Detroit

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by Tom Line

And the MLB Allstar game, and the Superbowl, and the NCAA basketball playoffs, and who knows how many NHL playoff games, and the NCAA Football bowl games, and the North American International Auto show.....oh, and who knows how many FIRST teams at the MEZ.

Totally unsafe. Don't hold it here. /sarcasm

I absolutely agree with the point you're making.

However, there is one significant difference between those events and the FRC Championship. While those sporting events may draw a larger number of total people (especially the Super Bowl), they are not predominantly youth competitions. The immediate area around the venues is safe, but it's a question of how many hotels that teams will actually be staying at and the transportation to/from those hotels. It's not an issue for the largely adult crowds for the Super Bowl/Final Four (the other sporting events largely attract locals), but it takes on a different dimension for elementary-high schoolers on field trips.

[jajabinx124]

Every city has violence and thievery in it. FIRST aimed to host one of the 2 championships in Detroit because it is a major city. Every major city in the US and the world has crime.

FIRST teams should do their part and stay safe, as they did in St.louis and Atlanta at past championships.

[evanperryg]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

I absolutely agree with the point you're making.

However, there is one significant difference between those events and the FRC Championship. While those sporting events may draw a larger number of total people (especially the Super Bowl), they are not predominantly youth competitions. The immediate area around the venues is safe, but it's a question of how many hotels that teams will actually be staying at and the transportation to/from those hotels. It's not an issue for the largely adult crowds for the Super Bowl/Final Four (the other sporting events largely attract locals), but it takes on a different dimension for elementary-high schoolers on field trips.

That, and for those of you who don't know, Detroit's infrastructure is a nightmare. It's reasonably well-maintained, sure, but there aren't left turns. You see, all those things that look like left turn lanes are actually u-turn lanes, so it's all rights and u-turns. I can't wait to see a few hundred trailers and buses driven by people who have never gotten the Detroit driving experience.

[carpedav000]

Originally Posted by evanperryg

That, and for those of you who don't know, Detroit's infrastructure is a nightmare. It's reasonably well-maintained, sure, but there aren't left turns. You see, all those things that look like left turn lanes are actually u-turn lanes, so it's all rights and u-turns. I can't wait to see a few hundred trailers and buses driven by people who have never gotten the Detroit driving experience.

Oh god.

[I_AM_Clayton]

Hmm...how do I respond to this positively, (this regards St. Louis) I am from St. Louis I was born here and I've lived here for my entire life. First of all I understand that more than a few people have had their cars broken into during the weekend of world champs and this doesn't represent my city well, but this is a deeper issue, I may be taking this too far but it's an important issue to me. St. Louis city has a higher unemployment rate than Detroit, St. Louis city is slowly losing many of its large businesses and it's somewhat resulting in the downfall of it. St. Louis city is not as bad as it is made out to be (I live in the county area) I spend a lot of my time in the city. I've attended so many city events and there is so much potential in our city for success, I may sound immature, but I have a lot of pride in my city and I just don't appreciate when people throw jokes around about the safety our our city.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by I_AM_Clayton

Hmm...how do I respond to this positively, (this regards St. Louis) I am from St. Louis I was born here and I've lived here for my entire life. First of all I understand that more than a few people have had their cars broken into during the weekend of world champs and this doesn't represent my city well, but this is a deeper issue, I may be taking this too far but it's an important issue to me. St. Louis city has a higher unemployment rate than Detroit, St. Louis city is slowly losing many of its large businesses and it's somewhat resulting in the downfall of it. St. Louis city is not as bad as it is made out to be (I live in the county area) I spend a lot of my time in the city. I've attended so many city events and there is so much potential in our city for success, I may sound immature, but I have a lot of pride in my city and I just don't appreciate when people throw jokes around about the safety our our city.

Then you know how Michiganders feel when people poke fun at Detroit.

[connor.worley]

Don't think anyone's joking though - the numbers are objectively bad on paper.

