Runners? Safety?

135

Replies

  • veganbettie
    veganbettie Posts: 701 Member
    It sucks really bad that we have to worry about this kind of stuff....I agree, I think pepper spray is a lot more dangerous to the user than it is to the attacker....

    This is something I worry about too, and i'm running in residential, but I think I worry more now because i'm with my toddler, I've ran with a bat in my stroller because yes I am that paranoid.

    I've thought about a knife but you have to get preeeetty close to someone to use that....maybe I should carry a sword, take out an attack all Michonne style.

    But I feel your pain, and my paranoia increased with my baby....Not to mention, it does happen, and it happens frequently, but it mostly happens in areas that aren't well inhabited....I figure running near houses is probably my safest bet...we have nice trails here, that I would be okay with by myself, but I have all these ideas in my brain of someone snatching me and my baby is all by himself and I just can't handle it.

    I also may need anxiety medicine. But hey, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you....amiright?
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    The chance of an average person living in the US being struck by lightning in a given year is estimated at 1 in 500,000, while the chance of being struck by lightning in a lifetime is 1 in 6250 (estimated lifespan of 80 years)

    1 in 6 female runners get attacked while running?
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Always follow your gut. If something doesn't feel right, it's probably not.

    This is spot on!!

    Yeeeeeah, except one woman felt threatened by the FedEx guy, in his uniform, driving his truck, during daylight hours. If that doesn't signal to you that people are overly paranoid, I got nothing.

    I mean, I guess she should have called the police and reported.....a FedEx guy?
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Always follow your gut. If something doesn't feel right, it's probably not.

    This is spot on!!

    Yeeeeeah, except one woman felt threatened by the FedEx guy, in his uniform, driving his truck, during daylight hours. If that doesn't signal to you that people are overly paranoid, I got nothing.

    I mean, I guess she should have called the police and reported.....a FedEx guy?

    How is that related to this thread?
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    The chance of an average person living in the US being struck by lightning in a given year is estimated at 1 in 500,000, while the chance of being struck by lightning in a lifetime is 1 in 6250 (estimated lifespan of 80 years)

    1 in 6 female runners get attacked while running?

    Why don't you find the number of people who are struck by lightening while running and I will find the number that are attacked and we will see which one is bigger?

    Here's mine:

    http://sciencebasedrunning.com/2013/10/are-runners-likely-to-be-targets-of-violent-crime/
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Always follow your gut. If something doesn't feel right, it's probably not.

    This is spot on!!

    Yeeeeeah, except one woman felt threatened by the FedEx guy, in his uniform, driving his truck, during daylight hours. If that doesn't signal to you that people are overly paranoid, I got nothing.

    I mean, I guess she should have called the police and reported.....a FedEx guy?

    How is that related to this thread?

    This is a quote from this thread. Page before this one. Saw a fedex guy, felt threatened. So it's as related as that comment was
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    The chance of an average person living in the US being struck by lightning in a given year is estimated at 1 in 500,000, while the chance of being struck by lightning in a lifetime is 1 in 6250 (estimated lifespan of 80 years)

    1 in 6 female runners get attacked while running?

    Why don't you find the number of people who are struck by lightening while running and I will find the number that are attacked and we will see which one is bigger?

    Here's mine:

    http://sciencebasedrunning.com/2013/10/are-runners-likely-to-be-targets-of-violent-crime/

    Can't open that one right now, but I think it's one that I've read before. Isn't it saying that violent acts against runners is very rare? I'm only going off the url so I can easily be mixing it up with another article I read recently
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    The chance of an average person living in the US being struck by lightning in a given year is estimated at 1 in 500,000, while the chance of being struck by lightning in a lifetime is 1 in 6250 (estimated lifespan of 80 years)

    1 in 6 female runners get attacked while running?

    Why don't you find the number of people who are struck by lightening while running and I will find the number that are attacked and we will see which one is bigger?

    Here's mine:

    http://sciencebasedrunning.com/2013/10/are-runners-likely-to-be-targets-of-violent-crime/

    Can't open that one right now, but I think it's one that I've read before. Isn't it saying that violent acts against runners is very rare? I'm only going off the url so I can easily be mixing it up with another article I read recently

    Its less rare than being injured in a car accident but more rare than being killed in one. Which isn't particularly rare - and we also avoid people who are driving erratically. It's even appropriate to call the police before they hurt somebody.
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
    Next time stop take a picture and text it to everyone you know, including the number plate. If they see you paying attention and recording them they'll likely stop because they know they're being tracked.

