You should have seen Venice (and SM) in the ’80s! I grew up on the border of Venice and Santa Monica and it was a very different place than it is now. Our neighborhood was undefined territory, contested by V13, SM13, Suicidal, and to a lesser degree VSLC. So our apartment building was frequently tagged by all of them.

The point you make about respect is a very important one. Having grown up mostly around Latino gangs, then living in Crenshaw (the Jungle) for 4 years in my early 20s, in the original Bloods hood (http://www.streetgangs.com/bloods/bpsn.html), though I was often scrutinized, I had very few problems with gang members. This is because I always maintained a state of calm confidence and respect, and acted like I belonged wherever I was.

And the truth is, for the most part, average non-gang-affiliated-looking white people (as myself) are not generally threatening to non-white gang members (unless you look like you’re from the gang generally known as LAPD or “the 1s”). Issues can certainly arise, though, when you are in a neighborhood in which you clearly don’t belong, especially after dark, and you act either scared or arrogant. Then you make yourself a target. Still it is not nearly as bad as looking like you may be from a rival gang.

But always, respect.