1) driving in the area
When driving our shop is only is 2 blocks off the access road and all of that area is industrial except for the few bars I mentioned. From that direction, I am not accessing the seedy edge of downtown.

2) when walking in the area?
We have another shop that is exactly one block away. We all walk or ride back and forth. We have a couple of old hoopity bikes that sit on the dock. Other than that, don't really walk too much in this area.

(I'm presuming the "sketchy" area is near your place of work?)
Yes. I'd say it's about a 2 mile area and there's really not a straight shot out it either. You pretty much have to ride the streets near the county hospital, night shelters, bars, ect. In fact last week they busted one of the drive through beer barns for being a drive through crack house. Geez...