Friday, December 19, 2008

10 people shot

this week, mapped by Spotcrime.

7 comments:

buzoncrime said...

Spotcrime has a great crime alert function. I signed up and it keeps me updated on any and all crime, from a variety of sources in the Baltimore areas--and goes back several months if you want to look at the map.

Buz recommends Spotcrime as a supplement to reading Baltimore crime blog in order to keep up with what's going on.

John Galt said...

Note: Spotcrime now lists another shooting yesterday on the 500 block of Gorsuch in Better Waverly, next to the 33rd Street Giant supermerket.

elkue said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
elkue said...

Spotcrime is generally a decent service compared to other crime maps, but it's horribly slow. It should be redesigned in this style -

gothamist.com/labs/map

buzoncrime said...

RatherbeBiking--
It seems to load fast enough for this poor humble user of info. Or, by slow do you mean the incidents on there are old? They can only load the data which is provided to them by whatever source. Data from the police department's web mapping are generally almost 2 weeks old.

On another topic, RatherbeBiking---Have you or any of your friends biked along the so-called Gwynns Falls Trail in Baltimore? If so, did you feel safe along there?
Did you see any police units which appeared to be dedicated to the trail?
If you haven't biked it, is there a reason?
Have you seen the blog Baltiless? It has some neat pictures on why anyone should be cautious about using the Gwynns Falls Trail-especially alone.

helix said...

I've biked many times on the Gwynns Falls Trail. I have mixed feelings about it where safety is concerned.

As a regular bike commuter, I do have small parts of the trail on my commute (I go between Patterson park and Linthicum).

Generally, the thing roadies have to watch out for in Baltimore (aside from ignorant drivers and horrific pavement), is large packs of kids who are out for a little violent mischief. I am not worried about bike-jackers or muggers, but I am worried about a 12 year old ("at risk" kid) tossing a brick my way to see what would happen.

I think the trail is safe if there are lots of people on it, or if the weather is so cold you'd have to be crazy to be outside (like me). The worst time to be on the trail is at dusk on a summer day when kids are out looking for trouble.

buzoncrime said...

helix--thanks for the information! I agree the trail is probably safe in the daytime, the earlier the better--if you have a lot of people around, and especially if they're with you.
I would be uncomfortable riding the isolated parts of it by myself, especially as you go north from Wilkens Avenue. As you point out, groups of kids out to "have fun" are a big threat. I don't recommend women use that part of it at all unless they're with a group.

When the trail was first open a few years ago, Southwestern District, through which the bulk of it runs, had a dedicated unit of 8 police officers with bikes, ATVs and a jeep to patrol it in a dedicated fashion. I think that unit has long since fallen by the wayside. If anyone knows any different, please let me know.

helix: I'm interested in what route you take to get from "Patterson Park" to Linthicum and do it every day and survive Baltimore's hellbent for leather drivers. Please email me directly; just curious.
[I swear, that the driving laws must have changed since i took the test (a couple of years ago, at least): apparently the rules now are that you are supposed to drive as fast as possible unless you hit something, skid off the road, or arrive at your destination. If people are going too slow for you, you ride their bumper till they move out of your way; if someone toots at you for driving bordering on reckless, you yell F---- You at them. Sheesh.]