Is london safe at night?

wiganwez

wiganwez

Suspended / Banned
Messages
426
Name
Wez
Edit My Images
Yes
hi all.I have a meeting down in London on Wednesday-Thursday so i will get some time to see the sights of London and take some photos. 5pm-latepm Wednesday and 4-8pm Thursday.I have never been to London and i am staying in the area of islington (kings cross).my question is is it safe walking round with a camera at these times?don't fancy getting mugged for it. any advice,personal experiences helpful. cheers :)
 
Like all big cities being on your own you could possibly be an easy target,keep out of quiet sidestreets & you should be ok.:):thumbs:
 
boyfalldown said:
no worse then any other city - just use your common sense
Click to expand...

id be fine using it in the day but so many stories of people getting mugged and con people everywhere,just worrying when iv never been.looking forward to seeing london though cheers for the reply.
 
I used to work late into the night in London and would often go for walks around the area in the early hours 2am and later. At no point did I feel worried as others have said just use common sense and you should be fine.
 
At those times Kings Cross will be bustling with commuters and tourists. It will be busier than you think, it'll be safe as long as you are wary of whats around you.
 
I'm out on the streets of London with my camera virtually every night, often quite late. I would say it's perfectly safe; just use common sense.

Pay attention to what's going on; for instance, don't photograph a drug deal unless you have your running shoes on.

If you're not confident about being out at night with camera then avoid areas such as Brixton and parts of East London which at times have a bit more 'edgy' atmosphere to them.

All in all you should be good, just walk as you belong there and no one will bother you.
 
As already said, use your common sense and be aware, I have lived in London for 6 years now and never felt any more vulnerable here than in any other city - often less so because its busy with with 'normal' people until much later in the evening than most cities would be. I say that as a 5'2" woman with a big camera ;)
 
Just in case it might be worth checking your camera insurance is up to date.
 
thanks for all the replies much appreciated.you have all put my worries at rest,but i will be very weary. as far as going out with someone, i am traveling to london on my own for a meeting at the London art house in islington so i don't know anyone. very nervous as i rarely go to city's. thanks all :thumbs:
 
Ozei said:
Take someone else with you?
Click to expand...

0119_back_there_launch-1.jpg
 
If your in Islington I'd avoid Finsbury and Shoreditch (near by in Hackney). Don't get your camera out until you intend to use it. Try and look like you know where your going :D

I wouldn't worry about the stations to much at night its the trains where it kicks off, when your on the train you have no where to go.
 
I would aslo stress keep away from tower block area's, these are the no go zones at night where allsorts hang out e.g. gangs, drugs, drunks etc.
 
Even the river Thames runs thru london incase it gets mugged.

Realspeed
 
ok noted a few places to stay away from but are there any nice places around there in walking distance say 2 mile radius that i should see.or that you could recommend.some nice photo spots (bet there's millions) cheers all
 
Like everyone's said, just stay away from small back roads and tower block areas.
Anywhere that looks a bit eery, don't have second thoughts, just stay away.
And obviously only get your camera out when needed.
What camera bag do you have? Obviously a branded camera bag is a giveaway.
 
just don't go walking around South London(Elephant and Castle/Peckham etc.)...not like there's much to photograph there anyways.

Otherwise I think you're alright.
 
I'd say you will be safer in Central London than you would be late at night walking down King Street in Wigan.
 
Stay away from Westminster. There is a very bad gang there that keep robbing me every week! : )
 
Just wanted to echo what everyone else has said - just use a bit of common sense and you shouldn't have any problems at all.

One of the great things about London is that there are always loads of people about which provides an element of security in itself.

Neil
 
:clap:
wiganwez said:
il have you know kings street is a lovely part of town :D:D:D:D:D:D
Click to expand...

It was a good few years ago when the Beer Keller was open selling real German larger on draught.:clap:
 
wiganwez said:
hi all.I have a meeting down in London on Wednesday-Thursday so i will get some time to see the sights of London and take some photos. 5pm-latepm Wednesday and 4-8pm Thursday.I have never been to London and i am staying in the area of islington (kings cross).my question is is it safe walking round with a camera at these times?don't fancy getting mugged for it. any advice,personal experiences helpful. cheers :)
Click to expand...

At those times, I'd say that you should be fine if you stick to the busier streets and keep off the darker ones (like round the back of all the fast food places near Kings Cross, where all the prostitutes and their pimps hang out). After about 10-11pm though, you really are taking a chance if you wander round alone in that district, IMHO :|.

I'm 40+, 6' 4" and ugly and even I've had a few altercations with drunks (mainly) and would-be muggers, when walking back to my hotel near Kings Cross/Islington (after midnight), on the numerous occasions that I've stayed there in the last few years (in one of the Travel Lodges). London can be a very ugly place, but it really only gets that way when the crowds disappear, it gets dark and the trouble-makers come out :thumbsdown:.

My best advice is, don't stop to talk to anyone. I've been mugged twice (in Luton, not London) and both times the attackers used the same trick. They stopped me and asked me (innocently) for the time/a light and as soon as I took my eyes off them to look at my watch/light a cigarette for them, they punched me in the side of the head so hard that I was deaf and dazed. After that, all I could do was to try and defend myself against a torrent of fists and feet from two/three adrenaline-crazed blokes. Again, both times, this happened on a main road and nobody stopped to help me :|. In fact, when I was only 13, I got beaten up by a bunch of (16-18 yr old) West Ham fans on the floor of a packed, Saturday afternoon tube train and even then none of the adults around tried to break it up or help me up off the floor after the skinheads had gotten off the train :shrug:. Can't imagine that happening where I live now :suspect:.

