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Comment by Darmody | Hacker News Reader

It has a good public transport system, yes, but ironically it's the only city where I felt kind of insecure in the subway. Always making sure nobody is going to pickpocket me or I don't look the wrong way at some guy looking for trouble.

A friend of mine works there as security and after all the stories he told me I rather get in a car and deal with the traffic.

And I'm saying this as someone who uses the subway to commute but in a safer city. I literally get in, close my eyes and open them after 20 minutes.

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Anyone who works as security/law enforcement is going to have a significantly more cynical view of humanity. Not unlike how software professionals are leery of software quality (e.g. us being generally opposed to digital elections).

Personally public transport in Barcelona felt safer than the equivalent in most major North American cities. For example there’s what I believe is a bullet hole in the glass at one of the stations I frequently use — and I know for a fact that several people have been shot dead directly outside that station.

You said it, North American cities. These are not safe cities according to my standards.

The standard mismatch between "Euro-metro" and "US-metro" folks on some things is sadly hilarious - I'll always remember the faces of some SF acquaintances when I mentioned, in passing, that public transport in San Francisco is pretty bad overall... I realized I made a horrible faux-pas and never mentioned it again.

For what it's worth the subway is very safe in terms of violent crime. But pickpockets are a scourge yes. The problem is the police can only give them a fine if they steal less than 400 euro in value (see more info about that here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/14/woman-defends-... ). Even if it's their 5000th time. There's gangs of professional pickpockets.

They got me once and I've busted them trying a couple of times. Whenever you grab them they always just drop the phone or wallet and walk off, they never fight. But I did notice they always work in groups so they probably do attack if you get violent yourself.

Yes, the city has very unsafe places, IE Rival, cuidad vella. The amount of ambulance sirens and police presence speaks for itself.

It feels less safe than London, I have lived in 3 not so good boroughs in London.

Those areas are not that unsafe. I often walk there, even at night. Though I do try to avoid them as the pickpockets tend to hang out there because they're so touristy. And the Ramblas area is very overrated anyway IMO.

Barcelona is really not bad at all for violent crime :)

There's some places that really are a bit unsafe but it's more out. Like La Mina, there's been some shootings there recently: https://www.lavanguardia.com/sucesos/20210908/7706383/tirote... (Though technically that's not Barcelona anymore but Sant Adria de Besos)

I visited a lot of Spanish cities. Santiago, Oviedo, Gijón, León, Valladolid, Madrid, Girona, Málaga, Sevilla, Cádiz, Cordoba, Granada and Barcelona so far.

As far as the general sense of unease goes, Barcelona takes the first place. Some people there are outright creepy. I generally like the city, but I would not dare venture into the old centre's small alleys after dark.

Also, pickpockets. All touristy places have them, but Barcelona, man...

Shame, because the city is otherwise a jewel.

Yes, I agree, I lived very near to the big cinemas, next to mc Donald's, cross the street and you're in Raval. As a man, it looks a bit dodgy, but walking there in the night felt ok. I have seen some wild things there by drugged up or drunk people which have left women paralyzed from fear looking into the ground, though. I know there's more dangerous areas, with proper drug houses etc and Raval etc benefit from high police presence as it's their tourist jewel, so to say. So for women and kids it might feel more scary, almost every children park has permanent drinkers, the smell of marijuana and the occasional heroin junkie here and there. I have observed some interesting discussions between dealers and police, while the police knows most the dealers, they can't do too much, but they do have an eye on them, so it's safer than it first appears.

Btw , I fully agree that the particular rambla de Raval Is tacky, overpriced and the food is just bad. The places on the beach are much better. Ah, now thinking about it, kinda miss the city, it has many good parts and things.

My dad has travelled pretty much all countries between the Atlantic and the Danube, and was only pickpocketed once - in Barcelona. A friend of mine who lives there, freely admits the pickpocketing is out of control - and we're hardened thief-aware Italians. Same for anybody who goes there on vacation and hits the busy hotspots.

Are you speaking of Barcelona or London?

Barcelona.

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