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...

It depends where and when.
I walked home about 11pm a few weeks back just to see what it felt like.

In a town or a city, I can't imagine having a limit, really. And I'd happily walk home from the pub or across my rural village any time of night. I wouldn't walk long distances through very quiet residential areas after about 8pm but I wouldn't be likely to be doing that anyway. I’d walk short distances (eg less than 10 minutes) like from public transport or the corner shop to my house at any time of night.

Obviously I still practice common sense wherever I am: aware of my surroundings, no unlit alleyways, no parks/fields/canals, no engaging with strangers. But I wouldn't not walk alone just because it was dark. I wouldn't be able to get to my car from the office for six months of the year!

always and all times. But I live in a city - lots of light, people around and buses aplenty, even in the small hours.

Where i live? I've walked home from my friends after a few drinks around 2am. I live in a well lit village.

Anytime when dark unless just between house and car

I have walked the dog a couple of times alone, around 10 pm. when my DC are on school trips but stick to main roads. I didn't feel unsafe but am more aware of my surroundings when I'm alone. Every weekday, evening, my DC and I walk the dog and chat about their day at school or revise for tests. It's a really important chatty walk without the distraction of TV, gaming or their mobile.

Probably 10ish but if I'm out for a night out, I will walk home at 11,30ish, however DH will ring me and when realises I haven't got a cab he'll come out to meet me on foot.

Yes it’s not the best. I’m really not much use to anyone x

Wow that can't be good for your mental health

in answer to OP, around 8/9 ish. Until then there tend to be quite a few people around.

I live in a small rural village. No pub, just a shop that closes at 10pm. Few street lights, we mostly need a torch.

I'll happily walk at night. I've never felt unsafe here. I know most of the village and people are generally helpful. Plenty of houses I could run to if feeling uneasy. I like being out at night, lovely & quiet.

I used to live in London and felt much less safe.

Other than a city centre when it's late I don't feel concerned about being alone anywhere.

I've never felt unsafe walking around at any time of the day or night, really.

The only thing I would do after dark is stick to proper paved roads and paths, but that's more because I'm clumsy and I'd worry about breaking an ankle otherwise

I live in a safe village so I’m ok walking in it
but I have a lived in cities and felt unsafe and o don’t think Iwould go out alone now in the dark

Any time I gave up needing a chaperone when I was a child

This thread is mad. not going out after dark. Do people not have evening hobbies, go to the gym, go for a run or even work after 4pm or have children to collect from childcare? My 11 year old will walk to and from friends or home from the local shopping centre in the dark! She can also be found on a dark hillside catching/turning out pony and searching for poo to clean up armed with a head torch. We wouldn't be able to have a pony at all if being alone outside in the dark was a problem. It must be so limiting!

Where I live now, I'd happily wander through the empty market at 2am. It's safe. We have almost no crime and I know my neighbours. Where I used to live, in a notorious gangland, I didn't go out after dark or even late light evenings in the summer. We had murders, drivebys, massed street brawls, the brutal rape of children going to school, terrorists, and everybody was either frightened or frightening. It really depends where you live.

I absolutely refuse to let fear control my movements so will go out alone whenever I need to. And I wear headphones if I feel like listening to music when walking home at midnight.

It depends where it is. I live in a nice suburb of London so would feel fine walking around here at any time.

I would happily walk around central London until late, get the tube home and walk back to my house.

I wouldn't walk down a dark alley or someone deserted at any time of the day.

I'm in central London and would be fine walking around at any time. Lots of streetlights, traffic, and passers-by. I think pitch-black areas with no street lights are a bit creepy - I had to walk into a park after dark a few months ago to find something I'd dropped, and it was very disorienting as there were no lights at all. But if I were out after dark I'd just stick to well-lit areas. It's normal for me to pop out on my own to shops until about 11pm, and pre-kids I'd often walk home alone from the tube or bus stop at 2am-4am. I don't have many nights out these days though!

It entirely depends on the area. In the small city where I live we sometimes need to park in a car park very near the centre, but which has a hostel for the homeless next door and which is down a side street. I don't feel safe going there on my own after dark (so around 4pm at the moment) or after 6pm in summer, as there aren't very many other people around. Walking on well lit city streets while the shops are open and other people are around is fine.

Before anyone asks why we're using that car park if I don't feel safe.... We have commitments which mean we have to be in the city after dark, and I am not able to walk very far. This is often the closest/only car park available.

I'd walk home from pub about midnight. 15 min walk. I'd feel safe.

Maybe it’s the people who are a threat to young naive girls who shouldn’t be out at night rather than the girls.

So you don’t go out after 4pm for half the year? What would you do if your car broke down?

I don’t mind being out at any time of the day or night but when it’s dark I stick to well lit areas, not along the river or in the park. I live in a quietish suburb with low crime and use public transport as we don’t have a car. Can’t imagine not going out after dark, especially in winter - I’d have no life. 😬