Late-Night Tips for the Journey Home
I’ve seen many safety tips over the years – mostly given out to us females to keep us safe on our journey home. While I appreciate any tips on how to keep myself safe – we sometimes are not in ideal situations to utilize them. So here are some of my own tips to offer you!
Walking Home Together:
I don’t know about you but most of my closest pals do not live near me. Walking home together would mean that we would cross towns and walk for miles, which doesn’t sound appealing or safe. My alternative? Walk halfway. If one or both of you need the T to get home then keep in contact through text on the way home – if there’s more than one friend start a group text to let each other know you got home safe.
Don’t Walk Home Alone:
Well, that doesn’t work for me. Sometimes I like to walk alone to get some quiet and clear my head. If you’ve lived here forever then you know your way around, but if you’re new stick to walking main streets. Asking Siri to guide you on your walk home is not a good idea – you’ll be taken on a random route you don’t know. Main streets like Broadway are well lit and full of people out and about – even late at night.
Don’t Wear Headphones:
Yeah, I get it I shouldn’t blast Tupac in my ears while I leisurely stroll home, oblivious to my surroundings. I still listen to music but not as loud – for two reasons. One is that you need to be able to hear cars coming – drivers at night cannot see you as well and you don’t want to be smushed into the street. The second reason is obvious in that you want to hear a creeper lurking if they approach.
Don’t Take Ride Shares Alone:
It’s true some bad situations have happened to people using this service, but for most of us this is how we get around and rely on it for a late-night ride home. Always make sure you match the license plate, car, and driver to that in the app. You wouldn’t have gotten in that random white van in the 90’s so don’t do it now. If you know your friend is too intoxicated to even know their address – then do not let them take a ride alone – don’t be a crappy friend. Ride shares like Uber have also developed a new feature called the “panic button” which allows a rider to alert the police if they feel they are in danger. iPhone will also soon be able to tell police your exact location if you are in need of help – stay tuned.
Fight Back:
This is one tip I fully support. If someone is attempting to harm you – use anything you have as a weapon. Your phone is pretty hefty with that $50 case you have on it- kind of like a brick ;) Research has shown that biting, hitting, screaming and yelling are helpful in derailing an attacker. You can also purchase mace online to keep with you!
Above all – don’t be scared to be alone. Bad things can happen anywhere, even in the safest of places. If the thought of walking home alone still creeps you out – go here for info on the SafeTrek app: SafeTrek is an app that can contact 911 in an instant if you need help. It works by a user holding the button in the app and putting in a unique 4-digit code when they are “safe”. If the user releases the button without entering the code, it will alert 911 to your location and get you help.
Kristen McCart is a 30 something Southie original who still lives in the neighborhood and loves being so close to her family. Kristen is unapologetically honest, but has a huge heart.
All good advice however I would add one thing to the list and maybe most important….Put the phone away! Keeping your head up and aware of your surroundings at all times while walking alone is probably the single biggest thing you can do to help yourself from getting taken by surprised by someone. Keep it close of course but “When alone-put down the phone” (bumper sticker material right there!)
I tend to totally agree with the idea of not using one’s cell phone while walking alone, especially at night. The same thing is true of listening to music while walking alone, especially at night, either. A woman I used to worked with who was walking home at around 8:30 at night, and listening to her Sony walkman, was mugged and thrown into some nearby bushes while walking home. Not funny at all.
It’s agreed–the post carries some great advice, but here’s another piece of advice: don’t hitchhike! It’s far too dangerous. When a person hitchhikes, s/he is totally at the mercy of whoever gives them a ride, and therefore has no control over what may happen if the situation turns nasty or violent. That, in a nutshell, is what makes hitchhiking so risky, especially at night. Back in the early 1970’s, Boston was in the national spot-light for quite some time, due to a whole slue of young woman ranging in age from their late teens through their mid-20’s who turned up dead while hitchhiking to school, work, or wherever.
Woman are so bad talking all the time crossing street. Wear headphones are not to wear when walking anywhere in any state. Stop look and listen. And that goes for msn who thinks it can’t happen to me wrong. Alll people out there stop looking at your cell phone when crossing a street I think some people have are looking for insurance money.
Good point, Linda. I, too, have seen quite afew women, and even men, talking on their cell phones, both during the day and at night. Talking on one’s cellphone while walking around takes attention away from where it’s absolutely necessary; one’s surroundings. Moreover, it doesn’t matter if one is here in the city, or out in the suburbs or the boogies, either. Predators all too often take advantage of people who are so oblivious to what’s going on around them, due to talking on their cellphones.
Oops….sorry. I meant out in the suburbs or the boonies.