I'm just gonna throw this out there: I value my personal safety.

It's not that I shun all risk-taking, just activities that involve a decent risk of serious injury and/or major emotional trauma. Hence, I'm not a fan of contact sports and I stay away from the circus.

However, it turns out my love of bar-hopping might have to become one of these forbidden activities -- at least on one block in State College.

All it took was a fatal stabbing in what was formerly known as Club Love, now Lulu's Nightspot, 129 1/2 S. Pugh St., for me to never set foot in the place. Forget lightning striking twice; that's just bad karma going on in there.

I could not, however, steer clear of Tony's Big Easy, even though it has the same ownership, alleged liquor licensing trouble and a reputation so sterling it's also known as "The Sleaze."

But you know what? It's big, relatively clean and close to my West Beaver residence, and my good friend works there and swears it isn't that bad. Plus, I've had some really decent times there, including a spin at its stone-cold-sober salsa night.

However, when I happened upon Pugh Street this weekend, I wasn't entirely surprised to be confronted with a bevy of police cars. Our overbearing interrogation of an officer yielded nothing, but through the magic of a little thing we call police briefing, my reporter discovered I had stumbled upon the aftermath of a major disturbance.

I'm talking 200-plus people involved, four arrests and a lot of people threatening officers and bouncers. An offender escaping from police cruisers in handcuffs, backup from neighboring counties and an incident that smacks of past Beaver Canyon riots.

It's just one of several recent disturbances on the block, where apparently assaulting bar staff is all in a night's work. And as much fun as it seems to watch a fight when you're drunk, I've been too close to swinging punches and rioting crowds in my day (here's looking at you, Ohio State 2005) to not feel disturbed.

Alcohol and brawling have always gone hand in hand, but it's out of line when legal, law-abiding customers have to fear for their safety because some people can't control their caveman instincts.

We all know you hate authority figures, especially after a couple of shots. You're not original. And that guy did not spill a beer on you just to start something.

Be a real man -- or woman -- and get over it so I can finish my drink in peace.