Is it sad that I'm worried about being shot?

Where are you going to be? That has a lot to do with it, of course. But seriously, unless you’re doing something you really shouldn’t be doing (aka buying drugs off the street) or spending large amounts of time in the areas with very very high rates of violent crime – the odds of these things happening to you are pretty slim.
I mean, we live here every day… and most of us don’t get shot at. :) I think you can relax a bit, it’s probably not even remotely as bad as you imagine.

you have nothing to worry about if you take the right precautions. Canada and the United States have a similar crime rate.

we’re going to travel all the way round! Starting in New York and finishing in Miami. It’s all been planned carefully and we’re not staying anywhere that is notoriously dangerous, and there will definitely not be any drug buying.Your response is very calming TheOnlyNeffie… thank you!

P.S. – @mandybookworm I love your avatar picture!

I’m 48 and I dont worry about being shot…..Like Neffie said, dont do drug deals, and stay out of the hood.and you should fine and dandy.Now crime in NY and Miami are a bit higher, and the airports are huge!!!
But you will have an awesome time!!!

@MissCupid thank you :)

You’ve been watching too much US news. Come on over and have a great time.

Well, no, it’s not sad. I’m still trying to figure what it is, though.

I don’t think you have a whole lot to worry about if you’re going to be in the U.S. Now if you were going to Mexico or somewhere in Latin America then I would tell you to be a little extra careful. Those countries tend to target tourist a little more. I think you should be fine. Just have fun and enjoy the ride.

Unless you are doing a grand tour of crack houses, you should be just fine! Enjoy your time and tell us all about your trip!

I am sorry you have such a low esteem feeling for America. i see you are British and a teacher. i can understand where you are coming from. if you are not a drug addict, an alcoholic or a person looking for trouble, you should not have any problems in America. its what you do and where you go, that could land you into trouble. my best advice to you is to find a good friend in America that is familiar with locations to go and not to go. you should not have a problem at all. i welcome you here and have fun. if this is your first trip to the U.S., you will thoroughly enjoy the weather, especially the sunshine. john

Shootings are relatively rare and usually only happen in the types of places where anybody with even the slightest shred of wisdom or awareness would take one look at and say, “Hmmm… maybe I shouldn’t be here.”. For instance, near where I live (Seattle area) the only shootings I’ve heard of have been in places I was wary of being during daylight hours even before the shootings. (The guy shooting up in the bus stop shelter was my first clue…)

You’ll be fine.

You should be entirely safe, though in some cities it is worth finding out where the dangerous (i.e. slum) parts are. Specifically cities such as greater New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Miami do have some places which are considered more or less risky (i.e. some locals will tell you not to go there, particularly at night, unless you look like you belong in that ghetto and/or have nothing of value).

I worry about being shot every day and I carry a gun.

Ha ha! @Zaku hopefully I don’t look like I belong in any ghetto! Eek! We’re visiting all of the above cities except for Philadelphia and Detroit – but we’ve looked online and sought out dangerous areas before booking hotels. We’re staying in the touristy parts mostly as we’re only in each city for a day or two so need to be near everything.
@john65pennington thanks for the advice. I love America and at the moment I’m planning on emigrating there in the next decade. Perhaps I have been watching too much TV, or maybe I just want something to worry about because we’ve planned this trip to a T!

Are you white? Are you heterosexual? Do you dress like a middle class suburban soccer mom? Can you nod your head and smile at anyone who uses the word “Jesus”? Then you’re probably safe in Amerika. Otherwise, kiss your black, queer, poor, atheist arse goodbye.

No, it’s a mixture of being wise, circumspect, paranoid, oversensitive & cautious. Enjoy, they’re not all from Tarantino movies, most are pussycats.Okay loud & obnoxious pussycats but harmless all the same.

@SmashTheState That is why I stay in the Northern corners of the US; they don’t care if you’re queer or atheist.

@SmashTheState ha ha! Oh dear… are we not loving America today? ;)

@MissCupid I think he’s right. It’s just how it is in most places.

How very sad :( Mind you – the world is a bit messed up at the moment. Let alone America. I think we’re just in a transition… We’ve got some countries with more wealth than sense and countries where they still don’t have clean water. Racism and homophobia are patchily accepted in some places and not in others…
It’s a big change from how the world was 100 years ago. It’ll even out but it’ll take a century or two… :(

Sounds like you have done more than enough homework to avoid any real risk of getting shot.

Oh, and apologies in advance for any and all bozo treatment that our Gestapo (er, Homeland Security) perpetrates against you as you enter the USA. (We had this Hitler-like fascist cowboy idiot in power from 2000–2008.)

@Zaku I think I heard about that guy…. ha ha
I went to NY in 2005 and got the full retina scan deal. Scary. That said – in Manchester (UK) airport we have X-ray body scanners that take a picture of underneath your clothes. You’ve got to wonder… if we have to be seen ‘naked’ to get on a plane – surely the terrorists have won?