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Comment by throwbadubadu | Hacker News Reader

Strange impressions you have and totally disagree. The park is vibrant and full of kids and families over the day.. dealers don't even annoy you usually if you signal strong non-interest or don't fall into typical buyer group.. you can even walk safely through the park at darker times when you stick to the big ways (though I mean to feel safe, I'd say you are almost safe everywhere as safe as you can be in a big german city in darker places everywhere... you are likely even safer there because enough people around vs other scary places)

Yes, they can make a bad and for some an intimidating appearance, and make others mad, but "making the park useless" is a gross exaggeration... how often are you there, and where you from? Just curious..

Most of these people are not as bad, and while this film sure tells a story, I'd suggest to watch the modern version of "Berlin Alexanderplatz" just to get another perspective.

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> dealers don't even annoy you usually if you signal strong non-interest or don't fall into typical buyer group

> you can even walk safely through the park at darker times when you stick to the big ways

You have no idea how crazy that sounds for someone that isn't acclimatized to Berlin culture.

Yes, I was comfortable walking through it alone, but my parents weren't thrilled when we walked through it together

> dealers don't even annoy you usually

is not that strong an argument.

> my parents weren't thrilled when we walked through it together

I too have experienced this

Many things in Berlin don't make sense if you come from somewhere else.

You can get hard drugs delivered to your door faster than a uber eats.

I've lived in many places in which drug dealers where sketchy as fuck, Berlin isn't one of these.

This thread is full of people with no first hand experience and projecting way too much

"The park is vibrant and full of kids and families over the day.. dealers don't even annoy you usually if you signal strong non-interest or don't fall into typical buyer group."

Yeah, that's where I want to take my kids, where the "drug dealers don't annoy us if we're not interested"... you must have very high annoyance thresholds.

They're literally no different than hot dog sellers tbh, kids probably don't even notice them.

This isn't skidrow with dozens of people injecting drugs 24/7 in the middle of the streets lol

Hot dog sellers don't practically block your way on the footpaths, and silently glare as you walk buy.

The dealers are plainly obnoxious - and vastly more numerous than any funk food vendors. I don't see how one can begin to make a comparison.

You are both right, in my opinion. It’s fine if you can get over the dealers on every corner. The park is full in the summer and children play there. The dealers behave well and won’t harm you, but there are dealers on every corner.

Yeah, I guess compared to the demimonde of 1920s Berlin one could say it's pretty tame.

But by that, and the other indications you are providing - "some are intimidating, some not... you can even walk safely at night if you stick to the large paths" are what I mean by falling fall short of the standards of what one expects from nice, decent and inviting city park.

As for the kids and families there during the day - it's not like they have much choice.

Where you from?

Let's just say I've lived in plenty of places in Europe - not necessarily 24-hour party people destinations like Berlin, but definitely not backwaters either - where one didn't have to think twice about taking a walk in the park at night.

I also remember a Berlin from not too long ago when it was ugly and decrepit (if in a beautiful way), for sure - but where one didn't need to be on one's guard in so many places, as now.

"If you stay on the main paths or you walk on groups, you will not get mugged." Sounds like Central Park NYC in the heyday of the early 90s.

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