Running Safety
demoiselle2014
Posts: 474 Member
I live in an urban area, and about 2 months ago discovered a gem: a wooded park with trails. I was getting such joy from morning runs there, and felt perfectly safe. But after talking to a running group there, I did another news search and discovered the park's occasional taser rapist.
I haven't gone jogging there since, and I miss it so badly.
How do you judge whether it is safe to run in a certain area?
I haven't gone jogging there since, and I miss it so badly.
How do you judge whether it is safe to run in a certain area?
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Replies
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What do you mean by safe? There are so many different kinds of dangers when running. Are you more likely to get nabbed by a rapist with a taser on trails, or hit by a distracted driver crossing a street?
In the city where I grew up and went to college, I'd run in the awesomesauce park if there were occasionally other people around (because all the parks were patrolled by security and it was a city, so there were people to, you know, be around). Where I live now, my benchmark is, if I see cops patrolling the area, stay out. Because our police force is small and there aren't that many other people.
If it makes you feel better, run with a buddy or a group or a dog.0 -
In this case, it is the possibility of attack that concerns me. I felt safe in that park before, and considered drivers on the road a bigger threat than a possible attacker.
Learning that there has been a specific rapist targeting women running right where I was running made me reconsider doing it. I think the chance of me being attacked is tiny, but the consequences are so huge...
There would be people in the park in the morning, but very few. And it's a forest, so there is little visibility.
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"I did another news search and discovered the park's occasional taser rapist."
Well...unless he has been caught, let's go with not safe. Join the running group you talked to, or find a buddy, but I wouldn't go to that park alone. For me, I know the areas I run in. Usually it's either by work (very safe, lots of people, crappy uneven sidewalks) or in a park I know (low attendance, but usually park employees there, mostly open areas so people can see you while running). But in general, I'm not too worried when I'm running. I guess ignorance is bliss LOL.0 -
Hadn't been caught. The rapist has not been seen in 2 years, but there was a 2 year gap between his attacks in the past, too, so that doesn't mean he's gone for good.
I may join the group. I am such an introvert, though, the bliss of running was about being alone in the woods.0 -
Find a running buddy.0
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demoiselle2014 wrote: »Hadn't been caught. The rapist has not been seen in 2 years, but there was a 2 year gap between his attacks in the past, too, so that doesn't mean he's gone for good.
I may join the group. I am such an introvert, though, the bliss of running was about being alone in the woods.
I did a group run for the first time a couple weeks ago. I still ran "alone". There was a faster group ahead of me, and a slower group behind me, but no one at my exact pace, so I was essentially by myself. I would think you would be fine doing something similar.
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I would endorse adopting a tibetan mastiffdemoiselle2014 wrote: »
but, the buddy could be human too.
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Since the park is not busy with little visibility, I would definitely find another place to run. It just isn't worth it: running with mace, no headphones, hyper-alert, and the risk something could go wrong would completely ruin the entire run and put you in unnecessary danger.
I belong to a few running groups, but run by myself most times. It is nice to have routes planned out (and checked for safety!), runners in front and behind you, etc. Don't feel like you have to be BFFs with everyone there - everyone has their own goals about what the group does for them and many are there for a quick pre-run chat and the planned route.0 -
pepper spray?0
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Escloflowne wrote: »pepper spray?
I doubt I could be faster with pepper spray than this guy is with a taser, coming out of the woods. Groups and buddies it is. I am glad my other local park is open and busy.
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Since the park is not busy with little visibility, I would definitely find another place to run. It just isn't worth it: running with mace, no headphones, hyper-alert, and the risk something could go wrong would completely ruin the entire run and put you in unnecessary danger.
I belong to a few running groups, but run by myself most times. It is nice to have routes planned out (and checked for safety!), runners in front and behind you, etc. Don't feel like you have to be BFFs with everyone there - everyone has their own goals about what the group does for them and many are there for a quick pre-run chat and the planned route.
Thank you. This is encouraging.
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If I get an unsettling feeling in my stomach, I trust it. Whether it be that cars drive too fast down a road with no sidewalk or if I feel that somebody is watching me. I trust myself and try to reduce dangerous situations as much as possible.0
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safety is a relative thing, but statistically speaking you are in more danger of being attacked by a dog then a rapist. We tend to view attacks by people as particularly devastating due to the personal nature of it. If it makes you feel better to run in a group or to carry some form of protection, do so. As always your best defense is to be aware of your surroundings and if it doesn't feel right get out of there.0
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You could potentially find someone with a big dog and volunteer to take them for runs. I mean, people pay to get their dog walked so if you volunteered for free, you never know.0
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I would endorse adopting a tibetan mastiffdemoiselle2014 wrote: »
but, the buddy could be human too.
HAHAHA What a cute puppy lol. I love big dogs. I would also endorse getting a German Shepherd, in case you don't have 10 acres to let the behemoth above roam around
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no one bothers me with my collie mix. she doesn't appear to be the most friendly dog0
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I would endorse adopting a tibetan mastiffdemoiselle2014 wrote: »
but, the buddy could be human too.
