Not to give away my age, but not too long ago, I was heading into the city most Thursday and if I had recovered, most Saturday nights too. Now the majority of the time we managed to miss any fights picked within our group, but we did see some fights over the years. Most of the time we didn't hang around and got out of their pretty quick but I dont ever remember their being so much violence.
The fights we witnessed were usaully one guy on another. Not a whole group of guys verse one and the minute someone hit the ground, or drew blood, fight over. No one got kicked while on the ground. No one was so badly hurt that they were put in a coma or brain damaged. No one used to pick a fight with the guys trying to break up the fight.
Recenty, Sly of the Underworld told 3AW listeners that at a recent police convention, past and present members of the force agreed that their had been a considerable rise in violence in the city.
Why is it we are hearing (what seems) everyday that someone has been bashed? Abused? Parents losing their cool at junior football games? Road rage? What has changed in our society over the last 10 or so years?
Can drugs and alcohol be solely to blame or does it go further then that? Their are new drugs on the streets compared to 10 years ago and perhaps that is to blame, but why are sober people snapping? What happened to the attitude: do unto others as you would have them do unto you? Is their some sort of pack mentality?
Try and remember the last time a stranger did something nice for you. Maybe a stranger smiled at you. Let you into the next lane? Let you cut in front of them at the shops becasue you had less items? Said excuse me? Please? THANK YOU?
If you can't remember the last time someone did this for you, this is my point. If you can remember, please share it and restore our faith in the human spirit and your thoughts on why Melbourne has become so violent.
Do you feel safe going out in Melbourne? Do you think twice?
To be honest, when walking around the streets of Melbourne at night i do not feel at my safest. I had more confidence walking around London at 3am down alley ways on my own than i do at 10pm in the city of Melbourne even when in a group. Why is this? We dont have more beggars or crazies or gangs than other citys like Sydney or Qld... Maybe the Streets are too dark, alcohol prices are too high (which makes people mad and drink more spirits because they are cheaper than pre-mixed)and the Government have stuffed us around with 2am lockouts and the such.... look how well that turned out. Great idea Mr Rudd....
ReplyDeleteAnyways other than that i am happy to report that every single day i encounter nice people out on the road. The Street i need to turn down when driving home after work is off a main road which gets extremely busy around 4.30 - 5pm but pretty much every single day i have a nice person let me cut across them and of course i give them a big THANKYOU wave which is 99% of the time returned. Gotta love that :)