[Gefreiter]

No one's sharing where NOT to go though, ie where the hell to stay out of in the DC area. Info like that is really helpful.

I was at a conference 2 summers ago, staying in a Hyatt Regency (I think) a few blocks from the Capitol. I was out looking for a paper on Sunday morning and ran afoul of 4 guys sitting on the sidewalk, drinking quietly and looking generally malevolent. I managed not to get killed, but I am a "bald, white bitch" apparently. DC definitely celebrated diversity.

But the day before, I had walked basically across town with no problem at all; one block over from my hotel and I had a problem.

[Law]

Bump for later review.

[SquirrelKing]

No one's sharing where NOT to go though, ie where the hell to stay out of in the DC area. Info like that is really helpful.

Good idea. We maily stay in the Mall area and spend our time wandering about the Museums like the slack-jawed yokels that we are. Visits to outlying spots such as the Nation Geographic Society and others can carry you through mean streets. When in doubt take a cab or the subway.

Couple of rules:

Don't wander round at night.
Don't visit the Senate Mail Room.
Don't debate politics/theology with raving derelicts.
Don't stand in front of the White house and make a gun with your finger and say "bang!"
Don't say Hillary's name after midnight - it's the witching hour.

[Stu Cohen]

I was at a conference 2 summers ago, staying in a Hyatt Regency (I think) a few blocks from the Capitol. I was out looking for a paper on Sunday morning and ran afoul of 4 guys sitting on the sidewalk, drinking quietly and looking generally malevolent. I managed not to get killed, but I am a "bald, white bitch" apparently. DC definitely celebrated diversity.

Yeah, you'll get that in every major city. It's hit and miss. DC is full of bad people and good people. When you walk out the door you pretty much roll the dice. Since moving to LA, the repetior of things i've been called is even greater than the "White mother#$*&%er" comments I used to get when walking down U Street.

Waddya gonna do?

Stay inside and read the newspaper, or learn to deal with societies a**holes.