As a female do you have the courage to walk alone in the dark?

[Vaccine001]

I have done so but rarely. It has always terrified me. What if i akways think to myself..

Yes I do, and yes I will. I am heart broken that it's come to this and worried for my girls.

no, I am scared of the dark. if I have to walk somewhere once its dark, especially in an urban area, I will call someone, tell them where I am and keep them on the phone until I am somewhere safe.

Yes. I have a dog who sometimes can't be walked before dark because I've a job and home duties. I have a job that requires me to come home at normal finishing time in the dark. My kids walk home from their school buses in the dark.

It is dark about 4pm in the SE so what can you do?

I've just booked a long weekend away in Paris just before Christmas. It never occurred to me that I wouldn't go out in the evening because it was dark - I wouldn't be able to eat out or to go to theatre/opera, or just wander around admiring the Christmas lights. I will, of course, find somewhere to stay that isn't in a dodgy area, be aware of my surroundings at all times, not stay out getting ratted until the early hours - all of those make perfect sense. But staying in - hell, no!

I do. I feel relatively safe in my hometown. I always wear trainers or docs though. My legs are strong. I do think about what I'd do if I were attacked as I walk home a lot.

In answer to the question (I've not read all 15 pages!!) I always have, yes. Not so much since having kids due to less active social life and not being out and about as late. Since Covid restrictions I've hardly been out after dark at night and not just in winter when it's dark at 5pm t

To be honest I'd be a lot more wary now. I never used to give it a second thought, obviously I'd risk assess and take precautions would always get a taxi home if it was very late or I was tipsy but now I've not done it for ages, I'd be a lot more apprehensive.

@lochmaree

no, I am scared of the dark. if I have to walk somewhere once its dark, especially in an urban area, I will call someone, tell them where I am and keep them on the phone until I am somewhere safe.

Being on the phone Means you unaware of surrounding And might get phone nicked

Surely there isn't much choice during the winter months? You don't ever venture out alone after 4pm?!

I was trying to explain this to a neighbour walking his dog. He said usually see your DH in the evenings, I said yeah I know I don't usually come out in the dark ( it was just getting gloomy) . He said oh I don't mind walking in the dark and I said it's a women safety thing.

I think you have to be careful, anyone, but more dog walking etc.

@Snailhaterz2, I used to live in Paris. It's so busy, you're usually fine in the evenings. They also have great Ubers and you never have to walk far to get to a Metro or RER station. I'd be a lot more hesitant walking around London as there are public transport black holes there. Or no tube anyway, just quiet bus stops and sprawling estates. It's awful, but in Paris they don't have any social housing - they pretty much ghettoise anyone who can't afford to live in Paris and house them in the banlieues. So it means that you don't get the huge estates in central Paris that you do in zone 2 London for example.

Yes I do it all the time. Live in C London and don't have much choice tbh.:. Don't have a car so have to walk back from the tube and I work late. I send my live location to my boyfriend so he knows to come looking if something happens. Also have an app that calls him if I scream and sends location.

Yes. I do it and it doesn't scare me. Not sure if that's stupidity or stubbornness. But I refuse to change my behaviour on the off chance.

Plus you're more likely to be assaulted by someone you know.

I have to say, yes I do it too, especially in London, where you often don't have much choice! But I'm not 100% comfortable, despite being bigger and probably stronger than a number of men!

And not to sound all "not all men...", but I know a few men who have said they also don't like walking alone at night. My best friend is a man and he's smaller than me. He's been attacked on the night is before and also had his phone stolen in the street in London.

@ScumbagDave

And not to sound all "not all men...", but I know a few men who have said they also don't like walking alone at night. My best friend is a man and he's smaller than me. He's been attacked on the night is before and also had his phone stolen in the street in London.

We know. We all know.

This is not what the thread is about.

No chance, I don’t walk alone when it’s dark and during the day I stick to residential areas if I go out walking. I’d never walk through a park or wooded area by myself.

This is not what the thread is about.

Yes, I know [smile

I've answered op's question on about page 2 I think. Someone mentioned Paris, then London came up (both cities I know well) and since I was mentioning my size compared to other men it seemed like a relevant point.

It isn't as if I leapt in as soon as I saw the thread and shouted "what about men eh"? Which would be very annoying and irrelevant.

Hope that clarifies my point for you!

I've always tried not to, but at times when I've had to, eg after nights working until 3am in a pub in my younger years, or home from the station after a night out ..I've been terrified.

Now I'm terrified not because I walk around after dark anymore because I've got young kids and no social life ... I'm terrified because the young kids are girls and they will walk around in the dark at some point.

I have to walk home alone from my workplace (a large hospital) past a wooded area at night in the dark, no other way onto my estate, also walk to work in the dark often.
I also walk to and from the gym or the supermarket which are near the hospital, in the dark.

I can't drive as I have epilepsy and can't afford taxis.

I do get bothered at times by youths walking home from their football training etc.
I try to ignore them.

@ScumbagDave

This is not what the thread is about.

Yes, I know [smile

I've answered op's question on about page 2 I think. Someone mentioned Paris, then London came up (both cities I know well) and since I was mentioning my size compared to other men it seemed like a relevant point.

It isn't as if I leapt in as soon as I saw the thread and shouted "what about men eh"? Which would be very annoying and irrelevant.

Hope that clarifies my point for you!

It was still unnecessary. And still annoying. And still irrelevant.

Hope that clarifies things for you.

@2pinkginsplease

No chance, I don’t walk alone when it’s dark and during the day I stick to residential areas if I go out walking. I’d never walk through a park or wooded area by myself.

Do you live in a particularly unsafe area or would you also avoid a London park eg Dulwich, Hyde or Regent Park during the day?

@gardeninggirl68

i do yes. i also run in the dark and walk in the woods during the day

i'm constantly aware, looking around etc and the dog is with me in the woods

i'm ex Met police. But i'm quite fearful these days

I would be fearful too in the woods. Your ex job makes no difference to a complete nutter stranger.

I walk in the dark but we live in a small village. I don't walk late at night but the village is quite poorly lit. Last week I walked to collect my child from an activity, I feel guilty driving when it's close enough to walk. But I was surprised by how scared I felt. I walked very quickly.

I happily do where I live now, but not where my parents live/where I grew up.

To be honest, I feel somehow less vulnerable walking at night than I do locked in a taxi or Uber with a strange man. Probably not rational but it’s how I feel.