What's the latest time you would feel safe being out alone?

[ilovemincepies24]

What is the latest time you would feel safe being out alone (without a dog)?

I live in a small ish town which is pretty quiet after 8pm when the local supermarket shuts. A woman was allegedly attacked a few weeks ago at around that time, and since then I've felt uneasy walking in the dark (which is quite early at this time of year), even in built up areas.

On an ideal world it wouldn't be like this but...

something long-range. A pistol in areas where CC is allowed, pepper spray where it's not. A rifle if hunting.

I’ve never felt unsafe apart from
walking round city centres when there’s been lots of drunk people about.

Absolutely any time day or night in my small town

Depends where. I won't be frightened into staying in after dark. Wouldn't work anyway, I don't get home until nearly eight and some parts of my commute aren't the best.

I often grab a McDonald's tea walking home late and if anyone makes me nervous, I blow on it as if it's piping hot.

People think twice about trying anything if they think they'll get a scalding for their effort.

Any time.

Before dark.
At any time.
😐

Suppose I'm fortunate to be able to choose....

I agree with some of the previous posters. I live in south London and I wouldn't walk anywhere alone after dark. I work a couple of evenings a week, and only work where I know there is safe parking immediately outside or on the premises and I always let my husband when I'm leaving to come home.

A few years ago everyone in the team I was working in at the time was told that we must keep our car doors locked at all times going to and from meetings after dark becasue there had been a number of carjackings and people grabbing bags from cars.

I don't generally feel as apprehensive walking alone in the dark if I'm overseas, and will walk round cities like Luxor on my own and feel completely safe.

8pm-ish in our very quiet suburb. Later in town - probably after the pubs shut at 11ish? It depends a lot on location. I try not to be scared and limit myself, but I'm also not stupid.

How do people get home from work if they don't go out in the dark?

I'm very organised, WFH and sometimes don't need to leave the house for a couple of weeks day or night.

Depends what I'm doing

Walking to the shop or garage probably 8pm ish
Wandering around unlit dodgy areas or parks then no, not in the dark
Walking to my car to go to the 24hr supermarket, any time

Once it's dark

I refuse to put myself in danger

I don't go out in Summer either, we are not all the same you know,

The only time I've felt unsafe at night was when my dog decided our late walk should go through the fields.

I tripped on a tree route and thought "shit, if I injure myself I'm screwed".

I stay alert, aware of my surroundings and prepared to react to unforeseen events, but I don't feel unsafe generally.

No time really. I’ve always liked walking in the dark. When I went to uni in Edinburgh they handed out rape alarms at the library as you cut across the meadows and suggested we form groups. I never felt threatened though.

Oddly enough all the flashers and perverts I’ve encountered are either in the pub or out in the sunshine . I used to do an early morning paper round as a teenager not a single pervert to be seen but read a book on a park bench of an afternoon and had an orange clad cyclist wanking at me.

It depends. In a built up area then it's fine as late as everything is open.

I don't feel safe in any park after dark so never use it as a shortcut even with company.

I hate walking along dark quiet roads but lately I've started to feel uncomfortable on any quiet, unfamiliar road even during the day but it's unavoidable.

I live somewhere where it is dark 3 months of the year, so not going out after dark isn't going to work for me. For me it is more about where I go than the time of day. I avoid poorly lit places in the dark, and walking through slightly more dodgy areas (although where I live does not really have any very dodgy areas).

I live an an inner city area in a big city. Would walk alone whenever I needed to get somewhere, so don't have a curfew! Have always lived in cities and have a good awareness of what's going on around me. The good things about cities is there's always someone around!

Would be more nervous in a more rural area with fewer people around

Weirdly I'm anxious about lots of things but not about being out alone in the dark at any time. (I think if there'd been a recent attack I might be though.)

My DH was away and someone asked if I was worried being home alone at night. It hadn't even occurred to me. I assume the odds are in my favour and there's no point worrying about things I can't do anything about. I can be moderately prepared for a scenario in case it happens but otherwise I try not to worry.

A question for people who don't go put after dark (hypothetical of necessary...)

How do/would you like Secondary aged children get home from school? Would you pick them up in winter?

There was traffic today and I was late to pick up my year 6 child from an after-school club ending at 4.20 so he started walking home in the dark (streetlights and busy) I couldn't imagine as an adult thinking this was an unsafe thing for me to do.

I go at any time, because I refuse to limit my life, but I always take precautions. I have a custom piece, a heavy iron bar about 4 inches long and an inch and half thick, which I stick in my pocket, my boot, or hang on the strap of my purse with a carabiner (I had a key ring added to it.) If you clock the fucker upside the head with that it's lights out, but you have to take swift action. Don't wait until he's attacked and has got you on the ground. Let him get in close enough so you're sure he means you harm, pull it out and whap him hard enough to put him out before he even knows what's up. Give him a stern warning to not get any closer when you first notice the apparent threat, just so you can't be accused of attacking him without cause, but don't let on you have a weapon.
The bonus is when the police come, they can't charge you with carrying a weapon. It's a key ring after all. ;-)

No time limit. Sometimes I go to gigs on my own and walk back around 11.30pm. I always gave done and have never felt unsafe.

In my area of London, anytime really. Though I'd stick to main roads if it was late evening, to make sure there were other people around. It wouldn't be past about 11.30 / 12.00 as my clubbing days are long gone! We've lived here for over 30 years and I can count on the fingers of one hand any rapes I've heard about. As for murders, can't recall any where they didn't involve people who knew each other, beyond a well-known case of a gang murder / mistaken identity inside a flat.