Women alone in london

[Motomum23]

So I'm taking my 13 year old daughter to London in August to see blackpink - she's excited - I'm looking forward to some 1 to 1 time with her. We live in rural Cornwall and my husband is convinced I ought to be packing pepper spray and an attack alarm for our 1 evening using the tubes.... please someone tell me he's being absurd and plenty of women traverse London alone these days - my sister went to King's and I'd often visit her by train and we would enjoy ourselves in the city when I was 15 but apparently I'm insane because now its so much more dangerous!!!!

He's being ridiculous. And I say that as someone who lives in what people think of as one of the rougher London boroughs. How does he think we get around and live? Under armed guard?

It’s no more dangerous now than it’s ever been - which is to say, really not at all. You should take precautions around not walking around with your phones in hand, as phone thieves will see you as targets; don’t engage with anyone who comes up to you on the street in a touristy area with a sob story as they’re almost certainly a scammer; and don’t ride one of the central London rickshaws / cycle cabs unless you want to end up with a fare of a million pounds. Other than that you’ll be fine. Your biggest tube-related worry is getting tutted at for standing on the wrong side of the escalator.

London is fine.
You'll be fine.
Hope that helps.

He is being unreasonably alarmist.

Isn't pepper spray illegal?

He's being ridiculous. I have gone on my own before to exhibitions and galleries when my DH has been working and feel perfectly safe getting around either walking or using the tube. It's no different to any other town or city imo.

What do single women living in London do they don't have chaperones i presume?

Your DH has an exaggerated fear I think. London is probably safer than many more rural spots. I travelled regularly alone on the tube day and night without any issues.

Just avoid the dreaded eye contact and keep an eye on your belongings you’ll be fine.

Yeah he's being ridiculous. I live 40 minutes train ride from euston and regular go in for dinner / theatre and travel back to euston alone v late from all over the place. It's so busy. I've never felt unsafe (beyond making sure my bag is zipped up and not wandering along with my phone in my hand)

Lots of kids travel around london on their own

Yes I never leave my house without an escort.

FGS 😂
I think he must follow the Sadiq Khan haters online or something. If you do that it would be easy to think you need an armed guard to go to the corner shop. They like to pretend that London is very dangerous and it's all his fault because they are racist twats

He's being over the top

No, you don’t need either of those things - you’ll be fine.

London born and bred - you will be fine, not sure what your husband is imagining poor guy

I had a lovely ride on one if those rickshaws once for a tenner

I’ve watched enough episodes of Vera to be more terrified of rural Northumberland, apparently all the UK murders happen there.

He’s being ridiculous, I travel to London for work on my own all the time, it is and has always been absolutely fine.

Is he normally so paranoid?

Thanks for confirming what I thought was the case... obviously I'll be aware of thieves - we get them in Cornwall when the tourists arrive (and yes I am half joking!) I'm sure he is convinced we will both be stabbed that minute we step off the train from truro.... ironically he's a born and bred in London and spent his childhood hopping on and off the tubes and buses without a care in the world.

I'm not sure what either of those things are tbh.... maybe I'll ask alexa!

Wow! I'm a 44 year old woman who's spent most of my life living in London, regularly travelling alone on buses, trains and tubes since the age of 11.
My young DC are allowed to walk or get buses alone from 10, tubes and trains from 12. They will be older before travelling alone at nights obviously, but I happily take them out at night.

Your husband is being way OTT.

Yes, that’s absurd. I’m from rural Devon but work in London regularly. I’ve literally never felt unsafe anywhere I’ve been in London even late at night. I’ve lived all over the world, definitely places I would feel uncomfortable going, but London, unless you veer far off the beaten path, is not one of them. Just be sensible especially in tourist areas with waving your phone around or having a purse that’s easy to grab, same as any big city, but it’s perfectly safe.

This.

I googled them!

I spend a fair bit of time alone in central London and have never felt anything but safe.