"Don't be stupid and you will be fine" - Safety tips for New Orleans

Virtual Tourist has some good info on 25 different topics including #14's title earning, "Don't be stupid and you will be fine".  I was also interested in reading #24 "Nipples"  Hopefully, I can read that one soon.  ;)

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/Louisiana/New_Orleans-793014/Warnings_or_Dangers-New_Orleans-TG-C-1.html

Some safety tips from this site.  I couldn't tell what year it was written as it references 1996/97 further down.  Still some good tips for safety!

http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/davensusie/safety.htm

Anytime the sun was up, we found the French Quarter to be pretty safe. The area along the N. Rampart St. side of the Quarter, and some parts near Esplanade are probably not safe any time. Everywhere else, the problems are more likely after dark.
So, the standard rules that most well traveled folk follow should apply here:

-Avoid being conspicuously alone
- the French Quarter crowd is said to still be pretty safe, although the petty crime rate is very real.
-Avoid looking stupidly rich or careless with your money. If someone attempts to rob you, give them what they want.
- Don't chase after muggers - take in information about your situation and give accurate descriptions to police.
-While sight seeing, figure out where your next stop will be before heading out - in fact, plan your day as much as you can before leaving your hotel.
-Walk with some resolve (I carried a wooden cane that I would swing somewhat widely to scare some of the goofier assailants (This made me feel better and comes in handy as I get older!).
-Taxis are cheap, regulated, and safe - take them anytime you think maybe you should.

Here are some iffy-to-dangerous areas for you to watch, especially at dusk and into the evenings:
-Anywhere across Esplanade Avenue into Elysian Fields
-Any place approaching N. Rampart Street, from Canal to Esplanade.
Right around the intersection of Conti and N. Rampart is the historic location of Storyville, the infamous red light district of the late 1800's. Today, these are public housing neighborhoods and they look rough to me. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is on Basin St. between Conti and St. Louis. Don't go by yourself - you need a big group.
-If you are going anyplace at night in the CBD (Central Business District), the Garden District, or the Warehouse District - take a taxi or street car! You might take a look at the area during the day and get your bearings.

Finally -Leave very valuable possessions at home. Nobody needs to travel with lots of jewelry, and with ATMs everywhere, there's not a big reason to walk around loaded with cash. If you purchase something valuable from a reputable dealer, they will ship to your home address.

Street Scams
Outside of the occasional pushy street person ("bet I can tell you where you got your shoes!"), we have been threatened only once and mildly at that. In fact, the worst thing that's ever happened to us was falling for a couple of street scams. These take the form of a friendly stranger walking up to you and attempting to shake your hand. He or she will look like a typical Bourbon Street character, but he wants something. These scams follow one of an array of strategies:

• "Bet I can tell you where you got your shoes" - Answer: "You got your shoes on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana!
• "Bet I can spell your last name" Answer: "Y-O-U-R L-A-S-T N-A-M-E"
• "Where you from? Ohio! My sister lives in Ohio!" The time-shares come-on will waste your time.
• Someone will try to get you to follow them to enroll in special deals.
• Somebody hands you a "free" New Orleans souvenir - then wants a donation for a worthy sounding cause.
  Now I'm the softest touch around, and I fell for some of these scams at a cost of $1-$10 or 30 thirty minutes of my time. If you regularly give to charities of your choice, you can probably live with any guilt you might have over passing by a legitimate cause. You could also write a check later to the appropriate organization.