I'm going to get stabbed walking to work

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I live about a 30-minute walk from work but I usually catch a bus. But for the last 3 weeks the buses have been very unreliable and not been turning up when they should, resulting in me arriving late for work. So I have been walking to work to avoid the risk of being late. It's a nice walk and I'm glad I'm getting the exercise, but I am becoming terrified of the crime that has been going on in this town lately. People seem to be getting stabbed more and more often, and it's making me feel vulnerable to walk to work. Winter is coming, which means the nights will be longer and I will soon be walking to work in the dark. The last couple of streets on the route are rather lonely, but that is the only way to get to where I work (any other ways are even more lonely).

I believe the severe unreliability of the buses are due to roadworks on one of the busiest roads in town - and I heard these roadworks are going to take well over a year. So I've got months and months of this anxiety of walking alone to work.

I am so terrified of being a target for angry weirdos with knives. I know usually street stabbings are caused by conflict of some sort, but even so, what are these people doing taking knives out with them in the first place? It's making me feel frightened, and I have a feeling I will be targeted one of these days on my way to work.

There is no other way. If I wait for the bus I'm afraid it might not come, even if I arrive to the bus stop an hour beforehand, which I have done before and it still didn't turn up. I can't really ask for a ride by co-workers because we start shifts at different times and I don't want to be a burden anyway. I don't want to get a cab because one cab ride will cost me a lot and I can't really afford it. I don't drive and even if I did I would not afford to run a car.

So I'm trapped. Why do people have to stab people for? What is the matter with this town?

I'm sorry you're feeling this way, Joe.

Truthfully, very few people are in the streets to stab people. They have more important things to do. Like you, they have to get to work, or are coming home from work.

I wish the buses ran better. I wish there weren't road works.

Which shift do you work?

Why would people be in the streets with a knife? After I was assaulted by a tweaker outside of my apartment a few months ago, I always carry a knife with me. *shrug*

I would definitely be cautious. On one hand, yes most people on the streets have better things to do than stab you. On the other hand, the people on the streets who don't have anything better to do can sometimes act unpredictably, and this can be amplified at night.

A huge factor in whether or not you are targeted comes down to whether or not you look like a target. There are things you can do to decrease your chances such as not wearing fancy things or looking wealthy. Look like you have somewhere to be and you know where you are/how to get where you're going. I was walking home through backstreets wearing a suit carrying a multithousand dollar camera I had borrowed from uni when I was attacked. So don't do what I did.

I work evenings. Thankfully getting home isn't a problem because my boyfriend picks me up then, but when I start work he is still at work so can't always take me in, unless he finishes early then he will.

It's just scary when I see all these news articles about people getting stabbed in my town, even near my street. There has been a serial killer who stabbed and killed 2 random people on the streets just for no reason, and for a few months the police couldn't catch him, so he was running around looking for a third victim to kill. Somebody finally caught him lurking about in some bushes stalking someone, and he was reported and caught. He admitted being guilty of the stabbings and he is locked away now. I just hope they don't ever let him out, as he is dangerous. Apparently he thought his crime was funny in court. What an evil, horrible creep. I hope he is getting beaten and arse-raped in prison.

But it's people like that who put you off. People say "oh there's stabbings everywhere" but some towns have higher crime rate than others, and this town is full of aggressive people.

In the UK it's illegal to carry weapons around.

Is there not a bus before your bus?

Here the buses come every 15-20 mins so if one was being late regularly
I take the one 20 mins before.

I agree with your point about it being crime related, dealers wanting to protect themselves from customers who

can't pay or from other dealers. It's scary to be around and not nice but you are definitely not the target.

The bus I get does come every 15-20 minutes but even when I've arrived to the bus stop even half an hour or more before the one I usually get, there's still none that turn up. That's what's so frustrating, waiting for nearly an hour for a bus. I start getting very agitated and it causes me to have panic attacks.

My friend told me that walking to work during the rush hour is the safest time on the streets because there are lots of cars about and the streets are well-lit. But part of the walk gets rather quiet where not many cars or people are going by, and if it's dark I will feel paranoid.

Perhaps due to the construction it’s not server your stop ? Our buses do that and post the information online.

Just waited 30-40 mins for bus that never showed. So the next one came and is now super packed cause all the other Buses kept coming and dropping more people off

look. i get that scare u have. i really do. its scary. me, i've grown up in time and space where we'd treat terrorism and crime as enviromental hazard. i had been assaulted multiple times myself. not with a knife though. i had barely evaded being caught in the literal blast more than once. i guess i've gone numb to a point. taken it in my system and never out of it. i know what can happen when i walk the dark street. or even not dark. way too good, up close and personal. i do it, when i have to. life is a terminal process anyways. then again, i am used to be dealing with being scared. to me, talking to people poses the same level of threat as walking a dark street. connecting with people, even more. every time i let somebody inside my shells, i know what damage can be done to me. i do it, same as i go out in the dark, if i have to. because otherwise i'd be more isolated than i can take. i am sorry if i am not helping u. but u just.have.to.deal with being terrified. step over fright. do it again. there is no other way.

Ask yourself how much of the money you have, you actually need. Write down a list of everything you buy in a week, or a month. Consider what you could eliminate and what you could buy cheaper.

Then maybe think about applying for part time jobs that are only in daytime and if you get them, you could quit this one.

Try to find the local Citizens' Advice Bureau too and make an appointment to see them. Ask them if you're claiming all the tax credits you're entitled to and if you are getting all the benefits you're entitled to as well. You could also ask them how working less hours would affect how much money you have. They will probably give better advice than me because I'm not entirely sure how the system all works.

Ever consider carpooling with someone at your job that works the same shift temporarily?

You could get a taser, stun gun or some other self-defense weapon to carry with you.

and if u do, dont brandish it. keep it hidden but easy to reach

That's rite. With winter coming she could keep it in a front coat pocket & keep her hand in there on it & everyone would just think she's trying to keep her hands warm.

I agree with Fifasy about checking out if you are claiming everything you may be entitled to. You may be surprised.

If you can get some extra money then perhaps you could afford a taxi or perhaps a bike or even an electric bike could help you feel a little more secure.

I wish there were more “shared taxi” type vehicles.

Taxis are very expensive. In the UK, even more expensive than in the US.

A 30 minute walk is good exercise. I would worry more about roundabouts than about somebody stabbing you.

Bikes are not ideal on UK curvy urban roads. I wouldn’t ride an electric bike on a UK curvy road(or even a US straight one).

At least your boyfriend comes with you sometimes.

You seem to like your job. I’d keep it.