this 1 time a dragon came close to enetering Riften I had quick traveled to the stables

so I looked up readied Lightning Storm and it turned around and vanished .-.

what is so awesome about Riften that it repells dragons ?

I've fought several dragons just outside of the Riften city walls. But come to think of it never fought one in the city itself. Never fought one in Solitude either.

I guess it's different for everyone.

I've fought like 5 or 6 in Solitude.

Probably 10 or so at the College courtyard.

1 in Markarth (last place I'd expect it)

But never, ever had to fight one in Riften, Whiterun, or Windhelm.

And I've got over 550 hours logged.

I have fought and killed over 50 dragons, but never in a major city.

This has not been the case in my game or my husband's. Have you tried fast traveling there? Some folks seem to find that fast traveling "encourages" these things.

With exception to the shout "Call Dragon", I have never seen a dragon in:

Riften
Solitude
Markarth
Windhelm

thats why i fast travel to stables or next nearest location never directly into town itself

but ive never had a dragon attack while i was in town or near town unlike i do in any other town

I killed a dragon the first time I took the wagon to Riften. I have had them attack me inside the walls of Whiterun and Solitude. Never fought any in or outside Markath. Killed a couple outside of Windhelm. I almost always find them when I fast travel to places.

I've had dragons in every city except Riften and Windhelm

Out of 20 random dragon attacks while I was wandering about, 7 of them were in or near Riverwood! Just what do the dragons have against that town?

Riften smells bad. It offends the dragon's delicate sensibilities.

I've fought several dragons both inside and outside Riften's walls. The only cities I haven't had a dragon s Solitude, Whiterun and Markarth.

The towns people of Riften killed a dragon inside the city walls, I had just walked through the gate and never made it to were I could get a good shot. I helped kill one in Whiterun. I lost count of the number I killed at the college, Morthal and Riverwood. I killed one outside Solitude, but never saw one inside. Windhelm never inside, but killed one at the stables.

The only dragon I fought in Riften, after setting a horse on fire, ignored me to go kill the only person that can start the quest to become Thane of the city and meet the house karl.

I fought and killed a blood dragon I think outside the Riften walls but never inside. I guess it does strongly vary after all.

I have fought dragons inside Riften and Solitude.

I get dragons in Riften quite often if I fast travel to the thieves guild entrance, and I think it is when I fast travel to the blue palace is when I get dragons in Solitude.

I've fought tons of dragons in Riften; never fought one in Solitude though.

THis, unless you count the college or winterhold. Morthal too. But I don't consider any of these major cities, lol.

I'm only going to assume there's less of a chance to attack inside major cities by design, since there are so many vulnerable and useful NPCs there.

Killed one just outside of riften walls though, OP

seems to me that the dragons may attack cities more after you complete quests there. Just my experience.

I haven't experienced that in Riverwood, but definately at Dragonbridge. I can't walk through that place without a dragon attacking. Same with the courtyard at the college in Winterhold. They seem to especially like that place too.

Whiterun, almost never. Same with Markarth. But plenty just outside Riften.

I've fought dragons just outside Riften twice, near Nightingale Hall, and on that farm near the city. Never inside it, or any other major city. And honestly, I'm glad they don't spawn inside walls here. It'd be quite a mess.

_{In my case i have killed more than 25 dragons and no one inside a mayor city..always once i exit the city or fast travel there.....they do attack in samller settlements but in my particular case never inside a mayor city....}

You just haven't done enough to clean up the place. Let me guess. You don't do nice things for the people. You still let the thieves guild run rampant. You support the Imperial milk-drinkers. You lick Maven Black Briar's boots. Me? I don't do that. I double-crossed the Thieves Guild. I pulled a Mercer on them. Their luck will go into the sewer where they belong while the only true guild, the Dark Brotherhood now lives by the Five Tenets again. So my adopted home town is now fairly clean. I don't run my business from there. The dirty work is done elsewhere. Skooma is made and sold elsewhere, while Riften is kept clean. Every crime syndicate needs to have a front. Don't you guys understand that? See your dragons already see that YOUR Riften is corrupt enough and doesn't need to be terrorized because you're doing it for them. Unfortunately mine, on the other hand....

So be thankful. They eat vendors. I've had two hit. They ate two vendors. The nice Dunmer lady who sells fresh meats and the Argonian jeweler.

They have attacked regularly outside the city walls, and ate the horse that Sibbi wanted me to steal, as well as killing one of the stable hands.

I had two in Windhelm at the same time, but I kited them there. Yesterday I climbed the hill north of Markarth to find a way to Ragnvald. I came across three Thalmor Justiciars fighting (and killing) three Stormcloaks. They then turned on me, even though I hadn't done anything. Almost at the same time a dragon swooped in. Just a plain-jane dragon, so kind of puny. I would've liked to have kited him to Markarth. At least then the guards would have some justification for their fears.

I came across a blood dragon south of Solitude. I kited it through Dragonsbridge, where it stopped for fried chicken (!) then it decided flying was too much work. So it crawled east on the road until it got to the intersection of the road heading north. There it met an Imperial patrol with a prisoner. They calmly diced it up. Still haven't had a dragon in Solitude.

Kited one from a grove NW of Falkreath into town. That was fun. I don't think I've had one in Whiterun, but a guard there did say that Rorikstead is a nice enough posting for guard duty, unless a dragon shows up. That place is a lodestone for dragons in my experience.

Curiously, on my latest character, I've been running into dragons right and left. I have more souls than words available for shouts. I still haven't been up to the college to start the Elder Scroll search, so maybe that's why?

ive had one dragon in a mayor city, Solitude, and it killed the girl that sells the spiced wine, i inheried 100 gold from her of witch the jarl took 10 in taxes. Also i find that it is more the rule than the exeption, than i get attacked by a dragon or 2 when i fast travel. it would be nice if ur horse would just run from the dragon and not start fighting and getting it self killed, or if u could stable it when u do fast travel.

I've had a couple come directly into Riften, but most of the others appear around the stables outside the gates. It's a rare encounter, like Whiterun etc.
You're not missing out on much, chasing a dragon around Riften and trying not to fall into the canols while looking up is a nightmare.
As far as random thieves, yes I get them all the time and I have to hurry to help the guards out--because innocent people tend to have arrows in their heads & faces every time a fight is over. It's just a matter of time before all exterior NPC's end up dead from these battles, IMHO.

So, yeah. I think it's a rare situation.