The Streets of the USA are generaly 'safer' than the ones in the UK - discuss ?

[JaggaSingh]

i found this comment by an individual (most likely an American) , on a UK news article - related to a stabbing.


" Being American, I don't think we as tighly compacted like your British are, but I feel much safer on an American street than on a British one.

The British often cite how much guns are floating around the USA, but most of them are in the hands of law abiding citizens who can defend themselves.

In Britain, weapons are in the hands of criminals only, because self-defense is banned for use by law abiding citizens. "


I kind of agreed with that persons comment, i've been to the USA like 12 times in my life time, and on each of those trips - guess what - i felt 'relieved, relaxed, happier and safer' roaming around the streets of NYC and LA at night lol

maybe its because I grew up alongside jamaican brits in the UK, and warm to the US african american culture - and listen to hip hop even in my early 40s lol

to me - the streets of LA and New york = safer than the ones in London.

I feel like im on the edge all the time, and tense - always - when in London. Is it because the power is with the criminals in the UK and NOT with the law abiding citizens ?


you tell me lol

 

[hornchurchmale]

each country has own problem areas. Uk used to be safer at one time generally. with its mass increase in population ( high levels of crime and prisoners are reflected in national statistics ) pressure for space and mixed with criminal element mean an average street in Uk is less safe than US. New York has for example far more policemen around .almost one on each corner . I felt very safe in New York thou was aware some sections were best avoided. same with Florida.
since political pressure was put on immigrants to have them dispersed all over even into small villages in Uk crime and social disorder have risen in every area.
not to say immigration is key crime problem but nearly 60% of criminals in Uk jails are at any one time foreign birth.
we simply get used to living under pressure . for example town centres and local bus stops are off limits to elderly after dark. burglary is no longer a jail-able offence as we no longer have enough prison spaces.
social cohesion is poor as Uk is now split into factions etc much is due to heavy population and rest to economics ( being poor ) and political correctness.

 

[Quaternion]

The USA, with less than 1/20th of the world's population, has more than 1/3 of the world's guns. That's 90 guns per 100 people, by far the highest rate of gun ownership in the world. The place is gun-crazy! Half of Americans actually believe that it is a God-given right to bear arms. Yes, some law abiding citizens have guns, but every criminal has an arsenal. I have made numerous visits to both countries (US and UK) and feel much more secure in the UK.

 

[BenDean]

Well USA is more dangerous than UK but crime still can happen anywhere.

 

[one]

It is exactly as you have stated, And it is a proven fact that places were there are higher percentages of guns there is substantially less crime. Like Arizona or Canada for example.

 

[one]

It is exactly as you have stated, And it is a proven fact that places were there are higher percentages of guns there is substantially less crime. Like Arizona or Canada for example.

 

[HustlinFelon]

Compare murder rates for the 2 countries on any basis - per citizen, square mile, anything, and you will find the US worse. It's not even close. Americans have to say 'oh, all guns are in law abiding citizens hands' as they defend their right to bear arms to the bitter end, even when its a proven fact owning a gun for self defence INCREASES the likelihood of people in that house being hurt or killed by gunshots.

To say all weapons are in the hands of criminals in the UK is ludicrous, and a very uneducated opinion. When was the last Gun Amnesty you heard about to get unregistered and illegal weapons off the streets in the UK?

The media here in the UK don't help. A few kids get stabbed and then every newspaper tries to increase its own dwindling circulation by starting campaigns or whatever else, and to make it seem more relevant devotes more time to relevant stories than actual news which impacts the country as a whole. Or celebrities - I think if a celebrity got stabbed they would cream themselves.

The media in the UK portrays everything to be worse than it actually is, Orwellian Big Brother syndrome almost. They tell you daily people are getting hurt, stabbed, watch out for hoodies, happy slapping, whatever else happens to be going on. When I lived in the US the news were too busy lying about the Iraq war to worry about small time scaremongering.

In the end it's ignorance all round. Americans are ignorant of the world at large, and we are quite ignorant as to realising how much worse things could be. As Gandhi said, 'nothing to fear, but fear itself'

 

[Insanity]

I'm from New York and I've never been to the UK but I highly doubt they're more dangerous then America.