Quote: (09-07-2015 02:29 PM)zuma Wrote:
I cannot really agree about it. Most of us would have been to Poland, stayed in a short or mid-term in what we can call tourist "places". Meaning the heart of the cities where you have some police presence.
For example, if you stay in Krakow in old town during one week, you would say that it's very safe. Of course it is, a lot of policemen secure the place, day and night. Same story for Warsaw if you stay near the train station or around, it's quiet safe.
However, you have really shitty places in both of these cities, just to name it. In Warsaw, if you go to Praga at night, you have to be careful, everything can happen. I was walking around with a polish friend and she told me to not speak English when we were passing by guys to not get into trouble. In Krakow, some part of Nowa Huta and Podgorze are terrible. But as a tourist you are not likely to go to such places. To avoid places where you have football games is also a good advice. Both Krakow teams hooligans are mainly the only ones who didn't sign this European tract about football fans where you cannot used knifes and weapons during football fan battles. During Krakow derby, polish people call it "machette day" because fans are roaming in the streets looking for opposite football fans with knifes and machettes.
Anyway, the main difference between Poland and some western cities, is that you won't get into big troubles if you are not looking for it. In some countries, you cant just get stabbed because some guys wanted to, without any reasons. In Poland, if you are not giving stares to guys or trying to act like a moron, then you are not likely to have troubles.
Polish cities are currently safer than most Western European ones.
What you are describing in Praga/Warsaw is just a socio-economic thing. They wouldn't single you out because you are a foreigner, but because speaking English tells them that you have at least some money. The same would happen to a wealthy-looking Pole. But the most that you can expect for now is a stupid: "You looking at me?! You think you are better than me?!" kind of behavioral pattern.
I live here long-term for now and I go at Krakow-Nowa Huta jogging / driving a bike sometimes at midnight as I enjoy the architecture there and it is a far enough workout since I live on the other side of the city. Sometimes guys look at me since I don't look Polish and I don't seem to be poor - but that's more curiosity of an exotic dog. The girls give me looks as well - for similar reasons - heh.
I only know one Polish guy who was robbed by 4 youths in recent times and that guy is an average overweight 45 year old Pole - it was something done by youth who grew up at social housing projects nearby.
As I said - here it's a socio-economic issue. Football hooligans are another matter - avoid them. They are revved up and want to hit someone - any excuse is good enough for them.
Still - all of this is easy to avoid frankly. I have been to rougher areas in relatively safe US cities like San Diego or Boston. In those areas I sensed a far greater potential danger to my life than in any area in Poland so far.