any dangerous places in china?

[abcdefg]

I know about how to be street smart, but I dont want to get into a situation where it gets dangerous and im naive.

I don't mean to sound dismissive, but there is always a learning curve in a new place. We are all a little bit naive when we first arrive in a new country and often not as street smart as we think. Sounds like you need to do a lot more background reading. Youtube videos and TV will mainly show you what is unusual and somewhat spectacular. Very difficult to form a sound opinion of a country from such sources.

Even if some members of the forum wrote out a list of "Ten Ways to Stay Safe in China" for you, it wouldn't have a lot of value. Some points would be so obvious as to be laughable and others would be highly dubious or arguable.

From what I watch on youtube, people in china seems to show off their wealth now, instead of hiding it.

Your main question is too broad to have a simple meaningful answer, but I can say that flashing wealth is not a good idea, in China or elsewhere. Even though some people get away with it, it doesn't mean it is a smart thing to do.

[chineserelics]

There is violence in China, but I would say there is a lot less than in the West. None the less, you do need to keep your wits about you over here. Don't trust strangers who are extremely friendly and then suddenly invite you to a tea house (especially if they are pretty girls).

Also, watch your pockets. There are lots of pick pockets in China, and they work damn fast! I'm paranoid and checking my pockets literally every few seconds. One time I was on the subway, whipped out my Samsung Galaxy S to check the directions for where I wanted to go to, subway stopped, doors started beeping, I put the phone in my pocket, doors opened, I walked out and checked my pockets immediately and bam, no phone. It disappeared in about 3 seconds.

Just the other week I was really stupid. I was cycling along and had my phone in my bag, my bag dangling behind me. I decided it was getting pretty boring without some music, some pulled out my ear phones and started playing some music on my iPhone. The white earphones going straight into a bag is like the holy grail for pickpockets, they know exactly what's in the bag, and exactly where it is. After playing music for barely 20 seconds I looked back as I was about to pull a right to check there were no bikes I was about to crash into, low and behold there was a Xinjiang Ren jogging behind me and my bag had been opened. As soon as he saw me he turned his head away from me and started jogging in another direction. I checked my bag and luckily nothing had been taken. I guess I got lucky that time!

These guys are fast!

[hbuchtel]

The white earphones going straight into a bag is like the holy grail for pickpockets, they know exactly what's in the bag, and exactly where it is.

Yea, but wouldn't you notice when your music suddenly stopped? When I've got my headphones on is when I worry the least about pickpockets...

However, I would say the opposite is true for young women or anybody who looks vulnerable from the pickpocket/molester's point of view. Generally speaking, it is important to stay aware of one's surroundings when in a public place, so headphones are a big no-no.

To the OP, I agree with most of the posters that it is quite safe in China, as long as you aren't deliberately looking for trouble!

[chineserelics]

Do not underestimate them. You are a perfect target because you feel so safe.

Sure, you'd probably catch them! My friend caught someone pulling his iPod out of his pocket whilst he was listening to music, just like me. But I also know people who have suddenly had the music stop on them and then never see their music players again.

I used to feel really safe because I'm super paranoid, I check my pockets every few seconds, but they still got me!

[Lu]

A pickpocket is something quite different from a molester. In China, the former is one of the main dangers, the latter is something that, as a foreign woman at least, I rarely if ever worry about.

[roddy]

Yea, but wouldn't you notice when your music suddenly stopped?

Yeah, and you'd turn around to see him scarpering off into the distance. The general belief, accurate or not, amongst Chinese people is that if you challenge a pickpocket you get stabbed. Most people'll let them run off, I suspect.

[hbuchtel]

A pickpocket is something quite different from a molester.

Yea, I agree with you about this, and it is certainly not common. When I was writing something I saw a couple months ago in Guangzhou (a pervert sneaking up behind and grabbing a woman who was wearing headphones) was on my mind.

Do not underestimate them. You are a perfect target because you feel so safe.

Yeah, and you'd turn around to see him scarpering off into the distance.

Yea, can't really disagree here - it's that just that most pickpockets here seem to rely on taking the item quietly and then fading away, rather than "snatch and run". In all my time here I've only seen one of the latter (and they ended up having to give the purse back).

[Matty]

I've been in China for more than 6 years now and the only time I was ever seriously hit was by a Russian. He assumed I was Russian and was ignoring him when he was try to talk to me from __still not sure__. I had no idea he'd been trying, was too far away and trying in Russian, no chance I'd understand that, he was pretty sorry after the fact.

Yeah, and you'd turn around to see him scarpering off into the distance. The general belief, accurate or not, amongst Chinese people is that if you challenge a pickpocket you get stabbed. Most people'll let them run off, I suspect.

I challenge pickpockets everytime I see them, I've told them to get out of my area and I'll be watching. They like to act tough, show a fist or something, but the moment you raise your voice and show no fear, they really back down. [Disclaimer: Don't bet your life on this]

There's more subtle crime here, give you higher prices (not technically a crime in most cases), pickpocketing, taxi's may takeyou on the scenic route etc.

Never follow a girl/girls you don't know to a teahouse or to a restaurant you don't know. Or perhaps suggest a different place to eat. Often the pretty girls will drag you to a place, order stuff and leave you stuck with extremely high prices that they get a huge cut from.

China is the safest country I've ever been to [perhaps food aside].

I live in a poorer area with a few dangerous spots where there may be drugs and my friends are scared to walk there alone at night, however I still feel much safer in those places than I do in many places outside China. And I tend to walk my friends home through those areas and walk back myself.

In general China is very safe, watch your pockets, only take legal taxi services and stay out of small dark alley ways, especially in really poor looking areas and you should never have a problem.