    If I was a more aggressive person I'd shout at them I've taken pictures of them.

    I know there's some safety apps for phones you can get that call the police if you don't enter a code when you remove your thumb. All the ones I could find are USA based.
  • allenkim96
    allenkim96 Posts: 5 Member
    Here are my unsorted bits of advice:

    1) If possible, choose paths that are least likely to have creepy people.

    2) If possible, run with someone, and make sure both of you are carrying working, fully-charged cell phones. That is perhaps the best deterrence against creeps (other than not encountering them in the first place, see #1).

    3) Trust your gut. If someone or a group of people are acting suspicious, keep your distance. If you think they're following you, go ahead and call 911. Or at the very least, call a friend or significant other and let them know what's going on. The very act of calling can scare away potential attackers, plus if something happens, your friend/SO can call the police for you.

    4) Know what to do in a panic situation. I definitely recommend self-defense classes. The goal is not to fight like a mixed martial artist, but to build up some basic survival instincts. In a panic situation, even basic lessons will help you to remember exactly what to do and how to make it out alive and unharmed.

    5) Don't pay attention to the trolls on this thread. I'm a big guy, so I take it for granted that I can run alone and not be bothered by creeps, but I can't imagine doing just that if I were a 5'0" girl running alone. In other words, you're not alone.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    I don't know if truly one in six women who run get attacked (or have been), but with the number of women runners multiplied by the number of times they go out and run, I would probably guess that they should be more concerned with getting hit by a car (while lightning is real, I'll be germane to common running dangers). I'm not able to find any stats, so maybe it's not easily tracked or maybe it's insignificant considering most murders/rapes are committed by the ones who know their attackers rather than random guy hiding behind a bush.

    Some common sense considerations that don't involve carrying weaponry would be to be vigilant of your surroundings (as in no headphones, be looking around), run with a partner, have some sort of live-tracking GPS, or to just know the area you will be running in and let someone know.

    Live tracking GPS and letting somebody know doesn't do anything in case of attack. It just ensures your body will be found.

    I've parsed down the likelihood. My age, stranger, not my home, time of day, etc. It's low enough that I run outside at night, but it's high enough that it will always be a consideration.

    When was the last time you figured out your chances of being affected by violent crime?
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    5) Don't pay attention to the trolls on this thread. I'm a big guy, so I take it for granted that I can run alone and not be bothered by creeps, but I can't imagine doing just that if I were a 5'0" girl running alone. In other words, you're not alone.

    Sadly they aren't trolls. Many of them are my friends.
  • Booksandbeaches
    Booksandbeaches Posts: 1,791 Member
    You did the right thing, OP. Trust your instincts. You got great advice from the others and much of what I was going to say has been said. Ignore the trolls on this thread. In my time here, I've seen other runners get mocked for having some genuine fear of strangers who seemed to be monitoring them on the run. Some people here take so much pride in how they're not scared of such situations. Use the IGNORE feature if you want to. It's next to a person's icon.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    The chance of an average person living in the US being struck by lightning in a given year is estimated at 1 in 500,000, while the chance of being struck by lightning in a lifetime is 1 in 6250 (estimated lifespan of 80 years)

    1 in 6 female runners get attacked while running?

    Why don't you find the number of people who are struck by lightening while running and I will find the number that are attacked and we will see which one is bigger?

    Here's mine:

    http://sciencebasedrunning.com/2013/10/are-runners-likely-to-be-targets-of-violent-crime/

    Can't open that one right now, but I think it's one that I've read before. Isn't it saying that violent acts against runners is very rare? I'm only going off the url so I can easily be mixing it up with another article I read recently

    Its less rare than being injured in a car accident but more rare than being killed in one. Which isn't particularly rare - and we also avoid people who are driving erratically. It's even appropriate to call the police before they hurt somebody.

    I'm read it later when I'm in my cpu. My phone is being a jerk right now. But by all means women (and men) should be aware of their surroundings and take proper precautions.

    My main point is that in most of these threads, the only thing required for everyone to agree that women should be scared for their lives and call the authorities is that 1) there's a man in the trail, and 2) she's on the trail too. There's never an actual attack, just a chorus of people stating that if a woman doesn't like the look (or mere presence) of a man she absolutely should cross the street/call the cops/shoot him in the face.

