I cant see me ever going back to this !!

[XTreme]

Originally Posted by jojo

I agree to a point, but sadly you could say that about anywhere in the world, includin spain, there are areas of Madrid, Malaga..... you wouldnt feel safe in.

Big cities and certain Costa areas agreed!

But the overwhelming majority of traditional Spanish areas not ruined by immigrants are perfectly safe Jo.

Women and children can walk the streets at anytime here....cos everybody knows everybody....or is related to somebody.

The police are always patrolling (but have very little to do) and there is still a real fear of the gun happy Guardia!

[jojo]

Originally Posted by XTreme

Big cities and certain Costa areas agreed!

But the overwhelming majority of traditional Spanish areas not ruined by immigrants are perfectly safe Jo.

Women and children can walk the streets at anytime here....cos everybody knows everybody....or is related to somebody.

The police are always patrolling (but have very little to do) and there is still a real fear of the gun happy Guardia!

The same applies n small villages etc in the UK tho. But I'm not arguing with you Xtreme, Spain and the Spanish people/kids on the whole have more respect for their community and other people than brits, they are brought up within an extended family with discipline and self worth, and of course a knowledge that if they do wrong theres the guardia waving their guns around!!!

Jo xx

[SunnySpain]

Originally Posted by XTreme

Big cities and certain Costa areas agreed!

But the overwhelming majority of traditional Spanish areas not ruined by immigrants are perfectly safe Jo.

Women and children can walk the streets at anytime here....cos everybody knows everybody....or is related to somebody.

The police are always patrolling (but have very little to do) and there is still a real fear of the gun happy Guardia!

I agree 100%, based on our experiences up North

As for the major cities and Southern costas, well thats a very different story indeed....as you said before and its not merely a coincidence that these places are full to the brim with expats from a variety of countries

Dave

[jkchawner]

Originally Posted by Suenneil

I read this article today and it makes me so glad I dont live in the UK anymore - but it makes me sad at the same time as my kids are still living their lives there - and I wish it were better for them and all the other people just trying to get on with their lives ....No matter how bad things are in Spain at the moment, I cant see myself ever going back to this ! ... and I cant imagine it will get any better ..... only worse.

I genuinely used to love the UK, I grew up feeling proud of where I was from, who I was, and how the World viewed the UK ..... that hasnt been the case now for a long long time ..... very sad

The most violent country in Europe: Britain is also worse than South Africa and U.S. | Mail Online

Sue x

as u may or may not no i live in nottingham which was renamed by the press as gun city 5 years ago. partly due to the marion bates shooting and a few others around the same time. its a sad fact of life now days the uk is fast becoming a no go area town centres pubs etc. i have had a knife pulled on me before just for asking youths to calm down in my local pub were my partner is the mangeress. dont get me wrong i could have gave the lad a quick slap and put him in his place any day of the week but when u have 6 inch of shiney stainless thrust at u it changes your mind quickly and im no chicken. one odf the reasons i along with lots of others whish to leave the uk is because of how kids are nowdays parents are as much if not more to blame for bringing them up like it in my eyes.

[Tallulah]

Originally Posted by SunnySpain

I agree 100%, based on our experiences up North

As for the major cities and Southern costas, well thats a very different story indeed....as you said before and its not merely a coincidence that these places are full to the brim with expats from a variety of countries

Dave

I don't think anyone should become laissez faire when it comes to personal safety though, or safeguarding their children. For example, I love to walk - I can walk for miles as a lone female quite happily with my dog. It drives my husband to distraction as he, of course, being a loving and cautious husband and father, would not want me to put myself in any danger. We're not in Utopia, wherever we are. In the UK for example, I would still walk alone (even though at one point it was a nightmare as we were living with the threat of a serial rapist in our area praying upon lone women walking with their dogs, often in broad daylight). At that point, I was armed (I won't tell you what with, as I don't want to get into trouble) but I was buggered if I was going to give up the enjoyment that I had strolling with my dog for some sick opportunistic ******* to take that away from me. I think the difference between the UK feeling and here where I am now is that I walked with my eyes opened in the UK (and something in my hand) and in areas which were not completely isolated. Here, I walk through the woods, up hills and down vales, and I still keep my eyes open as old habits are hard to break, but I no longer carry a weopon and I'm not at Def Con 1 every time a person walks towards me on the same path, which I must add, is a very rare occurance - and when it does happen it's usually meeting with a smile and a buenos/buenas whenever the time might be. Bottom line, very different mindsight and comfort level, but not blindness in any case....cos you never know.

