Why do people say that Poland is so unsafe?

As long as you feel safe it must ok.

M-G, that's because you are used to different groups. I feel safe because there aren't too many meatheads here who will have a go at you for speaking English. Gliwice is a blend of students and old folks generally.

Every city in Poland is different. Krakow and Wroclaw are the safest and I have never seen anything which made me think otherwise and i go to those cities to party almost every weekend. Warsaw is alright as long as you know where you're going and don't mess with people. Warsaw clubs have mad bouncers so well you'd be safe as long as you don't start trouble. Lodz on the other hand, well, it's a bit different. People are different and it's poorer.

Baluty and Wschodnia are two places where you don't want to be at night(white, black yellow, green doesn't matter). The most hospitable places I have seen in Poland are the villages. People are genuinely nice and hospitable and so happy. And its beautiful with sprawling fields. Zakopane is awesome, though it is advisable to stay out of the local bars after 12(again doesn't matter white, black, yellow, green..). I think Poland is as safe if not safer than western Europe and around exponentially safer than Russia. Wschodnia in Lodz is like kindergarten compared to Moscow.

The secret is to have Polish friends when you are a foreigner in Poland. If your'e a dupek who wants to hang out only with other idiots from abroad..well chances are you are gonna get a beating and you very well should.

Warsaw, Poznan, Krakov are very big, student cities, people are more open minded. Beware of small cities like Szczecin and surroundin areas..no fun and awkard people

Gliwice are at 10th place of most dangerous cities/towns... Warsaw is 13th! £ódź 21th!!!!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Poland#Crime_in_Poland_by_city

(shocked. I live in low crime city...)

Some cool numbers for you people :-) :
epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Urban_rankings#Crime_rate
epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Crime_trends_in_detail
epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Crime_statistics

PS. looks like robbery is kind of national sport in countries like Spain, Italy and especially France, anybody knows why? For example in 2007 there were supposedly 22766 robberies in Poland vs 112885 in France, well France is not five times bigger than Poland...

Hm.. it seems than England is wild place to...
Of course we can start to argue that all those statistics are lies, but are they?

I think Poland is as dangerous as a four year old who claims to know Karate. (In other words, it's not so bad there.)

:)

It's anti-Polish propaganda. I think dumb westerners assume the "east" is automatically less safe. How many school shootings happen in Poland? I have heard of a few incidents in Germany for example. Now, maybe Poland can be unsafe for people that stand out or are too arrogant (ex.blacks trying to pick up a Polish guys woman) but when I was in Poland I only felt uncomfortable once- when I was on a train full of rowdy skin heads going to a soccer match in Opole.

Maybe that is why I feel OK in this city :) Our weekend activitities - as of most couples as we know - are limited to going to the movies, in Summer participating in some bbq out of town, dinner with friends, open-air concerts in the Old Town...So I have no idea what you mean with "messing with people".

Actually I find life here very similar to my native Flanders, excluding the language of course.

Maybe. I don't hear it very often though..


I think most of us know it's actually safer there. ;)

I don't think I've ever lived in a low-crime city in my life. I got bottled in Nottingham when I was seven. Seven, ffs!!!!! :0

Do low-crime cities even exist in the UK these days?

Oh, and more to the point... I wonder how many people get shot or "shanked" for "disrespect" (lmao) in Poland every day...

Poland is so much safer than the UK. Some people here only look threatening but they tend not to harm you for no reason. Not like chavs or neds back home (though I never had any problems personally).

I stand out quite a bit (im pierced, eybrow and earrings, got dark skin, typical spanish-looking) and never had any problems. I never mess with people i don't know and i don't act like an idiot. I think this is the key to be safe, if then something happens like you get mugged you are just unlucky and it isn't your fault

I wouldn't say Poland is unsafe. I live in Wroclaw and 1 and half a year ago I moved into a district considered 'dangerous' by the people. Not much happened since then, neither to my friends living here since childhood. I can walk around at night everywhere and not feel unsafe. Sometimes in the streets I meet some people asking for money for some beers. But I just say 'no' or not pay them any attention and it's fine. Another dangerously looking element in my district are the gypsies. But in reality if you don't do anything against them, you're square and well.

