Zurich tops world's most liveable cities; Calgary 25th

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

Ah but in Vancouver, drug trafficking is considered a petty crime.

And murders only happen here to drug dealers and hookers (and the occasional innocent bystander). So, really, they're no big deal either.

Well VPD/RCMP are too busy giving out speeding tickets OR pulling you over for no freakin reason to solve the 24 outstanding gangland murders over the last year in the lower mainland.

[flylock shox]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

Well VPD/RCMP are too busy giving out speeding tickets OR pulling you over for no freakin reason to solve the 24 outstanding gangland murders over the last year in the lower mainland.

That's just efficient use of police resources.

It's actually possible to convict people of speeding in BC. Drug murders - not so much.

[moon]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

As I see it, Vancouver has only 4 things to dislike:

The weather

The culture

The cost of living

The petty crime

Don't forget the citizens and Canucks.

[icarus]

Geneva (3) is a really nice city but ultra expensive. I think Sydney (10) is far more liveable.

[FlamesAddiction]

Vancouver seems to get a bad rap. I realize we're all Canuck loathers, but the city is not as bad as people say.

I lived there for 7 years, on Victoria right off of Hastings, and never felt like I was in danger. Even walking through Pigeon Park was no big deal. Despite all the heroin and crack addicts around there, you'd be surprised how little violent crime there is. Heck, I've even asked some of those guy directions before without any second thoughts about.

Honestly, I feel safer walking around downtown Vancouver at night than I do Prince George, Terrace, Cranbrook, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Saskatoon... pretty much most big towns and cities.

Most of the violent crime in "Vancouver" happens in places like Maple Ridge and Surrey, and it's not the junkies doing it. It's rich suburban white kids.

[eddly]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Most of the violent crime in "Vancouver" happens in places like Maple Ridge and Surrey, and it's not the junkies doing it. It's rich suburban white kids.

I'm trying to come up with a reply to this... but anything I can think of would be considered racist. So, I'll just say you are generalizing...

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Vancouver seems to get a bad rap. I realize we're all Canuck loathers, but the city is not as bad as people say.

I lived there for 7 years, on Victoria right off of Hastings, and never felt like I was in danger. Even walking through Pigeon Park was no big deal. Despite all the heroin and crack addicts around there, you'd be surprised how little violent crime there is. Heck, I've even asked some of those guy directions before without any second thoughts about.

Honestly, I feel safer walking around downtown Vancouver at night than I do Prince George, Terrace, Cranbrook, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Saskatoon... pretty much most big towns and cities.

Most of the violent crime in "Vancouver" happens in places like Maple Ridge and Surrey, and it's not the junkies doing it. It's rich suburban white kids.

Did you mean to say as safe or safer than? 'Cause I've been to Cranbrook several times and spent a week in Terrace and I'm having a hard time believing they are more dangerous than Vancouver! I have heard that Winnipeg is particularly nasty though.

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Most of the violent crime in "Vancouver" happens in places like Maple Ridge and Surrey, and it's not the junkies doing it. It's rich suburban white kids.

Except for drive by shootings...like the one outside of gotham, or in kits or on East broadway...in the last 10 months...of the top of my head.

Also the rich suburban "white" kids in "Surrey" would live in South Surrey/White Rock, which from what i heard are too busy snorting to commit crime.

Also having lived in South Surrey/White Rock...there is next to no crime there.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Did you mean to say as safe or safer than? 'Cause I've been to Cranbrook several times and spent a week in Terrace and I'm having a hard time believing they are more dangerous than Vancouver! I have heard that Winnipeg is particularly nasty though.

Terrace is getting really bad these days. I spend a lot of time there for work and it's sad the place is deteriorating. It's still a beautiful place aesthetically, but it is developing a really seeding underbelly.

With the soft wood lumber industry falling apart and tourism down because of the high Canadian dollar, unemployment and substance abuse is rampant. It's not uncommon for me to find syringes while I'm working and get threatened. Back in March, I was confronted by a gang who didn't like the fact that I taking photos of one of our clients sites (that is apparently where they shoot up and loiter). I ended up having to get the police to sit there in their car and watch while I finished. There has also been a lot of people going missing in the area. Right around Christmas time, someone was found stangled in a parking lot with a syringe stabbed into their neck... Then there is the whole "Highway of Tears" thing... For those who don't know, there is a serial killing roaming highway 16 in northern BC.

Maybe I'm being a little hard or Cranbrook though. I don't spend a lot of time there. Substitute Fort St. John instead... that places freaks me out more than Vancouver and Edmonton combined.

Mel, I still think Vancouver gets a bad rap. Granted, there are images that can scare people, but they don't amount to much real danger. I am of course speaking in realtive terms. Vancouver is a large city (more than twice the size of Calgary when you factor in the GVRD), so of course there will be the usual crap that goes along with that. Considering the size and the fact that it is a port city, it's not too bad.

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Mel, I still think Vancouver gets a bad rap. Granted, there are images that can scare people, but they don't amount to much real danger. I am of course speaking in realtive terms. Vancouver is a large city (more than twice the size of Calgary when you factor in the GVRD), so of course there will be the usual crap that goes along with that. Considering the size and the fact that it is a port city, it's not too bad.

Well there are some unusual things that are happening that would suggest that the rap is deserved. Now to me there seems to be a collective will amongst media in Vancouver to protect its reputation...reliance on tourism and the upcoming Olympics may have to do with that...so that is why i provide you with 2 links.

But this is something that should make you watch out for yourself.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-col...-families.html

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/ne...9-70f20112e593

Early reports, but it appears that another serial killer could be preying on young athletic men (as the TV report put it). This article just mentions 6 men in the last few months. The TV report suggested 40 men in the last 4 years have gone missing.

This Blog talks about 22 men who have dissapeared under unusual circumstances

http://hazel8500.wordpress.com/2008/...-growing-list/


Of course some of these men could of been caught up in gangs..as one the most voilent gangs out there were founded and operate in the area
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Gang

Of course don't forgt the constant threat of gang wars
http://www.clubvibes.com/forum/topic...opic_id=431336
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/20...00995-sun.html