[orangemoore]

Originally Posted by connor.worley

Don't think anyone's joking though - the numbers are objectively bad on paper.

I don't think anyone is joking, however the statistic being used doesn't fully examine the situation. Yes, a lot of people have been killed, but it doesn't say who/what/where/when/why it happened. I highly doubt there are people running around out to hurt kids in a robotics competition.

For example last year in Chicago there were 425 homicides. This number is significantly more than Detroit (which had 309). The reason Chicago wasn't on the list is because of the massive population.

So a question I have, Is a city "safer" if it has more homicides along with a larger population? Does a place become "safer" because there are more people but on average less are getting shot?



EDIT:Sidenote
Please Remember forum rules regarding reputation and when to give negative reputation.

[orangelight]

Originally Posted by orangemoore

I don't think anyone is joking, however the statistic being used doesn't fully examine the situation. Yes, a lot of people have been killed, but it doesn't say who/what/where/when/why it happened. I highly doubt there are people running around out to hurt kids in a robotics competition.

For example last year in Chicago there were 425 homicides. This number is significantly more than Detroit (which had 309). The reason Chicago wasn't on the list is because of the massive population.

So a question I have, Is a city "safer" if it has more homicides along with a larger population? Does a place become "safer" because there are more people but on average less are getting shot?



EDIT:Sidenote
Please Remember forum rules regarding reputation and when to give negative reputation.

This is exactly what the problem is with this argument.

[Jaywalker1711]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

Then you know how Michiganders feel when people poke fun at Detroit.

Nah, we joke around about Detroit all the time

It should be noted that the jokes are exaggerated and not meant to be serious, and Detroit is really getting better (less crime, more money)

[3a11]

I'm from the Macomb area and for the past week (and next 4) I'm commuting to Detroit for an internship. Driving here may be somewhat stressful at times but as long as you pay attention to road signs and your surroundings there should be no issue. I mean teenagers are arguably the worst drivers so if I can do it then I have full confidence in the FIRST community. Just my two cents on the topic.

[ghesla]

So proud of Brazil, we are really good at this!

[cbale2000]

Originally Posted by evanperryg

That, and for those of you who don't know, Detroit's infrastructure is a nightmare. It's reasonably well-maintained, sure, but there aren't left turns. You see, all those things that look like left turn lanes are actually u-turn lanes, so it's all rights and u-turns. I can't wait to see a few hundred trailers and buses driven by people who have never gotten the Detroit driving experience.

What? No love for the Michigan Left? Most of those U-turns have their own traffic lights so it isn't really that bad.
At least it's not like Chicago where you can be driving down the highway and run into a literal 2-lane wall of cars entering from an on-ramp on the right only to immediately cross all 5 lanes of traffic to get into the off-ramp on the left (a true masterpiece of urban planning).

[orangemoore]

Originally Posted by cbale2000

What? No love for the Michigan Left? Most of those U-turns have their own traffic lights so it isn't really that bad.
At least it's not like Chicago where you can be driving down the highway and run into a literal 2-lane wall of cars entering from an on-ramp on the right only to immediately cross all 5 lanes of traffic to get into the off-ramp on the left (a true masterpiece of urban planning).

The Michigan left isn't nearly as bad as it has been made out to be. It is unique but it certainly works.

[Foster]

This topic was annoying the first time it went through CD. It's not much better the second time.

Half Champs in the two cities is / are / will continue to be a done deal.

This is not the place to complain. Address all complaints to these nice people:

Sheri S. McCoy - USFIRST Co-Chair; Chief Executive Officer & Director, Avon Products, Inc.

Robert M. Tuttle - USFIRST Co-Chair; General Partner, 1848 Associates

In your complaint letter, remind them of how many extra hours you can work on this for free and how many sponsors and how much sponsorship dollars you have.

Remember it's better to complain to people that can change things.

Now get off my lawn....