Runners safety

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CherylP67
CherylP67 Posts: 772 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I saw this article today. This woman was running in the daylight.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/10/21/16-year-old-charged-in-womans-death.html

We have beautiful bike trails in my community, I've started running on them. I've wondered about safety, there are places on the path that are wooded, and with Daylight Savings time around the corner daylight is going to be limited.

What do other runners do to stay safe? I'm not trying to be an alarmist, but this woman never thought this would happen to her.
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Replies

  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
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    No victim of a crime ever expects it to be them - from this runner to the 80 year old mugged for her purse in a mall parking lot. I never wear ear buds when running & I carry my cell phone. I don't run in the woods or in a park where you can't be seen from the road. Someone always knows where I am and how long I will be out running.

    It's restrictive, but I want to enjoy running without looking over my shoulder. Other than arming yourself (which I won't do), I'm not sure there's anything else that I would do.
  • mreeves261
    mreeves261 Posts: 728 Member
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    Self defense classes. Be aware of your surroundings. There is a difference in being alert and being aware.

    On a side note the staff member from the group home was an idiot. "Dude I tripped and fell" is a classic statement for someone doing something they shouldn't have done. A little further investigation on his part may, not definitely, but may have saved this woman's life. Kids don't end up in group homes for no reason.
  • jeepyj93
    jeepyj93 Posts: 392 Member
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    I only run on the streets alone never alone on the trails, here it us wildlife that keeps me off the trails alone. I will carry bear spray in the spring when I run trails.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    I run with one or other of my dogs, and carry my phone - my husband can track where it is.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I would absolutely NEVER run or walk alone on a bike trail unless it was in the middle of a busy park. EVER.

    There was a man raping and murdering women on the bike trails around Buffalo, NY, for 20 years. They didn't publicize it because the colleges and universities didn't want parents not to send their kids there. Even when they caught the guy a few years ago, it barely made a blip on the news.

    When I first moved here, I randomly heard a news story at 5 a.m. one day about a rapist working trails around here. Never heard another word about it and the story was NOT that they caught the guy.

    It is a very dangerous thing to do. Find a running partner or stick to the well-traveled streets.
  • ScubaAmyMN
    ScubaAmyMN Posts: 1,726 Member
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    I live in the city, and feel safe running on the sidewalks during the daytime because there are SO many people out. Yesterday though, I was at my bf's in a nice suburb and I ran on some trails. It did occur to me that safety was an issue. It didn't feel too bad, since it is this nice suburb, but things can happen anywhere. Also, I did think, "he knows where I am, so if anything happens and I don't come back, he'll come looking," but that sure wouldn't help in a stabbing, would it!?!?!

    I've thought about carrying Mace. Seems easy enough, although I also have heard it can be used against the victim too.
  • Lyerin
    Lyerin Posts: 818 Member
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    I tell my husband where I'm going, and I run in daylight on well-traveled streets. The one more isolated street on which I run has a State Police barracks, and I've never seen less than two police cruisers driving on that street during a run. I also stick to less dodgy areas of town. I run with headphones in, but I can hear what's going on around me and pay attention to my surroundings. I also carry my phone in my hand.
  • mitchyinge
    mitchyinge Posts: 196
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    I'm scared of being hit by a car when running on or by roads, so I wear bright things, but the chances of being stabbed by a young delinquent are pretty remote. That poor woman. :( that's a highly unusual incident, if a woman is going to be murdered it's usually by someone she knows.
  • ScubaAmyMN
    ScubaAmyMN Posts: 1,726 Member
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    I would absolutely NEVER run or walk alone on a bike trail unless it was in the middle of a busy park. EVER.

    There was a man raping and murdering women on the bike trails around Buffalo, NY, for 20 years. They didn't publicize it because the colleges and universities didn't want parents not to send their kids there. Even when they caught the guy a few years ago, it barely made a blip on the news.

    When I first moved here, I randomly heard a news story at 5 a.m. one day about a rapist working trails around here. Never heard another word about it and the story was NOT that they caught the guy.

    It is a very dangerous thing to do. Find a running partner or stick to the well-traveled streets.

    That's smart. Maybe I can get my bf to bike with me. Otherwise I'm not going to do the trail alone, even though I love it. I know better.