    Honest to God I'm sick and tired of having the cops called on me because I had the audacity to run in my own neighborhood. I walk from my house and they live far enough to have to drive there, but they are the ones acting like I don't belong.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    The chance of an average person living in the US being struck by lightning in a given year is estimated at 1 in 500,000, while the chance of being struck by lightning in a lifetime is 1 in 6250 (estimated lifespan of 80 years)

    1 in 6 female runners get attacked while running?

    Why don't you find the number of people who are struck by lightening while running and I will find the number that are attacked and we will see which one is bigger?

    Here's mine:

    http://sciencebasedrunning.com/2013/10/are-runners-likely-to-be-targets-of-violent-crime/

    Can't open that one right now, but I think it's one that I've read before. Isn't it saying that violent acts against runners is very rare? I'm only going off the url so I can easily be mixing it up with another article I read recently

    Its less rare than being injured in a car accident but more rare than being killed in one. Which isn't particularly rare - and we also avoid people who are driving erratically. It's even appropriate to call the police before they hurt somebody.

    I'm read it later when I'm in my cpu. My phone is being a jerk right now. But by all means women (and men) should be aware of their surroundings and take proper precautions.

    My main point is that in most of these threads, the only thing required for everyone to agree that women should be scared for their lives and call the authorities is that 1) there's a man in the trail, and 2) she's on the trail too. There's never an actual attack, just a chorus of people stating that if a woman doesn't like the look (or mere presence) of a man she absolutely should cross the street/call the cops/shoot him in the face.

    Honest to God I'm sick and tired of having the cops called on me because I had the audacity to run in my own neighborhood. I walk from my house and they live far enough to have to drive there, but they are the ones acting like I don't belong.

    ^ Seems to me that there was a recent case in here Florida that involved a paranoid *kitten* hat with a firearm, but for some reason I just can't seem to remember the name . . .
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    Pepper spray.

    But seriously, can you reconsider taking your kids on bikes to go through the cemetery? Not trying to pass judgment or be rude but I'd be pretty upset if I saw this near where any of my loved ones were buried.

    This wouldn't bother me at all, as long as people are being respectful and staying on the paved sections and not messing with the grave sites. I've seen people walking in large, quiet cemeteries before, although not often. A lot of people are kind of weirded out by cemeteries, but I find them peaceful and interesting. You know, the people are dead. I wouldn't care if someone was running in a cemetery I was buried in.

    Again, being respectful is key. If the kids were being loud and running over graves and such, I would definitely call foul.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    I don't know if truly one in six women who run get attacked (or have been), but with the number of women runners multiplied by the number of times they go out and run, I would probably guess that they should be more concerned with getting hit by a car (while lightning is real, I'll be germane to common running dangers). I'm not able to find any stats, so maybe it's not easily tracked or maybe it's insignificant considering most murders/rapes are committed by the ones who know their attackers rather than random guy hiding behind a bush.

    Some common sense considerations that don't involve carrying weaponry would be to be vigilant of your surroundings (as in no headphones, be looking around), run with a partner, have some sort of live-tracking GPS, or to just know the area you will be running in and let someone know.

    Live tracking GPS and letting somebody know doesn't do anything in case of attack. It just ensures your body will be found.

    I've parsed down the likelihood. My age, stranger, not my home, time of day, etc. It's low enough that I run outside at night, but it's high enough that it will always be a consideration.

    When was the last time you figured out your chances of being affected by violent crime?

    I've been mugged once, so that's made me more vigilant. Aside from that, I don't concern myself with it too much.

    Speaking in a generality here, but I'd say the increase in smuffies taking up running has probably led to an increase of "suspicious" folks out there who in all reality are just going about *their day and got caught staring at the new runner chick's butt in hot pink microshorts and a sportsbra - ladies in the gym get annoyed by this, women outside of the gym lose their minds and want to run armed like Lara Croft in Tomb Raider.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    The chance of an average person living in the US being struck by lightning in a given year is estimated at 1 in 500,000, while the chance of being struck by lightning in a lifetime is 1 in 6250 (estimated lifespan of 80 years)

    1 in 6 female runners get attacked while running?

    Why don't you find the number of people who are struck by lightening while running and I will find the number that are attacked and we will see which one is bigger?

