Hi
Was coming home late last night and took a cab from the station - felt a bit embarrassed as it's really not very far but I didn't want to walk alone - and the cab driver told me that a young woman was mugged near The Greyhound at about 9.30PM last night. She came into the cab office, obviously a bit shaken up.
Don't mean to scaremonger and I'm well aware that this can and does happen anywhere, but just thought I'd let you guys know.
mugging near station
possibly...then again he didn't need to drum up my business as I was clearly already someone who preferred to get a cab rather than walk alone late at night. And on the 2 minute journey he didn't really need to get a conversation going either.
Take your point though..I just thought it was something worth sharing.
Take your point though..I just thought it was something worth sharing.
Juwlz, whilst I completely respect your POV re not letting yourself be driven off the streets, I hardly think my decision to take a cab home at midnight is worthy of ridicule. In my case I have to go down a couple of extremely quiet roads to get home and I don't feel comfortable or safe - I think it would be foolish of me or anyone else, esp female, to walk around there alone late at night.
I only posted what the cab driver told me because I didn't want to read about someone else being mugged at the same spot - clearly I shouldn't have bothered!
I only posted what the cab driver told me because I didn't want to read about someone else being mugged at the same spot - clearly I shouldn't have bothered!
randomv
Sorry if you think I am being out-of-order, I don't want to be personal. I accept that its an individual choice and if you decide to take a cab that's your business, I sometimes get one myself. I don't wish to ignore the fact that people do get mugged and I think its good that you at least highlighted it but I don't see how its necessarily going to prevent anyone else from being mugged.
I'm sure that unless you've been mugged (I haven't) its easy to be flippant about it, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I do feel strongly about certain issues and I think that the actions one person takes can have a knock on effect.
I think its interesting that women are encouraged to feel so much more vulnerable than men when walking alone, when the statistics prove that it is young men that are more likely to be attacked that any other group and yet they are the last to be told to 'be careful'. I want to live somewhere where people look out for each other and if I saw someone being attacked I like to think I wouldn't hesitate to intervene. If more people are around, everyone feels safer and its less likely to happen in the first place. Plus if there are fewer cars on the road, the air is nicer and it is safer for children to walk to school, cross roads etc.
At the end of the day I am lucky to be physically ok but I can see how maybe someone small or elderly might not feel so confident, and how confident you look is apparently an important factor in whether you get attacked in the first place. I would never encourage anyone to walk around somewhere that I actually believed was dangerous and there are certain dark alleyways I would never go down myself.
I don't know what the solution is but since these muggings seem to be happening in all kinds of different places it is obviously impossible to make sure you are absolutely safe unless you never go out of the house. I certainly hope that people won't simply feel more afraid because of these things being reported.
Sorry if you think I am being out-of-order, I don't want to be personal. I accept that its an individual choice and if you decide to take a cab that's your business, I sometimes get one myself. I don't wish to ignore the fact that people do get mugged and I think its good that you at least highlighted it but I don't see how its necessarily going to prevent anyone else from being mugged.
I'm sure that unless you've been mugged (I haven't) its easy to be flippant about it, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I do feel strongly about certain issues and I think that the actions one person takes can have a knock on effect.
I think its interesting that women are encouraged to feel so much more vulnerable than men when walking alone, when the statistics prove that it is young men that are more likely to be attacked that any other group and yet they are the last to be told to 'be careful'. I want to live somewhere where people look out for each other and if I saw someone being attacked I like to think I wouldn't hesitate to intervene. If more people are around, everyone feels safer and its less likely to happen in the first place. Plus if there are fewer cars on the road, the air is nicer and it is safer for children to walk to school, cross roads etc.
At the end of the day I am lucky to be physically ok but I can see how maybe someone small or elderly might not feel so confident, and how confident you look is apparently an important factor in whether you get attacked in the first place. I would never encourage anyone to walk around somewhere that I actually believed was dangerous and there are certain dark alleyways I would never go down myself.
I don't know what the solution is but since these muggings seem to be happening in all kinds of different places it is obviously impossible to make sure you are absolutely safe unless you never go out of the house. I certainly hope that people won't simply feel more afraid because of these things being reported.
This is the thing isn't it - I was walking home on my own from the station on my own at exactly 9.30 last night, but I took the darker, quieter short cut out of the back entrance of the station rather than the 'safer' way on the main road past the Greyhound.Juwlz wrote:I don't know what the solution is but since these muggings seem to be happening in all kinds of different places it is obviously impossible to make sure you are absolutely safe unless you never go out of the house. I certainly hope that people won't simply feel more afraid because of these things being reported.
Personally I think it does help to know when muggings etc have happened as it might mean I keep my wits about me a bit more.
