Location Transport

richmond, berkeley, oakland, san francisco. travelling alone on exchange?

I've asked a few questions on american universities and safety in certain cities but i'm still unsure. I'm looking to go on exchange to the university of california, berkeley. i'm a 21 year old female and i would be going alone. i've never been to america and would love to see as much as possible. ive found out that oakland and richmond are pretty dangerous and wondering if that will affect my travels around berkeley and san francisco. i will be relying on public transport so will i have to pass through oakland to get to san francisco? would it be dangerous? i know nothing about the cities over there and what they are like. i understand common sense is needed and you shouldnt walk alone at night. im from australia and our cities are relatively safe even at night due to the vibrant nightlife. other options for me are the university of washington, seattle or the university of california in los angeles. would these be better? thanks in advance.

Public Comments

1. Some of Oakland is "dangerous", some is actually really fluffy. In general, West Oakland and East Oakland are the dangerous parts, though there are exceptions in each. Lake Merritt, Rockridge, Piedmont, Temescal, Claremont, etc... are all quite safe. Taking BART through even the bad areas isn't a worry - between the nice parts of Oakland, the airport, and Berkeley, to and from San Francisco, it's never sketchy. Honestly, even the bad neighborhoods... people HAVE been known to walk the streets and survive, so you shouldn't worry too much. But definitely wait until you feel comfortable with the Bay Area in general until you venture into them (if you need to or want to). Richmond is tricky. It's actually not ALL dangerous, but overall it is. Statistically, Oakland is more dangerous, but Oakland is firmly separated into "nice" areas and "bad" areas. Richmond is more spread out. I don't know... most people just don't go there, myself included (but mostly just because it's so far out of the way and there's nothing of real interest). I'm not sure whether or not that's justified. The times I have been through, there seem to be interesting places. Regardless, it's way out of the way. You don't cross through it going between SF - Oakland - Berkeley, so it's kinda just forgotten about. Common sense is definitely needed anywhere (whether you're in a ghetto, in fluffy suburbs, or in the woods), but don't be afraid to walk alone at night. It creates a very dependent lifestyle and really isn't necessary. People walk alone at night all the time and nothing happens. Just keep your eyes and ears open, especially if you're somewhere you're not familiar with. Learn to judge what is a threat and what isn't. Many tourists tend to see homeless people, raving lunatics, etc... as a threat, but 99.9% of the time they're harmless (even if they *look* scary to a newcomer). Personally, I tend to see those tourists, once drunk and not paying attention, far bigger threats. Point being... DO walk alone at night. It's very calming and a great way to explore where you live and, frankly, it's just practical (unless you don't plan on ever going anywhere at night, or are one of those insecure people who always have to drag someone else along). Just be aware, as you should always be.
2. Exercise the same level of caution you would in, say, Sydney. But there is certainly no need for paranoia. We are still talking about metropolitan San Francisco, not Johannesburg. Passing through Oakland on the subway (BART) or bus is perfectly safe. There are lots of witnesses, CCTV cameras, and frequent police patrols. They aren't going to do anything that brazen. Also keep in mind that the vast majority of Oakland's residents are law abiding. Crime is largely relegated to economically depressed neighborhoods you would have no reason to visit anyhow. Generally speaking, traveling as a single woman in the United States is no different than in any other developed nation. In California and Washington, especially, female politicians and CEOs are so commonplace that the concept is no longer any sort of novelty. At street level, this means it is safe to go to bars, nightclubs, and so forth without a chaperone.