    Here's mine:

    http://sciencebasedrunning.com/2013/10/are-runners-likely-to-be-targets-of-violent-crime/

    Can't open that one right now, but I think it's one that I've read before. Isn't it saying that violent acts against runners is very rare? I'm only going off the url so I can easily be mixing it up with another article I read recently

    Its less rare than being injured in a car accident but more rare than being killed in one. Which isn't particularly rare - and we also avoid people who are driving erratically. It's even appropriate to call the police before they hurt somebody.

    I'm read it later when I'm in my cpu. My phone is being a jerk right now. But by all means women (and men) should be aware of their surroundings and take proper precautions.

    My main point is that in most of these threads, the only thing required for everyone to agree that women should be scared for their lives and call the authorities is that 1) there's a man in the trail, and 2) she's on the trail too. There's never an actual attack, just a chorus of people stating that if a woman doesn't like the look (or mere presence) of a man she absolutely should cross the street/call the cops/shoot him in the face.

    Honest to God I'm sick and tired of having the cops called on me because I had the audacity to run in my own neighborhood. I walk from my house and they live far enough to have to drive there, but they are the ones acting like I don't belong.

    That doesn't quite describe the OP.

    The thing is that women are constantly being told that we are crazy and making this stuff up...until we aren't and then we should have been more careful and avoided the area/called the police.

    ETA: I'm also tired of being warned about the dangers of after-dark activity. I'm 42 f'n years old. What do you want to do about it?
  • stmcfred
    stmcfred Posts: 78 Member
    I run outside of town by myself quite often. Last year, I had a van pass me 3 times and each time slowed way down then sped up after he passed. It just made me really uncomfortable. So I got a German shepherd. I've always wanted one anyway, so that was just more of a reason to get one. She's really protective and while I wouldn't expect her to protect me, she makes me feel safer because she looks intimidating.

    I also always make sure my husband knows which route I'm going and about how many miles (on good runs I'll add a few extra miles) that way he knows if I've been gone too long.

    I would suggest, if you feel uncomfortable running by yourself. Look into running groups.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    I don't know if truly one in six women who run get attacked (or have been), but with the number of women runners multiplied by the number of times they go out and run, I would probably guess that they should be more concerned with getting hit by a car (while lightning is real, I'll be germane to common running dangers). I'm not able to find any stats, so maybe it's not easily tracked or maybe it's insignificant considering most murders/rapes are committed by the ones who know their attackers rather than random guy hiding behind a bush.

    Some common sense considerations that don't involve carrying weaponry would be to be vigilant of your surroundings (as in no headphones, be looking around), run with a partner, have some sort of live-tracking GPS, or to just know the area you will be running in and let someone know.

    Live tracking GPS and letting somebody know doesn't do anything in case of attack. It just ensures your body will be found.

    I've parsed down the likelihood. My age, stranger, not my home, time of day, etc. It's low enough that I run outside at night, but it's high enough that it will always be a consideration.

    When was the last time you figured out your chances of being affected by violent crime?

    I've been mugged once, so that's made me more vigilant. Aside from that, I don't concern myself with it too much.

    Speaking in a generality here, but I'd say the increase in smuffies taking up running has probably led to an increase of "suspicious" folks out there who in all reality are just going about *their day and got caught staring at the new runner chick's butt in hot pink microshorts and a sportsbra - ladies in the gym get annoyed by this, women outside of the gym lose their minds and want to run armed like Lara Croft in Tomb Raider.

    You know, she didn't say they just stared at her. They actually moved and followed her. Attacks may be rare, but they do happen. So women should be careful. Not paranoid, but careful. And if a situation seems "off", one should follow their gut and do their best to avoid it.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    I don't know if truly one in six women who run get attacked (or have been), but with the number of women runners multiplied by the number of times they go out and run, I would probably guess that they should be more concerned with getting hit by a car (while lightning is real, I'll be germane to common running dangers). I'm not able to find any stats, so maybe it's not easily tracked or maybe it's insignificant considering most murders/rapes are committed by the ones who know their attackers rather than random guy hiding behind a bush.

    Some common sense considerations that don't involve carrying weaponry would be to be vigilant of your surroundings (as in no headphones, be looking around), run with a partner, have some sort of live-tracking GPS, or to just know the area you will be running in and let someone know.

    Live tracking GPS and letting somebody know doesn't do anything in case of attack. It just ensures your body will be found.

