To carry hairspray in my pocket

[Cocktailsonthebeachy]

and a big stick…when I go on dog walks, just me and my 6 year old.

I live next to woods and fields, a beautiful place and usually Dh and I take the dog there and our 6 year old, I always feel very relaxed and happy when it’s all of us.

Occasionally if Dh is working late all week, I go on my own with Dd and DDog and I put a small hairspray in my pocket and usually pick up a large stick on my walk from the ground
I don’t find these walks relaxing and it annoys me that I can’t feel as free. It’s unlikely anything were to happen, but if it did, it would be hard for anyone to hear me shout or to get to a safer point quickly

Is it normal to think/act like this? Would you do the same, would you even go in the woods in the first place?

You are being ridiculous!

Hairspray will do nothing except maybe make the rabid killer you imagine is hiding in the trees, keep his hair in place.

You are safer where you are than walking through a busy city nowadays.

I’m out in the wilds every day and have yet to be murdered or in fact see anyone else most days.

Lots of our neighbours take the dogs there and I notice some women when on their own or they go running there etc, wish I could feel that free

I'm make and fairly large, grew up in a tough place and say, don't take a big stick. Get a walking stick. Or Nordic pole, preferably with a metal tip. Don't swing it if attacked, Jab like a solder with a bayonet. Aim for throat, nose, balls, stomach. Plus you aren't carrying an offensive weapon.

The hair spray isn't so useful outside as a gust of wind could redirect it.

Try a rape alarm...place it hear his ear initially then drop it.

So no I don't blame you

I don’t blame you at all. However they were talking about this on the radio last week. Taking anything out that can be considered a weapon is illegal (even if for good reason!!)

As a portable flame thrower?

Hairspray?? Um…if you’re going to take an aerosol take RAID fly spray. I’ve been using it today and the stuff nearly made me pass out. Potent stuff.

Crikey! I run most days in a secluded area. I don’t think it’s normal to go to the extreme of taking weapons on your dog walk!

I really don’t care about that, better than if something happens to me or my Dd

No mini sprays? I will if there are

I don't walk in the woods during the day on my own, nevermind at night.

If you've been followed in the past, you end up never being able to relax.

I walk alone in SE London on my own late at night, so yes, I would go in the woods alone. I do a lot of stuff alone.

Trouble is you are looking at time. The cps are really heavy handed on this so will prosecute. So nothing that could be a weapon. So walking stick yes. Dirty gert stick no. Hair spray yes, bleach no.

Another tip, if you see someone you are suspicious of start pretending your on your phone with a loud "I'm up the back field behind the house Simon. See you in a mo". This is meant to make attackers think twice.

They'd be hard pushed to say hairspray or a stick picked up in your walk was deliberately taken as a weapon anyway.

prior to my stroke I had bought a rape alarm on line as there had been issues with local teenagers.

I tested it when it arrived, worried i'd alarm the neighbours I took it down to the local football fields. I needn't have worried! Unless my neighbours had been stood next to me they wouldn't have heard it! 🙄🙄. It was rated as the loudest I could find online too.

I totally understand how you feel, just because some are so scathing doesn't make you unreasonable to feel how you do! Xx

It does feel extreme…but, if you imagine someone coming out of nowhere, not sure how we could escape/get help

Never walk in the dark, this is in the light

Been followed, flashed at all sorts

It's better to do something definitely illegal then not be so over reactive?

Deep heat spray.

Get some farb gel. They’re about £8 online. Once you spray someone with that, they’ll back off.

Deep Heat would be a better choice

Download the Hollie Guard app. From memory, you can set it up so that if you shake your phone, it will emit a piercing noise. Any attackers will not want attention drawn to them, so are likely to leg it. You can also set it up so that if you shake it, it will send an alert to a named contact to alert that you need help.

HollieGuard - Personal Safety App

I cycle and am mindful that I’m often in secluded places so I usually have a whistle hanging around my neck and a purple attack spray to hand. ( the whistle can also alert people to my location should I fall in a ditch out of sight!)
I’ve heard it suggested that some carry a spray of wintergreen/ralgex “for their aching muscles”, now that would sting someone’s eyes if it accidentally got in them.
Also could a smart watch contact police if you asked it if you found yourself in a confrontation?

Make an appointment to speak with someone about irrational anxiety

I did a self defence course and the chap told us that the problem with carrying a spray is that in a panic you won't be sure that the nozzle is in the right direction and there's a good chance you might spray it in your own eyes.

Being cautious is a wise strategy and I can understand your strong responsibility to keep your daughter safe.

Why don't you do a self defence course? The one I attended was run for free by the local police and gave me lots of advice but mainly confidence.

Make an appointment to speak with someone about irrational anxiety

A woman was smashed in the face with a brick, raped and strangled to death on the riverside walk near where I lived. Broad daylight, mid morning.

Not just me but none of my female friends felt comfortable walking anywhere secluded after that.