Official A2K Gathering in Chicago, May 7th, 2006!

I can't vouch for every station in the subway system because I have not seen them all. In particular, I haven't been to the system's outer rim. But the stations I did see -- the ones downtown, as well as the line from O'Hare to downtown -- all looked civilized and safe, as did the clientele on the trains there. I did notice a large percentage of dysfunctional escalators though, which could become an annoyance depending on your fitness and your baggage.

As for "not knowing ones way around", I actually found Chicagoans conspicuously good about it on my trip there last year. I especially remember one episode that managed to put even me to shame. On my first day, I needed to work out an appointment with a friend. For some reason, this had to happen by email, which wasn't available at my hotel. So I found myself walking back and forth between the hotel and the next Kinko's. On my third turn or so, a rather old, shabby type walked up to me. I was sure he was going to ask me for money and assumed a grumpy and defensive posture. But he just said: "Sir, I noticed you walking back and forth there, so I'm wondering if you might have lost your way. Can I help you somehow?"

I'm sure not everyone in Chicago behaves like this gentleman. But my overall impression of this city was one of unusual friendliness, totally different from the clichées they keep peddling in the movies and on TV.

During the day, yes. At night, alone, I always avoided it.

I agree. It's used by a lot of businesspeople during the day, no big deal at all in my limited experience.

Well, I've never been a woman traveling alone -- in fact, come to think of it, I've never been a woman traveling anywhere -- so I can't speak from personal experience. I would say, however, that most of the places that you'd want to go are ok, even at night. I wouldn't recommend going to the south or west sides at night, or even a few of the el stations on the north side, but you'd probably avoid them anyway. On weekend nights, the el/subway is filled with people; we have a few pickpockets working the mass transit lines, but random acts of violence are very uncommon.


I am reminded of something said by the late Mitch Hedberg:

I like an escalator because an escalator can never break. It can only become stairs. You would never see an "Escalator temporarily out-of-order" sign. Just "Escalator temporarily stairs. Sorry for the convenience. We're sorry for the fact that you can still get up there."

Dysfunctional escalators would definitely cause a problem for me if I had luggage. I have back problems and am not supposed to lift heavy objects. So thanks, I'll plan on taking a cab to and from the airport.

I made my way around Paris on the Metro just fine despite not knowing the city or speaking the language. So I should be able to figure out the Chicago system, I think.

Subway/"El" during the day, taxis at night if alone. I can do that.

Thanks, everyone!

(Hubby is now reconsidering, so all three of us may come. We shall see.)

When I travel any large city in the world, I usually stick pretty close to my hotel, but there are always exceptions where safety is not a concern. I believe Chicago is a "safe" city.

Beg to differ c.i. but no major city is a safe city, including Chicago. There's always someone out there preying on the naive. It's just a matter of keeping your wits about you.

eoe, I've live in Chicago, although it was many years ago, but I have traveled all over the city without fear, and was never assaulted.

hmm, i'm a taurus and a bull by nature. i venture anywhere without much consideration. always traveled alone anywhere i fathomed i might desire to get to. been through many a ghetto and nothing ever happened to me, maybe a few 'stand-offs' - when i was circled, but it was for the amusement of the locals, not to harm me. i grew up next to a gypsy settlement though and was used to roam around alone (to my parents' near heart-attacks on many an occasion) since i was around 9.

given all those disclaimers, i found chicago's el very safe, sort of like a provincial train. safer than new york or maybe even parts of boston.

I was born there c.i. and lived there for 38 years. My purse was stolen, snatched or picked several times, I've had to run for my life once, and I won't begin to regale you with the trials and tribulations that so many friends and family members lived through, just coming and going to and from work day-to-day throughout the years. You never know when you'll encounter an ugly situation so again, I say to all, keep your wits about you and always survey your surroundings.

Good advice in any urban environment.

That's all I'm saying. :wink:

I'm usually aware of my surroundings when I'm in any large city. The only time I had a problem was in Madrid during the day many years ago on a large boulevard where several men locked me in with their bodies, and I yelled loudly and swung my arms around around the hardest I could. They disappeared into the crowds, and failed to take anything. That was the only bad experience I've ever had, and I travel all around the world regularly.

I'll be going to Brazil early this year, and I know that Rio is not safe to travel at night or alone. Since I'll be with several friends on this trip, we will use some good sense and what our travel director tells us.

I worked for Florsheim Shoe Company, and our offices used to be on the next block from Union Station. I used to enjoy Chicago at night often, and never feared for my safety.

well... cabs aren't always safe either, we had series of fake cab drivers that hijack people, rob them of their money, dump them behind town....

i'd rather fend for myself.practicing a menacing look. grrrrrr. hisssssss. scratch.

Don't forget your boxing.

Madrid!!!! I had the same experience at the train station. Tfooey. We got robbed - well, the robbers (a group of travelers in their early twenties perhaps) contended with a few bank notes and didn't take all we had. Even kicked my sister in her ankle for being "cheap". We barely made it home - lived on a baguette with sardines for 2 weeks. We nearly got robbed 2 other times in Madrid over those 3 or 4 days that we were there.

schlaghand gerade.

But in your earlier post, you said that you travel at night alone often and nothing has ever happened to you. What is this? Fun and games??

You live dangerously Dag. Some may applaud that.

As a female, c.i., perhaps my fears are different from yours.

no, i wasn't alone! i was with my sister. so it stands that when i traveled alone, nothing ever happened to me ;-)

...thinking of it, they immediately targeted her. nobody demanded money from me. now i'm kind of offended. i mean, am i any worse? why not me? do i look like i have no money to offer?

eoe, adventurously maybe... but not wrecklessly. i do have some common sense. but i am a bit careless, i'll admit to that.