Safety in Downtown Seattle

[Joe Link]

I'm heading up to Seattle this Sunday for my first NFL game and I'll be staying the night. We're staying in a nice downtown Seattle hotel, about a mile North of CenturyLink. My WA CPL hasn't come yet, so I won't be carrying, and I'm completely unfamiliar with Seattle. We'll likely be hitting some cocktail bars, happy hour, etc. so I wouldn't be carrying anyhow. Any restrictions on carrying a pocket knife? I'd appreciate any Seattle-specific safety tips might be able to give me, areas to avoid downtown, etc.

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[Charles98683]

North of the stadiums is much better than the south side. It gets rough heading south. Congrats on your first NFL game.

 

[Jammer Six]

I've lived here all my life, except for the service.

You don't need to worry-- our "roughest" neighborhoods are quite tame.

 

[Botte Hork]

Pay attention to blade length with knives. Vancouver for example has a lovely 3 inch limit, which excludes many often carried knives.

 

[simon99]

As long as you watch your six late in the evening and stay near the hotel district you should be good to go. First avenue can get rough in patches, just practice situational awareness and keep your wallet in your front pocket. Its really no different than being in the Pearl after a Timbers game late at night. Have fun.

 

[dmv9]

You can't carry into the stadium regardless of your CPL unfortunately.

 

[Bam]

Downtown Seattle; Man, woman stabbed after soccer match. Man dies...

<broken link removed>

 

[Jammer Six]

See? Tame.

Now, Australia is a place to avoid. They have bugs that will kill you over there. And they have reptiles that will eat you.

If you avoid First Avenue, you'll miss Pike's Place Market. Not to mention the original Starbuck's. Since those are major tourist draws, it's safe. As is the rest of First Avenue.

People like Pioneer Square for drinking, but I've never seen the attraction-- in the evening, it's full of drunks of all ages, from "I-Just-Reached-Drinking-Age-I-Want-A-Beer!" to stone-cold, career alcoholics. But then I've never understood Mardi Gras, either.

If you're staying at a reasonable hotel, it probably has a good restaurant. Otherwise, I'd go to the Fogcutter or Ivar's.

You can be afraid anywhere. Or you can come enjoy a great weekend. There's a lot to do, there's a lot to see.

 

[Blaylocke]

Depending on where you're staying, walk down fourth avenue towards the stadiums. Third street between spring and pine is the metro line and there are a lot of shady people. I was there for Pax Prime and in a week of short walks saw

1. People pissing in broad daylight on walls

2. Someone walking back and forth, past us, behind us, past us, repeatedly, before walking about twenty yards in front of us at an ATM cubby, and smoking "something" out of tinfoil.

3. Was hit up EVERY time I walked, for money. It was never overly aggressive as I'm pretty friendly, but some of them looked like they were a tad on the "ready to snap" side.

Basically, avoid third street and any other major metro areas, atleast when there's not a ton of people out. I never felt my life was in danger or anything of the sort, but if you want to avoid that altogether, the rest of the city is clean and everyone is friendly.

 

[SKN]

You can't carry into the stadium regardless of your CPL unfortunately.

Can't carry a blade into the stadium either. My father-in-law forgot he had a small but sentimental folder in his pocket and he had to surrender it for disposal when we arrived.

 

[Jammer Six]

Well, now if someone mentions second avenue, you won't be able to go downtown at all...

I'm starting to think people are looking for T-points rather than offering serious advice.

 

[spectra]

We were just up that way for a concert and stayed the night. We walked probably 15 to 20 blocks from our hotel to Century Link field and I felt safe the whole way. I did see the normal homeless people but deal with them in Portland so no real issues with them. As we got closer to the stadium the police presence is known. Even after I think they are out in force with traffic and all the people walking the streets.

Joe if you want to feel safe just wear a Titans jersey and all should be good

 

[Blaylocke]

Well, now if someone mentions second avenue, you won't be able to go downtown at all...

I'm starting to think people are looking for T-points rather than offering serious advice.

I'm just saying what I saw. It wasn't all of downtown, if you were referring to my post. It's a four block section of third ave. It was literally where all of the weirdos were. I was just there in September.

 

[FarmerTed1971]

You'll be fine. Enjoy!

 

[BlakeStone]

Pay attention to blade length with knives. Vancouver for example has a lovely 3 inch limit, which excludes many often carried knives.

Seattle has the blade length law too, but even the legal length wont make it into the stadium.

 

[John H]

Any restrictions on carrying a pocket knife? .

Well Birk doesn't work for the SPD any more so you should be good to go. :yes:

 

[wombat]

... not allowed in the Stadium, empty your pockets ...

State, county and city define a "Dangerous knife" as
... any fixed-blade knife and any other knife having a blade more than three and one-half inches (3 1/2") in length.

LEO's don't (normally) carry a tape measure - some consider if the blade is longer than the index finger.
Or, if your hands are the size of dinner plates, longer than the pinky. YMMV.

Can also come down - can it cause bodily harm; did you carry, exhibit or display with an intent to intimidate or cause alarm for the safety of others.

No one has got into legal trouble for carrying a small flashlight (plug:like a Fenix LD10) ... and the obligatory cell phone.

... be aware; don't be out late ... common sense in a strange city.

Go Hawks ...

 

[MrNiceGuy]

For future reference, the Travelodge on Mercer Island is a GREAT place to stay.
It's in one of the nicest areas around and the rooms are really cheap.

 

[Nightcrawler]

You can get down to the north lot of the stadium from 4th Ave. S, at King St., which is just south of Jackson. Catch the Metro bus, or the light rail, if you need to. I'd avoid Pioneer Square and all the crackheads . . .

 

[AMProducts]

Seattle near the stadium really isn't too bad, usually the worst you have to deal with is aggressive pan handling, and drunks. Sobriety is one of the best weapons when dealing with this type of threat. Stay away from most of the areas near renton, there's really no point in going there anyways.

The one thing friends have warned me about, that I've not seen personally, but see plenty of evidence of are mobs of somalis. Apparently the tactic they take towards mugging you is something akin to how wolf packs operate, a few of them grab you and the rest of the mob takes all your stuff. Again, paying good attention and standing your ground is a good way to ward them off. Since WA carry laws are so relaxed I'm sure enough of them have had guns pulled on them by their victims that they look for the unwary and unarmed.

Other than this, seattle is mostly just annoying, full of hipsters, traffic, and nowhere to park.

Also, if you get in early, head over to Bellevue and hit up Lowpriceguns (one of your sponsors) and pick up an expanding baton. Also, don't forget the WAC show is this weekend.