Prevention Magazine has named Santa Ana – yes, Santa Ana – one of the top walking cities in America, calling it a place with “amazing nature walks” that is “great for fitness walkers,” according to the O.C. Register.
Santa Ana ranked #69 out of 100. And the article referred to Santa Ana but meant a broader area, including parts of Irvine and Anaheim. Here is how the Register article put it, “Here’s the fine print: The magazine looked at the entire metro area, not just Santa Ana proper. What it called Santa Ana includes the walking districts of Anaheim and the footpaths that meander through Irvine.”
Is it really safe to walk in Santa Ana, particularly at night? It is in the north and extreme south, but much of the rest of the city is very dangerous, particularly at night. Santa Ana is number one in Orange County – in violent crime. Take a walk if you must, but leave the iPod at home and be sure to pack some heat!
And don’t forget that Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez was robbed last year while walking in downtown Santa Ana, to a meeting. A kid swept by on a bike and grabbed her purse. The only thing she had left was her cell phone – I know this because I was talking to her when she was robbed!
Too funny! I wonder how the New Urbanist promoters are going to spin this particular bit of idiocy. Of course maybe they meant it was safe if you had a police escort.