Late-night Amtrak arrival in Indy

[Neil_M]

I take offense to the attitude that you have that the presence of homeless people makes an area unsafe.

Why take "offense"? It's a fairly reasonable thought process, and with all these things, perception is everything, you may well be the best friend of the local dossers and vagrants, but someone from out of the area just sees potential trouble.

I really have no time for people "offended" on other peoples behalf.

 

[Ryan]

It's a fairly reasonable thought process,

I think that he just demonstrated that it was a pretty unreasonable thought process.

 

[Neil_M]

It's a fairly reasonable thought process,

I think that he just demonstrated that it was a pretty unreasonable thought process.

Did he? <_<

 

[Shanghai]

I dun like them. I think it looks Disney-fake.
I've always wondered if I could start a hotel using old sleeping cars. You know, a budget place, small rooms. Single Slumbercoach, $15, double slumbercoach $25, Roomette $30, Bedroom $55. Something like that.

When our children were young, we stayed at the Red Caboose Motel in Strasburg, PA.

We stayed in a refurbished caboose. It wasn't that comfortable, but the kids surely did enjoy it.

We also rode the steam train while we were there and of course, my wife found a giant gift

shop there as well.

 

[Ryan]

It's a fairly reasonable thought process,

I think that he just demonstrated that it was a pretty unreasonable thought process.

Did he? <_<

Try reading his post again and pretending that someone else wrote it. It's a rather compelling case that agrees with my observations nicely.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I dun like them. I think it looks Disney-fake.
I've always wondered if I could start a hotel using old sleeping cars. You know, a budget place, small rooms. Single Slumbercoach, $15, double slumbercoach $25, Roomette $30, Bedroom $55. Something like that.

GREAT IDEA!

Perhaps more people would travel again if hotels and motels offered reasonable prices.

 

[Neil_M]

It's a fairly reasonable thought process,

I think that he just demonstrated that it was a pretty unreasonable thought process.

Did he? <_<

Try reading his post again and pretending that someone else wrote it. It's a rather compelling case that agrees with my observations nicely.

Doesn't matter what you or GML thinks though does it? Granted it is a broad sweep to generalise that all homeless people are trouble, but what matters is people perceptions. If a woman sees a dark street and homeless people milling around, is she justified in taking a cab or does she just take GMLs word that it is a silly idea to take a cab? Taking it to extreme it is small consolation if she gets mugged or raped, just because of some GMLpiffle she read on here. If you feel unsafe and/or its an unfamiliar area then just get a cab.

 

[barbara]

Hi, I live in Indianapolis and am very familiar with the area. I would not want to walk this dark underpass at night by myself or with other women (yes i am female). I go along with the suggestion of taking the cab. There are a lot of homeless people that hang out in this stretch.

OK OK... If you read what I typed, you will see that I just stated there were homeless people in this stretch (not that they would harm her). I can tell you that I help out when I can with the homeless folks in the city but lets face it, a woman walking in a dark underpass at 11pm with men laying on grates usually begging for money is NOT what I'd call safe. And they do approach folks and ask for money almost to the point of harassment. I stand by my advice to take a cab..

 

[barbara]

However, for every homeless bum I have met that would rape/harass/accost a defenseless woman, I have met one that would just as quickly come to their aid. Groups of homeless people are a community, and like any community they tend to police themselves. They exist in whatever location they are in by the sufferance of the jurisdiction they are in, and they know it. A major homeless shelter I know is NYP. They remain mostly quiet and, aside from minor panhandling, are not a problem. Partly because they know that if they become a problem, Amtrak will start rousting them out of the station, and they lose the "home" they have.
I take offense to the attitude that you have that the presence of homeless people makes an area unsafe.

Well I take offense to the attitude that you have that every person that is homeless is a 'bum'. Come on now... you picked at me by saying there were 'homeless' people at that underpass yet you refer to the homeless as 'bums'.

