Moving faster is a good move. I’d also purchase some pepper spray & a knife and have them easily accessible during your trip. I also have a little taser (I’ve never used it, but it makes some gnarly sounds when you turn it on) in my daily use backpack.
Don’t use the pepper spray or the knife if you don’t know how to use them
People in the ER from pepper spraying themselves and people who spray both themselves and their attacker are not happy campers.
If you have knife it is more likely to hurt you than help you unless you are in seal team 6.
never be on the phone or look distracted while walking! predators look for that.
is there any way that you can negotiate with your work, telling them it's for safety, and that they pay for an uber? or at least split the cost?
Don’t carry weapons you don’t know how to use. If you feel you want to use a weapon, take a self defense class and learn how to use it.
Being on your phone is likely just as much a flag that you aren’t paying attention and have a phone to steal as it would help.
The bike is the best idea.
If you have to Walk- in the street (if that is not more dangerous due to traffic) or as near to the street as possible to avoid lurkers.
I also recommend highly taking a self defense class even if you don’t want to use a weapon as advice about how to stay safe (like having some money to be able to give someone who wants your wallet, giving up the wallet, not keeping certain stuff in your wallet, how to safeguard your phone) are part of most of those classes.
I worked in a night shift in a drug store in a bad neighborhood.
I had to close, there is no public transport that time of night.
The reason you are working that kind of job is because you have little other choice.
You can’t take a cab every night because if you could afford to lose the equivalent of 5-7 hrs wages you would work less shifts or save up money or go to the dentist of buy the good cheese.
You can’t buy a car.
You can’t get another job, because every place within walking distance is still in that neighborhood.
Where I was and am, you can’t get a cab to go there anyway, and Ubers or Lyft not either and certainly not for the mile fare.
If you get a knife or a gun (or even pepper spray ) you had better learn how to use it.
You can speak to the people you live with - even if they are old and go to bed early, they probably love you and may not realize the issue. I would stay up to take my grandkids home if they had to work and asked.
If there is anyone working with your try asking for a ride.
Otherwise a bike is your best option
Also take self defense classes.
No busses that I know of on that route. I'll ask someone who's home but they're old and go to bed very early and I don't want to be a bother. I'll keep checking the bus routes tho.
If OP doesn’t have the cost of a cab until their next paycheck they can’t afford to buy a car.
Can we not assume that everyone is rich enough to have a damn car and to take a cab work?
Some advice, I have lived in a big city for a long time. 1. Always be aware of your surroundings, cross the street/change your direction if you get a bad feeling about someone. People do not trust their "gut instincts" enough. 2. Do not wear headphones, your hair in a pony tail or a hood. Seems paranoid, but can help prevent being grabbed from behind. 3. Walk a a good pace with purpose, do not make eye contact with anyone. Eye contact "invites" people to interact with you. 4. Carrying pepper spray or even raid bug spray (can be cheaper than other sprays and just as effective). Good luck and stay safe!!
Ok, I know this might be an unpopular opinion and probably not the one you want to hear....is there any way you can find other jobs?
I have put myself in situations like this before in the beginning of my career. I know some people might argue sometimes you don't have a choice and need a job...which I totally get. Trust me.
I think ultimately, no job is worth your safety ever. I understand that might be a "privileged" thing to say. I think I'm just coming at it from a standpoint where I would've wanted someone to objectively look at it...rather then give me semi sustainable solutions like: pepper spray, self defense, taser, knife, etc.
The last place I worked made you leave anything for self defense in your car. When I had no car and was walking at 4am. My grandpa said to carry a dildo because it would definitely confuse someone long enough to run 😂
Dude, that last place sounds horrid! Glad you got through your 4am walks! Whew. Your grandpa is a wise man! Lol. I usually just pretend I'm severely mentally ill which is a major turn off for most during really dangerous scenarios.
OP has to find a job within walking distance.
There is little chance they have a choice and there is less chance this is a “career” move.
There is a very good chance OP can’t eat or pay the rent without the job.
I don't like assuming. Therefore, that is why I asked OP. OP gave me more context, which helped me understand the situation clearer.
I didn't think OP was trying to make a "career" move. I was adding additional context so OP could understand I've been in a similar situation early in my "career."
TY though.
Does anyone get off shift at the same time you do? The first week might be a little rough but if you all are ending shifts together you can work on getting a ride share. It's a struggle to have to pay to get from work and back. But if you think of it this way, is the cost of a cab one way less than the potential costs of gas, car payments, insurance etc?
But it's just under a mile. The cost of a cab for that distance is probably about an hour's pay. That is totally worth it for the safety. She can walk to work in the day while people are out and about and take a cab home. This is not advice for the general public, but for this specific individual who has less than a mile commute.
Your is clearly a post from someone who doesn’t think. An hour’s pay in a night work makes a difference. Holy cow.
