Quote:
Originally Posted by vdo
After my flight was cancelled in Detroit, I found myself in downtown Detroit at the Greyhound station in the middle of the night. I watched the hookers and drug dealers ply their trade outside for a while, then decided I had to get a room for the night. I didn't dare walk, so I caught a taxi for the one and a half blocks to the hotel, only to find out that it was a fake taxi... the driver picked up another passenger on the way, who climbed in the back with me, he bought some drugs from the driver and then the driver proceeded to take me to the hotel, where he demanded $20.00 for a $5.00 fare (800 metres). I just paid it and got out as fast as I could. The hotel had bars and wire mesh at the desk, I got into my room (air cond was broken) and was awakened 3 times during the night, by prostitutes banging on my door accompanied by their BIG minders, wanting business. I could see them through the peephole. I laid low, pretending not to be there. I hid my carry bag in the shower cubicle in case my door was rammed during the night, eventually leaned over from my bed to turn off the side lamp and was electrocuted by the frayed wiring. I got up in the morning, ordered a (real) taxi by phone to the airport and got the hell out of there. All the time I was carrying over $4000.00 US in my carry bag. A night I'll never forget.
|
I was at the Greyhound station in the daylight and it was bad enough...I walked the 800m into the city with no troubles but the taxi drivers looked like they wanted to kill me as they missed the fare. I was staying at a Holiday Inn and the girl was amazed that I walked in the door from the Greyhound.
It was definitely a poor place, lots of beggars and empty buildings but didn't really feel unsafe in the CBD area anyway. Got a hotel recommended taxi driver to go the Ford Museum and the airport, which was the only time I was out of the CBD.
Paris and Rome are up there for pickpockets, beggars and scams too.