Workout safety (stranger danger)

DSTMT

All right, I worded that badly, I shouldn't have said that men don't have to worry about it, you're right. My father's (male) cousin was picked up hitchhiking as a teenager in the 60s and almost murdered, and he watched his (also male) friend be murdered before he escaped the guy who drugged them and had intended to kill him as well. True story. So I realize things can also happen to men.

I guess I just meant that on an average day, IF anything were to happen, it's more likely statistically that a female would be attacked than a male, and as was mentioned earlier women are often at a physical disadvantage, to a greater degree than an equally sized male would be. I'm not suggesting paranoia or constant fear is the way to go, but going about life with the "I don't have to pay attention because it could never possibly happen to me because the media exaggerates everything" philosophy isn't really smart either. Sensible caution is a good thing, is all I was saying, because bad things DO happen sometimes, and there really are some seriously deranged people out there.

That said, I would never advocate carrying a gun, I'm Canadian lol I don't consider that "sensible caution".

BrainyBurro

there are a multitude of dangers to worry about when running, other than rapists and muggers...



i suggest everyone lock and load before their daily run. better safe than sorry. you'll thank me later.

Mia_RagazzaTosta

Two words:

Stun gun.


Bzzzzzt!!!

I'd probably accidentally zap myself first.

tigersword

Violent crime is much lower now than it was 50 years ago. 50 years ago you were much more likely to disappear without a trace. However, they didn't have cable television with 24 hour news coverage constantly blasting people over the head with every horrible atrocity to garner ratings back then, either. I was much more likely to be kidnapped as a kid in the 80s than my daughter is today, but the news networks have done a great job of instilling paranoia in people.

escloflowneCHANGED

I love the run keeper app, I can follow random women around while they do their daily jogs, once I went to the park and waited for one of them to pass by just to watch. I also turned on Find Friends on my girlfriends IPhone without telling her( she has never used the app) Now I know where she is at all times so I can call her if she isn't where she is supposed to be and be all stealthy about who she hangs out with when I'm not around!

jimmmer

This is more of a rant about some of the dangerous stuff I've seen people do.

Do you make your workout maps public? I don't. I've noticed that some people do, though. And, some even let people follow their activity. I just don't think that it's a good idea to let random people know what streets and parks you use each day.

I've gone to the park and have seen full water containers and personal belongings in a certain area (but, I didn't see anyone at the park), and about 20 minutes later, a group of young women would come back and start drinking from the containers. :noway: Weren't we told in school to never leave drinks unattended? They were 100s of feet away in a completely different part of the park. There was no way for them to know if anyone had come into the park (you can't hear or see anything between the two areas) and slipped something in their drinks. It's separated by woods and water (that someone could have dumped their bodies in after they knocked them out with whatever they put in their drinks and did who knows what to them). I probably watch too much Criminal Minds, but it could happen. I mean, this happened two days in a row. And, when I got to the park, the sun had just come up and I was the only one there (besides them). So, anyone who had bad intentions could have figured out their habits and used that. I just thought it was stupid of them to do that.

Wow, you either live in downtown Beruit, or you are being pretty paranoid.

I would give up on the melodramas for a while. Criminal Minds is a fiction. Due to it's episodic nature it needs to create somewhere around 20-24 serial killers per annum to fill a season. I'm not sure that's an accurate description of reality!

However, I'm sure a reasoned and moderate tone won't fly here in the face of countless horror stories this (and posts like it) generate.

Greenrun99

Its funny the people that complain that the government is watching them and listening to their phone calls are the same ones that check in everywhere they go on foursquare/facebook/ whatever else..

Cinflo58

I try to walk with a pit bull. Best detererent

sklarbodds

I guess I just meant that on an average day, IF anything were to happen, it's more likely statistically that a female would be attacked than a male, and as was mentioned earlier women are often at a physical disadvantage, to a greater degree than an equally sized male would be.

This is true.

Violent crime is much lower now than it was 50 years ago. 50 years ago you were much more likely to disappear without a trace. However, they didn't have cable television with 24 hour news coverage constantly blasting people over the head with every horrible atrocity to garner ratings back then, either. I was much more likely to be kidnapped as a kid in the 80s than my daughter is today, but the news networks have done a great job of instilling paranoia in people.

