[Daleman1984]

Our DD and SIL were down in San Antonio last month for the weekend. They had a hotel room on the "Riverwalk" and said that it was really nice except for one thing. Seems the thugs/gangs have moved in and the city is having a real hard time keeping up with the graffiti these morons plaster everywhere. Sure hate to see it in so beutiful a place. If so, I hope the city can find a way to stop it before the jerks take over like they have in so many other areas. Oh, well. Just sounding off because I know with the current "justice system", there is little honest, hard working people can do about this sort of thing.

Just my . Happy Camping!

[mbaueee]

What hotel did they stay in? I live in San Antonio and stayed on the Riverwalk for my anniversary (in December). I was just down on the Riverwalk again for an Idina Menzel concert last month. It's a fairly safe area with a good police presence -- uniformed and plainclothes, bicycle cops and in squad cars. I wouldn't particularly wander around the streets there alone at 3 a.m., but I wouldn't do that in any urban area if I had the choice. I'm curious where they saw graffiti?

We have an incredible greenway system in the city now and the new Mission Reach segment of the Riverwalk is simply amazing--I wish I could visit it a lot more than we have. Our city is still very much in transition, with a lot of highway construction and the accompanying nightmarish traffic snarls, pollution and such, but crime has not been particularly bad in recent years. I have lived here for 30 years so I feel fairly qualified to comment.

[lipitrRrxX]

Getting caught is a lot worse than it used to be...or could be a lot worse.

Graffiti can be charged as a State Jail Felony, which means a second conviction gets a mandatory six-month sentence in a State Jail facility (there is no parole, you serve all six months in a State Jail facility).

The DPS may deny a drivers license renewal for a graffiti conviction.

And a graffiti conviction could result in the automatic suspension of a driving privilege for an individual.

So there is teeth to the law, but how much it gets enforced is probably spotty at best. And you know, it costs a lot of money to jail a kid for a half-year for spray painting a building. Paying restitution and cleanup is probably the easiest route taken for most D.A. offices. I am actually a bit surprised San Antonio hasn't gone the camera route to keep an eye on the Riverwalk. Anyone know if it's been talked about at all?

[disappointment2]

Don't I know it, "Choderus"!!! Laws are one thing and enforcement another.

Shannon, talked to DD and it was the Hyatt Place Riverwalk. Additionally, they had no problems with the "Walk" but anything outside the "Walk" was dicey. Lots of bums, graffiti and "crack hoes". Don't recall it being this way the last time I was down there.

Shannon, please note that this is just what I have heard and I have no "first hand" experience. If you feel that what I've put here is not correct in any way, PLEASE feel free to delete the whole thread. I'll trust your call on this one.

Happy Camping!