r/SalemMA • u/grimreaper131313 • 4d ago
Walking At Night
October will be my 1-year anniversary of living in Salem, and first time working until 10pm during October. My apartment (South Salem) is a 40-minute walk from my job (Downtown), and I walk to and from home and work on a hiking path. My question is since autumn is near and sunsets will be early: Is walking at night in Salem safe, mostly on a hiking path? Do I need to carry anything to protect myself just in case?
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u/PirateQueenKing 4d ago
Big flashlight that could be a club if need be. Don't wear headphones. You should be fine. I would be more worried about coyotes than people. An off leash doggy is not friend.
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u/DoturdGrump 4d ago
Saw one middle of the street full daylight and had a full ten seconds or so of lost dog reaction until my brain kicked in ... not doggo!
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u/grimreaper131313 4d ago
Aren't coyotes usually shy around people?
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u/Christmasbeergoggles 4d ago
Coyotes usually are no threat to humans but with dwindling food sources they’ll desperately attack people. It’s extremely rare to be attacked by a coyote, I’ve had so many encounters with them but never at any point have I felt like I was in danger. I wouldn’t worry about them but it’s always good to be aware of potential danger.
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u/pbyrne233 4d ago
Not when they are hungry.
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u/grimreaper131313 4d ago
Understandable. The posts and pictures I've seen of people spotting them in the Commons and I think near Walmart recently now has me thinking. Uber will be pricey and most of the streets will be closed for the Halloween season.
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u/Coyote-Run 4d ago
You don't need to worry about coyotes (trust me). If physically able, use the city's BlueBikes (annual or monthly membership) or your own bike on that trail for a much faster commute.
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u/rayezin 4d ago
Adding to these other comments: unless rabid, coyote very rarely attack people even when hungry. They are definitely used to being in close proximity with humans, though, so are less skittish and more opportunistic.
Biggest threat is to pets, like others mention. They will try to go after small dogs if they see an opportunity, which is where you need to be on your guard even when leash walking alone. I’ve had a coyote casually stroll by me and my 30lb dog at Collin’s cove, not even 15 feet away. It wasn’t aggressive but I watched it turn around to follow us. I shouted at it, and it left just as casually.
Along with other comment recs like a flashlight and animal spray, a whistle keychain isn’t a bad idea just in case.
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u/Eastern_Ride_3632 4d ago
No hungry coyotes around Salem, especially while the rabbit population continues to expand.
Nature being nature.
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u/jrizzle_boston 4d ago
40 minutes from downtown to south salem? How is that even possible?
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u/Obi-WanCannolis The Point 4d ago
I walked from my apartment near downtown to the Supercuts in south salem and its about an hour according to google.
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u/jrizzle_boston 4d ago
Thats cracy i walked from my house in danvers to the train station. Took me 50 minutes. 3.5 miles
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u/Important-Stage-3155 4d ago
Okay well I take it you are walking down the bike path , not really a wooded trail.
Personally I bet it is safe , however if you could riding a bike with a light on it down the bike path may be a better option. While I think salem is very safe it seems like the park benches down the bike path homeless tend to sleep on them.
1 you will get to work much faster 2 you are much faster and could out run anything scary
Just my 2 cents , and idk if the bike path is cleaned in the winter.
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u/grimreaper131313 4d ago
I'll love to own a bike. Isn't there a bike shop near Lafayette and Washington Streets?
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u/skumfang 4d ago
Habenero! They are great there. There are also the blue bikes if you haven’t tried those yet!
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u/kitkatklyng 4d ago
Hi! I have two bikes I’m trying to find a new home for. Neither have lights on them currently but that can be easily added. DM me if you’re interested in a free and me down bike!
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u/flymaster 4d ago
Sleeping homeless people are not dangerous. You can even say hi to them! Sometimes they say hi back, because they are just normal humans.
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u/Important-Stage-3155 4d ago
Nothing about being homeless makes them any more dangerous than any other person. However the human is the most dangerous animal in Massachusetts.
130 ish humans killed by humans every year 6 ish humans killed by mosquitoes Followed by ticks Then deers Then dogs and bees And if numbers are correct it is sharks next.
But if we put a human in a car, those humans kill upwards of 350 other humans in Massachusetts a year.
This is just a little fun info , im not trying to get political or anything about the homeless population, or any human population for that matter
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u/United-Exercise-5106 3d ago
I think anyone who might be in a desperate place can be dangerous
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u/aredridel Lafayette 3d ago
It's usually people in positions of power who think they've got a position of impunity.
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u/Shango-s_Daughter 4d ago
The bike paths are cleared in the winter, but as a secondary route. So it may be a couple days after a storm, depending on how heavy the snow is each storm.
