If you can do that, I admire your alleys. The alley behind my house is frequented by pimps, prostitutes, wife beaters, drug dealers, drug addicts, bums, lunatics, graffiti artists, alcoholics, thieves, murderers, and the masseuses from the Thai Massage place two doors down (nothing against the masseuses). I believe the local constabulary are happy to have this concentration of personages localized to this alley rather than spread too thickly around the rest of the neighborhood.

Oh, being a masseuse at the Thai Massage must pay extremely well. I've observed that the ladies drive, by far, the nicest cars in town--generally BMWs, Mercedes, Lexus's, etc etc. This is somewhat amazing to me. I know this because they regularly park directly in front of my house.

I try to avoid the alley unless I absolutely have to go back there, and I certainly avoid it after dark.