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There’s plenty of places I wouldn’t go on my own at night.
And no, I’m not trolling. I’m just trying to drive home the point that “mostly safe” is insufficient.
Its only mostly safe for me too, so got nothing to do with Male Privilege.
Where are you going with this Cougar, its not a coherent argument you are putting forward here.
There’s plenty of places I wouldn’t go on my own at night.
...and whose 'privilege' is that?
…and who’s ‘privilege’ is that?
Its Chuck Norris privilege of course, and while chuck does not realise he is privileged, Cougars situation is not going to get any better.
Its Chuck Norris privilege of course, and while chuck does not realise he is privileged, Cougars situation is not going to get any better.
Of course, because of "Chuck Norris privilege" poor old Cougar and Donald Trump can't travel freely throughout the UK like the rest of us. CN should do something about that.
Oh good grief.
Oh good grief.
I know Cougar its ridiculous to think that just because someone does not have the same problem as you, that its at all connected to the problem in the first place. Who would put that forward as an argument, its crazy 🙂
On a more serious note though, does anyone have Chucks number so he we can let him know hes privileged. Once he realises it I am sure he can change his behaviour so that Cougar is no longer scared to go out at night.
That basically is your argument Cougar, you have to contest that surely?
I haven't read the whole thread, but you might like to read this little article, published by Jenny Tough last week:
That basically is your argument Cougar, you have to contest that surely?
I don't think I can be bothered. Whatever, you win. I've long since lost track of what the hell's going on in this discussion now.
Cougar, we both should have given up yesterday 🙂 Don't worry about it.
We have a difference of opinion on the privilege thing, but I bet we agree on the fact that some people have real fears about stuff they should not really have to worry about in this day and age. Sometimes we need to focus on the stuff that makes a difference, rather than the stuff that divides us.
Edited to add
ceept's post above sums it up for me, stop treating women like helpless victims and they might stop feeling like helpless victims.
What worries me is when women who have yet to have their first adventure have their heads filled with this fear, this idea that the world is not a place for a solo woman to explore. It worries me that those women will spend their whole lives missing out on awesome adventures
100pc this.
I think she's right and far more typical of the women I know - I asked three female friends if they were nervous about filling up with petrol and they ruthlessly took the piss. (...and accused me of backtracking when I excused myself by saying I'd read it on a biking forum.) So I'm not sure that many women in the real world are buying the message that they are the helpless victims the STW dinosaurs want them to be.
I think most people agree that the risk of being attacked in the countryside is quite low for both male and female. However as a female if you do see that lone passer by the questions start passing through your head. Are they going to leave you alone? will they start making creepy pervy comments? if you ignore them will they get verbally aggressive? start following you? what about if I get a puncture and am stuck there fixing it? This is all learned behavior from multiple interactions with unpleasant men throughout life. I know most men are not like that, I also know a large number of men are. You can either go out anyway and ignore the voices in your head and creeps on the street or as many people do take the easier more comfortable option. In response the comments about how nobody knows if your male or female in the dark I can make a good guess at the sex of someone from their silhouette.
Female (will go out on my own in the woods in daylight, will stick to well lit public areas at night)
I haven't read all this, but sounds like there's valid points on both sides. However, I received the following email a few days ago. We live by the University.
A disturbing incident took place yesterday evening, July 14, near our Burnaby campus. At approximately 8:30 pm, a female SFU community member was walking in the Burnaby Mountain trails near the corner of University Dr. West and West Campus Road when an unknown male suspect approached her and attempted to pull her into the bushes. The individual was able to escape and the attacker fled. Burnaby RCMP responded and are investigating.
It takes just one incident, and then no matter how low the risk, the fact it happens means there is a risk, and for many activities, its just not worth it.
I was thinking about it relative to cycling. Many years ago I would happily cycle on any roads but there's too many stories of collisions and fatalities. Today, I normally choose quieter bike routes or those with protected infrastructure which we are safer. The risk of a driver being distracted and hitting me might be low, but its a risk i'd rather not take, or at least reduce. FYI, a cyclist was killed nearby a few weeks ago in a hit and run, the driver was caught and suspected to be drunk. some times its just not worth the risk.
some times its just not worth the risk
What is the risk, have you calculated the odds for those two examples before deciding not to?
What is the risk, have you calculated the odds
Is an irrelevant statement in the real world, unless you have no personal skin in the game (see; male privilege) or are able to separate emotion from fact to an almost Vulcan degree. As you point out, us humans are very bad at judging comparative risk, but that should be acknowledged and empathised with to a certain extent, (as we are all guilty of it to some degree) rather than simply seen as the problem.
I've been around central Manchester at all times of day and night for some years and you see all sorts of women, muslims, visible lesbians, orthodox jews and so on. I've never seen a woman hassled in that time. My experience of some cultures is that sometimes the threat is over-emphasised to enhance their men's control over them.
Is an irrelevant statement in the real world, unless you have no personal skin in the game (see; male privilege) or are able to separate emotion from fact to an almost Vulcan degree.
You reckon?
I am bloody terrified [1] riding safe remote trails at night in winter but I do a lot of it because it's objectively safe.
I feel totally safe and secure [2] riding on roads around town at night in winter but I do little or none of it because it's actually objectively dangerous.
Except for the odd emotional thinker I'd hope that all of use choose actual safety over a sensation of safety most of the time. (Not all of the time - I've been spooked at least once and ridden back through town dodging cars to avoid my normal route in the sticks.)
[1] Potential for Ghosts. [3]
[2] No ghosts. [3]
[3] Which is odd because I don't believe in ghosts.