This is also true

I think the key (as most have said) is moderation. Know your surroundings, don't make yourself an easy target, vary your patterns, etc. But you certainly don't have to carry a glock either (unless you're running in a really bad part of a major city?).

MB_Positif

Wow, you either live in downtown Beruit, or you are being pretty paranoid.

I just laughed water out of my nose. Thank you.

TheSlorax

I guess I just meant that on an average day, IF anything were to happen, it's more likely statistically that a female would be attacked than a male, and as was mentioned earlier women are often at a physical disadvantage, to a greater degree than an equally sized male would be.

This is true.

Violent crime is much lower now than it was 50 years ago. 50 years ago you were much more likely to disappear without a trace. However, they didn't have cable television with 24 hour news coverage constantly blasting people over the head with every horrible atrocity to garner ratings back then, either. I was much more likely to be kidnapped as a kid in the 80s than my daughter is today, but the news networks have done a great job of instilling paranoia in people.

This is also true

I think the key (as most have said) is moderation. Know your surroundings, don't make yourself an easy target, vary your patterns, etc. But you certainly don't have to carry a glock either (unless you're running in a really bad part of a major city?).

I run outside in Oakland, CA. I don't think you can get a whole lot worse and even I think these people are nuts.

eta: except as mentioned earlier, Beirut and maybe Detroit would top it

Cherimoose

I think it's a legitimate fear that can only be understood if you have been in a scary situation before. Seven months deployed in the desert made my situational awareness what it is today, and it's not always a concern for rape/molestation. When I'm running outside, I'm not just looking for random people lurking in the shadows. I'm looking for stray dogs that could attack, too. When I'm in a restaurant, I always am in the seat that faces the rest of the people seated instead of a wall. I also look for emergency exits in public buildings. In an airplane, I always get the aisle seat. I think it's less of a paranoia and more of a preparedness for anything that could happen.

^ I take this approach. Being aware and prepared doesn't have to reduce your quality of life. Odds are you'll never have to defend yourself against a person or wild animal, but it's empowering to know that you can. If i were a female jogger, i'd carry pepper spray, a small knife & a loud whistle, and also take a self-defense course. Also there's no point in wearing "cute" clothing.

TheSlorax

I think it's a legitimate fear that can only be understood if you have been in a scary situation before. Seven months deployed in the desert made my situational awareness what it is today, and it's not always a concern for rape/molestation. When I'm running outside, I'm not just looking for random people lurking in the shadows. I'm looking for stray dogs that could attack, too. When I'm in a restaurant, I always am in the seat that faces the rest of the people seated instead of a wall. I also look for emergency exits in public buildings. In an airplane, I always get the aisle seat. I think it's less of a paranoia and more of a preparedness for anything that could happen.

^ I take this approach. Being aware and prepared doesn't have to reduce your quality of life. Odds are you'll never have to defend yourself against a person or wild animal, but it's empowering to know that you can. If i were a female jogger, i'd carry pepper spray, a small knife & a loud whistle, and also take a self-defense course. Also there's no point in wearing "cute" clothing.

yes, I can prevent rape, a crime largely of opportunity, by wearing ugly sweats.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

I love how men are coming on here and making fun of women for being cautious, I know you guys don't have to worry about it, but surely you realize it's a bit different for us?

You don't where I live, where I'm from, or what dangers I've had to learn to avoid over my lifetime. No one is saying not to take precaution and to be aware of your surroundings. But everyone is not trying to harm you every second of your life. I know that every time I turn on my television after 9pm I see horrible things happening to women on every single network show, but the world isn't comprised entirely of serial killers.

You must not get the Baltimore news stations.

DavPul

This is more of a rant about some of the dangerous stuff I've seen people do.

Do you make your workout maps public? I don't. I've noticed that some people do, though. And, some even let people follow their activity. I just don't think that it's a good idea to let random people know what streets and parks you use each day.

I've gone to the park and have seen full water containers and personal belongings in a certain area (but, I didn't see anyone at the park), and about 20 minutes later, a group of young women would come back and start drinking from the containers. :noway: Weren't we told in school to never leave drinks unattended? They were 100s of feet away in a completely different part of the park. There was no way for them to know if anyone had come into the park (you can't hear or see anything between the two areas) and slipped something in their drinks. It's separated by woods and water (that someone could have dumped their bodies in after they knocked them out with whatever they put in their drinks and did who knows what to them). I probably watch too much Criminal Minds, but it could happen. I mean, this happened two days in a row. And, when I got to the park, the sun had just come up and I was the only one there (besides them). So, anyone who had bad intentions could have figured out their habits and used that. I just thought it was stupid of them to do that.

