You are not in Fallout 1 or 2 here 90% of players you will cross the way only think to kill you the worst way possible, i mean if it's not fair it's best, and loot your poor stuff, even if you have nothing to loose. That's the way the game work, everyone find this fine and it's encouraged.
So be carefull, try to play near guarded city, stay away from other players, but when i see even with my lv 15 chars you have fuckers seeking encounters to kill you effortless, i won't tell you there is a safe way or a method to avoid fucker on this game, try some guides, ask some help when you see someone that have something else than "die bitch" in his vocabulary and for the rest i don't know, try to be patient maybe.
Oh and one more thing, never complain about all those stupid things you'll be awnsered "Wastelands is Harsh" from guys that appparently never played Fallout, and know nothing about the universe.