    I've parsed down the likelihood. My age, stranger, not my home, time of day, etc. It's low enough that I run outside at night, but it's high enough that it will always be a consideration.

    When was the last time you figured out your chances of being affected by violent crime?

    I've been mugged once, so that's made me more vigilant. Aside from that, I don't concern myself with it too much.

    Speaking in a generality here, but I'd say the increase in smuffies taking up running has probably led to an increase of "suspicious" folks out there who in all reality are just going about *their day and got caught staring at the new runner chick's butt in hot pink microshorts and a sportsbra - ladies in the gym get annoyed by this, women outside of the gym lose their minds and want to run armed like Lara Croft in Tomb Raider.

    You follow me to my car after staring at my butt in the gym and you're liable to need another knee cap.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    I run outside of town by myself quite often. Last year, I had a van pass me 3 times and each time slowed way down then sped up after he passed. It just made me really uncomfortable. So I got a German shepherd. I've always wanted one anyway, so that was just more of a reason to get one. She's really protective and while I wouldn't expect her to protect me, she makes me feel safer because she looks intimidating.

    I also always make sure my husband knows which route I'm going and about how many miles (on good runs I'll add a few extra miles) that way he knows if I've been gone too long.

    I would suggest, if you feel uncomfortable running by yourself. Look into running groups.

    I can't believe your husband allows you to run alone. That seems way too risky.
  • RUNNING_AMOK_1958
    RUNNING_AMOK_1958 Posts: 268 Member
    ALWAYS trust your instincts. Carry a phone and pepper spray. Be aware of your surroundings like you were today. Don't feel bad about not giving them the benefit of the doubt.
  • tardis358
    tardis358 Posts: 5 Member
    Seriously ladies, cover it up a little. I know someone's going to call this slut-shaming, but it's just common sense. If you've got 90% of your body exposed or even are wearing totally skintight clothing then yes, you will attract more attention than a woman in less revealing clothes. I'm not saying you automatically become safe by dressing more modestly, but it's just one more little safety step you can take.

    To the OP: I'm not sure why anyone would find running in a cemetery disrespectful as long as there's no funeral happening. The people below the ground don't care: they're dead. It's the living you need to worry about, and as long as you don't bother them, they shouldn't be bothered by you.
  • RUNNING_AMOK_1958
    RUNNING_AMOK_1958 Posts: 268 Member
    And a mean, don't you dare eff with me look on your face helps.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    I don't know if truly one in six women who run get attacked (or have been), but with the number of women runners multiplied by the number of times they go out and run, I would probably guess that they should be more concerned with getting hit by a car (while lightning is real, I'll be germane to common running dangers). I'm not able to find any stats, so maybe it's not easily tracked or maybe it's insignificant considering most murders/rapes are committed by the ones who know their attackers rather than random guy hiding behind a bush.

    Some common sense considerations that don't involve carrying weaponry would be to be vigilant of your surroundings (as in no headphones, be looking around), run with a partner, have some sort of live-tracking GPS, or to just know the area you will be running in and let someone know.

    Live tracking GPS and letting somebody know doesn't do anything in case of attack. It just ensures your body will be found.

    I've parsed down the likelihood. My age, stranger, not my home, time of day, etc. It's low enough that I run outside at night, but it's high enough that it will always be a consideration.

    When was the last time you figured out your chances of being affected by violent crime?

    I've been mugged once, so that's made me more vigilant. Aside from that, I don't concern myself with it too much.

    Speaking in a generality here, but I'd say the increase in smuffies taking up running has probably led to an increase of "suspicious" folks out there who in all reality are just going about *their day and got caught staring at the new runner chick's butt in hot pink microshorts and a sportsbra - ladies in the gym get annoyed by this, women outside of the gym lose their minds and want to run armed like Lara Croft in Tomb Raider.

    You know, she didn't say they just stared at her. They actually moved and followed her. Attacks may be rare, but they do happen. So women should be careful. Not paranoid, but careful. And if a situation seems "off", one should follow their gut and do their best to avoid it.

    Reminds me of a funny picture I see on Facebook at least once a week...

    1959419_10152081592708929_1753412827_n.jpg

    Nevermind the idiot who said "29 miles"
  • VoodooSyxx
    VoodooSyxx Posts: 297
    ALWAYS trust your instincts. Carry a phone and pepper spray. Be aware of your surroundings like you were today. Don't feel bad about not giving them the benefit of the doubt.

