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[embers]

I've never felt unsafe before. That may be surprising, as I live in New York City, but I've never really feared for my physical safety. I'm a big lady and I've always felt comfortable walking or biking or taking the train at any hour of the day or night

Comments

[thatsmydog]

wow, i'm shocked. i don't even know what to say, i'm just very glad to hear that you didn't get hurt.

could you take a safer route to wherever you need to go? is there anything you could carry that would make you feel safer?

[embers]

Thank you for your concern. Unfortunately, there's really no other way for me to get home. Because of the nature of my location (I live just south of a very large cemetery in Brooklyn) there's not a lot of options for routes home. I can't come directly from the north, and from the east or west there's really only one street that will take me by my house. It'd be one thing if it were a matter of navigating around some point farther away, but this was three blocks from my building -- it doesn't leave a lot of room to reconfigure.

As for carrying something on my bike -- I don't know what would make me feel safer. In that situation all I could do was pedal as hard as I could and hope that I was fast enough to get away. If I were actually assaulted on my bike, I'm not sure that anything I would carry would be readily accessible enough to pull out to be of much use.

[assimilate_me]

baaaaaaaaaaabyyyyyyy gurllllllllllllll oh my god!!! I'm calling you later. but for now I just wanna say I'm so happy you're safe and you should call dad and talk to him about it.. and maybe Ana?

[embers]

I really don't want to talk to mom and dad about it because I know it'll only make them worry. Mom is already freaked out about my riding my bike for traffic's sake -- why add fear of assault to that?

[holi_day]

You handled the situation well and that should let you hold on at least a little to your sense of security. Some people freeze up. I'm sorry that this happened, but you should remind yourself that you managed to get out of that as quickly as possible and you made it home safely. It's completely possible for you to do that again if, god forbid, that happens again. Maybe you should try not to go out so late, at least until you feel more comfortable after this whole ordeal. Like you said, you've lived in the city for a while and I know you're not stupid. I'm sure you're going to be okay. I hope you feel better and I'm sorry you went through something like that. Take care. ♥

[thieflikeme]

damn that blows. i'd just say maybe get a mirror for your bike and be aware of your surroundings and carry some pepper spray or something just in case. you could even go as far as to throw on a headset for your phone while you're biking and have an emergency number set up for easy dialing in such situations. other than that, i'd say just don't let them keep you from doing anything you have the right to do.

also, now i feel dumb that i didn't try to contact you before i went to nyc over the summer for my honeymoon. we even spent one evening in brooklyn with some of cari's friends at a couple of bars that i wish i could remember the names of.

anyway, hope you're doing ok. don't let the scum of the earth decide your life for you.