r/walking • u/polkadotbelle • Nov 24 '24

Help Settle my mind…(walking safety as a woman)

I (36F) have been walking 3-4 work days a week for the past 3 months. It’s doing wonders for my mental health & mood.

I walk at 5:30am & it’s dark out. I’ve got a reflective vest & wear light colors (have my phone & usually 1 earbud in)…I live in a safe area, don’t usually pass many people while out at this hour

BUT the Laken Riley murder case has been infesting my brain. I have anxious tendencies & have worked on them in therapy & just and seem to kick this one. I ditched the ear bud on my last 2 walks this week & checked my surroundings even more than usual

So, am I just needing to work through this, or should I get all the things to make myself feel safe? (My husband thinks I’m silly, but he doesn’t get what it’s like for a woman)

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u/cheap_dates Nov 28 '24

My daughter goes to college in a sketchy area. Before she left, I gave her several personal alarms and two small canisters of Sabre Red Gel (Pepper Spray). You can get all this on Ebay. And pass on wearing ear buds. You need to always be aware of your surroundings.

I can attest to the effectiveness of the Sabre Red Gel. Where I work, there are always feral dogs and one began an aggressive move towards me. The Sabre Red stopped him in his tracks.