Touristy and safe are 2 different things in Rio
[QUOTE=ThatDudeThere;2504471]Damn. Why not catch an Uber? I've been in Rio for 3 weeks now. Not even close to having any issues. But I am staying in the tourist / safe areas.[/QUOTE]You're doing the right thing taking Uber everywhere. However, like Sperto said, if you're staying in Copacabana, it's not safe. Quite the opposite, the farther you go from Copa, the safer and less touristy it becomes. Ipanema, Leblon and Barra are safer than Copacabana, but they are more upscale local neighborhoods and not "tourist areas. " And people must understand already that their personal experiences tell exactly bupkis about safety. Just because I haven't personally experienced any violence during my many trips to Rio doesn't make it safe.
Just talk to locals. Many Zona Sol residents are even scared to go on the bus or venture to Centro. To me that's overkill, but they have their reasons.