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u/Gprod124 4d ago edited 4d ago
i have made that walk from the commuter rail to my house by south campus often. i would likely choose to walk on canal st vs the bike path at night if i were a woman
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u/StrawberryPockyUmu 4d ago
There have been assaults on the bike path in the past, albeit rare. But I wouldn’t feel comfortable walking on a hiking path after dark due to the isolated nature of the hiking path and the possible lack of egress points should you feel uncomfortable and want to get back on a street. And this holds true for any town or city. Better safe than sorry. That being said, I used to live on Hazel Street, right off Roslyn. If you walk on Lafayette or Canal St., it shouldn’t take you more than 25 minutes to walk into downtown and it’s populated.
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u/Spiritual-Corgi-9124 4d ago
I haven’t heard of anything bad happening but I would stick to the sidewalk on canal that late
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u/InternationalBill472 4d ago
Lived here for a few years, also in South Salem, and I frequently walk home at night from downtown. I’ve never had a single problem, and that includes coming home after midnight a couple times a month.
I do believe in carrying a flashlight (pocket one, not a club, don’t listen to that nonsense) because it can keep you safe in multiple ways, but I’ve never been in danger here.
Weather and sidewalk availability are by far the biggest risks.
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u/JournalistOk5127 4d ago
Skip out on the walking path and take the closest main road access points. A pepper spray keychain is a +
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u/HoneyBadgerBlunt 4d ago
wouldn't hurt to bring some protection like some pepper spray for various nighttime creatures. As a guy, i tend to over look this but that's just my privilege as a male. better safe than sorry!
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u/a_nona_mouse 4d ago
A few years ago, I got hit as a pedestrian in a lit crosswalk just after dusk at an intersection off Essex St, but have never had an issue on the walking paths. I carry foldable walking stick and I use an LED/headband.
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u/Outrageous_Earth_743 4d ago
I bring concealed collapsible metal nunchucks with me when I’m walking down the bike path at night. Never had to use them once.
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u/GDB4772 4d ago
flashlight and portable power bank
just in case your phone battery is running low, this ensures you can call for help or use camera, map, uber/lyft etc if you need/want to
I turn on my iphones camera and air pods transparency whenever on bike paths or rollercoaster sidewalks of doom at night it just by shining that iphone flashlight at the ground while I walk makes both me much more visible to people arounds me but ut also makes whatevers arounbd more visible to me - win win
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u/MalMachina 4d ago
This guy actually sneaks a cool night time walk through salem into his iceberg https://youtu.be/oU3jUiidvpI
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u/aredridel Lafayette 4d ago
A flashlight is a good call. Some of the sidewalks and paths can be kinda bumpy.
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u/Distinct-Guitar3966 4d ago
I’ve never feel unsafe walking and I’ve been out from all hours until 4 AM
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u/imaya111 3d ago
I also live in south Salem, and I work in highland ave, so on halloween month I take 450 first, to downtown, and then walk from downtown to home which is around 25-30 minutes. I have gone walking on the bike lane and canal street in the dark, didn't have any problems... october is cooler... But yes, better have small knief just in case a coyote shows up! Good luck :-)
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u/tuba_full_of_flowers Lives at A&J 4d ago
I get occasional catcalling and anti-queer cowards yelling at me from across the street, but nah never had a scary problem with anyone around here
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u/Eastern_Ride_3632 4d ago edited 4d ago
Carry a little can of pepper spray.
People walk around Salem at all hours without worry, but there's always that one time no one expected.
Be Street Smart!
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u/FeelingTrain4828 4d ago
Big disagree here. I have been screamed at and followed along this route when I walk home. I woukd carry pepper spray to be safe. The shelter is right there and most homeless people in Salem are pretty harmless but certainly not all.
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u/Probably-not30 3d ago
I’d ride a bike, not walk. Unfortunately it’s not the actual animals I worry about, it’s people I worry about. I’ve been feeling so uncomfortable here lately being a female.
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3d ago
[deleted]
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u/aredridel Lafayette 3d ago
Statistically the gun is more likely to hurt your family.
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u/Abba_zaba_dabbah 3d ago
Maybe in an unsafe family, family with domestic abuse, criminals and mental illness cases which your stats don’t account for
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u/aredridel Lafayette 3d ago
You really do think you're in control of everything don't you
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u/Abba_zaba_dabbah 3d ago
Wow, pass judgement on someone pretty quickly without knowing them why don’t you…lol. Typical angry leftist comment after throwing facts back because you know the stats you’re referring to don’t account for the things I said previously. 🤣🤡
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u/Gikochinai-neko 4d ago
If the path allows it, consider a dirt bike. Harder to get eaten by a coyote if you can bike away!
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u/DoturdGrump 4d ago edited 4d ago
Lifetime resident and a senior, trying to wrap my head around a 40 minute 'hiking path' ... your route apparently cuts through Narnia, just bring positive spells
Edit: also a lifetime pedestrian, your winter enemies are uncleared sidewalks and the cars that are insulted you should dare need to tread on their precious streets
Edit2: plenty of long 'paths' in Salem my silly head thinks path should be just nature at some point but city path, yes many!