I would add however, that my OH's family asks me now not to walk through the woods alone - they know that even in this area times are changing, as they all have mass media exposure and even though it isn't this area, per se, they feel it might just be a matter of time. Reason being, of course, unlike in their youth, the bad news can come to you now with roads and car ownership being commonplace, unlike in their time when it was only for wealthy folk... We have had violence news from the nearby city, relating to domestic violence, rape, etc and so the TV brings everything closer...and it does leave one wondering how long our little piece of paradise will remain so.

The thing about our previous life in the UK is though, that however freely the children seem to run around here and enjoy their youth for longer, my eyes are always on my three - and constantly looking over my shoulder. I will never take where I am for granted when it comes to our safety.

Having said all that, I think we're a long way off (hopefully never to reach it) the scenario where kids walk around with knives, where being pissed and creating havoc on the high street, attacking a stranger for a laugh, or punching someone's lights out accusing someone of jumping a supermarket queue, is a daily occurance. I talk with my parents back in the UK, obviously, and it's frightening how often they tell me of someone who's been randomly attacked/knifed in a place where I grew up and sure, there were fights, and people got hurt (sometimes badly, sometimes killed), but it didn't have the wild west feeling of today where it's become the norm, rather than the exception.

Tally.x

[XTreme]

Word of advice to you dog walking ladies!

Get a Rottweiler....nobody will bother you. In fact you'll clear the streets!

Even more so in Spain......they're terrified of them....even to the point of climbing lamp posts or trees.

Doesn't matter if it's the biggest, softest Rottie on the planet.....people will just run for their lives!

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by jkchawner

as u may or may not no i live in nottingham which was renamed by the press as gun city 5 years ago. partly due to the marion bates shooting and a few others around the same time. its a sad fact of life now days the uk is fast becoming a no go area town centres pubs etc. i have had a knife pulled on me before just for asking youths to calm down in my local pub were my partner is the mangeress. dont get me wrong i could have gave the lad a quick slap and put him in his place any day of the week but when u have 6 inch of shiney stainless thrust at u it changes your mind quickly and im no chicken. one odf the reasons i along with lots of others whish to leave the uk is because of how kids are nowdays parents are as much if not more to blame for bringing them up like it in my eyes.

Eh??
I just came back from another week in sunny Birmingham
I found it was absolutely fantastic, and no sign of concern at all at night or during the day. Of course there are areas in Birmingham I wouldn't go, but having played over the last 20+ years in Birmingham Pool Leagues and going to some of the crappyest areas, I have never felt concern for my self.

I wouldn't for instance feel comfortable wandering around Chelmsley Wood at night, and I'm sure there are areas in all Cities the same.

But to make out that you fear for your life on the streets of the UK is nonsense

[SteveBarbosa]

Another sensationalist story coming from err umm...the daily mail.

Sue, take it easy - it isnt that bad in the uk, well not yet anyway. Your kids I'm sure are ok and very safe.

[Suenneil]

Originally Posted by SteveBarbosa

Another sensationalist story coming from err umm...the daily mail.

Sue, take it easy - it isnt that bad in the uk, well not yet anyway. Your kids I'm sure are ok and very safe.

Hi Steve ... honest, Im not a "sensationlist" person at all! but thanks for the reassurance re my kids .... I thought it was an interesting article and also felt pretty sure it would generate lots of discussion and comment - which is usually good for the old brain cells!

Have a good weekend!
Sue

[SteveBarbosa]

Originally Posted by Suenneil

Hi Steve ... honest, Im not a "sensationlist" person at all! but thanks for the reassurance re my kids .... I thought it was an interesting article and also felt pretty sure it would generate lots of discussion and comment - which is usually good for the old brain cells!

Have a good weekend!
Sue

Now if its about the uk weather then thats a different story altogether as its back to lows of 19c and cloudy again!