Advice on Living DT

[CityLove]

OK so I'm having an issue and I figured if anyone could give me some advice, it would be my kind fellow forumers.

How do I convince my suburbanite friends that DT is safe, that it's OK to park your car in DT?

My building doesn't have any guest parking, so any time someone comes to see me, they have to pay, and feel uncomfortable leaving their cars out in the open DT. My contention is that your car could just as easily get broken into sitting in your suburban apartment complex. Am I wrong? If not, how do I convince someone it's OK?

How have you fellow DT dwellers dealt with friends coming to visit? Oh and DART isn't an option, especially for one friend in particular, who lives in a zone not served by DART.

Thanks!
Courtney

[Columbus Civil]

Befriend some urban hipsters.

[X Factor]

Let them park in your spot and you park in a garage. That way they'll feel safe and it will show them that nothing happened to you car and they will do it in the future.

[dizzy]

What building are you in? We're lucky enough to have a garage that visitors can park in. Some friends of mine actually prefer to park on the street as the meters are usually free after 6pm. If they were staying the night I would probably recommend them park in our building's garage. Especially now that they've set up several surveillance cameras. Before the cameras it was probably safer to park on the street.

[vman]

I work downtown and park in an open parking lot. My car has been broken into twice in broad daylight. Threre's been plenty of times I've walked across a parking lot and seen broken windshield glass on the ground. My advice would be to park where there is a paid attendant or park at a meter on a well travelled street. Sorry but downtown has times when it is still pretty dead, so criminals have plenty of oppurtunities to break into vehicles.

[Dallasite]

I was in Rockwall last weekend and my car got egged. I'm never going back. It is just too dangerous out there. LOL!

BTW, tell them to get some insurance. Then they won't have to worry so much!

[Lakewooder]

Car break-ins seem to be common everywhere -- look at the police blotters in suburban papers, for example. They also seem to have a lot of trouble with windshield smashers and mailbox pranksters.

I remember reading a letter to the editor from someone who made a bad parking decision during the Fair...then he went on to say he would NEVER visit the Fair again...what an idiot...

[monogodo]

The only time any of the vehicles I've owned was ever broken into was in North Dallas.

A former coworker of mine (I also work downtown) had his car broken into twice in a 6-month period. He parked in a surface lot on the edge of downtown.

My supervisor's car got broken into in an attended garage in downtown.

If someone wants to break into your car, they're going to do it, regardless of where it's parked. With the amount of police patrolling downtown, I feel safer here than I did in Richardson or Mesquite.

I also like X-Factor's suggestion.

[Aporkalypse]

Befriend some urban hipsters.

But watch out for "street toughs".

[Milkman Dan]

Show them the crime statistics from S-T and Uptown regarding BMV's... The area has been one of the worst in the city with regards to the BMV problem. Anywhere there are nice things around (cars) there will be people ready and willing to ballsily? break into them - even in the middle of the day. Of course, I'll repeat the mantra of everything recently - perception is reality.

Tell them they are much more likely to be urinated upon by a drunk homeless person than have their car broken into.

[FoUTASportscaster]

I've had my car broken into three in the suburbs, but never in DT, but to be honest, I live in a burb and take rail into Dallas, so they may not be the best example.

[BigD5349]

I have found that a lot of suburbanites are scared because they get lost in DT. I actually know people who have lived here all their lives, and have never been to Oak Cliff.

So, I saved a map from a mapping program, and highlighted step by step directions of how to get here, where to park, and how to get back out again. It's stored on my computer and I just send it out whenever I need to. It works pretty well.

[frankchitown]

I think you should get new friends. The one's you have now don't like you, thats why they use the parking excuse not to visit.

[CityLove]

I think you should get new friends. The one's you have now don't like you, thats why they use the parking excuse not to visit.

Oh gee thanks. I wasn't looking to get insulted out of all this!

[Dallasite]

Oh gee thanks. I wasn't looking to get insulted out of all this!


I think you picked the wrong forum for that! :)

[JaeTex]

Show them the crime statistics from S-T and Uptown regarding BMV's... The area has been one of the worst in the city with regards to the BMV problem. Anywhere there are nice things around (cars) there will be people ready and willing to ballsily? break into them - even in the middle of the day.

Especially when you leave temptation sitting out in plain sight. NBC5 did a story a few years back on the break ins of cars in uptown and the reporter in just a couple of minutes found cars with laptops, etc. sitting in plain view just begging to be taken.

All my stuff goes in the trunk, or I at least make a half-hearted effort to cover it up inside the car, no matter where I park.

