Women on the street are scarce and always accompanied by male relatives. Those restaurants that do open have only a handful of people.
There are places every resident of Baghdad knows to avoid: Haifa Street, scene of rancorous gunbattles and public executions; and Tahrir Square, where car bombs obliterate the swirling traffic circle of beaten-up cars and dusty money exchange stalls. Still, some things are unavoidable.
In Baghdad's traffic jams, everyone's a sitting duck. The car next to you could be carrying militants with weapons ready to shoot -- or, worse, a suicide bomber. Some militants wait for a US military convoy to pass and set off roadside bombs, killing or maiming any Iraqis who happen to be nearby.
Another concern are US military vehicles, which for fear of bombers carry signs warning drivers to keep away. The price for coming too close could be a bullet.
``There are no precautions that we can take to be safe, because the bombs can be in any time and in any place,'' said Rafid Abdul Jabar, a storekeeper.
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