Do you feel this is safe?

[Geonz]

If you're where there are many people, it's far more likely one of 'em will be a bad guy

I ride alone very often. I see people now and then out there. They wave. Okay, one guy was prob'ly schnokkered and said "hey, young LADY!" ... in a completely surprised, not leering voice, so I think he was just amazed that I wasn't a guy, and of course by the time he processed that bit of information I was another mile down the road.

When driver's have been aggressive at me, it's been in town, not out in the boonies... tho' I do feel vulnerable. I am not going to let that vulnerability control my life, at least not today. I think of all the other people who are even more vulnerable on the planet - women who have to go to dangerous jobs, are working for nasty people who have power over them... some of 'em making hte products I've bought. Or I think about how many miles I have to go and plot when I"m going to hit which corner and try to beat it.

(And the bad stuff is awfully rare. I did 10,000 miles last year and maybe four times somebody did something *potentially* obnoxious/harmful.)

[Melalvai]

I was hiking in the woods one afternoon and I stood aside so a group of older folks on horseback could make their way past me on the trail. One lady said, "You're so brave to be out here by yourself."

The only crime I'd heard of in those woods was a young lady who committed suicide, way over on the other side of the park. We've had I don't know how many shootings make the news in town recently, and who knows how many crimes that are too mundane to make the news. In fact if she'd killed herself in her dorm we wouldn't have heard about it at all.

[uforgot]

I do it all the time and our rural gravel roads are as remote as they get! It's beautiful, peaceful and some of my best rides.

[Starfish]

I do it.

There are some areas where I would like to go, but they are known to be infested with meth folks and folks hostile to cyclists, and I haven't gone there alone, yet.

I'm thinking of getting a little .380 I saw...super small, super light.

[mimitabby]

I was walking down an alley in Pioneer Square, Seattle (downtown) and some men saw me and said; "aren't you afraid to be alone here?" to which I responded, "no, not really"

City, Country, have common sense and have fun.

[Flybye]

I ride alone, too. Pretty much all we have around here are rural back country roads. There is nothing like riding next to fields of corn, open fields, or Russian Olives. I have taken a women's self defense class but I don't know how much I would remember if push came to shove. I carry pepper spray with me on my handlebars. I always let someone know where I am going and approximately when I will be back. I always carry my cell phone. Other than that, it's in the hands of the good Lord to get me home safely!

[cyclinnewbie]

This may be counterintuitive, but I feel more ill at ease in crowds. Get me in Seattle, and I'm more uptight, feeling less in control. Get me out in the boonies, and I'm far far more comfortable. I always carry some pepper spray, and my hubby got me a small maglight that I can use for a weapon if needed. Add in my cell phone and my brains, and I feel pretty good. I also ALWAYS listen to my intuition...if something doesn't feel right, I turn around and go a different way. Also, my hubby, who is highly trained in defensive tactics, has schooled me in some self defense moves, so that does a lot to boost one's confidence. I would prefer to ride in solitude in the boonies....you can relax more and enjoy the scenery!

[Zen]

This may be counterintuitive, but I feel more ill at ease in crowds. Get me in Seattle, and I'm more uptight, feeling less in control. Get me out in the boonies, and I'm far far more comfortable.

Same here. Except substitute the generic "town" for the Seattle part.

I think the jury's in.

[Jolt]

This may be counterintuitive, but I feel more ill at ease in crowds.

Same here!

[shootingstar]

When I lived in Toronto (several million people), I commuted solo from suburbs into downtown via ravine park system or another route that was bike path, park, blended with less ravine park, etc. I would start these work commute rides at approx. 6:30 am.

I did it for nearly 10 years, nearly everyday except for winter when I stopped cycling. I lived in a rougher area of town...known for drugs, whatever. On bike, it's being safe with cars around in traffic. You are after all, not a jogger who would be far more vulnerable (and slower).

My thoughts:
*if you ride in isolated areas...vary routes.
*become a strong rider on hills and in speed. For work-commuting, it's never leisurely for me anyway. Especially going to work.
*I don't mountainbike in this areas. Wherever possible, smooth roads /paths to give me speed.

*Did I see/experience stuff? Well, over the years:
-yea, once police were around to pull out something from bushes...
-a burnt-out car/bus on a quiet road. ARson...yep. But this did not freak me out.....I worked for the fire marshal's office...to know that arson....doesn't mean someone is out to hurt a person, just the property.


If I have a choice of safety in quiet areas....most certainly I feel safer as a cyclist speeding along vs. being a pedestrian/jogger.

From the car-less shootingstar....where living in a nicer area still ...there are drug grow-ops even in nice buildings. Crime can be in unexpected places.

[SlowButSteady]

I just got back from 21 miles alone on rural roads. On many rides, I meet or get passed by less than one car per mile or two.

I have a route that I love and I can ride this distance without ever being more than 6 or 7 miles' walk from home in case of a flat, mechanical problem, etc. I take a cell phone and pepper spray.

I'm much more afraid of crashing because I'm a klutz than anything else. Every once in a while I fall off but have never had to call DH to come pick me up.

Every once in a while some dumb redneck yells something at me.

Once when out running on these old backroads, a man stopped, got out of his car and walked around it *at* me.

I made ready to dismember him with my cell phone, which was the only thing I had with me at the time. Fortunately, I didn't have to defend myself.

I now remember to take my pepper spray.

[OakLeaf]

Nowadays I feel naked without my phone.

But back in the day (when random crime was actually a bit more common than it is now) I toured for two weeks at a time, solo, before there was such a thing as cell phones. I'm still here.

One of the many benefits of being out on the road on a bicycle is being away from the freakin' TV that's telling us 24/7 how much danger we're in all the time.... and how we need to stay at home in front of the TV to be safe....