To walk alone for 45mins at 8pm?

[imamumgetmeoutofhere]

Just that really.

Told my DH I would be walking home from work tonight, finish 8pm.

It takes around 40-45mins. There are no busses at this time. He feels I should get a taxi, mainly due to the attacks on women that have been published in the media recently. I've said I can't justify the expense and am more than happy walking, usually do if it's daylight. We live in a holiday resort area but it's along 3 fairly busy main roads so won't be in any isolated areas.

He usually collects me but he has covid so can't collect me and I don't drive.

AIBU to think its fine to walk home at this time of the day in the dark or should I follow his advise and get a taxi and claw the cost back elsewhere?

Everyone thinks they live in a 'safe' area until someone is attacked. A busy, well lit route is no guarantee of safety, but at least you stand more chance of the perpetrators being caught on camera, if not a passerby stopping to help. We can't live in a bubble, but it pays to be aware of your surroundings and take precautions like: Don't listen to music / have headphones on when you're walking; don't look at your phone; keep all valuables inside a well closed bag; keep totes over your shoulder with one hand on them and keep cross body bags across your body, under your coat; try to stick to roads with street lights etc.

The only time I would give walking a 2nd thought is if it was pissing down with rain and id forgotten my umbrella.

God I wouldn't even think about not doing this, unless I lived somewhere particularly dodgy - and I'm saying that from a part of south london that isn't great.

Definitely walk it, or even better cycle!

I wouldn't have even questioned walking. Rightly or wrongly

Surely he can pick you up; we allow (encourage!) covid positive parents to drop off/pick up their children from school under the current guidelines. It's allowed.

I'd walk and not think twice about it.

If your area is relatively safe then I'd walk

No, it's not "safe" and it never has been. Do you have situational awareness? Can you really handle yourself and can you run like hell? Even if you can, I wouldn't do it in a town. I do where I live in the country. Just make sure no-one can stop and pull you into a car. That happened to me once when I had absolutely no situational awareness and I had to fight like hell.

I would. I go running in the dark along country lanes 3 x pw and don't worry about it.

There’s a saying I really like: “Ships are safest in harbour, but that’s not what they are built for”.

Risk exists. But we shouldn’t base every aspect of our lives on trying to avoid every single possible risk. This doesn’t even work anyway as we are conditioned to focus on the short term risk (eg getting attacked walking home) but often ignore the long term risk (eg cumulative lack of exercise caused by getting taxis and never walking). So our risk perception and ability to weight up one risk v another isn’t great in the first place.

There’s a saying I really like: “Ships are safest in harbour, but that’s not what they are built for”.

Doesn't work so well when you consider the domestic violence statistics though.

I walk to work at 3:30am 5 times a week so 8pm wouldn't bother me at all.
Work is only a 15minute walk and despite living in a rough area I do feel safe.

I used to walk about 3 miles by myself back from work when I was 21/22, down deserted quiet roads at around 11.30pm. No way I'd do it now can't believe how silly I was to be honest

I would walk, and often do walk home alone from my nearest town which takes about 35 minutes. I frequently run alone at that time or later as well - but when I do I don’t have both earphones in, the volume on my podcast is low, I stick to well-lit areas, and I pay attention to what and who are around me. I do live in an area considered to be relatively “safe” though and that’s an important factor.

If your husband can’t pick you up because he is isolating, then presumably he can’t drive anywhere else either. So why can’t you take the car to work? Why is the car sitting unused while you have to walk or spend money you can’t afford on taxis?

I'd walk. Only on well lit and frequented roads obviously, and not through any parks. I live in a city and regularly walk 30 mins. The main danger in my opinion is from traffic, so reflective bits are important. Cycling or getting an adult scooter would also be options.

we allow (encourage!) covid positive parents to drop off/pick up their children from school under the current guidelines. It's allowed.

No it's not. By encouraging them to do this, you are encouraging them to break the law

If you won’t get a taxi, he should come and get you, covid or no covid. There’s no way my husband would let me walk, nor would I want to.

Wouldn’t bother me as long as it’s well lit and there’s no dark corners or alleys or I was crossing a dark common. Otherwise I’d get a cab

Walk obviously, why they fuck should men control our lives.

I walk everywhere, have done for many years and have never had any trouble. Live in a large and rough city.

I walk 2 miles home from work in the dark (at 5.00) and it takes me 40 minutes or so - been doing it for 15 years and never had a problem. That's through a business estate and suburbs.

@Boood

OP has stated in her original post that she doesn't drive

There’s no way my husband would let me walk

Even if you did want to?

A couple of miles? I would walk myself. I have always gone out at night.