Name change, you know, outing, etc.
Probably BU. But as a Sheffield local (for 5+ years), I'm trying to figure out how worried I should be about the ramp-up in violent crime recently. I'm looking to buy a house and, knowing my bearings after a few years in the city, was looking at the Walkley area (before shootings and stabbings in the past week or so) and Meersbrook (shooting in the park the other day).
It's fair enough to say that crime will be rife in certain areas, but even with an informed opinion (don't buy here, don't walk here after 9pm, have your wits about you) and common sense, it seems it's getting difficult to avoid crime. Muggings actually scare me less nowadays. I'd rather someone ask me for money, threaten me, I give it to them and they leave. With the Meersbrook shooting, it was unprovoked - supposedly the guy asked for cash and cigs, the victim turned him down, he was shot in the neck. Sometimes I don't know how we can take steps to avoid this kind of thing - it's a family oriented area near a school, daylight (6pm). Sure enough you can expect gang violence to pop up anywhere, but everyone else should be safe if they stay out of it. It's the random violence against the person that bothers me.
I'm not especially rethinking my house location search, still looking at Walkley, but maybe I shouldn't be? There was a drug related shooting up near Park Hill this week, near where I currently am, so it's no better here. You go round the corner to get away and run into more trouble I guess! Unfortunately I can't afford anywhere fancier and can't move out of the city because of job/commute aspect. Plus I don't want to! But am I being a fool for sticking it out? I'd like to have a family someday so the decision is pretty crucial.
I guess I'm just looking for reassurance and maybe a place to vent about this kind of thing with other locals. I'm not here to rag on Sheffield, I really like it here, which is why I don't want to let myself get negative!