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GaimanitePkat t1_itvsqxq wrote

I recommend buying a pepper spray. I had one all through college and never used it, but it's always good to have. You can get them at lots of places and they're legal to have and carry. Again you probably WON'T ever have to use it, but defense is good!

I also recommend getting a bicycle! You can get to places faster and a bit safer. For instance I rarely had issues at the infamous Lombardy Kroger because I was always in/out fast on my bike. Biking is also free and nice exercise :) and make sure to get a bike lock of course too.

I recommend avoiding going over the river into Manchester area alone, or at night, or on foot. The James is right there which is popular housing, but the area really isn't great at all. It's trying to come up but it hasn't yet.

As someone from Saudi Arabia you are probably more likely to experience racism further out in certain suburbs, particularly if you are hijabi, but there are assholes all over the world and I wouldn't say it's "worse" here. Richmond is really diverse.

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Extreme_Necessary_56 OP t1_itvvp2j wrote

I was thinking of buying a pepper spray and a bike too, especially that I’m a freshman with no driver’s license🥲. Do bikes have their own lanes in some streets, or should I always use the sidewalks?

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GaimanitePkat t1_itvxw0z wrote

I used sidewalks but that's sometimes considered an asshole move. I just had a beach cruiser bike which was not really suited for roads, and did not bike on very populated sidewalks (for instance I'd never bike in Carytown). If a normally unpopulated sidewalk was populated, I'd get off and walk the bike. (and still avoided most hassling)

Some roads have bike lanes, how well they are maintained and how well people pay attention really varies.

It really just depends on you being polite and aware of yourself and the space you're taking up.

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