Would you walk to the gym at this time of night?

[QueenOfTheTofuTree]

So last night at about 10:30 I wanted to go to the gym. It has been a long stressful deal and I wanted to unwind by working out.

But when I told DP what I was doing he went all huffy and upset saying it was silly and risky walking there this time at night. In the end I didn't go. The gym is about a 10-15 minute walk away through a town centre.

It got me thinking, if you wanted to walk that time of night, then would you? It's not a dangerous town otherwise I wouldn't consider doing it!

Depends where you live. If I was meeting the girls in one of the pubs on our high street, I'd walk home, late at night, without a second thought, always have, because I feel safe here.

I couldn't contemplate going to the gym that late at night - it would wake me up and I'd never sleep! But I'd happily walk home from the station or from seeing friends then. I'd be vigilant but that's just common sense.

How can you live your life if it's "Not Safe" to walk ten minutes through a well-lit town centre?

I think I'd be more uncomfortable with the walk home at near midnight

How can you live your life if it's "Not Safe" to walk ten minutes through a well-lit town centre

It's basic risk assessment. It's almost certainly safe and statistically, the chances of something bad happening is very small.

But the 'something bad' that may happen is potentially very serious, so you almost obliterate the chances of it happening by not walking alone through a well lit, but sparsely populated, area at night.

Yes I would. I walk to and from the station to work at 2/3am when no one is about.

I would have, the way it see it is, bad things can happen any time of the day.
That said i wouldn't purposefully put myself in danger

"Basic risk assessment" also includes thinking about what you are giving up in order to be safer. It's about balance, not about always making the safest choice regardless.

You'd be safer if you never got in a car, but you probably decide that what you gain by going in a car is often worth the small risk of an accident.

I would judge that the risk of walking through a well-lit town centre for ten-fifteen minutes at 10pm is offset by the benefits of going to the gym. Or the benefits of going to the pub. Or the benefits of going to a shop because I fancy a Magnum.

If I lived in a town where that was not the case, I'd be strongly thinking about moving.

So a real mix of responses.

Anyway I talked to DP about it and he has apologised for behaving like a twat but I do believe him when he said he was just worried.

I do agree that you shouldn't let fear dominate your life but one thing that does worry is that I will be blamed if something does happen. I realise the chances of being attacked are quite small however and DP has admitted that he wouldn't think twice about walking the same route to the gym that time of night or later, the bloody hypocrite! .

Anyway had another hard day so we have agreed to pass DS to DP for a bit whilst I pop to the gym .