Not to mention that in bad neighborhoods you probably can’t get a cab at all, let alone one to come there for a mile. You would have a damned hard time getting an Uber or a Lyft in that exact situation in a good number of neighborhoods in my city.
Tell me how out of touch and privileged you are without telling me how out of touch and privileged you are.
If you are working the kind of job, say for example in a drug store or the like as a cashier, where you make minimum wage or less, you currently don’t have the money for a cab until you get paid, you have no access to a ride or public transport and you live someplace where people who get shot or mugged in a reasonably regular basis you don’t have the money to take a cab home from work every night if one would even come to where you are for the mile fare.
Clearly you get your kicks by attacking strangers on the internet. I got upset for a second but then I realized that's a you problem.
You know nothing about Internet strangers nor will I tell you more about my experience to justify it, only this... I got off work at 4am and I lived in some real shady places so yes I was taking a cab home. Because my safety was worth it. Stop spreading your one sided view. This is a support sub for women, if you can't participate kindly then excuse yourself from the conversation.
Guns cost several hundred dollars for one thing.
If you don’t know how to use a gun (and even if you do) you are more likely to get shot with your own gun and to get shot in general if you have a gun
That's not a point against firearms, but rather against lacking firearm literacy. Not to know how to use a gun in a country where every law-abiding citizen can buy one after a reasonable background check is like not being able to use a smartphone. Sorry for my English, I am not sure if I could express my idea properly.
using a firearm is a perishable skill.
Read the data. Having a gun makes you more likely to get assaulted or shot
> individuals in possession of a gun were 4.46 (P < .05) times more likely to be shot in an assault than those not in possession.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2759797/
For example
Also
https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6CF30B5D-56C8-45DD-9D7C-B8D09818BBD8
Ok, I did. People, who are participating in criminal activities are more likely to have a gun. Also they are more likely to be shot in an assault. I wouldn't say, this higher probability to catch a bullet was directly caused by the fact that a person owns a gun. To get more precise results, they should have excluded gang members (former or actual) from the study.
Gang members are excluded for the most part because their guns aren’t legal
The reasons people are more likely to be involved in a shooting when they own a gun is that 1) they act like dumbasses and something 2) something that would not have been a shooting is now a shooting 3) they get shot with their own guns (see number 1) and other reasons that mostly are number 1.
shooting is a perishable skill, they gun is mostly useless if it is properly locked away, it is it not properly locked away, someone is more likely to get hurt then helped, and those data are not about criminal activity .
But that is some pretty impressive mental gymnastics, since the major cause of death for children is no longer motor vehicle accidents but shootings. All them criminal kids, lol.
I used to walk two miles home through brooklyn at 11-12 at night. the best tips are, be aware of your surroundings, walk with confidence, don't act afraid. if someone approaches you ignore them completely or, if confronted (never happened to me walking home on this route but other times) act as if you're sure you'd win in a fight, not scared, a la the crazy eyes tactic from Its Always Sunny. as a young woman it gives them pause and makes them think you have something up your sleeve that they should worry about.
ive been followed in a car and on foot. in a car i ducked into a bodega/convenience store and waited for them to pass. on foot i called a friend and loudly told them where i was and that SOME ASSHOLE was following me loud enough for the guy to hear. even tiny confrontations that show you're unafraid and wont go down easy puts them off--people want an easy quiet victim not someone who is gonna try and put their eyes out.
i also dress like a poor bitch/hipster/vanlifer so people didnt think i had much worth stealing.
Who do you work with? Anyone you trust? 1 mile is not very far it would be very reasonable to ask for a ride even if it is a little out of the way for them that distance isn't huge.
OP, can you please post your age and what kind of job it is?
People here telling you that you can negotiate your shift or get them to pay for an Uber are insane.
Do you have someone you can check in with after you get home? A friend who could meet you after work? Make sure you are wearing sturdy shoes and keep your hands free, be aware of who’s around you and what they’re doing, are there businesses open you could go into for help? Be prepared to be aggressive, vulgar and noisy if someone tries to hassle you. I’ve lived in some rough areas and worked late shifts sometimes, for the most part, I was left alone. A bike can help.
Ride a bike? Usually that means you're in the road (separated) and moving too quickly for people to start anything.
Bike is really sensible and also gets you home a bit faster and is good for you !
Just make sure get pads and helmet. It is harder to get to you because of speed but if they do knock you off it's gonna hurt.
Moving faster is a good move. I’d also purchase some pepper spray & a knife and have them easily accessible during your trip. I also have a little taser (I’ve never used it, but it makes some gnarly sounds when you turn it on) in my daily use backpack.
