Anyone that walks outside-do you carry anything with you for protection?
There's a new mountain bike trail close to my house that my hubby suggested that I walk on daily.
However, it's a little remote and I'd be by myself, so I'm thinking I should carry something for protection from random trouble makers and/or stray dogs, wild creatures, etc.
Does anyone here carry anything while they walk?
I'm thinking maybe a golf club or baseball bat. Probably some pepper spray also.
Or maybe I should just stick to walking in my neighborhood?
Well, when I used to run on the Greenbelt in Boise, I would carry a small can of pepper spray. I think a golf club or baseball bat might be a little cumbersome. Maybe a whistle around your neck too might help. Avoiding times when the trail is empty would help as well. I used to love to run at night, but my safety is more important. So I settled for next to dusk.
They make those key chain sized pepper sprays. You can also take a self defense class to learn what to do if someone attacked you. I'm thinking about hiking too by myself at a nearby lake... problem is I remember one horrible story of an area south of here maybe an hour where someone took off exercising on a trail and was murdered. Ok it's the one in a zillion story, chances are it won't happen to you. But I'm wary of heading off into back hills by myself anymore. Isn't it sad that it's come to this? So much media coverage of horrible events, still I don't believe that it should keep us from living life LARGE and enjoying things... yet knowledge is power. When I travel by car now for business through different towns I at least carry my keys in my hand, and can at any time push the alarm button so the honking would scare someone off.
When I walk at night, It's never alone. I have before and was terrified my whole walk I couldn't even enjoy it. I would suggest a can of pepper spray. It's illegal here, but if I could get it I would carry it on me and feel safer walking at night by myself.
When I go for walks, I take my dogs with me, although they aren't very intimidating. (They'll kiss you to death)
When I run, I don't take anything. I generally run while light is still out. Although I have run at night but have a method to have my husband start running after me so that he can catch up to me (he is faster) and at least be quasi in the same area.
I'd recommend pepper spray - small, portable, and would work on animal and human aggressors alike. I agree that anything bigger might be harder to carry. They even make them specifically for joggers so they have velcro/elastic and don't have to be in a pocket.
A whistle can also be good if there are folks around to hear it.
Good question. I must admit I worry about primarily young women runners who are just starting out when I finish my walks at dusk. That means they are running in the dark and most are alone. It would be safer to not run after dark, not run alone if dark, and not rely on pepper spray which can be used against you. I like the idea of self defense classes. We have had attacks on women and men in our parks which was in the media so I find it confusing that people put themselves in harms way.
For night walks I take mace, a cell phone and my doggie! I live in a downtown area and also stick to well lit and trafficked streets as a precaution. Hubs knows my preplanned route, so he's able to find me if it seems to take too long.
On the rare occasion that I go mad and decide to run (I despise running), I take nothing (too much bouncy crap), I just use the large block we live on and run circles. I do that because the only way I enjoy running is at night, I overheat easily and my husband can look out to see me pass.
When bike riding I do tend to ride isolated routes on a trail, but in the daytime. I always carry a cell phone and mace during those rides. Although I'm always aware and worry, I tend not to worry as much when biking as my top speeds are pretty high. I could definitely outpace an average out of shape bike riding creep on it. I also ride during normal daytime hours, early morning and dusk creep me out a little because of the visibility issues with a bike and weary stupid drivers at the beginning or end of their day.
Gosh, if my hubs would just exercise I could use that big old beast as protection!
I walk (or walked) in a remote area, however a main drag. There have been times I've been scared cars pulling over....Or people thinking their cute and aiming at you....I alway walk during the day.
Now, I'm getting concerned (I used to run at dusk, I loved that time, but now, I wouldn't..). There are so many idiots, right now, my main concern is random dogs, pepper spray, is an idea, I used to carry a small can of hair spray for dogs (if you ever got hair spray in your eye...) but.....Now as I'm older....I want to carry a big stick, but that won't work.
I would also like to walk the trails that we have, but I too, don't feel safe, the world is so not right.
I will probably go with pepper spray, if I know I'm going to walk the trails, I may buy a walking stick, for defense and walking.
When I used to go on long walks, I'd take my cell phone (it came in handy once when I fell and had to call DH to come and get me!). Then I started running in the early morning (before 5 AM) and took only my dog. But a few months ago I was walking my two dogs and was followed by a coyote. When a friend heard the story she gave me some pepper spray to take with me. I'd really only take it, though, if I were to wear my fanny pack which I'd only do on a walk--not a run. I've memorized enough places where I would be comfortable to knock on a door if I felt that I needed to.
We have had attacks on women and men in our parks which was in the media so I find it confusing that people put themselves in harms way.
I figure I'm more likely to be hurt by carrying around extra weight or being inactive than I am by some random bogeyman.
Crime statistics back me up.
I have a huge problem with the idea that women in particular should lock ourselves up as protection from some vague stranger threat. It's just not reality.
Last edited by MariaMaria; 03-17-2009 at 07:07 PM.
I only go out during the day, in high traffic areas. I'm glad you feel so safe Maria but I do not. I live in an area where people are hurt everyday. It's not worth the risk to me.
Bear spray! It's super super condensed pepper-spray. We don't go *anywhere* in Alaska in the summer without it (as bears are known to come on campus, to gas stations, grocery stores and the like) - it might be a little extreme for jogging where ever you are - but if it can take down a bear, you better believe it'll take down an aggressor. (Also in a self defense section in my pysch of women class we were talking about how a lot of rapists and attackers have been sprayed so many times by pepper spray they become immune to it - so it's not good to have it as your only option - however bear spray will still knock them on their tush )
Anyone that walks outside-do you carry anything with you for protection?
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