This thread has a load of quasi-racist ******** to be honest. I know Bristol quite well, and Somalians have a bad rep there too, but it's always the minority, and things are never "that" bad. Cardiff feels a lot safer to me than Bristol anyway,.... I think some of you are being very melodramatic and quite naive. No one's going to rip a couple of people to pieces in broad daylight cos you're in the wrong area. Obviously stuff can and does happen, but the city centre feels pretty damn safe to me, and all the studenty areas too.
I've been out towards Canton and a couple of other suburbs, and it's the same as anywhere... you have to use your head and be a bit street smart. If you have a loud voice, maybe don't gabble away obliviously if you're in a slightly dodgy area...? I dunno really, theft seems to be more of the problem in and around Cardiff, not felt at all intimidated walking 'round at night. It's a city though... there are places you probably don't wana get lost alone, same as any other. Some people just have a taxi-driver mentality, and need to get real.