Immigrating to the UK

This roads in this country go dead quiet when the schools are on holiday. My commute (which is already short) gets halved because of how little traffic there is on the road. Its amazing. Wasn't this dramatic in Pretoria.
People love to take time off. Leaving York on Easter Friday traffic stretched for miles and miles with holiday makers and our next destination was also packed. It’ll be even more evident once the summer break comes around.
 
I find the middle aged to older Brits extremely friendly and accommodating. Not talking about central London tho.
Kids even. With two teens I’m exposed to them a fair amount and they are all very pleasant. Soort soek soort and all that. Also, midlands. Gets a bad rep for being a bit bumpkin but feels like paradise for me.
 
Kids even. With two teens I’m exposed to them a fair amount and they are all very pleasant. Soort soek soort and all that. Also, midlands. Gets a bad rep for being a bit bumpkin but feels like paradise for me.
Arrr
 
Maybe. But you’ll get stabbed and robbed in CBD here. Very low chance of that in London.

Sure about that?


London is famous for knife crime. Unlike SA, most of the criminals here don’t have guns, so they use the next best thing.
 
Sure about that?


London is famous for knife crime. Unlike SA, most of the criminals here don’t have guns, so they use the next best thing.

Firstly it's the Mail (so I view it as possible fiction) and secondly you forget it's an all encompassing term, being caught with a 3.1" knife in your pocket in public is considered knife crime, remember what the say about statistics....
 
Firstly it's the Mail (so I view it as possible fiction) and secondly you forget it's an all encompassing term, being caught with a 3.1" knife in your pocket in public is considered knife crime, remember what the say about statistics....

True on both points, but not far off.

Here is the ONS data for crime involving a knife or sharp instrument for a selection of serious violent offences in the UK (not just being nicked for carrying a pocket knife):


Can’t sugar coat it: the UK has a knife problem, and London is up there. Of course, most stabbings are linked to gang violence, so unless you’re a member of Black Maff, YCB, etc, you’re probably safe(ish).
 
course, most stabbings are linked to gang violence, so unless you’re a member of Black Maff, YCB, etc, you’re probably safe(ish).

That’s the important bit. As a visitor to London you’re very unlikely to get stabbed.

As a visitor to the CBD in JHB - chances are much higher.
 
Knife crimes aside, considering homicide.


vs.


SA still has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world. Violent crime doesn’t necessarily equate to murder, but also hijacking, robbery, rape, assault, etc. All I can say is that my wife and I feel infinitely safer here than in SA.
 
SA still has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world. Violent crime doesn’t necessarily equate to murder, but also hijacking, robbery, rape, assault, etc. All I can say is that my wife and I feel infinitely safer here than in SA.

Do you still lock the car doors and hide any personal possessions when you go out in the car?
 
SA still has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world. Violent crime doesn’t necessarily equate to murder, but also hijacking, robbery, rape, assault, etc. All I can say is that my wife and I feel infinitely safer here than in SA.

Yes that’s my whole point. So to say “yea but knife crime in London”

Is not even remotely comparable and the risks are so low it’s not even worth thinking about.

In SA different matter.
 
Random question: when you tell people where you live, do you say England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or the UK? I still use the latter, even though I live in England, which is in Great Britain, which is in the United Kingdom. It’s almost as if the separate countries that make up the kingdom have devolved into provinces. Except, of course, when it’s time for the Olympics - then everyone is #TeamGB (only if Scotland or Wales win a medal so the English came claim it, too).
 
Going on 10 months in the UK I have resigned my job for a (much) better position. Both in seniority and finance.

Can't imagine a booming economy if this is what a recession feels like.

Yeah it’s a great feeling being able to choose where you want to apply as opposed to having to either hang on to what you have due to fear of joining the unemployed third of the population or going for the first thing that comes your way.
 
Yeah it’s a great feeling being able to choose where you want to apply as opposed to having to either hang on to what you have due to fear of joining the unemployed third of the population or going for the first thing that comes your way.
Its also great being able to apply for a job and not having to check whether its a BEE posting before you do.
 
Its also great being able to apply for a job and not having to check whether its a BEE posting before you do.

I've never done that.
Then again, since 2013 - I have never applied directly for a job, I've always been headhunted on LinkedIn. In fact I am resigning from work on Tuesday - to start a new job in July. Again, did not apply, they called me.
 
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