Helsinki ranked as world’s second-safest city

[Hank W.]

Finns on the whole take an almost Darwinian view of homicide - it is something that happens to the marginalised and flunked, and not to THEM.

Well, thats the attitude to most other bad things too if you think of it... its only some spuge that gets burned in a fire.

[kitty wonka]

as a relatively recent inhabitant of this fair land, can i just say a 'hell yeah' to the 'boring', safe life we live here in helsinki? we moved from 'the most dangerous city in europe' and one which did not make living in it particularly easy or fun or pleasant after the initial 'newness' wore off. we come to finland, have really no idea of what to expect (except that it's a bit further north and well modernised and the entire country has fewer inhabitants than a part of the city we came to. to be honest, we were sold on the last lil bit there.

thus far, i've managed to leave my keys in the door in the stairwell twice after flying home from biz trips. one time, a very nice and concerned woman rang our doorbell to point this out to us. have no idea what she really said, but was thankful nonetheless. the next time, we didn't notice until the day when the hubbie went to the office. had we done that in moscow, we'd have probably not gone to sleep before someone entered the flat. or, if they were wise, they would have simply pocketed the keys and returned when we were not home to clean us out.

we've also had an elk alert in our fine neighborhood. two elk wandered in and the police spent most of an afternoon keeping the elk in the woods and away from the cars without creating mass hysteria and mayhem.

if helsinki is 'boring' because it is safe and quiet and easy to live in b/c, well, in our opinion, it has been designed to make it human-friendly, then, we are very happy to be bored in helsinki. we love it here. and say, 'well done' to all who make it the place it is!

[Tiwaz]

Hmm...

I really do not see theft as big issue. Yeah, you lose stuff. Well, you get stuff with money. Good luck pulling D&D resurrection at local church after you die.

And death, murder and violence etc...

It's darwinism. If you are stupid enough to put your head into guillotine, don't be surprised to find out it comes off.

I managed to get through my teenage years with simple solution. If it's a bad place, no go. Mates and "chilling" is not worth getting beaten. Repeated situations like that are natures way of telling that you might be too stupid to be useful for survival of species.

Same thing with alcohol induced violence. If you are stupid enough to hang with people getting aggressive when drunk, specially drinking with them, you might just as well get yourself sterilized.

If you do not get yourself totally wasted with booze and use common sense when out in the streets, you are very safe in Helsinki (and pretty much everywhere).

[Rob A.]

Hmm...

I really do not see theft as big issue. Yeah, you lose stuff. Well, you get stuff with money. Good luck pulling D&D resurrection at local church after you die.

And death, murder and violence etc...

It's darwinism. If you are stupid enough to put your head into guillotine, don't be surprised to find out it comes off.

I managed to get through my teenage years with simple solution. If it's a bad place, no go. Mates and "chilling" is not worth getting beaten. Repeated situations like that are natures way of telling that you might be too stupid to be useful for survival of species.

Same thing with alcohol induced violence. If you are stupid enough to hang with people getting aggressive when drunk, specially drinking with them, you might just as well get yourself sterilized.


If you do not get yourself totally wasted with booze and use common sense when out in the streets, you are very safe in Helsinki (and pretty much everywhere).

You're funny, Tiwaz... such down-to-earth logic and common sense... You must be older than I think you are...or maybe it's just the Finn in you...

But yes...that's how I see it as well...

In Vancouver the murder rate has apparently jumped significantly..doubled I think, in the past year...but no one seems unduly alarmed...I don't feel any less safe... What is happening is that criminal gangs are "settling scores" ...most of the "victims" are males in their early twenties.. A criminologist at a local university said that these young males don't appear to have the mental ability to perceive the dangers of the "life-style" they are involved in... These guys killing each other off is probably actually making the city safer for the rest of us. Social Darwinism....

Oh..almost forgot...Vancouver is #4 on that world over-all quality of life study... ...and apparently about as safe as Amsterdam...

[otyikondo]

Yesterday I went shopping in one of the less salubrious parts of Espoo. I had three canvas shopping bags along. As it happened, I only bought two bags' worth of goods. I paid with a bank/Visa card from my pocket, backed it up with a driving licence also from my pocket, and flashed a Plussa card, also from my pocket.

I then drove home.

Nothing very odd in that.

This morning the phone rang at 8. I didn't recognise the voice, or the name given (was the name of the shop and I've always thought of it as "the K-shop").

The third canvas bag had been left on the floor by the check-out. It contained my wallet, with cash and all my cards - including Stockmann, three international credit cards, sundry airmiles cards, Kela, travel insurance, the lot - all except those in my pocket (see above). I had not missed any of them... Senior moment, I guess.

A customer had picked it up and handed it in. Everything was there. Including cash. The shop had found me through Eniro.

I'm mortified and grateful.

But if Friday 13th starts like that, who knows where it will end?

[sammy]

But if Friday 13th starts like that, who knows where it will end?

You should expect a herd of ravenous goats, simooms, swarms of locusts, and your mobile phone starting to ring loudly at an awkward moment.

Glad to hear your wallet was picked up by a conscientious character...! That's what I'd presume happens in most cases, but you never know.

[antstar]

But if Friday 13th starts like that, who knows where it will end?

Maybe you'll get run over by a bus rushing to get your wallet back!!! Fate.....just be careful today and hopefully we will see you back on here tomorrow.