Sincerely,
Men
Her rules for running are absurd - don’t hold the same speed, either pass or fall behind. When I was a runner, my pace on training runs was calculated. I didn’t really take notice of whomever I was ahead of or behind. If I was going to run at a 9:30 pace, then that is what I would run.
If that were to make her uncomfortable because I was behind her, she would have plenty of opportunity to speed up and pull away from me or slow down and let me pass. It wasn’t my fault that she felt uncomfortable.
Fortunately, I did most of my running on a very quiet road, away from most everybody. There were seldom other people around me so I didn’t worry about striking fear into an insecure snowflake.
Ladies, the key is to: Jog With A Dog
Preferably a large beast. You’ll be fine. You can thank me later, and you don’t need a man for that...
This is stupid. Good men don’t need these recommendations, and bad men... well, they won’t listen because they WANT to be hanging out on a trail wearing a dark hoodie. They WANT to scare you, rape you, whatever. So a polite essay in the media will not reach the creepy homeless guy who thinks he is allowed to touch you.
Yeah, I’d love to open or concealed carry legally. That would really help.
Sincerely,
Men
I try to avoid situations where I am uncomfortable. Based on her article, dealing with her would make me uncomfortable. A ski machine works for me.
The last thing I remember before he knocked me out was hearing him spit before saying “passing on the left”.
I’m a runner and, yes, I carry while running. This author is a whining little snowflake who gives chicks a bad name. Put your bag girl panties on and take care of yourself.
By the way, I’m more afraid of dogs than men while I’m running. Sexual assaults do occur but are far less frequent than dog bites, at least where I live.
You may think that’s hyperbole, but I promise you, it’s not. Every woman I know has been in a situation at least once in their life when they thought their life was actually in danger.
Quick google search shows that in Canada (US stats not handy) men are more likely to be victims of homicide by 3.5 to 1. (7 men per 100,000/year, vs 2 woman per 100,000 per year).
I will hold my breath and expect a correction and apology from the the article's author...NOT.
Who exactly is she telling not to wear a “hoodie”?
“Why am I telling you this? Because as a man, you fall into one of two categories:
1. You’re a genuinely nice guy who needs to be more aware of this problem”
BS. If I’m not doing it, it’s not my problem. I’m not magically responsible for the behavior of others, and it is sexist to think that I would be just because I’m a man.
“Why aren’t we asking men to fix what they broke?
I know, I know it’s #notallmen, but the thing is, it’s some men.”
Give me a break. Oh, I know “not all women” make false rape allegations, but some of them do. When they get around to doing something about that, maybe I’ll listen to their whining about this.
Don’t run in parks. Period. Or if you must, make sure it is at a time of day when plenty of people are out. Never, ever at twilight or in the dark. Women jog on the streets in my neighborhood all the time and look perfectly at ease because the streets are busy and full of people.
Men face death from strangers every day as well. No one is safe and everyone should take precautions and use common sense.
Equality; it sounds good, and looks good on paper, but then there’s this thing called reality.
Yes, by all means, let’s rescind reality.
Women should try to limit solo running. I feel more comfortable running with another person, plus you can talk and the miles go by faster :) I do short training runs alone in my suburban neighborhood, but I stay close to home.
Wow that was a strong finish. Just join a fitness club.
Basically a good article even though I don’t agree with some of it, and a few comments were pretty much over the top. Probably sexist too.
But a couple of things a woman can do...
Already mentioned repeatedly, leave the headphones at home. If I’m in a position I think I may be in danger, the last thing I want is something over my ears to cover the sound of approaching feet.
Get a pistol and learn to use it. Be sure you know WHEN you can use it in your area.
I’ve seen older men walking with a big stick or cane for protection.
Learn some self defense. A couple of things you can remember that will help a lot -
If an attacker approaches from the front:
Let him come on in, you want him close. Soon as he gets close enough raise that knee, hard as you can. He’ll forget about rape in a big hurry.
If someone grabs you from behind:
don’t panic. Raise your foot, feel around for his shin and stomp straight down HARD...I guarantee when you break the arch of the foot he’ll let go and forget about rape. Even if you don’t break it, ever drop a book on the arch of your foot? It hurts a lot...he’ll let go.
If he has a weapon - Depends on the situation and the weapon. If you have a little training, and can move fast, you can move to the side, grab the wrist, and push against the elbow. It’s not hard to break an arm that way, and by moving to the side, you should be out of the way if a gunshot does occur. If it’s a knife or some type of club, same thing, but less dangerous. But be sure and be forceful about it, and pull the arm around behind him. Keep pressure on the elbow, he’ll do anything you want. Pull the wrist, push the elbow. Try it on a friend, but be careful, it hurts.
Scream. Make enough noise and he might just leave, usually they do not want to attract attention. Attract as much as you can.
A good hard kick to the knee from the front or side can break the knee.
There are a couple of good kill punches but I always avoid telling people about them, I don’t want the wrong person to find out just how to land a kill shot. Boatloads of gang members and thug types would love to know how to drop an adversary with one punch and he’s dead before he hits the ground...so I try not to go there.
Get some good self defense training if you want to run in a risky area. Run with a friend. Leave the headphones at home. Take a gun or club. Pepper spray might be good too, an open fanny pack makes it easily accessible. You can make your own pepper spray with vinegar and cayenne, put it in a squirt bottle. Aim for the eyes.
The last thing they want is someone who is ready to fight back. Learn how to fight back.
I’ll bet the writer is a total dog and this is wishful thinking.
I run/jog/sprints/walk with firearm, extra ammo fixed blade and at night a flashlight. The gal can easily do this alone with a whistle around her neck.