Is Spain a safer place to live than the UK?

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pmgled

How many of these people have lived here in spain, how many of those who have had a bad experiance as they rushed into things beleiving all agents tell them and realised that this is not paradise, at the end of the day we have bars on our windows yes but this stops those scum climbing in but in uk they do not have them and the scum just pop in and have room to carry out your belongings.
This is earth and there are bad and good wherever you go, the country is suited to some and not others some come here everything fails they are left with nothing and become bitter about the place, people come on holiday leave money and passports in a bag on the beach while they have a dip in the sea then wander why someone has taken the bag, Hm would they do this in the uk i do not think so, People leave their brains on the plane or come here thinking work is easy to come by, this is wrong youhave to work blumming hard here work is not easy to come by, My advise is to come over a couple of times and speak with those that do live here and decide for yourself taking into consideration all the pros and cons, weigh them up with those of the uk and then if you still want to do it rent here for a few months, never go straight in and buy, find out if it will work for you and then if all is well rent somewhere else for a few months decide where you want to be then buy. This way if it is not for you you still have some money and you can go back to uk without trying to sell up here also you can sit back and say we tried it, where as though if not you may sit back in fifteen years time when it is toolate and say why did we not have a go.

Stuart A B

Too general a question to answer accurately.

Both have safe and serene havens - and both have places you wouldn't want to stray into.

Village for village - no different.

City for city - pretty much the same.

In the middle?

**gotik_ems**

I am currently living in Spain and its just as safe as living in the U.K really. People make it sound like it is safer, but really they sweep most of the problems under the carpet so nobody can see them.

It is safer in a way that it is more family based. People stay out later here, with their children, in the bars and shops. So it is safer to be out later here in Spain, as there are more people around. Everything is more relaxed here, that could count as it being a bit safer. Also, the "dodgy" areas aren't so bad as those in the U.K, they look like holiday resorts to those that there are in England.

Spanish tend to be high up on security. They like having lots of security guards, bars on the windows, security gates for the urbanisations. It doesnt necessarily mean it is more dangerous.

There have been a lots of problems lately though. If you like in the northern region where ETA operate, yes it might be more dangerous. But what is to say they dont decide to attack in Madrid like they have done before. There are also a lot of immigrants from Eastern Europe and Africa, who sometimes cause trouble. The eastern europeans, without causing offence to anyone, tend to steal a lot here. I'm currently in Valencia, where they have had the Americas Cup, and there has been a few happenings of foreigners, especially Americans, being mugged and their houses robbed.

It's pretty much the same wherever you go. There will always be crime of some sort in all countries. Everywhere has its ups and down...

El Cid

Like most western countries, Spain and the UK have good and bad people. When I was in Spain, I found that the fact that there were more people out in the streets and public places late in the evenings, enjoying the cafe culture, talking, singing, etc., made me feel more safe. One, of course, had to watch out for pickpockets. Apart from a few badly behaved tourists, most Spaniards were very civilised and not at all rowdy in the streets. My impressions were people were not as yobbish or loutish as here, and those in the pueblos were better than in the big cities. But they have also a TV programme similar to our Crimewatch and some of the crimes featured were as bad as ours.

joe perkinstein

Much safer unless you happen to be in the street when they do a bull run..Then its everyman for himself..

Barry E

I am from the UK and I presently live in Barcelona. The reality is is that UK is safer in some ways and in other ways Barcelona is safer.

In terms of walking the streets at night for example, I feel much safer at night time in Barcelona. This though, for example, is balanced out when you consider that road safety is far better in England than Spain. You might be safer on the streets here but you have more chance of danger in terms of getting run over.
Overall, all things considered, I personally feel safer in England, but in reality I think it is abut the same, all things considered.

Carousel

I live in Spain and find the crime rate is lower though I live in a rural area. The only real problem I have known about was a brawl between Brits in a bar after a football match on TV. A real good advert for Britain.

BENTLEY BOY

yes

rose1

To be honest I don't think there is any difference. Someone mentioned that there are bars on the windows etc in Spain....well they have been a feature of finca building for many many years and were NOT originally to keep burglars out!! So get that straight.
Sad to say these days no matter where on this earth that you live (with some few exceptions) robbery, crime and violence is on the increase.
All I can say is I have been pick pocketed in London (by foreigners, who were caught by chance)
I've lived in Spain 16 years and have NEVER had a problem anywhere, anytime. Although I know alot of people that have had problems....
The answer is be vigilant, careful and clever, walk with purpose and mind your belongings anywhere and you will never get robbed.
As for justice.....for those that commit crime in the UK....it's a joke, they get a slap on the wrist and re offend......in Spain however, the punishment is alot harsher and that is the answer too.

buggerlugs

who cares -its hotter and cleaner

Anya

Hi !!!
Well, I guess it depends on what u think or
believe safe could be... very personal point,
but, I lived in Spain ( and UK too ) and even
if I found many differences between the two,
I have to say that Spain is a very "safe" place
to live in...don't get the "caotic atmosphere" * wrong, there's nothing to worry about ... :-)
I would not define Uk a safer place, but only
a more regulated one.
* amazing

chef79geoff

depends where u live,same as any country eta are starting the campaign so are ira andthe other groups are conitinuing thier one.i go to spain a good bit as my mother in law lives in madrid,going through the airport after the bomb and using the underground after the bomb is still strange but life goes on.where do u want to live?hablas espanol?espero que si

trouble_906

Think most people have got it pretty right. I live in Spain, in some ways I felt safer in the UK, in other ways I feel safer in Spain. There has been a huge change in crime in Spain in past 6 or 7 years with the influx of East Europeans. Before that, Spain was way safer.

In the UK, not all, but most burglers wait until you are out, or if you are in they try to be quite to avoid you. In Spain, they wait until you are in, because they want to get you and tie you up and beat the cr.p out of you and your wife until you tell them where the valuables are. That's how the Eastern Europeans do it. On the other hand, there is very little chance of your kids being shot by other kids or gangs. Whereas in the UK, that can happen.

It's swings and roundabouts. However, the truth is things have deteriorated here over the past few years.

PS, the greatest chance you have of being robbed or cheated in Spain is in one of the many wonderful street markets, that everyone puts so much stock into. Guess people are so prepared to believe they are getting a bargain that they just don't want to see they are being sadly ripped off. Not only on price, but on change given and just about everything. Idiots, LOL

John H

Sure, they elected a socialist government & as we all know the reds/greens are soft on crime & terrorism, thus as long as Spain is ruled by reds, the fanatics will leave them alone

sledge

Not if you are a Bull

Lisa T

Yeah sure, thats why they advise you to put bars up at your windows before you move in. Does UK houses have bars up at all their windows, NO. You decide.

john k

No, Spain is populated by trash from eastern europe, north africa and UK all of whom are out for a quick buck stealing, selling time shares, dealing drugs and worse!! give it a big big miss.

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