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From my grave you ageism agent.