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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Was I unreasonable to let my friend walk to the train station alone on a night out?

189 replies

Anonymous2003 · 16/12/2024 14:21

I'm aware that the title sounds very bad and I'm thinking I may get a lot of angry comments. Last month, my friends and I went out for drinks in the city centre for my birthday. None of us bar one live in the city, and public transport is not great here with trains being few and far between. Since we went out around 4pm, I wasn't planning on us staying out too late but we didn't make any 'set in stone' plans on what time to go home.
3 of us (myself, Friend 1 and Friend 2) live in the same general direction, with the last 2 trains going home in that direction being at 9pm and then 10.50pm.
After we had our meal we went to a bar round 7.30pm and it didn't feel like we were there very long before Friend A said she should be going soon to get the 9pm train as she didn't want her mum to pick her up from the train station late at night.
The atmosphere was only starting to be good and neither me nor the others wanted to leave so early. Friend 1 hadn't had many drinks and was nowhere near drunk. Friend 2 offered to get the train home with her at 9, Friend 1 declined. We offered to walk her to the station (20 minute walk each way for us which is quite lengthy) and she declined. Friend 1 said she would walk to the station alone while talking on the phone to a relative to feel safe.
We said goodbye and texted her soon after to make sure she got on the train okay, she told us she did but had gotten lost on the way there.
We are going out again this week and she said she will try to get a lift home to save her walking alone.
Were we bad friends to not go with her? It's not like we didn't offer but I still feel a tad guilty despite it being relatively early in the evening. I don't plan on doing this again.

OP posts:
Hayley1256 · 16/12/2024 14:33

It was 9pm and she wasn't drunk, I'm guessing the centre was well lit and you did offer, I wouldn't feel bad about this. I'm a lot older than you and my group of friends would have insisted we order her a taxi - she wouldn't have had a choice as we'd would have just ordered it. I would never leave a drunk friend to walk alone nor would I if it was a bit later on at night

Stormyweatheroutthere · 16/12/2024 14:31

She's an adult. Presumably fully functional? She should be able to get herself home.
Without her dm coming to get her either...

kiraric · 16/12/2024 14:31

I would be quite annoyed if anyone tried to force me to take a taxi when I was happy to walk...

Anonymous2003 · 16/12/2024 14:31

MissMoneyFairy · 16/12/2024 14:30

Where are you going next time, if 3 of you live near each other and she lives in the other direction could she stay with one of you overnight and you all walk together or share an user,

We don't live near each other at all unfortunately, I meant that the train we could've gotten together stops at each of our hometowns.

OP posts:
Anonymous2003 · 16/12/2024 14:30

Trickabrick · 16/12/2024 14:29

You offered, she declined, not seeing you did anything wrong.

That's very true. I suppose the guilt comes from the whole mantra of 'friends don't let friends walk alone at night' and I wonder if I acted like a shit mate

OP posts:
MissMoneyFairy · 16/12/2024 14:30

Where are you going next time, if 3 of you live near each other and she lives in the other direction could she stay with one of you overnight and you all walk together or share an user,

GretchenWienersHair · 16/12/2024 14:30

You offered and she declined. It’s fine, don’t overthink it.

Wendysfriend · 16/12/2024 14:29

Sorry I'd never leave anyone to walk alone especially if it's a place with recent violence. I would have ensured she got a taxi . Attacks can happen at any time of the day

MiraculousLadybug · 16/12/2024 14:29

YABU to overthink this so much. She didn't want babying, she just wanted to walk to a train station by herself. It was the hour of 8, no? Not exactly like leaving her alone walking down a dodgy footpath at 2am. Stop worrying and listen to what she tells you.

Trickabrick · 16/12/2024 14:29

You offered, she declined, not seeing you did anything wrong.

MissMoneyFairy · 16/12/2024 14:27

I'd get a taxi if it's a 20 min walk to the station

Anonymous2003 · 16/12/2024 14:27

kiraric · 16/12/2024 14:24

9pm in a city centre? Seems absolutely fine to me, I don't think it would have occurred to me to even offer. But I do this all the time.

I have done it before too when I've had enough drinks and am tired and want to go home (sometimes when very drunk oops) but was never angry at friends who wanted to stay on later at the bar. Was in contact with Friend 1 today who was saying that her mum is anxious about her walking around at home at night (we are aged 20/21) as there has been a lot of violence against women where we live recently.

OP posts:
Maddy70 · 16/12/2024 14:26

She's fine walking at 9pm

kiraric · 16/12/2024 14:24

9pm in a city centre? Seems absolutely fine to me, I don't think it would have occurred to me to even offer. But I do this all the time.