Do women walk alone at night

[aDayattheLido]

Do you?
Do women you know?

DNiece is at university. She came to visit me the other weekend. Her train back to uni was going to arrive after dark. I gave her some money for a taxi from the station to her halls. She said "oh I'll just walk" (but still took the £20 🙂). She says she walks back from the library and her part time job.

Is this normal or do women walk in pairs/packs or get a taxi?

(btw This was discussed on another thread but before anyone cries "TAAT" I'm just interested in chatting about it further)

Of course its normal... I dont know anyone rich enough to constantly afford taxis (especially in winter when its virtually always dark) and of course we're not roving round in great big packs + how would that work if we all walked each other home its going to end up one person alone unless they live together lol.

I have walked around in the dark all my life and never had the slightest issue... now horrific things CAN possibly happen (a girl I know was unfortunaely beaten, raped and left for dead while walking her dog at night, the police shut the all the village down for weeks and imposed curfews while paroling the streets etc... that reaction however was because its a very RARE crime) but anything can possibly happen, you have more chance of being hit by a bus yet I bet you still cross roads.

I live in a tiny hamlet with zero crime, but will admit that I actually feel safer walking around our local town after dark. Our village is totally deserted by about 8pm, with very few streetlamps and lots of dark country lanes. Even though it's a lovely little place to live I never felt 100% safe when taking my children out in their prams, even during the day, just because I could walk for an hour and see practically nobody. Fields and farms for miles, and very few houses. I used to keep a hammer under the pram which seems a bit bonkers looking back, but it made me feel a little better! There are usually people milling around the local town, even after dark, and plenty of shops to duck into or doors to knock on if need be, so that feels much safer to me.

It makes me cringe that I used to walk around my (rough - a police officer was murdered down our street), University city well after dark with headphones in, completely oblivious to everybody. Like a PP, we were given rape alarms when we first started too, but I certainly never felt in danger. In fact, the only time I felt nervous as a teenager was being in a taxi alone - that's much riskier in my eyes.

Yes - I'm far more nervous being alone in a taxi with just the driver than walking in a built up area with other people around. I choose sensible routes but don't want to be confined to the house through fear

Depends. Along the main road to home, yes, but I also remember the video footage a of a woman physically picked up and carried to his van in full daylight on a busier road than mine. I would not walk alone in the park near me where a woman was raped.

I do and always did when younger. Obviously I use common sense and avoid isolated spots, especially if somewhere unfamiliar.

It's the same fear, isn't it - just a different risk assessment and tactic.

Walking around with hammers in prams, keys in our hands, headphones out, dashing across the street, assessing places to duck-in if required, constant surveillance and assessment. Fuck, it's depressing and exhausting.

I do too. I don't live in a city though, more a small market town.

I'd have taken a taxi with the money if it was me! Although I was probably braver about this sort of thing in the uni years. Didn't realise just how scary the world can be yet

I often walked alone at night when I was younger, I still do it now although less often as I don't go out much!

I walked alone at university. I walk alone now, if I'm somewhere particularly dodgy I won't use headphones, I'll stay alert. I don't do anything like crossing the road if I see someone, I just walk past. A few months ago I saw a group of chavy looking young men sat on a dark bridge with their hoodies up and smoking etc, I was nervous walking past them then one of them just politely said "evening miss. Enjoy your night". Then I felt guilty for being judgemental.

I've never felt threatened when walking alone, I know it happens so I stay alert and take some precautions, but I don't walk around in fear.

This is a good example of peoples inability to assess risk. You're actually far more at risk in a taxi/uber than walking alone at night. Think about it, you are in a car with a strange man who can take you anywhere they want, if they want. As opposed to being alone, walking. If you were a man who wanted to attack a woman, being a taxi driver is the perfect way to do it.

I never get in a taxi alone if I can help it. And if I do, I take safety measures. I'd much rather walk, far less chance of coming across a sex offender, and more chance of escaping if you do.

I walk alone at night the odd time but I wouldn't like my daughter to when older. I don't mind playing taxi.

It is depressing on here. Seems to be bit of an extreme thought. I don't believe from my experience and chats women routinely asses places to duck to!

I really think MN is massively skewed in this because, sorry, the levels of people with anxiety in here

Yes I do and so do most people I know.

I would avoid very dark/ quiet places late at night, or if I had been drinking etc., but that's just common sense.

You sound both lucky and incredibly naive. But shame on you for accusing women of abnormality anxiety because they have experience and/or knowledge of the very real risk of sexual assualt.
Seriously, you should apologise.

I used to come home in the early hours around London. Pretty much always took my bicycle, which made me feel safer. You can keep to middle of road if there are people on pavement, overtake pedestrians etc. For a young woman without much money I think it's safer than walking.

one of them just politely said "evening miss. Enjoy your night".

That’s sweet. I wonder if he had perceived that you were wary and was trying to make sure you knew he wasn’t a threat.

I'm more selective about routes at night but I walk where I need to at night.

I'm more concerned about taxis; when I was at uni there was a spate of issues/ assualts of lone female students in taxis (often off the record, rogue private hire rides) but I feel safer in the open with escape routes and potential witnesses.

My walk home from work as a student overlapped the final walk of a girl who was followed and murdered in a high-profile stranger attack a few years earlier. At that point the bastard hadn't been caught and was a few years away from justice. It was the shorter, more practical route.

We can't guarentee living in total safety and there's a balance to be had in pragmatic evaluation of risk and inhibiting our lives to avoid risk.

Yea I do. Enjoy being out in the dark more than daytime. Less people getting in my way.

I would have also been fucked in winter getting too/from work if I avoided the dark. I don’t drive and taxis twice a day would have been unaffordable.

Yes I do. I mean 2am in the dead of night of course not or an isolated canal path, but 9pm if there's still plenty of traffic around in a residential area why on earth wouldn't I? It annoys me when people don't. Strap on a spine and get the fuck on with it.

I do regularly. And I'm quite rural - long dark lane home from the station to my house.

My mum lives 5 minutes from a busy station in a London suburb. She is terrified by my walk home but thinks nothing of hers. I always tell her she's more likely to be drugged/mugged/thugged on her walk. I suppose it's what you're used to????

Yes because I have big dog privilege.
(However my dog is on the heavy side and looks mean but wouldn’t hurt a fly really 😬)

Do I do it? Yes
Do I feel safe doing it? No

I do, always have. At home, at Uni, in London, now in this city. Are women supposed to stay home after dark?? It’s dark by 5pm in the winter.
Given that they’re 100 more likely to be hurt by a partner than a stranger what’s the point?
I use common sense obvs - it I was in a unsafe neighbourhood or There was a chance of getting lost, no but walking back from the pub to our house? Yes.

No I shouldn't and no I am not to the first point.

There is cautious and then there is talking about how women have to walk around with hammers in prams fgs. That is not a common thing. It's also not that common to asses places to duck in. Ask women outside of MN.

People on here often feed each others' anxieties and imho, this is also one of that instances.