Anyway, I'm not trying to frighten you here. As I said, even though it's dark at 8pm, there are still a lot of people and a lot of traffic around and you should be perfectly safe in the right areas. Just stick to the main populated areas (Picadilly Circus and Chinatown can be good locations for evening photography, if you have a tripod, or something to rest your camera on :) and they are about 30 minutes walk from Kings Cross).

Another good trick, especially if you are walking back to your hotel after taking your pictures, is to put your camera bag inside a polythene shopping bag (Tesco, or Sainsburys, not Harrods :D) and walk along purposefully, as though you know exactly where you're going. That will be enough to make most people think that you are local and not draw attention to you.

Have a safe trip and take loads of great pics :thumbs:.
 
A really useful thread :D Heading to London again in a few weeks and staying in the docklands area so get a great view of Canary Wharf, just debating taking my camera with me when I go out for food in Canary Wharf and when I am on my course near the bank of England!
 
boyfalldown said:
you know this how???? :D:D
Click to expand...

:lol: I knew when I wrote this that somebody was going to ask me that.

Basically, when St.Pancras was being refurbished, I often used to come from a night out in London to get the (Thameslink) train home and had to walk between St. Pancras and Kings Cross Thameslink station - only a few hundred yards, but not a nice walk :(.

There were always plenty of unsavoury characters hanging around in the doorways late at night. Even on my last visit there (last summer), things hadn't changed much, despite the fact the new St. Pancras station is open now :shrug:.
 
thanks to all for posting. naboo2 that's some great information there and sorry to hear about your incidents with muggers.Not nice at all.i am not taking a camera bag im going to take a cheap little rucksack with padding in it and will defiantly be sticking to busy well lit areas.only have a 55-200mm lens at the moment bit long i thing but il post up some pics of my trip later in the week.thanks to everyone been a very helpful experiance :thumbs:
 
Depending on what you want to shoot, you could head into central London along the river - say take the 63 / 45 bus from Kings Cross to Blackfriars bridge and walk along Southbank. There are usally hordes of tourists along there - see Westminster, London Eye, Tower Bridge etc and then get back. Cliched perhaps, but safe :)

If you have any worries around the Kings Cross area, grab a taxi to your hotel - it will not be expensive.
 
I was in Kings Cross on the night of Thursday 20th / early hours of Friday 21st and it was dead as a dodo. Only a few other people around! I wasn't try to take photos, just trying to look busy and wait around until the first train back home. I was too tired to remain alert so thought it safest just to find a hotel and get some kip! Even the pull of the 24hr McDonalds wasn't enough to keep me awake - a 3am apple pie and coke is amazing, though :lol::lol:

I've always been very cautious walking around places, even during the day. It might have been me being a bit of a wuss, but I didn't feel safe so the hotel was the best option for me at the time.
 
Just pay attention to your surroundings....you can very quickly go from bustling tourist thoroughfare into 'uh-oh' territory very quickly. Some of the crime hotspots are in the back streets literally a stone's throw from Leicester square etc, certainly if you head north you'll be dodging crackheads in Soho in no time (interesting place for shooting though).

No area is 100% safe, there are just degrees of care you need to take. The only time I have ever been involved in a physical altercation was in Barnes of all places.

I must admit I will find it hard moving back to London and living among 20-odd million individuals with no respect for each other again. It's an eye-opening experience moving to another big city!
 
Quoth said:
Depending on what you want to shoot, you could head into central London along the river - say take the 63 / 45 bus from Kings Cross to Blackfriars bridge and walk along Southbank. There are usally hordes of tourists along there - see Westminster, London Eye, Tower Bridge etc and then get back. Cliched perhaps, but safe :)

If you have any worries around the Kings Cross area, grab a taxi to your hotel - it will not be expensive.
Click to expand...

that route sound good for me tonight,il Google map it after college. would like to see the London eye,even though every man and his dog has photographed it.:lol: cheers
 
wiganwez said:
id be fine using it in the day but so many stories of people getting mugged and con people everywhere,just worrying when iv never been.looking forward to seeing london though cheers for the reply.
Click to expand...

Believe it or not, it's not like Oliver Twist down here.

Also, don't believe everything you watch in Hustle.

There are most definitely not con people everywhere. Though I no longer live in London, I still work up here, and I've never once been mugged, conned, pick pocketed, had my hanky stolen, or my snuff box lifted.

I'd be just as wary wandering the streets of Wigan at night.

Just like any city, in any country in the world, if you're sensible then you'll be fine. If you wander down into little side alleys and back lanes, with a lowepro backpack, a tripod, and a camera with a whacking great Nikon strap on it hanging off your neck, then you're more likely to find trouble.

There will be LOADS of people about, whatever time. Have fun!
 
I often used to come from a night out in London to get the (Thameslink) train home and had to walk between St. Pancras and Kings Cross Thameslink station - only a few hundred yards, but not a nice walk
Click to expand...

Quick tip to avoid that walk, go down to the Victoria line platform at Kings X/St Pancras, walk the length of it following the Thameslink sign and hey presto brings you up where you want to be
 
NikonSimon said:
I've been out in Soho a lot (great bars and clubs there) and never once had to 'dodge a crackhead'.

Sounds like a fun game though!
Click to expand...

You're obviously not going to the fun parts :P I could find you a dealer, an addict, and a hooker for good measure, in a few minutes :) Quite easy to miss if you're just out drinking, but they are there if you look for em.
 
mid_gen said:
You're obviously not going to the fun parts :P I could find you a dealer, an addict, and a hooker for good measure, in a few minutes :) Quite easy to miss if you're just out drinking, but they are there if you look for em.
Click to expand...

ah ha. Exactly. If you look hard enough you can find most things in London.

p.s. yes please to number 1 and number 3
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top