Advice re personal safety while going on long country walks alone.

One can only speculate through a language medium as the language is not the reality but symbolic of it. The best advice is don't be stupid. We can use statistical information as a guide. A deeper need can just be to get away from the hustle and bustle of the rat race and the noise of crowds. Thats perfectly reasonable. Many people like to commune with nature in areas of natural beauty and solitude, On the other hand a lot of those in the initial or advanced stages of schizophrenia can end up going on very long walks for 6 to 8 hours at a time.
Unfortunately the worst predators who lurk in crowds will also gravitate towards places where they can find someone who has left the herd. They will find the low hanging fruit in the same way a house with an alarm will be avoided by a burglar for its neighbouring house which has no alarm system. The point is to use common sense. Once you have taken reasonable precautions you can then relax and enjoy your pastimes. This applies to anything in life. My house has an alarm therefore I can leave it for other parts of the city without worrying constantly etc.
 
I come back to my original post .... if you want to have a modicum of safety while walking alone get a dog.

or get that treadmill!
 
Walking alone can be a great pleasure - it can also be a symptom of a deeper need.

Decide why you're putting yourself at risk and address that issue.

In general its not a good idea to walk alone in remote places.

Such as being an Introvert personality who 'recharges their batteries' by spending time alone? Maybe the poster is a photographer, artist, wildlife fanatic, there are many potential reasons for them to have this desire.

onq said:
One of them was a mother of four and an involved member of the local community, a carer and on the school board - totally "normal" otherwise.

Can you really not see what she was gaining from it? Sounds like the poor woman was carrying more than her fair share, and, like many busy mothers, this was her only chance for a bit of peace and quiet/ exercise, once the children were taken care of for the day, work out of the way, and all her community committments taken care of.
 
Why would introverts not recharge their batters by going out with friends - do they not spend enough time alone?

OTOH I could see why busy people might like solitude for a break alright.
 
Why would introverts not recharge their batteries by going out with friends - do they not spend enough time alone?
Being an introvert does not mean you're a loner/ billy no mates/ spend all your time alone, etc.
It means that you find social engagements draining, and require quiet periods alone to balance that out and recharge yourself.
 
I prefer walking/running and shopping on my own and I wouldn't consider myself an introvert. I just prefer doing those activities at my own pace. I do prefer going to pubs and restaurants with other people though.

I do like country walks but wouldn't do these on my own, I just wouldn't feel safe. Where I walk / run is a busy built up area with loads of other walkers and runners.
 
I prefer walking/running and shopping on my own and I wouldn't consider myself an introvert. I just prefer doing those activities at my own pace. I do prefer going to pubs and restaurants with other people though.


Me too. It's also nice to just get a bit of time to yourself where you're not having to accommodate other people. To be honest, someone who always has to be surrounded by people and can't bear to do anything on their own could just as easily have a 'deeper need' as people who like a bit of solitude.
 
I used to love going for walks - either in crowds or uninhabited places - on my own.

Sometimes you'd run into people you'd meet - statistically unlikely meetings - still do.

Other times you'd gain an insight from the quiet in your mind you wouldn't otherwise get.

Occasionally you'd see an unpleasantness or grief that would need to be addressed, or avoided.

C'est la vie.
 
What a weird thread to find on my first visit to AAM in many months

Q Why would someone want to hill/trail walk ?

A Its a great way to exercise in fresh air (not a bad reason for starters)


You could put the dog on the treadmill...

No thanks

Any dog is a great deterrent ......

Really ? so people dont avoiding me because I pong then ?

Regards

Olddog

P.S. Does country walking include ambling along Bolton St and Bushy Park ?