Personal safety when hiking alone

Hannahwalksfar

So I’m a female who loves hiking alone. I tend to hike in pretty remote areas where there’s either no one or one or two cars in the lot. After a creepy incident I have started photographing the cars and plates then sending them to a designated ‘safety friend’ before going any further. I also no longer hike where I cannot get service and have recently taken up self-defence classes.

What do you find yourself doing? Am I overreacting?

jennifer_417

Honestly? I carry a pistol. I took a concealed carry class and have a license. I would not feel safe in that situation without it.

Hannahwalksfar

Guns are almost impossible to get here unless you go through all kinds of courses and assessments. I sometimes take my dog but he’s so friendly and not intimidating lol

MikePTY

I strongly recommend carrying pepper spray. You can get it for less than 20 bucks and keep it with you on your key ring.

Self defense classes are good for everyone (I take them), but without years of experience I feel like pepper spray will be more effective in most defense situations.

Diatonic12

@Hannahwalksfar

I used to hike/walk for miles every day but I had a dog. Even then, there came a time when it just wasn't wise to go alone. There are millions and millions of tourists who wander through my neck of the woods and some of them are on the 'loose' if you know what I mean. They are literally on the run. There's those kind of predators along with the big wild kind and they're expanding their territory, moving right in amongst the people. I don't even empty my trash when it's dark outside like I used to because I might run into one of them.

As my father says, it's not a matter of if but a matter of when. So I stopped going alone. Your life is valuable and I know theres all kinds of sporty gurus who advocate for women to go hiking alone, it's all this and that. If you have that unction not go alone, then don't do it. Listen to yourself.

Hannahwalksfar

That’s fabulous. Didn’t think of pepper spray thanks

Hannahwalksfar

Never mind. It’s illegal here.

Hannahwalksfar

Hannahwalksfar

Diatonic12 wrote: »

@Hannahwalksfar

I used to hike/walk for miles every day but I had a dog. Even then, there came a time when it just wasn't wise to go alone. There are millions and millions of tourists who wander through my neck of the woods and some of them are on the 'loose' if you know what I mean. They are literally on the run. There's those kind of predators along with the big wild kind and they're expanding their territory, moving right in amongst the people. I don't even empty my trash when it's dark outside like I used to because I might run into one of them.

As my father says, it's not a matter of if but a matter of when. So I stopped going alone. Your life is valuable and I know theres all kinds of sporty gurus who advocate for women to go hiking alone, it's all this and that. If you have that unction not go alone, then don't do it. Listen to yourself.

Yes, a few times I’ve just gone home or changed my walk location due to shifty looking characters. I just have no one to walk with and love adventuring so much. It’s tough.

whmscll

Truthfully, I would choose to hike in less remote areas, or go with a friend.

bigginsbengtson

Wasp spray is very effective. It's blinding and sprays several feet, plus you get a lot of it.

MikePTY

Hannahwalksfar wrote: »

That's crazy . Even in my country, where guns are very restricted, carrying pepper spray is still legal.

I looked it up and it seems there's not much legal in Australia... Even any item that is legal in other circumstances could be considered illegal in Australia if carried for the purpose of being a weapon.

I think in this situation, self defense classes are looking like a better option. At the least, they improve fitness and self confidence. If they offer Krav Maga by you, I strongly recommend that.

Hannahwalksfar

I’m currently studying Muay Thai.

MikePTY

Hannahwalksfar wrote: »

I’m currently studying Muay Thai.

Muay Thai is good for striking. A lot of Krav Maga's striking is based off of Muay Thai. Just remember in a self defense situation, there are no rules. The best place to strike your opponent is always their groin.

Hannahwalksfar

Definitely the truth. The run like hell

Danp

Be sceptical when assessing 'self defence' classes. From what I've seen the vast majority of them are useless garbage. If they start teaching you stuff like joint locks, pressure points and complicated 4 and 5 step 'manoeuvres' then ditch it and look for a different class. The effective self defence classes will be teaching you very simple and direct (aka vicious) things, like how to use your car keys to gouge an attackers eyes and get away.

