But people won't believe that crap happens here.

Yeh, being homeless isn't bad enough so they may as well have melanomas as well.

Well it doesn't does it....

Don't be daft, we live in 'heaven'..'utopia' don't we

I think you missed my point!

I obviously can't comment on trains in Perth but I regularly (well, as often as I can!) get the last train home from Liverpool after a good night out.

Yes, there are quite a few "weirdos" but they are there in daylight hours too. Yes, there is usually someone mouthing off and hoody kids acting big.

I imagine this is the same as any other "last train home" from a busy town/city.

Its important that you try to see yourself through the eyes of others in these situations. I don't make eye contact, I sit near the driver's cab and not near the exit doors where drunks etc are usually standing. I make sure I have something to read or play a game on my phone. I have never once been bothered.

There is danger in even the most "safe" of places. Its just important that you look after yourself and minimise the risk.

Great advice!

The 'murder of crow rate' is the worst in the world. Some girl got her eye pecked out the other day

I have been in Perth about six months I dont feel its safer than anywhere else but that is just my perception mainly from reading the papers and local goss. There seem to be lots of burglaries. I went to Sydney last week and felt alot safer. Again this was purely my perception. I was staying on the North Shore and took the train to The rocks walked around it was surprisingly quiet. Had dinner then walked around some more found myself in dark streets under the bridge then found my way onto the bridgae and walked back to Hotel at about 10:00PM. Never felt safer in my life. Took the train back from CBD at 11:00 another night and it was quiet and Pleasant. Walked around the neighborhood and there were women walking around alone. It seemed all pleasant. I feel more vulnerable to being mugged in Perth. My wife argues that its all perception cuz every little thing makes the papers here

I have to agree that perception plays a big role. If we're walking around paranoid, we will feel it is unsafe no matter how safe a place is.

That's good to hear every little thing makes the papers there. That means the police and media are not hiding anything!

I currently live in the centre of Newcastle, and to be honest feel pretty safe for the most part. But wouldnt like to walk through to city on a weekend when all the idiots are coming out of the clubs at night.

In Feb of this year we stayed in Perth city, if I am honest I felt at risk at night and for some reason not comfortable in the city at all. But this is just my perception, I will say though in the northern suburbs we have stayed in I have always felt safe at any time of the day or night.

The people I have met while out walking in the suburbs have always been polite, saying hello etc. I do worry about my partner using the train in Perth for work etc, but then I also worry about her using the metro here in the UK.

Its a perception thing, doesnt matter where you go in the world, you will never be 100% safe from abuse, graffiti or crime etc.

now hey! Sunderland isnt THAT bad well parts of it arent anyway

It’s not just perception; it’s also down to the fact that it is simply safer walking around Sydney at night than it is in Perth. The reason is, Perth CBD is shut down at night, dead and dark, and it’s dangerous. Sydney at night has places open all day and night, 24 hour shops, clubs, resturants etc scattered all over the CBD, there are enough people walking around at night. If I’m walking home from a night out or back from a friends place, I walk down dark streets and shortcuts through the park in the CBD and I always feel safe. I have never once felt safe walking in Perth, even walking from the shops to my mum’s house out in the suburbs.

People talk about the “last train home” being really bad, I guess you don’t notice that here as in a sense there is no real “last train home” as soon as the train stops (about 1 – 2am) they have night rider buses which take people home, the buses run until the trains start again (about 5am). In Perth whenever I went out, if you didn’t make it for the last train home (about midnight – 1:30am) you got stuck in the city and it was impossible to get a taxi, so what are you suppose to do?

And about Perth having a burlgary problem, yes it does – it actually has the highest home burglary rate in the country.

Mikey

You think that is bad, I was murdered twice on the Freo line, 4 times in the CBD, my legs (all 6 of them) were chopped off in Mandurah and my head sliced and cut into steaks in Port Kennedy.

Everyone I know has been murdered at least 5 times, except my friend Gobbyjock who was sent to heaven and back on a round trip and turned away because she hadn't been killed enough.

I think there has to be some element of - you'll always feel safer in your hometown than anywhere else, because it IS your hometown and you know it.

I spent from 1981-2002 living in Leeds before we left the UK, and I know its safe/safe-ish/no-go areas well. I also knew how and where it was changing.

Coming to Sydney earlier this year - ok I knew it slightly, knew the touristy areas and, having a Gay Best Friend here, knew Oxford St slightly but 'kinell, I never feel safe over there (as per a discussion on another thread). You only have to read the papers - especially on a Sunday - to know the shit that goes on. My mate's been here since 1998 and says he rarely goes down there now. I don't even like Circular Quay after dark - came out of the cinema there about midnight a couple of weeks ago and the place was deserted, eery, apart from a few drunks rolling around.

Again, six years in Singapore has softened me up but I'm taking no chances. I don't want to live in fear but I'm going to be sensible; won't be going out over there after dark without my husband.

twhurl, you were staying in Milsons Point I believe (The Vibe? Stayed there myself a few years ago) - it's very different this side of the bridge.

My biggest worry is for my children,I am lucky as the oldest who is 14 wants to have a lift here and there rather than making her own way there.Her friend made the mistake of going to the park with a friend early evening and a drunk girl came up to her smashed a bottle and held it up to her throat!This is a nice area but not in the evening when you hear the children at weekends shouting and swearing and smashing windows at the school.

I remember groups of children hanging out in my local park in England but there was not the drinking going on.I am not saying it is worse here as it depends on where you live but I feel scared for my children here and did not where I lived in England.

I would never go back to England but I am just being honest about how things are.Sue.