How Safe is the Area of Kingston Subway Stop?

(sigh) my post was apparently eaten.

Biking is totally easy:  Bergen or Dean (depending on your direction) bike lanes to Manhattan or Brooklyn bridge.  Brooklyn is slower/more annoying (jammed full of tourists) but Manhattan has worse traffic route on the way back into brooklyn (deadends into a one-way street going the wrong direction).  I usually take Manhattan inbound and Brooklyn coming back. 

But I ride it because I love to ride, not because the subway sucks.

bfarwell

in Quality of Life 13 years and 10 months ago

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spaceaddict | 13 years and 10 months ago

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I am planning to purchase a property on the south side of Kingston around 5 blocks. Newcomer to the area.
Is it safe to walk at night for a single female? Also are the A and C reliable lines for downtown Manhattan commute?

I took the J line during my visit one time and it was a not a horrible commute because they are slow and rare so if the A and C are about the same frequency as the J, it will affect my buying decision. Please help with advice, thanks!

bxgrl | 13 years and 10 months ago

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The A and the C are major lines and really not too bad – no better, no worse than other major train lines. My stop is the Nostrand Ave. Stop.

daveinbedstuy | 13 years and 10 months ago

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I have a friend who knws someone who uses that stop and heads south and doesn’t really like it.  I think you have to spend some time experiencing it yourself though.  I’m sure all areas are different.

Frankly I was surprised to hear that comment because the Nostrand and the Utica Ave areas are very safe.  They are also busier.

bpie | 13 years and 10 months ago

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I’ve been riding A/C for years, no problems.  Commute to downtown is around 25-30 minutes.  There are always people around the Nostrand/Kingston stop, so I feel safe, even late at night.

spaceaddict | 13 years and 10 months ago

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Thank you for the helpful answers. Would it be a better commute to bike from the area to NYU instead?
Any suggestion on route?

more4less | 13 years and 10 months ago

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taking the A/C train is most definitely better than biking it to/from NYU.  it’s also worth walking a few more blocks to catch the A instead of the C – the express A saves alot more time albeit it comes with a small tradeoff of higher odds of not getting a seat

llamafarm2002 | 13 years and 10 months ago

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Um my view varies slightly from the others. I take the C train (Clinton/Wash stop) and I loathe it! It only runs every 10-15 minutes, so if you miss it (which seems to happen more often than not, especially if you will be catching it at different times from day to day like I have to) then you have to wait for what seems like forever. I hated it so much I bought a car. I’ve ridden every other line in Manhattan after living all over the city with NO PROBLEM, and I have concluded that the C is my least favorite train. It is also the oldest train cars in use.

As far as safety goes, I do not feel safe as a single female walking around Clinton Hill after 10pm. Especially on the quieter residential streets. Nostrand area scares me more than my area too. You will just have to walk around at night (LATE!) to see how you feel. Please walk with someone else though, in case you find that you are uncomfortable. I think some of the people who say it is safe are either overly confident, or males. If all I had to worry about as a female was getting mugged, then sure I would take the risk. We have a little more at stake than the other gender unfortunately. I definitely wouldn’t recommend it, but of course it’s your choice in the end!

uiyycgzlbp | 13 years and 10 months ago

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As a single female, I’ve been taking the A/C to Nostrand for years, and have never had any problems. In my younger days, when I stayed out later, I took the A to Nostrand as late as 2 in the morning, and was always surprised at how many people were on the train. Lots of night students, health care workers, and other people who work really late. I live about 5 blocks from the train, and would usually take a car service after midnight, but would walk home up until then, and I was doing this long before anyone started to call most parts of Brooklyn safe. Nostrand is always a high traffic area, and you are safer there than on a side street.

Of course, it’s possible to have something happen to you, which is as true at Nostrand as on Montague St, if the wrong people are about, but you can’t live your live afraid to go out of your house. You need to have street smarts anywhere: pay attention to your surroundings, keep your head up and don’t look like a victim, and leave the small electronics in your pocket or bag. That’s just common sense. Spend the $7 bucks on a 4 block car service ride. There are always a lot of drivers near subway stops late at night for that very reason.

But, the best advice is to visit the area at all times, and judge for yourself. You are the only one who knows what your comfort level is.

bfarwell | 13 years and 10 months ago

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Kingston is my stop (I’m south as well – Dean St.), and imho, it’s fine.  The C isn’t bad, and since it’s probably 10m to walk to the A at Nostrand (and the train runs about every 10) I usually just wait for it.  I used to walk to the A, but it doesn’t seem to make much difference, esp. since I’m usually commuting to an E/C stop anyway. 

Kingston is a less pleasant walk than Nostrand, but still not bad in any way.  My wife walks it every day, often getting home in the evening (9/10p) and hasn’t had any problems.

It’s been a pretty safe nabe for us… mostly families with the occasional yahoo.  I’ve been out, dressed like a complete hipster idiot, with a camera, at all hours, and i think I’ve been hassled once (10 years ago on Nostrand at 4am).  Of course, as MM says, anything can happen in any area – most people I know who have been mugged were mugged in the village. 

The kids and I wander all over the place, and have a good time; it’s a beautiful area with some marvelous houses.