Why am I still here if Philly is so bad? B/c I never said it's bad. I'm actually probably moving to East Falls, not Lower Merion. I've said on countless threads, including twice in this one, that I like Philly, but it has a bad element - even the nice areas can be dangerous. In fact I've made that disclaimer so many times I'm sick of typing it.

But keep perpetuating the Center City-is-immune-to-violent-crime myth. Not only is it not immune from violent crime, it's not even rare. I can state a few incidents that I know, some from the media, some from Phillyblog, some from personal accounts:

Jose Pistola's server is on way home from shift; sees girl getting bludgeoned to death in the face by some psycho even though she gave her purse up. She actually lived, thanks to the server who actually ran TOWARDS the scene and not away. This was on the front page of the Inquirer months ago. It was 18th and Pine - beautiful street w/ million dollar condos all over the place.

In '04, a van drove up near Fox and Hound in the middle of the day. A couple thugs run out and try to actually abduct a woman off the sidewalk and pull her into the van in broad daylight. A man comes to her rescue. There were flyers of depicting a likeness of the thugs posted in the doors and windows at Fox and Hound and neighboring businesses. She was obviously not "city smart," walking down the heart of Center City by her lonesome in daylight.

People were getting attacked at Center City subway stops at random. How soon we forget. At least that stopped (as far as we know).

Stephen Starr chef - robbed 3 times in the 9 years he's lived here. Dude's big too. That didn't seem to deter anyone. He does get retarded drunk though, but still....

Former Stephen Starr manager - awoke to a burgler trying to rape her in her house. He busted in. She fought him off. This was near the gayborhood. I guess she wasn't being "city smart" by having the gall to sleep in her own house.

Regular at my favorite bar (not naming the bar, it'll give her away to people who know her) - robbed 5 (!) times in the 20+ years she's lived here, some in Center City, some not. She jokes about it and says she's immune to it at this point, but it has to effect her.

Former Stephen Starr bartender - had to pull his knife on a potential mugger. Didn't call cops b/c it's a switchblade, which is illegal.

Armed robbery at 22nd and Delancy about 5 months ago.

Filter Square (ie Center City) residents - getting robbed by thugs w/ guns for a few weeks there just this past winter. People walking from their car to their front door after work... before even 10PM!

About 2 years ago, and old fellow who worked at Capital Grill or McCormick and Schmicks (I forget which one) was having a few beers after hours at Copa Too when it was still open. Dude leaves to find thugs waiting for a restaurant worker carrying pockets full of cash. They hit him so hard w/ some kind of pipe they almost killed him.

2 co-workers of mine - failed robbery attempt at 12th and Walnut. Cabbie drives into the scene and scared the thug off.

Those were just off the top of my head.

If armed robberies made the news, you'd hear about these all the time, but they happen so often, even relatively often in Center City, that they aren't even newsworthy. That's why when out of town tourists ask if it's OK to walk back to the convention center late at night, I NEVER say yes unless they're going to be on densely-populated sidewalks. If they have to get back to the convention center-area, forget about it. I recommend a cab everytime.