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Columbus travel safety advice


Columbus travel safety advice

Dial 911 to get emergency (police/medical/fire) help. Although down somewhat in recent years, crime is still a problem in certain areas of the city. Most violent crime occurs in areas that would not be frequented by tourists. Visitors to the area should be aware that the theft of laptop computers and other items from automobiles is a common occurrence. Always store valuables in the cargo compartment of one’s car and make sure it is locked. Motorists who drink and drive will face stiff penalties if one’s blood alcohol concentration is above the legal limit (0.08). Police routinely set up checkpoints along major roads where all drivers must pass through and show their license and registration to check for intoxicated people. Vehicles are required by law to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. However, the law is not universally followed. Take care to watch for turning traffic when crossing streets. Some of the most dangerous areas in Columbus are neighborhoods around the Port Columbus International airport. When passing through these areas in a car, it's best to stay on major streets and keep all windows and doors closed. One shouldn't try walking there on foot in the evening or after dark. Areas on the East side of town, past the Downtown areas are similarly dangerous as there are a lot of drug deals and robberies occurring in dilapidated neighborhoods there. These areas are usually defined by I-71 on the West, I-270 on the East, I-670 on the North, and I-70 on the South. Neighborhoods in the South Central portion of the city, just on the inner side of the I-270 outerbelt, are also known to have a moderate volume of drug-related crimes. Abrubt growth and urbanization from Ohio's surrounding states to these areas in the late 1970's is responsible for a high unemployment rate for both white and black families, thus leading to a lower-class portion of Columbus. Though this area does not commonly attract tourists, it is a large intersection of a cross-counrty Inter-state highway system (I-270,I-70,I-71), along with Rickenbacker International Airport(RBI), which are known to be common distribution centers for drug trafficking across the United States. Traveling through the South-Central and Eastern portions of the city should be avoided unless necessary. Attractions/businesses are scarce, due to a large lateral-strung system of housing developments. Constructed in the late 1970's, to house the many new coming middle-class families of that era. These various communities (South gate, Linoln Park, Marion Village, Southern Pines, Scioto Village) resemble racially-balanced, subtle neighborhoods. However, increasing gang activity, drug dealing, and semi-organized crime is prominent in these areas. Especially in the hours of the night when violence occurs the most. Similar to the east side, lock all doors and close windows. Avoid traveling by foot if possible. Robbery, mugging, vehicle theft and other violent crimes are a possibility. On the West side of town, a sliver of neighborhoods around Broad St. and east of I-270 South are relatively safe during the day, but not at night. Generally, areas outside of the I270 loop (the Outerbelt) are safer and more peaceful than areas inside. Safe areas inside I270 include the Arena District, the Short North District, OSU campus areas, Clintonville, Upper Arlington, Grandview Heights, much of German Village and Bexley.

The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Columbus


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Columbus Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.

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