[frankchitown]

Oh gee thanks. I wasn't looking to get insulted out of all this!

I'm sorry, that wasn't very Christmas spirity of me, I take it back. Actually I had the same problem when I lived at the Manor House. Everyone hated the garage (me included), and it was hard to find meters during the week. I kept my friends and moved to oaklawn.

[gc]

TG2....I just say give it time....encourage them to take the train....let them use your parking spot....or valet somewhere...

[FoUTASportscaster]

Promise them sexual favors. It hasn't worked for me, but you might have better luck, being of the female persusion and all.

[sterling]

Trolley, I agree when you say that the possibility of break-ins exists everywhere. One might not have to worry about it at NorthPark perhaps, but who really only wants one solitary "safe" destination to experience life? Consider the odds. And stop imagining that YOU (they) will be the one broken into. If still feeling vulnerable, consider the following "When in Rome" advice for queazy suburbanites (my unprofessional opinion).

Do your hair and makeup at home. Retie your tie in a reflective store window after you're away from the car. Preparing for the "prom" in the parked car and on the sidewalk means you won't be back for a while.

Exit your car with a sense of purpose instead of turning into a keystone cops act. Too much wide-eyed giggling and "we're slumming" attitude we'll get you exactly the attention you don't want.

Scope out your immediate surroundings as if it is your territory (In actuality it is). Take note of "suspicious characters" leaning against adjacent buildings. Give them a look that says "I can identify you in a line-up and I wasn't born yesterday". Do NOT disrespect any of these people just to impress your friends. An expressionless glance would do in most cases.

Don't try to save a couple of bucks on parking if you're driving a BMW et al. If you have to blind thieves with temptation, have the courtesy to be as impressive with where you park. You might check out the various options in your area and demystify them/it all for your suburban "greenhorns". They may just have to be spoon fed. Once they have the knowledge of how to do it, they'll probably start feeling very superior about that too. "I feel safest at..." or "I really like the architecture on the walk from 'this' garage" etc.

In short, I think it's all a mind game. People are afraid to do what they haven't spent "most of their life" doing. Don't be afraid to "rattle their cages" a little bit. Instruct them and encourage them (like children?). We will all certainly be old and too set in our ways soon enough. It's an exciting time in Dallas. And they will thank you for broadening their horizons and sharing your sophisticated adventure with them. Or I'll eat my hat. After eating dirt for Rantanamo that would be a snap. :)

[Boredkid]

Anyone recently have a problem with their cars being broken into?

[Jewfish]

Anyone recently have a problem with their cars being broken into?

Sadly yes, my gf's car was broken into a few weeks ago in the Metropolitan garage.

[TheCDAllenGroup]

Anyone recently have a problem with their cars being broken into?

Some kicked over my Powerwheels Jeep Wrangler. :(

[RayM]

Car break-ins have increased quite a lot in the last year here in east Deep Ellum (down near The Double Wide). Mostly it's kids' cars parked for the bar, it happens around 1am, and they have something visible inside the car.

It doesn't have to be something of much value that's visible. Anything that the thief thinks he can get a buck or two from, he'll break a window and take it. If there's something in your car that's not permanently attached to the car, lock it in the glove box or trunk out of sight.

Oh, and make sure the doors and trunk are locked, top is up if a convertible. Jeeps are easy targets too.

Whenever friends visit us, they have to park on the street. The only times we've had problems personally was with a jeep (toll tag was stolen), and when someone forgot to lock their door (a $10 pair of sunglasses were stolen).

[trolleygirl]

TG2- Buy your friends a DART pass and take a "DART" day so they'll learn the system and maybe think it's really cool and urban. Maybe they will be more comfortable with the whole urban scene, although IMO, DTD isn't as urban as it could be. I can't understand why so many people are scared of DTD. Everytime my mom has to go DTD, she comes over to my house and I have to drive her. Snore. It's not that big, the streets are easy to navigate (well, for people like us, that is), and let's face it- there's just not the traffic- I'm more scared of the high-five in rush hour than DT streets.

Also, in my neighborhood, we recently had a string of window smashings. They didn't take anything, just smashed windows. But then again, I live in South Dallas, and that's another story entirely- speaking of which, TG2, whn was the last time you've been to my house? Are you afraid of my neighborhood???

[Justin Terveen]

Sadly yes, my gf's car was broken into a few weeks ago in the Metropolitan garage.
That garage gets hit constantly.. There’ve been a few here at the Kirby, but we walk the garage at least once an hour -- hoping to keep that number low..