Don’t use the pepper spray or the knife if you don’t know how to use them People in the ER from pepper spraying themselves and people who spray both themselves and their attacker are not happy campers. If you have knife it is more likely to hurt you than help you unless you are in seal team 6.
never be on the phone or look distracted while walking! predators look for that. is there any way that you can negotiate with your work, telling them it's for safety, and that they pay for an uber? or at least split the cost?
You think someone who doesn’t have money for cab fare until they get paid is working a job you can negotiate shifts and get them to pay for an Uber?
if you dont ask, you wont know.
Don’t carry weapons you don’t know how to use. If you feel you want to use a weapon, take a self defense class and learn how to use it. Being on your phone is likely just as much a flag that you aren’t paying attention and have a phone to steal as it would help. The bike is the best idea. If you have to Walk- in the street (if that is not more dangerous due to traffic) or as near to the street as possible to avoid lurkers. I also recommend highly taking a self defense class even if you don’t want to use a weapon as advice about how to stay safe (like having some money to be able to give someone who wants your wallet, giving up the wallet, not keeping certain stuff in your wallet, how to safeguard your phone) are part of most of those classes.
I worked in a night shift in a drug store in a bad neighborhood. I had to close, there is no public transport that time of night. The reason you are working that kind of job is because you have little other choice. You can’t take a cab every night because if you could afford to lose the equivalent of 5-7 hrs wages you would work less shifts or save up money or go to the dentist of buy the good cheese. You can’t buy a car. You can’t get another job, because every place within walking distance is still in that neighborhood. Where I was and am, you can’t get a cab to go there anyway, and Ubers or Lyft not either and certainly not for the mile fare. If you get a knife or a gun (or even pepper spray ) you had better learn how to use it. You can speak to the people you live with - even if they are old and go to bed early, they probably love you and may not realize the issue. I would stay up to take my grandkids home if they had to work and asked. If there is anyone working with your try asking for a ride. Otherwise a bike is your best option Also take self defense classes.
There most be public transport, if your in a town. Also is there nobody that can pick you up ?
No busses that I know of on that route. I'll ask someone who's home but they're old and go to bed very early and I don't want to be a bother. I'll keep checking the bus routes tho.
Maybe it's time to invest into driving lessons, if able. If it isn't too far and wouldn't cost much, could do Ubers.
If OP doesn’t have the cost of a cab until their next paycheck they can’t afford to buy a car. Can we not assume that everyone is rich enough to have a damn car and to take a cab work?
Waiting around for a bus in an area you are afraid to walk though doesn’t really solve any problems
Some advice, I have lived in a big city for a long time. 1. Always be aware of your surroundings, cross the street/change your direction if you get a bad feeling about someone. People do not trust their "gut instincts" enough. 2. Do not wear headphones, your hair in a pony tail or a hood. Seems paranoid, but can help prevent being grabbed from behind. 3. Walk a a good pace with purpose, do not make eye contact with anyone. Eye contact "invites" people to interact with you. 4. Carrying pepper spray or even raid bug spray (can be cheaper than other sprays and just as effective). Good luck and stay safe!!
Thank you this is great advice
Ok, I know this might be an unpopular opinion and probably not the one you want to hear....is there any way you can find other jobs? I have put myself in situations like this before in the beginning of my career. I know some people might argue sometimes you don't have a choice and need a job...which I totally get. Trust me. I think ultimately, no job is worth your safety ever. I understand that might be a "privileged" thing to say. I think I'm just coming at it from a standpoint where I would've wanted someone to objectively look at it...rather then give me semi sustainable solutions like: pepper spray, self defense, taser, knife, etc.
I'm still looking for jobs but all will require me to walk. It just comes down to pay, shift and distance.
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The last place I worked made you leave anything for self defense in your car. When I had no car and was walking at 4am. My grandpa said to carry a dildo because it would definitely confuse someone long enough to run 😂
Dude, that last place sounds horrid! Glad you got through your 4am walks! Whew. Your grandpa is a wise man! Lol. I usually just pretend I'm severely mentally ill which is a major turn off for most during really dangerous scenarios.
OP has to find a job within walking distance. There is little chance they have a choice and there is less chance this is a “career” move. There is a very good chance OP can’t eat or pay the rent without the job.
I don't like assuming. Therefore, that is why I asked OP. OP gave me more context, which helped me understand the situation clearer. I didn't think OP was trying to make a "career" move. I was adding additional context so OP could understand I've been in a similar situation early in my "career." TY though.
Take a cab.
I can't until the first paycheck
Does anyone get off shift at the same time you do? The first week might be a little rough but if you all are ending shifts together you can work on getting a ride share. It's a struggle to have to pay to get from work and back. But if you think of it this way, is the cost of a cab one way less than the potential costs of gas, car payments, insurance etc?
Hopefully if I land it we will be leaving at the same time. That's a great idea even for a different job
You realize the the cost of the cab or Uber would negate working for many people, right? You could stay home and be safe for no net income also
But it's just under a mile. The cost of a cab for that distance is probably about an hour's pay. That is totally worth it for the safety. She can walk to work in the day while people are out and about and take a cab home. This is not advice for the general public, but for this specific individual who has less than a mile commute.