I lived in a rough bit of East London for a short period and I did get a cab home if I was by myself late at night. Thankfully it's not something I've ever considered in Sydenahm (especially as I only live a couple of minutes walk from the station
)Ok so you can be made more 'aware' - that would be great if that was the only result. But I think you shouldn't necessarily think that one place is going to be automatically safer than another, that would be just as dangerous to think such a thing and it could lull you into a false sense of security. Some places - like small dark alleys are obviously more likely to be risky.
For example I can't see how the small roads round the back of the Greyhound are going to be any safer than right in front of it. Just because someone got mugged there last time doesn't mean that's where its going to happen the next.
For example I can't see how the small roads round the back of the Greyhound are going to be any safer than right in front of it. Just because someone got mugged there last time doesn't mean that's where its going to happen the next.
Sorry Julwz 
that was kind of what I meant - that it is difficult (and not particularly helpful) to make assumptions about where is 'safe' and where isn't.
If I'd taken what I consider to be the 'safer' route home the other night it could have been me being mugged. But just goes to show my assumptions are pretty meaningless.
I'm pretty complacent walking round Sydenham - I'll wander round on my own at any time of day or night. Sometimes it helps to be reminded I should be a bit more aware of my surroundings.
that was kind of what I meant - that it is difficult (and not particularly helpful) to make assumptions about where is 'safe' and where isn't.If I'd taken what I consider to be the 'safer' route home the other night it could have been me being mugged. But just goes to show my assumptions are pretty meaningless.
I'm pretty complacent walking round Sydenham - I'll wander round on my own at any time of day or night. Sometimes it helps to be reminded I should be a bit more aware of my surroundings.
Weeble
You have nothing to be sorry about! I see I misunderstood a bit!
I think its good that at least this post brings up the chance for a discussion about an important subject.
You have nothing to be sorry about! I see I misunderstood a bit!
I think its good that at least this post brings up the chance for a discussion about an important subject.
Last edited by Juwlz on 12 Jan 2007 14:35, edited 2 times in total.
I wonder why the 'Safer Neighbourhoods Team' over at Sydenham Hill station have time to put up loads of posters warning people that someone got mugged on low cross wood lane, and yet they don't seem to have taken any action to get the streetlight near the top of the lane fixed. It has been broken for months, maybe longer, and causes a dark scary area near the top, perfect for muggers I should think. I have called the number they put on the poster to tell them about this but am yet to receive any response.
I guess this falls into non-Sydenham category ie. the lane and the station are technically in the Dulwich region but some Sydenhamites, like me, have no choice but to take this route to get to that station unless I drive there, as one person on this forum seems to have already been frightened into doing.
Interestingly despite all the scary posters, lately I have noticed a definate increase in the number of people taking this route up the lane and I am glad about this as it makes me feel safer walking up there.
I guess this falls into non-Sydenham category ie. the lane and the station are technically in the Dulwich region but some Sydenhamites, like me, have no choice but to take this route to get to that station unless I drive there, as one person on this forum seems to have already been frightened into doing.
Interestingly despite all the scary posters, lately I have noticed a definate increase in the number of people taking this route up the lane and I am glad about this as it makes me feel safer walking up there.
Just a point on the places where these things take place. I think for the most part there is an element of just being in the wrong place at the wrong time: someone needs cash so they'll go for the first person who comes along. But I believe there were some cases in Crystal Palace and/or West Norwood not so long ago, where muggers were deliberately targetting commuters, so the "safer" routes aren't necessarily any safer.
For the most part I feel safe walking around Sydenham, but I do worry about becoming complacent. The fact I take a cab home late at night isn't a reflection on the area, I'd do that wherever I lived. Having said that, the roads I walk down can be very quiet, even earlier in the evening which is a bit odd!
I'd hate London to get like Los Angeles though, where people are too afraid (and lazy!) to walk anywhere. I was there a year or so ago and I felt really unsafe walking to the shopping mall or supermarket because there was simply no one else on foot! But I think it does pay to be reminded that these things do happen.
For the most part I feel safe walking around Sydenham, but I do worry about becoming complacent. The fact I take a cab home late at night isn't a reflection on the area, I'd do that wherever I lived. Having said that, the roads I walk down can be very quiet, even earlier in the evening which is a bit odd!
I'd hate London to get like Los Angeles though, where people are too afraid (and lazy!) to walk anywhere. I was there a year or so ago and I felt really unsafe walking to the shopping mall or supermarket because there was simply no one else on foot! But I think it does pay to be reminded that these things do happen.
I was mugged at knifepoint on Mayow Road a couple of years ago and it makes me very aware of these things. And the Friday before Christmas I was walking along Sydenham High Street at midday with my 2 small children when a kerfufle caught my attention and a woman had her bag snatched outside Lloyds Bank. The perpetrators jumped into a car which subsequently smashed into another car, but they got away even with people running after them. I cannot stress enough that a woman (or man) coming home after about 9pm should get a taxi and not risk it. I don't mean to sound scaremongery and I really like Sydenham but we must be realistic about these things.