    I would suggest finding a running partner. Pepper spray is a terrible idea. Guess what happens when you spray it outside and don't happen to have the wind at your back. It's also not nearly as effective as people would think. I've had the high concentration type that they don't sell to everyday runners sprayed in my face many times, and it only serves to slow someone down and disorient, not stop.
  • stmcfred
    stmcfred Posts: 78 Member
    I only run by myself during the day. Never at dark. He feels better that I run with my dog. But yeah, my friends say that too.
    I run outside of town by myself quite often. Last year, I had a van pass me 3 times and each time slowed way down then sped up after he passed. It just made me really uncomfortable. So I got a German shepherd. I've always wanted one anyway, so that was just more of a reason to get one. She's really protective and while I wouldn't expect her to protect me, she makes me feel safer because she looks intimidating.

    I also always make sure my husband knows which route I'm going and about how many miles (on good runs I'll add a few extra miles) that way he knows if I've been gone too long.

    I would suggest, if you feel uncomfortable running by yourself. Look into running groups.

    I can't believe your husband allows you to run alone. That seems way too risky.
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
    I don't listen to music when I run at night. as for weapons, that's not terribly legal, 'round these parts. but I do have a huge set of keys on a carabiner that gits nicely over my knuckles with the wad of keys in my hand....I just pull a few around through my fingers like wolverine claws and I'm good to go. The carabiner over my knuckles and keys in my palm make it so if I hit something with those keys they don't poke back at me or hurt my hand at all. I managed to punch a chip out of a granite counter top with them when I was showing someone how sturdy they were because they said that would never work as a decent weapon. lol.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    And you're more likely to get zapped by lightning than to be attacked. It's the irrational effect of anecdotal "evidence" that makes you scared. If running outside is that scary, go hop on a treadmill at Planet Fitness.

    One in six women gets zapped by lighting?

    The chance of an average person living in the US being struck by lightning in a given year is estimated at 1 in 500,000, while the chance of being struck by lightning in a lifetime is 1 in 6250 (estimated lifespan of 80 years)

    1 in 6 female runners get attacked while running?

    Why don't you find the number of people who are struck by lightening while running and I will find the number that are attacked and we will see which one is bigger?

    Here's mine:

    http://sciencebasedrunning.com/2013/10/are-runners-likely-to-be-targets-of-violent-crime/

    Can't open that one right now, but I think it's one that I've read before. Isn't it saying that violent acts against runners is very rare? I'm only going off the url so I can easily be mixing it up with another article I read recently

    Its less rare than being injured in a car accident but more rare than being killed in one. Which isn't particularly rare - and we also avoid people who are driving erratically. It's even appropriate to call the police before they hurt somebody.

    I'm read it later when I'm in my cpu. My phone is being a jerk right now. But by all means women (and men) should be aware of their surroundings and take proper precautions.

    My main point is that in most of these threads, the only thing required for everyone to agree that women should be scared for their lives and call the authorities is that 1) there's a man in the trail, and 2) she's on the trail too. There's never an actual attack, just a chorus of people stating that if a woman doesn't like the look (or mere presence) of a man she absolutely should cross the street/call the cops/shoot him in the face.

    Honest to God I'm sick and tired of having the cops called on me because I had the audacity to run in my own neighborhood. I walk from my house and they live far enough to have to drive there, but they are the ones acting like I don't belong.

    That doesn't quite describe the OP.

    The thing is that women are constantly being told that we are crazy and making this stuff up...until we aren't and then we should have been more careful and avoided the area/called the police.

    ETA: I'm also tired of being warned about the dangers of after-dark activity. I'm 42 f'n years old. What do you want to do about it?

    It never quite does, but that's mostly because the OP always gets to frame the parameters of the story. No one is going to purposely describe a situation in a way that puts them in a bad light.

    But still, let's look at this one a bit closer. Broad daylight, public place, with her kids on bikes, in an area where other people are around and have clear lines of sight, and is in an area that likely only has one or two ways out so that 2 guys attacking or abducting a woman while her kids scream bloody murder are going to have their lic plates, description, direction headed and probably cell phone pics disseminated to the authorities within minutes of them committing a crime.

    When we tell women to work out in a safe area, what would be better than this? What is the likelihood that 2 guys were planning to attack her under the circumstances she described? Yet merely coming into this thread and suggesting that she was probably OK gets me labeled as a troll and anti-female safety.