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On the contrary, even areas of the city considered "dangerous" are mostly not. The media likes to make these places sound like war zones because that sells.

The tenderloin is really not that dangerous if you don't bother the drug dealers, don't antagonise the crazies, and keep an eye out around you. I lived there for a bit over a year.

It's a miserable place for a date and everywhere smells like piss, but two uninvolved walkers are unlikely to be killed in the middle of the street.

On the other hand, if more innocent people lacked the awareness to avoid dodgy areas then they probably wouldn't be so dodgy!

They'd be dodgier - a lot more potential victims.

if you get distracted staring at the guy pooping on the sidewalk then you won't see the guy who's trying to hurt you

I haven't been there recently so maybe it has gotten more obviously bad, but pre covid at least there were some bars in the tenderloin that were easy to end up walking to without realizing which part of town you are entering.