 

[shytown]

I'd feel like **** and a massive hypocrite if I rode a cab anywhere that public transit runs. And I'd feel worse taking public transit a distance of less then 5 blocks. Big cities are generally safe at night. Especially New York. You're always safe if there are people mulling around.

Hi GML, you have described yourself as being a tall, large, youngish male person. Your honest feelings about walking in a city at night are your own.

For me, a woman, I hate being on the street at night, it was bad enough before I got robbed at gunpoint walking home from work on "my" street when it wasn't even dark out. I have been followed, accosted, harrassed, any number of times and I'll give the whole thing a pass whenever possible. Can't stand being on the street at night although I am glad I moved to a smaller, safer city.

Experiences differ, a big guy cannot translate his attitude, feelings, experiences to those of a lone female on the street, day or night really. It's just not the same, and I have noticed guys don't use their imaginations in this regard very much. It never occurs to them that someone might feel unsafe for good reason.

ditto here. Take a cab & don't think twice about it.

I live in suburban Chicago and we don't even walk anywhere at night unless it's in a well lit parking lot and that's not at 12:15 am!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I've wandered around Times Square at 0200 and felt safe and comfortable as a kitten. Much of it is your attitude and how you present yourself to others as well as keeping sharp situational awareness. But if you have any doubts or concers whatsoever, then by all means hop into a cab, even if it's only for a couple blocks.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

When our children were young, we stayed at the Red Caboose Motel in Strasburg, PA.We stayed in a refurbished caboose. It wasn't that comfortable, but the kids surely did enjoy it.

We also rode the steam train while we were there and of course, my wife found a giant gift

shop there as well.

Actually, I stayed there myself and found it quite comfy. In fact, one thing that blew my mind was that the mattress on the bed in my caboose was the Emerald Crown model by a small company called Kings Down- which is a wonderfully comfortable hand-made mattress that also happens to be the one I have on my bed at home.

Doesn't matter what you or GML thinks though does it? Granted it is a broad sweep to generalise that all homeless people are trouble, but what matters is people perceptions. If a woman sees a dark street and homeless people milling around, is she justified in taking a cab or does she just take GMLs word that it is a silly idea to take a cab? Taking it to extreme it is small consolation if she gets mugged or raped, just because of some GMLpiffle she read on here. If you feel unsafe and/or its an unfamiliar area then just get a cab.

Am I not allowed to take offense on a subject just because it seems to be held by a large percentage of the population? Would it be unreasonable for me, in the 1920s, to live in the south and take offense to the Jim Crow laws, just because they were supported by a broad sweep of the population?

Well I take offense to the attitude that you have that every person that is homeless is a 'bum'. Come on now... you picked at me by saying there were 'homeless' people at that underpass yet you refer to the homeless as 'bums'.

I am sorry to confuse you. I tend to forget that I am talking in a world where way too many people's precision of language is lackadaisical at best. I don't consider that all homeless people are bums. I would say that the type that would rape a defenseless woman would so qualify, however.

 

[Rob Creighton]

To get back on topic...

I live in Lafayette and have had a few occasions to work with the Indianapolis Convention and Visitor Association on some projects and Downtown Indianapolis is safe most anytime...although very late/early it has a rather deserted feeling to it. Personally, if my wife was riding the train into Indianapolis after midnight I'd suggest she take a cab vs. walking.

The Crowne Plaza website says it's a $5.00 dollar cab ride from the station to the hotel.

For someone planning a trip to Indianapolis I'd say check out the visit indy website and if you have any questions give them a call. They're vey helpful. Lots of downtown is connected by skywalks and there are lots of things to do within walkng distance of the downtown hotels. It's a great city, and a great midwest destination if you're looking for a long weekend train ride from points north (or south!)

One thing I noticed while looking at the visit indy website is a lack of information on rail/interstate bus service....I'll have to mention that to the gentleman I work with at the ICVA.