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 walk, I walk the dog most nights in the dark. But I understand your concerns and worry about dd walking around London (much later than that) especially during lockdown when she was worried about taxis and public transport because of covid risk.
Some people take a can of Deep Heat. Pepper spray being illegal. I never have, but I can see why they do.
It shouldn't have to be like this.

In terms of overall life expectancy, the walking will increase your life expectancy far more than the minute risk of getting attacked might reduce it.

I'd get a taxi. Not because of safety, I'm just lazy and hate walking.

I wouldn't have a problem walking alone at 8pm in the dark assuming the place is not known for being dangerous where they recommend not walking alone or something.

I don't understand why he can't pick you up. Is he feeling too sick to do so, or is he isolating from you to avoid you catching it? If neither of those things are true there's no reason why he can't come and pick you up, is there? He wouldn't have to get out of the car.

I wouldn’t no, and I live in a safe area. In summer yes, but not right now.

But she was extraordinarily unlucky to have been targeted and tricked by a psychopath who posed as a police officer

No posing about it, he was a police officer.

A busy road is often not as safe as people think. The road can be wide & the traffic fast with fewer houses so drivers don't often notice pedestrians.

A quieter residential road or a road with lots of pedestrians is often better.

It's not just about ending up raped and murdered for me. There's a gang of local kids nicking bags and electric scooters in our local park. There are a few drunks who like to hang out outside Wetherspoons and try and get you to talk to them. The woods in the next town over has a man who goes for a walk with no trousers (yes really). I don't want to encounter any of them!

I mean, I am literally thinking about taking up running, knowing that the only time I'll get to do it is once the kids are in bed.

There's is a rush in anything in life. A risk in walking, a risk in getting a taxi etc.

I wouldn't wander round naked at 1am drunk (though if someone took advantage of that, it's still their fault not mine) but I've never dreamed at giving myself a 'dark curfew' personally.

I live in the Nordics. If I wouldn't go out in the dark, I could not leave my house for half the year.

I personally wouldn’t walk home in the dark myself. I bet Sarah Everard thought she was safe walking home the night she did it. She walked busy residential and shopping areas

The road Sarah was on is one that illustrates my previous point as it's not a nice road to work on at night. However nowhere is safe if a policeman is scouting for victims.

Unless your DH is functionally too unwell with Covid to drive, could he not just collect you? If you live in a house then he's very unlikely to bump into anyone on the way to the car?

If a busy road them I would do it, unlit park or quiet areas I would not, but I would chat to him on phone whilst walking to make him feel happier. He could have the kettle on for you.

I’d walk and love it. Perhaps he’d be more reassured if you remained on the phone to him? Also I think there’s an app you can get which will raise an alarm if necessary but I can’t for the life of me remember what it is.

God I walk home from work at this time all the time!
Me too. 8pm wouldn't worry me as I know there would be people about and 45 minutes is quite a short walk. Only you know your surroundings though.

@Flowersandhearts

Unless your DH is functionally too unwell with Covid to drive, could he not just collect you? If you live in a house then he's very unlikely to bump into anyone on the way to the car?

But what if he has a car accident or breaks down? That's the risk with going out with Covid.

Probably more likely than OP being attacked in the dark.

I wouldn’t walk anywhere alone, in the dark, at 8pm - so taxi for me

I go running on my own at that time sometimes. It depends entirely on your area.

@DriverEightt

As other posters correctly pointed out the chances of anything happening are absolutely tiny. I did this for years, and never ever had a problem, until I did. For me it was early evening, still not dark, on where there are normally a few other people walking, residential road.

Tiny tiny tiny tiny chance of anything bad happening, but big potential impact. I don't like getting taxis, I'd get a taxi.

You could say the same about being hit by a bus if you cross the road.

That doesn't stop you crossing the road.

It depends on your attitude to life really. I don't think taxis are necessarily safer. There's plenty of cases about taxi drivers. John Warboys is the best known case in recent years. But somehow thats been forgotten after the publicity about Sarah Everard (which was actually more about an abuse of power by a person in a position of trust than merely a woman walking home. Worboys as a taxi driver was also in a position of trust - though a lesser level than a policeman).

You are also far more likely to be attacked by someone you know than a stranger...

YANBU. Your husband is.

As many others have said, there is risk in everything we do, but walking home alone is not one of the riskier things. The anxiety that people (men and women) build up into this discourse about how awful it is for women to be in public on their own is stifling and it’s impact on women is horrendous.

Go with your gut feeling on how safe the route is.

I walk my dog in the evening without giving it a second thought. I’d be much more anxious about getting in a taxi on my own.

Surely the cost of the taxi is the equivalent in all the saved fuel dh hasnt been using in his car?

I personally wouldn’t walk home in the dark myself. I bet Sarah Everard thought she was safe walking home the night she did it. She walked busy residential and shopping areas

Yes, but statistically it is pretty safe. Safer than driving a car or riding a bicycle probably. People don't read about (frequent) car crashes and decide to stop driving, and yet they are put off walking by reading about something that's much, much less likely to happen.

If you're going to be attacked, it's much more likely to be by someone you know than a stranger on the street.

I’d walk it no bother

@DriverEightt

As other posters correctly pointed out the chances of anything happening are absolutely tiny. I did this for years, and never ever had a problem, until I did. For me it was early evening, still not dark, on where there are normally a few other people walking, residential road.

Tiny tiny tiny tiny chance of anything bad happening, but big potential impact. I don't like getting taxis, I'd get a taxi.

I agree with this. The fact your husband is worried, I would pay attention to that. Most women who are assaulted thought they were safe taking a certain route. My car was broken into after I parked it to walk 20 minutes to a ballgame because my husband who was out of town didn’t want to waste the ticket. I didn’t want to go alone but felt pressured by him. I think I met the two guys going the other way who broke into my car, they leered at me. I was very lucky something worse didn’t happen. My route was fairly busy well lit, there are lulls in traffic etc. There was a lull right then, they could easily have done something. I learned a lesson that day.

If it were me, I’d ask husband to pick me up, he could wear a mask and you could sit in back seat with a mask to mitigate risk of Covid. I don’t like taxis either because they could be creeps and they do drive like maniacs. And you’re having to wait around for taxi to come. The cost wouldn’t bother me.

That way, you’d save your money which is your concern and your husband knows you are safe which is his concern.