    When I walk over lunchtime (not such a great neighborhood), I only loop parks that are really open and populated.
  • Samenamenewlook
    Samenamenewlook Posts: 296 Member
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    I try not to run alone, but when I do I don't wear ear buds in both ears. I also use my phone for my music so it's always with me. I stick to known running trails where there are lots of other people running or biking as well and it's well lit. I also carry a small pepper spray or taser with me.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I live in the city, and feel safe running on the sidewalks during the daytime because there are SO many people out. Yesterday though, I was at my bf's in a nice suburb and I ran on some trails. It did occur to me that safety was an issue. It didn't feel too bad, since it is this nice suburb, but things can happen anywhere. Also, I did think, "he knows where I am, so if anything happens and I don't come back, he'll come looking," but that sure wouldn't help in a stabbing, would it!?!?!

    I've thought about carrying Mace. Seems easy enough, although I also have heard it can be used against the victim too.

    Amherst, NY, was named the safest city in America several years in a row and a serial rapist/killer was working the trails there.

    So ....
  • kechiemc
    kechiemc Posts: 1,355 Member
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    No victim of a crime ever expects it to be them - from this runner to the 80 year old mugged for her purse in a mall parking lot. I never wear ear buds when running & I carry my cell phone. I don't run in the woods or in a park where you can't be seen from the road. Someone always knows where I am and how long I will be out running.

    It's restrictive, but I want to enjoy running without looking over my shoulder. Other than arming yourself (which I won't do), I'm not sure there's anything else that I would do.

    100% agree. These are also the precautions that I take. I leave the runningmap.com website open on my pc with my route information.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    No trails at night. I have a stun gun.
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
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    Varying your route and when you run so that you don't have a trackable pattern is a good idea, too. Don't give anyone the opportunity to predict your route.
  • jess7386
    jess7386 Posts: 477 Member
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    I don't run on trails, unless (a) the park is very busy/there are a lot of people around, or (b) I am with someone else (bigger and stronger than me, like my fiancee). Otherwise, I stick to well-traveled streets.

    Crazy people are less likely to try something when there are lots of other people (or cars) around. Most of the rapes/attacks/etc. in my city have happened at night on deserted trails/running paths.

    I definitely believe that you can't be afraid of everything and you have to get out there and live your life, but it's important to be smart about doing it.
  • channy8630
    channy8630 Posts: 5
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    I started running about 3 weeks ago and decided to go running in a public park early evening where its just starting to get dark. The park was full of runners and dog walkers, after my second lap I decided to go for another lap, half way through I realised how dark it was and with loud music in my headphones didn't realise how quiet it was. I looked around and behind me and realised there was no one around, I had a strong instinct to turn round and I could just about make out a black shadow, it looked like someone in a black hoodie.

    My heart skipped a beat, I ran as fast as I could to the car park, running and turning round to make sure I wasn't being followed. Eventually I got to a point where I felt safe and was close to the car park where some people were. I will never forget that day, I don't even think about what could of happened.

    Ever since I will NEVER go running on my own unless it s a busy road or street (im from the UK) with plenty of public in broad daylight. I run with my boyfriend or with friends.

    Im gald this subject is bought uo as I didn't know just how dangerous and vulnerable runners are men or women, and how easily distracted we are especially with music in our ears.

    Very important to keep safe!:embarassed:
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I definitely believe that you can't be afraid of everything and you have to get out there and live your life, but it's important to be smart about doing it.

    100% agree.

    If you're dead, you can't much enjoy life, right?
  • blgerig
    blgerig Posts: 174 Member
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    I am fortunate to live in an area where there are a lot of trails and usually other people on them! That being said, if it is dark I try to run with other people or I run on the street where there are lights and at least intermittent traffic. If it is a fairly empty area, you may consider running without headphones/music so you are more aware of your surroundings. It is also very important to have some sort of visibility gear (belt, shirt, armband, something!) if you are running in the dark. I have joined a local running group and made running buddies through that.
  • Firefighter4ever
    Firefighter4ever Posts: 110
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    I try not to run alone, but when I do I don't wear ear buds in both ears. I also use my phone for my music so it's always with me. I stick to known running trails where there are lots of other people running or biking as well and it's well lit. I also carry a small pepper spray or taser with me.

    I agree with pepper spray and or light weight hand held taser.

    We're in a rural foothill community so my wife is very alone at times while running/walking. I bought her a powerful, light weight tazer that's no bigger than a roll of quarters. Very easy to carry and deploy if necessary.
  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
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    When I lived in NYC I used to carry "mugger money" -- $20 or so to give a mugger so he wouldn't decide to kill me out of spite. I imagine you might want to up that to $50 or so today.

    I've never heard of anything like that killing happening in our little suburb -- you're much more likely to get hit by a car on the roads or die of a heart attack on the trails (both of which have happened here).

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