I live in Argentina and I can totally relate. I've ever been "almost" robbed once on the way to the airport (that means the bag that was almost stolen had my air ticket, phone, passport and wallet). Fortunately I noticed in time and grabbed the door of the taxi which the thieves had just boarded. The taxi moved, but couldn't move too quickly because I was pretty much hanging on to it and running beside it. A red light saved me.
That happened in the capital. I live in a provincial city so unsafe adventures are slightly toned down out here. The closest I ever got to being a victim again was when a man stopped me in the street during siesta (afternoon nap time, no one was around at all) and asked me for money. I asked him what for. He said to eat. I conveniently pointed to a nearby gas station and said let's go my treat. He then said he had a gun. I acted excited and said I'd never seen a gun would he show it to me? He gave up after that.
Dark dodgy alleyways. I've been down one once. Seven years ago when I was still a tourist and spoke no Spanish. I was following a map (and on maps they don't show you which road was safe) so I walked down a certain dark dodgy alleyway which the map showed to be the nearest straight line way to wherever I was going. Everything around me screamed "I am a tourist rob me", from the paper map in hand to the camera hanging on my neck. Dodgy people peeked out from doorways. Dodgy people were relaxing on their front yards. Dodgy families said hello as I passed. Dodgy people asked me questions (which I didn't understand) as I passed. I wasn't robbed. It wasn't so dodgy after all.