<p>why are the metra stations bad? i felt perfectly safe riding the metra downtown…</p>
<p>What makes the Metra stations a bit sketchy is the fact that they’re underneath the Metra tracks, so it’s rather dark all the time.</p>
<p>Oh, come on! That applies to every El station anywhere in the city!</p>
<p>I have never heard people say they feel unsafe using the Metra. On that crimes website linked above, exactly one of the robberies (in the six-month period) happened at the Metra station in Hyde Park nearest the University. Hundreds of people use that station every day.</p>
<p>Two or three other robberies occurred within a couple of blocks of the station, but any way you look at it it’s not really dangerous.</p>
<p>And the 6 bus even less so.</p>
<p>Oh, don’t get me wrong. Using the Metra is probably safer than using the CTA. But the streets under the Metra tracks have (I think) seen two security alerts this academic year.</p>
<p>Honestly, the crime shouldn’t really be a concern. You’ll be plenty comfortable with your environment after about two months here, if it even takes that long. Even if no one tells you specifically what you should and shouldn’t do to be safe, you’ll eventually start figuring it out on your own.</p>