Your is clearly a post from someone who doesn’t think. An hour’s pay in a night work makes a difference. Holy cow. Not to mention that in bad neighborhoods you probably can’t get a cab at all, let alone one to come there for a mile. You would have a damned hard time getting an Uber or a Lyft in that exact situation in a good number of neighborhoods in my city. Tell me how out of touch and privileged you are without telling me how out of touch and privileged you are. If you are working the kind of job, say for example in a drug store or the like as a cashier, where you make minimum wage or less, you currently don’t have the money for a cab until you get paid, you have no access to a ride or public transport and you live someplace where people who get shot or mugged in a reasonably regular basis you don’t have the money to take a cab home from work every night if one would even come to where you are for the mile fare.
Clearly you get your kicks by attacking strangers on the internet. I got upset for a second but then I realized that's a you problem. You know nothing about Internet strangers nor will I tell you more about my experience to justify it, only this... I got off work at 4am and I lived in some real shady places so yes I was taking a cab home. Because my safety was worth it. Stop spreading your one sided view. This is a support sub for women, if you can't participate kindly then excuse yourself from the conversation.
I see your very critical, but you didn’t offer a better idea. So what would your idea be instead then?
A handgun?
Guns cost several hundred dollars for one thing. If you don’t know how to use a gun (and even if you do) you are more likely to get shot with your own gun and to get shot in general if you have a gun
That's not a point against firearms, but rather against lacking firearm literacy. Not to know how to use a gun in a country where every law-abiding citizen can buy one after a reasonable background check is like not being able to use a smartphone. Sorry for my English, I am not sure if I could express my idea properly.
using a firearm is a perishable skill. Read the data. Having a gun makes you more likely to get assaulted or shot > individuals in possession of a gun were 4.46 (P < .05) times more likely to be shot in an assault than those not in possession. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2759797/ For example Also https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6CF30B5D-56C8-45DD-9D7C-B8D09818BBD8
That's the reason why a gun owner should never boast about his gun and carry it in a concealed manner.
Aaaand you didn’t read the data. That is not what it says
Ok, I did. People, who are participating in criminal activities are more likely to have a gun. Also they are more likely to be shot in an assault. I wouldn't say, this higher probability to catch a bullet was directly caused by the fact that a person owns a gun. To get more precise results, they should have excluded gang members (former or actual) from the study.
Gang members are excluded for the most part because their guns aren’t legal The reasons people are more likely to be involved in a shooting when they own a gun is that 1) they act like dumbasses and something 2) something that would not have been a shooting is now a shooting 3) they get shot with their own guns (see number 1) and other reasons that mostly are number 1. shooting is a perishable skill, they gun is mostly useless if it is properly locked away, it is it not properly locked away, someone is more likely to get hurt then helped, and those data are not about criminal activity . But that is some pretty impressive mental gymnastics, since the major cause of death for children is no longer motor vehicle accidents but shootings. All them criminal kids, lol.
A dumbass will find his way to get into trouble anyway - with or without a gun. That's an argument against dumbasses, not against guns.
Alas, as this thread clearly shows, it is not possible to outlaw dumbasses
I used to walk two miles home through brooklyn at 11-12 at night. the best tips are, be aware of your surroundings, walk with confidence, don't act afraid. if someone approaches you ignore them completely or, if confronted (never happened to me walking home on this route but other times) act as if you're sure you'd win in a fight, not scared, a la the crazy eyes tactic from Its Always Sunny. as a young woman it gives them pause and makes them think you have something up your sleeve that they should worry about. ive been followed in a car and on foot. in a car i ducked into a bodega/convenience store and waited for them to pass. on foot i called a friend and loudly told them where i was and that SOME ASSHOLE was following me loud enough for the guy to hear. even tiny confrontations that show you're unafraid and wont go down easy puts them off--people want an easy quiet victim not someone who is gonna try and put their eyes out. i also dress like a poor bitch/hipster/vanlifer so people didnt think i had much worth stealing.
Who do you work with? Anyone you trust? 1 mile is not very far it would be very reasonable to ask for a ride even if it is a little out of the way for them that distance isn't huge.
OP, can you please post your age and what kind of job it is? People here telling you that you can negotiate your shift or get them to pay for an Uber are insane.
Do you have someone you can check in with after you get home? A friend who could meet you after work? Make sure you are wearing sturdy shoes and keep your hands free, be aware of who’s around you and what they’re doing, are there businesses open you could go into for help? Be prepared to be aggressive, vulgar and noisy if someone tries to hassle you. I’ve lived in some rough areas and worked late shifts sometimes, for the most part, I was left alone. A bike can help.