To go for night walks in London?

[ThisFluentBiscuit]

Dickens did this, and I'd like to do it too. Drives me utterly mad how restricted we are as women.

I wouldn't go in the dead of night, more like an hour or a bit more of fast walking before bed, to tire myself out, around 8.30-10pm. I wouldn't cut through dark parks or anything. I'm thinking 2-3 miles - easily doable in an hour or so.

So, dare I? Or should I stick to walking on the treadmill like I do currently? I want to feel the fresh air and be out in the world seeing things.

Being a woman is a prison and I'm sick of it.

I would. I wouldn’t be worried.
I often walk my dog around the neighbourhood at night and I’ve never had any issues or been concerned.

which area are you in?

I live in fairly central London and go for 1.5 hour walk around most evenings. It's lovely!

Yeah, I would happily do this. I wouldn't go down any dark alleyways (but I wouldn't in the day either) but I'd have no problem doing it at all.

Depends where you are in London.

You should be fine but maybe don't take the same route every day.

I'm in the Vauxhall area.

It's good to know that so many do!!!

I live in zone two and wouldn’t think twice about going for a walk at that time.

I’ve never thought twice about walking through London alone after dark. Go for it!

Sure. I used to finish work at 7-8pm and then always walked the 30mins home.

Do you seriously think women in London stay home after 8:30pm?

Drives me utterly mad how restricted we are as women.

You don’t speak for me, I’m a woman and am not restricted. If I want to go for a walk in the dark at night I go. And I do, almost every night.
Stop restricting yourself!

I used to do this all the time in my early twenties, admittedly going home from post-work drinks etc as opposed to a random walk, but still. Often a lot later than this!

I no longer live in London but I to be honest, I’d probably think twice about it now. Pre 9pm yes, but not after I don’t think. Some of the events over the last few years have really shaken me.

edited to say - I wouldn’t deliberately go home earlier or anything, but I’d probably get the bus closer to home; rather than walk long distances at midnight like I used to!

I voted YABU because

"Being a woman is a prison and I'm sick of it."

You don't speak for all of us. The area of London I live in is as rough as fuck and yet I walk my tiny dog about 10pm every night.

Vauxhall is quite built up and not always many pedestrians around. I’d probably prefer to walk somewhere where there are more other people also walking.

Exactly - especially Sarah Everard.

I probably wouldn’t ‘go for a walk’ late, just because it’s not my idea of fun. But I do happily walk home late, through bits of South London that have a certain rep.

What makes you feel restricted?

Not stay home, but I'm not sure how many roam. (Hey, that rhymes!) I want to roam for 2-3 miles to get my fitness up while getting fresh air, not just trot down the road.

8.30-10pm is hardly late, especially not by London standards. Lots of people still around at that time. I’m concerned by you thinking women aren’t able to be out walking 24/7 in London? It’s the 21st century.

This is media paranoia, that sort of crime is astoundingly rare. You take a bigger risk crossing the road at 2pm than walking down a street in London between 8:30 and 10pm.

I often take my dog for his last wee at midnight. Never thought not to.

Incidents in the news. Knife crime. Sarah Everard. The rise of hate crimes.

I live in a rougher part of London and have never been worried walking alone at night so can’t relate to this and I see loads of women doing the same

I'd feel safer if I had a dog, but I'm not in a position to have one.

But there's been rising crime in the capital in the last few years. Nothing to do with the century - bad people have always existed.