I need something that is legal but will protect me from dangers at night.
I got a job at a pub and have to walk 2km to the station in the city of Sydney.
I'm little bit scared.
Is Sydney safe at night?
Safety Equipment for Travelling at Night
Moneyinthebank on 01/10/2020 - 20:18
Comments
I actually can't ride a bike
Do the walk in daylight to see how it feels. Generally you'll be fine.
Have a buddy on hand to message/call them when you set off and confirm when you get there safely. Enable Find my iPhone (or equiv) and provide access to someone to be able to view it.
You could get a small torch if it's walking through dark alleyways and even an attention whistle if you wanted to.
That can't be true.
Also, taser.
Hmmm, interesting. How about… bikies?
Why? Not everyone learns to ride a bike.
@Flying Ace: Do they really not? I just assumed everyone learns to ride a bike as a kid. How do you ride with your friends if you can't ride?
Electric Scooter?
Mace spray… Pew Pew pew.
That's illegal
Would you rather be attacked or be legal? I know what I'd choose.
I suppose you could always call the cops, they'll be round in about 45 minutes, just ask the attackers to wait.
Would you rather be attacked or be legal?
If you are not worried about being legal, why stop at mace? Why not a knife or a gun?
@pegaxs: As above, guns are hard to get as well. Tasers are easy to get, easy to conceal, you aren't going to get in a huge amount of trouble in the extremely unlikely event you are caught with it. Same with mace.
@brendanm: And in the event that you lose the taser to the perp and they now have a weapon to use on their victim. There is a really strong possibility that a victim will be over powered and that a hand held taser would be ineffectual to say the least (they don't work well on clothed people and the getting it out, getting it armed and getting it to land a decent strike that works that also has to be considered.)
Mace or CS sprays will often backfire and end up coating everyone and everything. At times it may not even work on the intended target and only affect the person spraying it. Same applies. Get to it, get it out, get it pointed in the right direction and get it to fire on target in a stressful situation.
Knives… well, that's just stupid. By carrying a knife, you could turn an assault into something far more deadly if you lose control of the knife.
The carrying and use of weapons by untrained individuals quite often backfires on the victim. They either don't use it correctly, cannot ready the weapon in time or have that weapon taken off them in the altercation and then have that weapon turned on themselves.
Then there is the legal implication of reasonable force vs excessive/deadly force. There are plenty of court cases to look at where the victim has ended up being gaoled because their use of force to repel the attacker was considered extreme.
Unless you have practised with the intended weapon and are ruthlessly accurate with it, it's just not worth the risk when things do go wrong. Untrained people should not carry any weapon that can be used against them. If they feel they must, then I suggest a tactical pen or kubotan, something that isnt lethal, is easy to just grab and strike and isn't likely to be used against you if you lose control of it. And even then, I suggest they practice with it at home and get to know how it draw it, how it works and what do to with it.
Plenty of good illegal options, but the most convenient & affordable nanny-state approved option is a 140dB personal safety alarm. Something that you can press/twist that makes a horribly deafening sound, meant to distract anyone following/attacking you, and attract attention to yourself.
If you wear jewelry then they make pendants and bracelet versions, otherwise they make watch and key chain versions. A few combined devices that have rapidly strobing lights and sounds and can even send a configurable alert to your contact list depending on how much you want to pay.
Stay safe.
Stay on main streets
Avoid people that look intoxicated/suss.
Do not bury your head in your phone, do not listen to music too loudly.
Do not carry weapons. If you are confronted, flee and scream.
Sydney is pretty safe.
What if you are on a train
You can't flee and run if someone corners you in your seat
Sit next to the guard's cabin (has a blue light illuminated above the door, about half way along the train usually), so there's someone close by in the unlikely event you need assistance.
If someone does something what do you do
Just knock on his doorI never understood why it's safer near the guard's cabin
Dont sit down, and stay near the exit.
The city is plenty safe at night. Keep your wits about you, and don't pay too much attention to the drunks and you'll be fine.
In the CBD or another suburb?
OzBargain tshirt :)
I need something that is legal but will protect me from dangers at night.
A torch works well, you can use it to defend yourself. And a personal security alarm that emits a high frequency alarm when activated. I would also activate any Emergency Modes on your smartphone. Your best weapon would be to kick them straight in the nuts. 1 hit KO.
I got a job at a pub and have to walk 2km to the station in the city of Sydney.
I'm little bit scared.
Is Sydney safe at night?As with any place just be aware of what's going on around you… I know it's a terrible thing that U can't go home without feeling threatened… Especially for the ladies… There have been cases over the years in Melbourne where there have been horrendous assaults n murders.
Maybe if a colleague is with you they can walk with you? Or get a lift to the station if someone has a car? Or since you can't ride a bike how about an electric scooter?
A gun
- Make a point of where you walk, let others you trust know what path you take home and how long it takes. Msg them you are ok when you reach your destination.
- Stay out of dodgy "short cuts" and stay in well lit or high traffic areas.
- Don't drown out the environment by wearing headphones and staring at your phone screen. Stay alert.
- If you do get approached, and they want your shit, just give them your shit and throw it on the ground. If they bend over to pick it up, GTFO. Nothing you have on you is worth your life.
- Walk with someone else who lives nearby or is going to the same station.
- Don't advertise by popping in your Apple AirPods while you check the time on your Apple iWatch and update your Snapchat on your new Apple iPhone.
- Uber/taxi it, it's only 2km.
- But more importantly, DON'T take weapons. Apart from most being illegal, remember, if you lose/drop it or they get it, it can easily be turned against you. In most people's untrained hands, you are not going to be able to draw a weapon and use it effectively in the heat of the moment.
AK47
/thread
I had an exact one and it's a battery drainer even in storage. Don't buy.
Pull your pants down around your ankles and smear your body with poop. Walk up and down the carriage/street muttering to yourself. I guarantee nobody will want to mess with you.
What time of night we talking?
Compact, extremely bright LED torch with strobe to disorientate the attacker. It works, I've done it multiple times.
Electric scooter if legal in Sydney - if someone looks like they want to mess with you just zoom off
I can't be bothered using it and carrying it on the train
Sounds like you can't be bothered being safe.
Find the closest $2 shop near work and buy a $2 butchers knife after work every day, make sure you get the receipt too! Be prepared to use your brand new purchase if ncecessary. And just go home as per usual.
Feel free to resell your collection on ebay once or twice a month tor recoup your knife money.
be aware of your surrounding. That means. NO noice cancelling headphones. in face, no listening to music.
be on the phone with a friend while you are on that stretch of road. talk on speaker phone to announce that you care communicating with someone.
A bicycle with appropriate lights would suit you well.