# How much of a risk am I really taking?



## ABGT170 (Feb 20, 2008)

Been pondering this in my head for a while and I'm interested to get other people's perspectives.

I live in a very small rural village of a couple of hundred people and about a mile outside is a small wood which is privately owned but has a bridleway in a 6 km loop running through it. The wood is worked commercially by its owner and therefore the track (mud/stone) is kept in very good condition. It would be unusual to see anyone else when you're up there. I've run and mountain biked with the dog through the woods since we've lived here but now obviously I'm forced to do it at night. Dog wears vis vest and strobe I wear vis vest and head torch and we both really enjoy it. 

My question though: as a 27 year old male, reasonably fit but by no means trained in self defence or a "fighter" by nature, how much of a personal safety risk am I taking going up there alone at night? 

What do you think? There is no risk of getting lost and if I injured myself there is mobile signal and I always leave a note of departure time and expected return so people know where I am.


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

Safety risk has nothing to do with how well you are trained. I don't care how good someone is, you can't train for crazy, what matter is how aware are you, how are your peripherals and could they keep up with you if they wanted to :thumb:


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## chrisc (Jun 15, 2008)

nope scares **** out of me if i go too far and i live next to a wood


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## ABGT170 (Feb 20, 2008)

stangalang said:


> Safety risk has nothing to do with how well you are trained. I don't care how good someone is, you can't train for crazy, what matter is how aware are you, how are your peripherals and could they keep up with you if they wanted to :thumb:


Agree risk bears no relation to training/ability but if a risk presented itself training would help you control the outcome to a certain extent.

I'd say I am alert, as is the dog but if there was some crazed lunatic out there and they wanted to be hidden I doubt I'd spot them until it was too late. But what's the likelihood of that and what would their interest be in me ultimately!


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## Jem (Aug 10, 2007)

Wouldn't bother me at all. You said it's unusual to see anyone up there, and if you do it's very unlikely they would be a nutter, even less likely they would do anything to you, and even less likely you couldn't handle it.


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## alipman (May 10, 2007)

This is an interesting thread.
As I run off road most of the summer and less during the winter its quite a similar situation to me.

What is it that you would be worried about?
The feeling of being all alone in the dark? Someone giving you some physical danger? What happens if you fall and are unable to make that call (unconscious)?
If you are confident in your own ability and have thought of each eventuality then you can but try.

Switching it on its head, maybe people will think that YOU are a nutter and keep well clear, because you are MTB'ing in the dark. It may work in your advantage.

Could you go with a friend for the first couple of times and assess it? See if anyone else hangs around there.

Kudos to you for giving it a go.
My running club has a route that takes on a path that abut 1/2 mile long and unlit but as we run in a group the worse thing is not being able to see.


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## ABGT170 (Feb 20, 2008)

@alipman I am already heading up there alone and have been for a while but the risk question has just been playing on my mind. Running in a pair would be my preferred but I don't know anyone local enough that would be keen unfortunately.

It's interesting, I'm less concerned about being out on the MTB. I have a very good lighting setup and would be able to outrun any issues. Although, as you rightly say, with the increased speed of the bike comes the increased risk of injuring myself with a fall.

I think I am afraid being in physical danger from someone up there, the other risks don't concern me anywhere near as much. But as Jem says perhaps it is a sort of diminishing risk thing: chance of seeing someone low, chance of them being crazy very low, chance of them being crazy and wanting to hurt me tiny.

Maybe I just need a dose of man up?!


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## alipman (May 10, 2007)

You are probably right, its an ever decreasing risk.
If you came across anyone else up there they are probably just as likely to be scared of you being on a bike.

Man up! Lol


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## SurGie (Aug 6, 2010)

Paranoia is the main problem here.

A good dog will smell anyone about and will instinctively know if they are up to something, a big torch helps too.


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## alipman (May 10, 2007)

SurGie said:


> Paranoia is the main problem here.


You are right on this one.
Problem is that we live in a society where people can flip and do some crazy S*** against others. But then the chances of something happening is ridiculously small.

That torch needs to be heavy too :thumb: and made of metal, just in case.


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## ABGT170 (Feb 20, 2008)

SurGie said:


> Paranoia is the main problem here.
> 
> A good dog will smell anyone about and will instinctively know if they are up to something, a big torch helps too.


Yep, more than happy to accept that. I just couldn't make my mind up but I'm reassured by the views here and that's what I'd hoped for.

Big Maglite would do the job but might slow me down on the run!


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## m1pui (Jul 24, 2009)

You've already said its a small community and you rarely see anyone so why do you suddenly worry that some crazy mofo's are going to head out there, just because it's dark?

Are you going to be going out at the same times as you were in the lighter nights? 

The chances are, the dog walkers you see will be out there still as they will keep their routines throughout the year.

Is there any history of problems reported there on the papers or word among the community?

Don't worry about not having experience in fighting and self defence either. You know how to kick someone in the nuts, gouge an eye or something equally quick and painful, even holding your door key between your fingers whilst running. Should the worst happen, playing dirty is fair game. But I'd be almost certain that you would never have to do anything like that. 

The important thing is that you should run with confident body language and don't look nervous or scared.


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## Turkleton (Apr 18, 2010)

Sounds like you're gonna die, batten down the hatches!


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## gillywig2 (Jan 13, 2009)

I go out at night on my road bike, mostly on very quite and remote lanes. It can get spooky, but helps with the speed. I recently watched Jeepers Creepers and that was playing on my mind as I was riding.
Give these a try before your run, should add a bit of adrenaline!
http://www.imdb.com/list/YsxEQjK2Vzg/


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## Arthur Dent (Aug 2, 2011)

If we worried about the unknown and maybe`s then we would never do anything never mind have any fun.

I have frequently run at night with nothing more than a headtorch, map, compass and necessary safety kit over the Welsh, Scottish and English mountains never really thought about meetting nutters (but many folk reckon I am one)

No risk no fun in my book


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## Kriminal (Jan 11, 2007)

ABGT170 said:


> Yep, more than happy to accept that. I just couldn't make my mind up but I'm reassured by the views here and that's what I'd hoped for.
> 
> *Big Maglite would do the job but might slow me down on the run*!


^ think of it as added weight for endurance/stamina training :thumb:


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