Soldato
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Yeah think I read it as a different story sorry guys. Post and run.
UK Doctor killed by stray bullet - Georgia
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I've been to the US a dozen times, mostly for business but a few times for holidays. It's alright, feels relatively safe, odd culture and very naive about the world in some instances, and very backwards in others, but also quite wonderful in other aspects. A lot of the people are wonderful, and some of the bigger cities are very exciting vibrant places. I've never felt in danger and that's even walking through some of the run down neighbourhoods - just like any big city to be honest. Even in some of the Southern states who are very indoctrinated with patriotism and religion they're welcoming and fun to talk to.
I don't like their gun culture, nor do I like a lot of their policies on sustainability, and the number of cottage industries that exist there (accountancy, medical, legal etc...) and the number of federal, state, county laws and regulations is just a bureaucratic nightmare - however for tourism it's less of an issue of course. Having been pulled over by the police a few times, and having had a few drink filled evenings with some locals of a small towns, I made it out in one piece with good stories to tell and overall good memories.
However this story of a stray bullet or accidental shootings are so obscure for us in Europe that I can sympathise with people like @Diagro feeling unmotivated to visit. Whilst there are more culturally rich and interesting places to visit in the world, America has got some wonderful scenery and good people - it's just spoilt by a lot of the others!
You’ve made an honest assessment there, I warmly applaud your well thought out post, J-F.
I can only speak from my experience on this of staying in Ohio a number of times visiting close relations.
I noticed that in certain parts of the state, especially the inner city areas it was very segregated, mainly based on race and on a lower socio-economic levels. Visibly the areas looked poor, and they were avoided by outsiders.
The only time people from different backgrounds mixed seem to be in the city centre areas. It was noticable to me that I was more comfortable in mixed situations than other white people around me.
One place I was partly living at for a few years, an area full of apartments, had recently signed a contract with the local authority to provide housing for people on a lower economic income. It was just after me and my friends had moved out of the area, for a different reason. But we still had friends living in that area who told us that safety had become a concern. A few months after there was a story of a dead body being found in the back yard of one of the apartments.
So the moral of the story is, if you don't know the lay of the land it is easy for a foreigner to not realise the safety situation.
I'd echo what others have said that the vast majority of the US is safe with great hospitable people. But if you are venturing off the tourist path and your dwelling near a city then you have to be wary of the places to avoid.
I noticed that in certain parts of the state, especially the inner city areas it was very segregated, mainly based on race and on a lower socio-economic levels. Visibly the areas looked poor, and they were avoided by outsiders.
The only time people from different backgrounds mixed seem to be in the city centre areas. It was noticable to me that I was more comfortable in mixed situations than other white people around me.
One place I was partly living at for a few years, an area full of apartments, had recently signed a contract with the local authority to provide housing for people on a lower economic income. It was just after me and my friends had moved out of the area, for a different reason. But we still had friends living in that area who told us that safety had become a concern. A few months after there was a story of a dead body being found in the back yard of one of the apartments.
So the moral of the story is, if you don't know the lay of the land it is easy for a foreigner to not realise the safety situation.
I'd echo what others have said that the vast majority of the US is safe with great hospitable people. But if you are venturing off the tourist path and your dwelling near a city then you have to be wary of the places to avoid.
Soldato
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Seriously?
If you really think that there’s a chance that another stray bullet will come through the wall/window and kill you if you went to the U.S., do yourself a favour and buy a few Lucky Dips on the Lottery this weekend
Does a random shooting outside your hotel count? Because thats what happened to me there was a shoot out and one crim and one cop died, couldn't even get back into the hotel that evening forensics and whatnot. At the airport flying home later cops were hanging around everywhere armed with SMG's as one person was still on the loose.
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Gun safety in the US is next to non-existent. I have a relative who used to live in the Las Vagas suburbs and people would go out in the yard and fire off loads of live rounds in to the air in for new year celerbrations etc. You could near them raining down on rooftops.
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Man of Honour
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that's kind.
I guess coming from a multinational background and having lived in a few countries including the middle East as well it gives you a bit of a broader grounding on the things like adapting yourself to the area in which you're visiting. I appreciate this something which I'm very privileged to have experienced.