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?

I'd not think twice about it, but live in a London suburb where it is still quite busy at that time.

I would happily walk.

So much depends on area. I’d happily walk my dog in my local area at that time. But I wouldn’t have felt safe walking near a previous workplace.

What does your instinct say?

I would walk but its totally dependent on where you live and what you look like.

oh and how your footsteps sound.

@Figgyroller

If he is really that concerned, you could always use the "Google Maps" live location (or Telegram\Garmin do something similar) so your husband can monitor your location as you walk?

Why though? If the OP is not concerned, why should she have to minimise her world for someone else's concerns?

That would make me feel like I was more at risk that I am.

I would walk, but then I live in an area where many women will walk alone at 2am with no qualms.

But you might get Darked on. spider willies!

I wouldn't think twice about walking home at 8pm unless you think it is a particularly unsafe area.

I quite often walk back (30 mins or so) after a work dinner after 10pm through a city. And will go running around outskirts of village around 8pm. The chance of anything happening are too small to worry about. Road safety is probably the main concern - make sure you a nice and visible.

It’s really sad that some women are so scared by media reports that they would incur massive costs in the name of being safe. Yes, Sarah Everard was walking at a not particularly late hour along a main road. But she was extraordinarily unlucky to have been targeted and tricked by a psychopath who posed as a police officer. These things are heartbreakingly sad but very very rare indeed. It may seem like they are in the news a lot but think how many thousands of women have walked home along busy roads at the same time before and since and come to no harm whatsoever. It is because these things are so rare that they are newsworthy.

Get a taxi. A beautiful, young primary school teacher was murdered in Ireland a couple of weeks ago. She was jogging at 4pm on a route she knew and that was popular with walkers, cyclists and runners.

It's really not worth the risk.

@Dubgirl1212

Get a taxi. A beautiful, young primary school teacher was murdered in Ireland a couple of weeks ago. She was jogging at 4pm on a route she knew and that was popular with walkers, cyclists and runners.

It's really not worth the risk.

So you’re saying no women should jog alone at 4pm? You may as well locks us all up.

Have you stopped ever going out alone now @Dubgirl1212?

I walk my dogs every night at that time. I have seen some stuff, but nothing that has made me scared enough that I don't want to continue walking the dog. If it's fairly busy, and lit (ie not through a large park or down alley ways) I would think that's fine. There is usually quite a lot of lone women out at that time around here. Either coming from the bus station or the gym.

I'd walk. But also, if he's not unwell with his COVID then I'd still get him to collect me. He doesn't need to leave his vehicle and assuming you're already sharing the same home spaces, the risk of you catching it is no different.

Oh fgs.

You'll be absolutely fine walking home along a busy road at 8pm.

Some people would be happy if women never left their bloody homes 'best not risk it, babe'.

If its along lit roads I would.
I understand the fear but if we never walked after dark in the winter you are basically confining women and girls to their homes by 4pm if they dont have a male chaperone.

During lockdown I used to go for a walk around 10pm (think January 2021) most evenings for about an hour. In a large city. I’m probably bonkers.
Obviously in my case, I’d walk.

I would get a Taxi personally . Its just a risk too far. Women should be able to walk safely at night .Sadly we dont live in a perfect world .Maybe he can go halves with your fare?

Surprised by some of the responses on here. It's sad that so many women feel that they can't go outside on their own at 8pm in the evening. I go out on my own at that time most days and wouldn't think twice about it. I guess it depends at bit on where you live and how isolated the route is though.

'a risk too far'

fucking hell.

She was jogging at 4pm on a route she knew and that was popular with walkers, cyclists and runners.

Exactly. She was in daylight in a popular area. So it makes no difference! We really can not live our lives afraid to be out on our own.

You really just have to live your life and trust your instincts. If you feel at risk then do something, but if you don't feel at risk, then continue on with your life.

Well my main exercise is walking after dark! Honestly it’s your call, not his. You know the area. Some awful things have happened to women recently but my view is, if that ends up restricting my life then the perpetrators have hurt me too without going near me. Obviously I don’t take huge risks but I don’t have a curfew

It's sad that so many women feel that they can't go outside on their own at 8pm in the evening.

I agree.
I think it is really important to understand the difference between perceived risk and actual risk.

I do this all the time, though in London. I wouldn't walk country lanes, the countryside terrifies me.

I guess it's not really the length as you could be kidnapped in 5 minutes.