That's all that comes to my mind if it comes to danger. Living here for almost 19 years I was never robbed or something like it. A big percent of the population are the students of all the universities and academies, so the atmosphere is pretty much laid back and good for having fun.

Polands crime rate has shot down compared to the mid and late 90s. Crime back then was really high. Now you can be unlucky and get mugged or jumped but that is like anywhere else in the world. Alot of people causing crimes have already left Poland for the west lol. Poland does have alot of organized crime, but that will not affect the common tourist. Take percausions and be smart.

if you looking for some reasons... its rather that in Poland there is no seriousely drug-addicted ppl. Heroin is out of fashion, no crack (cocaine is expensive), no meth, no brown... There is only extasy (which is not addictive and doesnt cause agressive behaviour), amphetamine (which cause agressive behaviour but its not so much addictive)... and dopalacze (that might be a problem soon... in my area there are 4 smartshops in the outreach of 100 meters... but still besides mephedrone there is no addictive drug in their offer)

I have lived here in Poland for over 2 years now and I feel quite safe! I also lived in London for over 10 years, I'm still alive now so It wasn't so bad! I have only heard about countries like Maldova and Albania as being dangerous places for foriegners to visit! not Poland! hej czesc masz czas na piwko wszyskimy z lublina?

The reason is vodka.Where there are lots of alcoholics less people are addicted to heroine.The opposite is also true.In Greece there are few alcoholics so you can imagine the army of junkies.

In Poland we say: "Pij szybko bo się ściemnia!" ;D


I've just read that antidotum for methanol is... ethanol! So drinking alcohol which is poisoned by methanol don't make any harm!!! [I'm shocked, haven't known that before]

Hahahah Poland ? a dangerous place ? Come live in Los Angeles for 3 weeks and you'll see what dangerous really means

Poland is quite safe compared to say US. "diverse" cities like New York, Chicago and LA or Toronto and Vancouver
where a person can glock you if your at the wrong place. The first three especially are nuts.

Even more dangerous are Canadian border patrol, the detained a Polish man in Jail for 10 days recently and Killed a Polish man some time ago with a tazer in the airport because he was lost

poland is significantly alot more safer than the states . Take in mind that there are bad people EVERYWHERE around the world . Crime in poland is well under control and there are not as many psychopats running around trying to mug you in a dark ally. Remember to always take the proper saftey precautions wherever you maybe ... wether your in france , poland , italy or china !

But bottom line poland is a very safe country when compared to most other european countries :)

Utter nonsense. The violent crime statistics, even in inner cities, show the opposite. And most of the violence that happens is Polish drunks bashing each other.

Ruin anything? You're doing a very good job of frightening prospective tourists away! your post is full of c**p :)

People say a lot of stupid and untrue things about Poland.Why?You would have to ask them.

I visited Warsaw this summer and I feel safe. Of course I did read about the pickpockets and robbery before my trip. Therefore when you are aware of these things, you should stay low profile by not wearing or carrying attention seeking stuffs around. I always held my purse in my pocket, to prevent pickpockets to steal them. By the way, I am an Asian girl, and I took the metro and bus without having any trouble with anyone. Even when I walked on the not so crowded street alone, I always keep my eyes open, to observe the surrounding, and I'm still safe. You will just need to learn to protect yourself when you are aboard, no matter which country you will be visiting.

Poland is a relatively a safe country I would say.... Much safer than other European countries like Great Britain or France. I'm always feeling safe being here, so I can't really say anything negative about it.

I lived in Lodz for the last 2,5 years.

I lived in Baluty and in Srodmiescie and never had a problem with anyone. It its obvious that sometimes some bald (hooligans) guys look you in a strange way (I'm Spanish), but never said anything bad to me.

But on the other hand I have seen in the street some violent situations that I've never seen in my country. Also in the clubs I saw terrible fights that can't be compared with the ones that I've seen in Spain.

I think Poland is a very safe country, if you are from abroad you just have to be smart and avoid possible situations.

I am Brazilian, very different appearance from Poles (i look like a Portuguese or Italian) and i lived in Baluty (according to you, one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in the most dangerous city of Poland).

I felt extremely safe. People there don't speak English, but they received me pretty good.

I think that most cities in Poland today are much more safe than "Multicultural" cities (HAHAHA) like London, Paris, etc.