HAHAHA What a cute puppy lol. I love big dogs. I would also endorse getting a German Shepherd, in case you don't have 10 acres to let the behemoth above roam around
I'm in NYC! And in a no dog building, with a no dog spouse....
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I hear you on that. I would much rather run alone. I often carry a canister of dog spray when I trail run (mace is illegal here in Canada), however there are no known predators in the area that I'm aware of, I just feel safer with dog spray.demoiselle2014 wrote: »
Sorry to say it, but if there is a known criminal praying on women in that area, I'd avoid it until the guy is caught.
Or....and this is a random thought....maybe you could post on Craigslist or something that you would be willing to borrow someone's dog to take for the occasional run? You have a buddy, and the owner doesn't have to walk their dog that day. Win-win. Might be weird, but it could work.
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demoiselle2014 wrote: »How do you judge whether it is safe to run in a certain area?
By how recently it's been since I've been taser raped there and if the person that has been caught
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Being male I imagine that I am much safer to start with.
It amazes me the people that walk/run/bicycle with zero situational awareness. Get rid of the earphones, lift your eyes from directly at your feet, and be aware of what is around you. That practice alone will make your runs substantially safer.0 -
Agreed.beemerphile1 wrote: »Being male I imagine that I am much safer to start with.
It amazes me the people that walk/run/bicycle with zero situational awareness. Get rid of the earphones, lift your eyes from directly at your feet, and be aware of what is around you. That practice alone will make your runs substantially safer.
However in this situation I think it best to avoid the area all together.
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Well, you already spoke to the running group about that particular trail. Did you ask them to recommend safer trails? They would have a much better idea of where it's safe to run near you than random internet strangers.0
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I run with pepper spray (it attaches by keychain to my phone case), along heavily trafficked roads, mostly in the early morning (but always when the sun is out). Doing all of this hasn't stopped from being harassed and feeling unsafe, though. Once, after a particularly bad incident--a guy following me in his car for several blocks--I called the police, and shouted at the guy that I was calling. He backed off. So, I guess, try to have your phone on you, too. It's tough! I think the only thing you can do is prepare, do a little research, and hope for the best.0
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demoiselle2014 wrote: »I live in an urban area, and about 2 months ago discovered a gem: a wooded park with trails. I was getting such joy from morning runs there, and felt perfectly safe. But after talking to a running group there, I did another news search and discovered the park's occasional taser rapist.
I haven't gone jogging there since, and I miss it so badly.
How do you judge whether it is safe to run in a certain area?
The last reported occurrence was 2013, if it's the Queens one I'm finding. I'd say he's moved on.
However, it's never a bad idea to maintain situational awareness. With the numbers of people running in that park, I'd say you're relatively safe.
Also, running with a partner helps as well.0 -
It doesn’t matter if you are raped if just the threat of it makes you retreat from living your life. When I was preparing for a solo trip, it was the unspoken and sometimes spoken fear that I would be raped. We don’t make a woman take a man with her; we just keep her in fear so she doesn’t want to venture out alone. The joys of being a woman…taught to be fearful and that strength is masculine and ugly. For the record, I was not harmed on my trip. Although, I was constantly reminded of all of the dangers and threats from people who meant well.0
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Guess if you let things like this hold you back, you will always be afraid to do things at the sign of threats. Your life could end at any moment outside of that park such as a drunk driver while on the road. I don't understand this thing about safety. There's a risk everywhere but that shouldn't stop you from living.0
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coreyreichle wrote: »demoiselle2014 wrote: »I live in an urban area, and about 2 months ago discovered a gem: a wooded park with trails. I was getting such joy from morning runs there, and felt perfectly safe. But after talking to a running group there, I did another news search and discovered the park's occasional taser rapist.
I haven't gone jogging there since, and I miss it so badly.
How do you judge whether it is safe to run in a certain area?
The last reported occurrence was 2013, if it's the Queens one I'm finding. I'd say he's moved on.
However, it's never a bad idea to maintain situational awareness. With the numbers of people running in that park, I'd say you're relatively safe.
Also, running with a partner helps as well.
If he hadn't had a two year gap between clusters of attacks in the past, I would agree. But since there was an equally long gap between the 2011 attacks and 2013 ones ...
I always do maintain situational awareness.0 -
It doesn’t matter if you are raped if just the threat of it makes you retreat from living your life. When I was preparing for a solo trip, it was the unspoken and sometimes spoken fear that I would be raped. We don’t make a woman take a man with her; we just keep her in fear so she doesn’t want to venture out alone. The joys of being a woman…taught to be fearful and that strength is masculine and ugly. For the record, I was not harmed on my trip. Although, I was constantly reminded of all of the dangers and threats from people who meant well.
It's strange for me, I never was concerned in any of my adventures or travels before. Not did I feel concerned when I was jogging in this park. But now I do have a bad feeling.
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