Scared walking to work in early hours of morning

fluffyfox

Quizzical_Squirrel wrote: »

Seconding what others have said, used to cycle to work and especially appreciated it when I did a protracted stint of going home in the small hours.
My bike is electric so little effort required on hills and I don't arrive drenched in sweat!

I felt so much more comfortable whizzing down the streets. Even if I saw someone, I'd be all ... can't catch meeeeee!

The only downside was going in the bicycle shed at that time of night, even though it was lit 24/7 and in a generally very safe city.
That always made me a little nervous just because I'd be trapping myself in a small room open to the public.

So I'd recommend cycling as long as the storage for bikes is available and safe.

thanks i 'm looking at getting a fold up bike.

dcouponzzzz

agrinnall wrote: »

Well, did his nationality have any relevance? If not then I don't really see why you should be given a break.

TBH if I was describing an event that involved another individual, defining features such as race, gender and age would be high on the list of how I would illustrate the occurrence for the benefit of the listener being able to empathise.

If I were talking about a Caucasian male I'd probably classify them some other way that would make you butt-hurt.

Get that PC stick out of your backside, its making you waddle.

Money_maker

I remember my imagination working overtime when I was 11/12 walking through the pitch black village at 5.30-6am on my way to do my paper round. It may have taught me how to step out a bit as I do a very fast walk now. Carrying a big torch (!), doing a self defence or combat class may make you feel more confident.

moneyistooshorttomention

Guest101 wrote: »

His nationally/ethnic origin must play a big part in this....

One would imagine that he would be less likely to know what our cultural customs are - hence "making a move" at a time that I would imagine British men would know was inappropriate and in a location they would know was inappropriate.

Think about it - and just how many years have we spent learning our customs?

TyreLever

agrinnall wrote: »

Well, did his nationality have any relevance? If not then I don't really see why you should be given a break.

Click. .

NeilCr

dcouponzzzz wrote: »

TBH if I was describing an event that involved another individual, defining features such as race, gender and age would be high on the list of how I would illustrate the occurrence for the benefit of the listener being able to empathise.

If I were talking about a Caucasian male I'd probably classify them some other way that would make you butt-hurt.

Get that PC stick out of your backside, its making you waddle.

Waddles in.

This is true if you were acting as a witness etc

But in this case we are talking in general. I don't in any way think the OP meant it to come out as it did but taking the words "Eastern European" out of the post would have made no difference to it at all

Agree with everyone about the bike. Definitely looks like a good way forward - and having an alarm too

I do think, sometimes, men in particular don't get how unnerving things can be. I used to live in a cul de sac and I remember my ex saying how worried she was if she heard somebody walking up behind her when she was going home. After that, I always ensured that I left a distance between me and a woman if I was following the same route

Darksparkle

I have the same get where I am, someone was raped in a path I walk passed and there have been other crimes in the area recently (body dumped, shop held up by a knifeman etc). Still need to work though and wouldn't consider leaving because of it.

TELLIT01

I can fully understand your concern about having to walk along a section of road with woodland on one side, irrespective of how short that section might be. Would your management consider allowing you to start a little later during the darkest part of the year? As you enjoy the work it really would be a shame for you to leave because you're too scared to get there.
My thoughts are much the same as others voiced here, get an attack alarm and carry a bright torch. Something like a Maglite would be ideal. They are comparatively small but have a strong beam, and they are metal so in the very unlikely event of anybody getting too close you could smack them in the eye with it.
I'm absolutely not making light of your situation as there is a footpath near where my wife works which is poorly lit and her company now put their own security men along it during the winter months, just to calm the worries of staff.

Savvy_Sue

Could be worth seeing if the local police offer any advice or quick training sessions to women's groups. Or just look online for tips - you can't carry pepper spray, but hairspray in your bag? Keys held between your fingers? Pointy comb?

Partly it's attitude: if you let the fear get to you, you can be crippled by it. Fear of walking past the wood when there are houses on one side could increase to walking past houses when the streets are very quiet and so on.

Silvertabby

Forget the rape alarm - anyone who hears it will just 'tut' at the noise and ignore it. Instead, keep screaming 'Fire!' That'll get people moving in case it's their property that's ablaze. Hopefully, it would also confuse the hell out of your attacker. May also help - not just for your walk to walk - to attend a self-defence/assertiveness course