Well, if you were the only one there they don't have anything to worry about.



Or do they????!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Are you admitting something here without trying to admit it?

Can we revisit this comment for moment? It got me thinking that I've been working out a long time and have probably passed a couple hundred thousand unattended water bottles. And not once did it cross my mind that this was a prime opportunity to drug, molest, kill and then dump the body of a woman into the woods.

Yet the OP sees a water bottle for the first time, thinks of these nefarious things, AND EVEN CHECKS TO SEE HOW MANY WITNESSES WOULD SEE HER AND HOW FAR SHE'D HAVE TO CARRY THE BODIES TO DUMP THEM WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT.

i think we should all block the OP from our MapMyRun accounts just to be on the safe side.

sklarbodds

If i were a female jogger, i'd carry pepper spray, a small knife & a loud whistle, and also take a self-defense course. Also there's no point in wearing "cute" clothing.

Ok 2 things...

First, pepper spray AND a knife? Overkill maybe?

Second, let's not discourage women joggers from wearing cute clothing...it's half of what keeps me motivated to run!!!

DavPul

I think it's a legitimate fear that can only be understood if you have been in a scary situation before. Seven months deployed in the desert made my situational awareness what it is today, and it's not always a concern for rape/molestation. When I'm running outside, I'm not just looking for random people lurking in the shadows. I'm looking for stray dogs that could attack, too. When I'm in a restaurant, I always am in the seat that faces the rest of the people seated instead of a wall. I also look for emergency exits in public buildings. In an airplane, I always get the aisle seat. I think it's less of a paranoia and more of a preparedness for anything that could happen.

^ I take this approach. Being aware and prepared doesn't have to reduce your quality of life. Odds are you'll never have to defend yourself against a person or wild animal, but it's empowering to know that you can. If i were a female jogger, i'd carry pepper spray, a small knife & a loud whistle, and also take a self-defense course. Also there's no point in wearing "cute" clothing.

not even to look cute? and are there some crime stats out there that i'm not aware of where violent offenders said they picked the targets of their assaults based on color coordination. or are you merely implying that women that dress nicely are "asking for it"?

metaphoria

I think it's a legitimate fear that can only be understood if you have been in a scary situation before. Seven months deployed in the desert made my situational awareness what it is today, and it's not always a concern for rape/molestation. When I'm running outside, I'm not just looking for random people lurking in the shadows. I'm looking for stray dogs that could attack, too. When I'm in a restaurant, I always am in the seat that faces the rest of the people seated instead of a wall. I also look for emergency exits in public buildings. In an airplane, I always get the aisle seat. I think it's less of a paranoia and more of a preparedness for anything that could happen.

^ I take this approach. Being aware and prepared doesn't have to reduce your quality of life. Odds are you'll never have to defend yourself against a person or wild animal, but it's empowering to know that you can. If i were a female jogger, i'd carry pepper spray, a small knife & a loud whistle, and also take a self-defense course. Also there's no point in wearing "cute" clothing.

yes, I can prevent rape, a crime largely of opportunity, by wearing ugly sweats.

Inorite? Because women who wear cute clothes are asking for it.:huh:

Miss_Meliss86

I love the run keeper app, I can follow random women around while they do their daily jogs, once I went to the park and waited for one of them to pass by just to watch. I also turned on Find Friends on my girlfriends IPhone without telling her( she has never used the app) Now I know where she is at all times so I can call her if she isn't where she is supposed to be and be all stealthy about who she hangs out with when I'm not around!

Wait, wut? I think I need to start forum stalking you more often...:grumble:

metaphoria

If i were a female jogger, i'd carry pepper spray, a small knife & a loud whistle, and also take a self-defense course. Also there's no point in wearing "cute" clothing.

Ok 2 things...

First, pepper spray AND a knife? Overkill maybe?

Second, let's not discourage women joggers from wearing cute clothing...it's half of what keeps me motivated to run!!!

Overkill. Heh.