Just learning to fight in general is probably the best thing to do. A practical 'combat' martial art (boxing, kick/thai boxing, krav maga, MMA, etc) will be better than a sports martial art (Karate, TKD, etc). There's no points and no trophies awarded in self defence. Grappling (Jujitsu, Judo, Wrestling) can be handy and teach you some valuable standing techniques, but in reality you want to avoid going to the ground. Self defence is about escaping not 'winning' and it's much harder to escape when you're laying down and have to maintain control of your opponent, not to mention what a terrible position this is to be in if there are more than one person to contend with.

Diatonic12

@Danp Correct. Here, everyone is packing heat. You don't need a conceal permit, it's legal. Sprays of any kind are no match for that and more than one person.

NorthCascades

I'm so sorry to hear this. Everyone deserves to feel safe, and being in nature is the best medicine.

Are there places you can hike without a trail and get away from all people?

Hannahwalksfar

Soon I’ll be back living on millions of acres and will have all the space in the world. Will just have to watch out for wild dogs and snakes but for now I’m limited with my options. I guess I’ve always lived very rurally and have always felt safe on my walks but the world is changing it seems.

spinnerdell

My mom always made sure I had a water gun full of ammonia when I went hiking in my teens. She often carried a cattle prod on walks. Those precautions seemed silly to me at the time, but the older and more cynical me sees the wisdom in some preparation for danger. Enjoy your walks and stay safe.

Lillymoo01

Hannahwalksfar wrote: »

So I’m a female who loves hiking alone. I tend to hike in pretty remote areas where there’s either no one or one or two cars in the lot. After a creepy incident I have started photographing the cars and plates then sending them to a designated ‘safety friend’ before going any further. I also no longer hike where I cannot get service and have recently taken up self-defence classes.

What do you find yourself doing? Am I overreacting?

Statistics tell us that a female is actually safer in the streets than their own home. Ie the person harming a female is most likely to be someone they know and it is most likely to be in their own home. It is great to take extra measures as a safety precaution but the reality is that the media lead us to fear what is actually not a very common event in the scheme of things.

Hannahwalksfar

Statistics are great but I should still be prepared.

Lillymoo01

Hannahwalksfar wrote: »

Statistics are great but I should still be prepared.

Absolutely you should, just pointing out that the media are great at enticing unwarranted fear. I guess it is how they sell stories. I am wondering how statistics look in other countries though in comparison to Australia where you have more chance of dying from a snake bite when in a remote location than anything else.

Lillymoo01

Double post grhhhh

Hannahwalksfar

Well I have been bitten by a snake before so Im not taking my chance with being alone in a remote area and unprepared. I think it depends on the remote area though. Around here we have recently had a massive hike in meth and crime so it’s suddenly not as safe. Where I will be shortly it’s pretty much wild dogs, snakes, wild camels, feral pigs and cattle that pose the biggest risk. And the heat.

Lillymoo01

Hannahwalksfar wrote: »

Well I have been bitten by a snake before so Im not taking my chance with being alone in a remote area and unprepared. I think it depends on the remote area though. Around here we have recently had a massive hike in meth and crime so it’s suddenly not as safe. Where I will be shortly it’s pretty much wild dogs, snakes, wild camels, feral pigs and cattle that pose the biggest risk. And the heat.

I am a wee bit jealous. I'd like nothing more than to get away from it all for a while. Which state do you live in? I am in South Australia.

Hannahwalksfar

I’m currently in NSW but live in The Pilbara

Lillymoo01

I'd love to visit the Pilbara and Kimberly regions. My husband much of his youth in Carnarvon.

Hannahwalksfar

Lillymoo01 wrote: »

I'd love to visit the Pilbara and Kimberly regions. My husband much of his youth in Carnarvon.

It’s a beautiful and unique spot. Definitely visit when you can

ceiswyn

Does Australia have some kind of organisation (like the Ramblers Association here in the UK) that does organised hikes, or through which you could meet other people who also like walking?

Hannahwalksfar

ceiswyn wrote: »

Does Australia have some kind of organisation (like the Ramblers Association here in the UK) that does organised hikes, or through which you could meet other people who also like walking?

Not in rural areas and not every day. I legit hike 6 days a week. No one has the time but I’m off work for a month so can go for hours every day. Plus I love hiking alone.