The Safety Zone

[pooks]

I think there are a couple of issues here. What one person sees as dangerous, another person might not. So we all have our comfort zones.

I know the US is dangerous compared to other industrialized nations, and I know that Dallas is dangerous -- theoretically. But I've been in some rough areas of Dallas (driving) without ever feeling nervous. Once I asked a couple of guys for directions in a location that probably should have given me pause -- but they looked decent and friendly and I just went with my gut instinct, smiled, asked, got directions, thanked them profusely and drove on. I know LOTS of people -- men and women -- who wouldn't drive in those areas. Sometimes, it's people who are newer to Dallas and didn't grow up here, so the areas are just "names" and dangerous-sounding ones, at that.

So for me, even though I hear and read about murders, rapes and such, they rarely make me uneasy because they're far away from me, or whatever.

Yet I knew a woman some years ago who moved here from Canada and lived in TERROR for a year or longer, because A) she "knew" Texas was dangerous and B) she watched the news and there was so much more violent crime reported than where she was from.

I tend to be Mr. Magoo, myself -- though I have worked hard to establish some of the risk-avoiding behaviours midgetcycler listed. The fact that my husband is more of a worrier than I am is simply a difference in his nature. The fact that my sometimes-Pollyanna attitudes drive him crazy from time to time is unavoidable. It doesn't make him wrong. It doesn't make him a control freak. He just worries more. And it doesn't mean I have to "obey," but I do have to avoid another habit of mine -- talking myself out of believing a situation is dangerous.

I have been known to see somebody who looks skeevy on the side of the road while I'm driving and pulling to a stop, noticing my door is unlocked, and not locking the door because surely the guy can't help it if he looks skeevey and I don't want to hurt his feelings to acting like he's a criminal and locking my door.... I mean, really!

So I'm working on being common sense oriented, considering my husband's feelings but not obsessing over them, and over all -- enjoying my bike.

A couple of times in the past year or two there have been rapes on or near the White Rock Lake bike trail -- the most popular place in Dallas for running, cycling, walking, etc. Thousands and thousands of people use it without issue -- but let's face it, if somebody is looking for an easy target, that's a pretty good place to stalk. At least one woman was murdered there a couple of years ago, as I recall.

Yet it doesn't stop women from running, cycling, walking alone.

Do we do it despite our concerns? I'm sure.

The real concerns should be over locking up the bastids that are doing it, and KEEPING them there. Most of the events I've read about (including the one where the woman was murdered on the bike trail in Dallas) have been repeat offenders.

Sorry for the long babbling post.