Running Safety (Read 244 times)

Runners probably aren't more or less safe than any other pedestrian, but google "runner attacked" and you'll get more than your fair share of real stories (no need for anecdotes). Be sensible and safe, same as if you were out walking.

I do a lot of running at night. When I started I tripped a lot but quickly learned you've got to lift your feet more. You can't just shuffle along. It's unsafe. You'll trip on bumps, cracks, and even manhole covers.

Of course, it does depend on the foreign country. When I ran all over Helsinki a couple years back it was very stress free.

I've been shoved and threatened by some punks (but that was decades before grey hair).

I've also had a 44oz big gulp 1/2 full of ice and soda hit me in the back of the head from a moving car (almost knocked me out).

 

But the worst threat has been dogs and stupid dog owners. Charging dogs and dog leashes strung across the park path in the dark. If I decided to carry mace, it would be for the dogs (and maybe their humans too).

 

It seems to me, that a runner, who clearly has no purse or wallet, is not the usual target for robbery. But running through really tough, gang neighborhoods is likely asking for trouble unless its a busy business district. If you stay out of run down poor areas, you are most likely safe during daylight hours in most cities.

Agreed to most points.  But runners seem to attract irrational attention...be it from jealousy or whatever.

My comment on difference of danger man vs woman goes to your comment on not carrying wallet etc....men are not a logical target out running but it's not hard to point to examples of women runners being targeted in secluded areas for reasons unrelated to money.  A co-ed at my university was killed under such circumstances....on a running path perfectly safe during the day but she went there alone after dark.

+1 on the dogs.  I'm on the verge of getting some bear spray simply to teach a lesson to the pack of trailer park dogs on one of my routes.

I run in a lot of interesting places, and have to say that (having lived there) I found New Orleans to be among the more difficult places to wander yourself into a quality long run.

I'd suggest sticking to daytime running and prefer a well traveled route.  An easy one to follow is along St Charles from the quarter out to Audubon park, and just do laps around the park (and maybe across through Tulane).  Its pretty scenic and relatively safe, just watch our for traffic and street cars.

Wherever you go, have a plan and leave tracks (tell someone your plan or draw up your route, just in case)

Thanks for the input.  Specific to NOLA, NHLA and lagwagon's responses above are pretty consistent with what I've seen elsewhere.  I'll have to feel it out when I am there and see what looks comfortable.  Anticipate largely running in City Park during daylight hours (which, as near as I can tell, is generally cataloged as "safe").

Per the suggestion above, I did search "runner attacked," and most of the first two pages of results appeared to be animal attacks or sexual assaults, which is about what I expected.  I am male, and while sexual assaults on men are not unheard of, statistically I bet they are pretty rare, particularly when you are talking about attacks by strangers.  At home there are trails I will regularly run alone that my wife won't.  I tend to believe what has been stated above, that runners are about as likely to be the victims of random crime or violence as anyone else.  Maybe it is just that in New Orleans, the chances that "anyone else" will be the victim of random violence is higher than elsewhere.

I'm female and I've run in NOLA during a couple of business trips. Out along St. Charles from Canal Street to Audubon Park and back felt safe. I also took a bus up to Lake Pontchartrain and ran back down Canal to the river. While I had been warned against going through the cemeteries because of crime, I didn't feel unsafe running past them.

Like any other city, stay alert, don't wear headphones or carry items that someone is likely to want to grab from you, if you start feeling uncomfortable turn around and retrace your steps to an area that you feel safer in, carry some money for cab or bus fare back to where you are staying. And carry a map of your proposed route and let someone know where you are going and when you will return.

FWIW, I felt a lot less safe running in Orlando than I did in NOLA, but that was because of the aggressive or clueless drivers and the lack of sidewalks rather than for fear of the people in the streets. And I work in downtown Los Angeles which also has a rep as a dangerous city and there are some places here I wouldn't go at night, but I'll run here during the day. I do run in my reasonably safe suburb in the predawn hours and I was assaulted there while running some years ago.

I feel that running is one of the best places to see a strange city and I'll assume the slightly elevated risk in return for a greater return (sightseeing) rather than sticking to the parking lot or the fitness center of the hotel.