Observations on my trip to West Oakland CA today. / myLot

Walnut Creek, California

November 3, 2025 8:14pm CST

I went to West Oakland CA today to pick up my Martin guitar, which was being repaired. I thought I would provide a report for those who are interested in what is happening in the roughest neighborhoods in the United States. I saw no Ice Agents out and about, rounding up Mexicans. I saw no angry black people rioting. I did see a couple of homeless encampments, with inhabitants looking chill but a tad frustrated. Have you driven through "difficult" areas recently? What did you see?

12 people like this

11 responses

@DaddyEvil (161542)

• United States

4 Nov

We don't have areas like that close to where we live. I'm glad things seemed chill as far as you could see.

3 people like this

Amber

@AmbiePam (106228)

• United States

4 Nov

When I inadvertently went through your town a couple years ago I thought the area was charming.

4 people like this

@DaddyEvil (161542)

• United States

4 Nov

@AmbiePam Yeah, it's a small, quiet place.

3 people like this

The Horse

@TheHorse (232140)

• Walnut Creek, California

4 Nov

@DaddyEvil As are most places.

2 people like this

Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (66677)

• Centralia, Washington

4 Nov

I'm glad you made it out of the wild and wooly West. Nothing too terrible near me right now.

3 people like this

The Horse

@TheHorse (232140)

• Walnut Creek, California

4 Nov

"Just another day in the Bay" does not make the news. My Martin sounds good

2 people like this

Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (66677)

• Centralia, Washington

4 Nov

@TheHorse There are areas in this town that I have never walked though they might be lovely. There is an overpass that connects my town to the next one South of me. I think its lovely there but also has people needing shelter. Probably peaceful but not for me by myself and my dog.

2 people like this

The Horse

@TheHorse (232140)

• Walnut Creek, California

4 Nov

@sallypup Sometimes it is best to stick with the familiar.

2 people like this

Amber

@AmbiePam (106228)

• United States

4 Nov

Yes, when I went to a pharmacy about 45 minutes away. I saw a few people in abandoned buildings, and they could have been homeless or into something illegal, but it’s probably better I not speculate. Maybe they were looking for scrap metal. I ran into that a lot in the (problem) neighborhood I grew up in. I saw a few people with shopping carts who might have been homeless, or just didn’t have a car to take their groceries home. No ICE, and no police beatings (sarcasm on the police beatings if you can’t tell).

3 people like this

The Horse

@TheHorse (232140)

• Walnut Creek, California

4 Nov

Just another day.

2 people like this

celticeagle

@celticeagle (181833)

• Boise, Idaho

4 Nov

I don't venture outside. Haven't been since September when we went to the bank. I hope all is well out there.

2 people like this

The Horse

@TheHorse (232140)

• Walnut Creek, California

4 Nov

My guitar looks a little rough. But it sounds great.

2 people like this

celticeagle

@celticeagle (181833)

• Boise, Idaho

6 Nov

@TheHorse .......I bet B.B. King's didn't look brand new.

Anna

@LadyDuck (487009)

• Italy

4 Nov

NO, we did not drive through difficult areas, everything is peaceful here where we live.

2 people like this

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Anna

@LadyDuck (487009)

• Italy

4 Nov

@TheHorse - I am so glad we found this very quiet small town where to stay.

1 person likes this

The Horse

@TheHorse (232140)

• Walnut Creek, California

4 Nov

Glad to hear that.

2 people like this

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Eva James

@wolfgirl569 (124921)

• Marion, Ohio

4 Nov

No rough areas where I usually go. Glad you made it

2 people like this

The Horse

@TheHorse (232140)

• Walnut Creek, California

4 Nov

Prices are high, but it's mostly "business as usual" here.

2 people like this

Judy Story

@jstory07 (146497)

• Roseburg, Oregon

4 Nov

There is one homeless camp here that they are trying to get rid of. I look where it is and there is trash everywhere and no bathroom out house or anything for people to use. No water anywhere for them either.

1 person likes this

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Judy Story

@jstory07 (146497)

• Roseburg, Oregon

5 Nov

@TheHorse There is no place for them. They just roam the streets until they can camp at 8PM which is just wrong.

1 person likes this

The Horse

@TheHorse (232140)

• Walnut Creek, California

5 Nov

@jstory07 Reagan put these people out on the streets years ago Decades ago. But I do not really fault him. It was an experiment that failed. What do we do next?

1 person likes this

The Horse

@TheHorse (232140)

• Walnut Creek, California

4 Nov

Where will they "put the people"?

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RasmaSandra

@RasmaSandra (90774)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

4 Nov

Believe it or not I have not been outside since May,

1 person likes this

MARILYN

@Marilynda1225 (86924)

• United States

4 Nov

haven't seen anything during my last drive to town. Everything was fairly quiet and normal and no one was fighting over parking spaces in the supermarket parking lot