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ashalottagreyjoy t1_j9ph0d1 wrote

I did this walk.

It was sometimes scary, frequently boring. Depending on the time of night, you’ll find it’s boring more often than not.

But what it is is empty. Very empty. On Howard, there are apartment buildings but they are totally noise-isolated so you’re basically alone on that stretch.

I used to take the last light rail from Hanover to Lexington Market and walk down Saratoga to Clay. It would be past 11pm. I’m a woman. I worried about it quite a bit but after I did it for awhile, it felt routine and I never encountered an issue.

That isn’t to say I couldn’t have. It’s frequently surprising to me that I never had a moment where I felt really afraid. Mostly just jumpy and nervous.

Don’t take Cathedral. It’s more likely you’ll run into trouble going that way. Take Charles all the way down. There are convenience stores and restaurants along the way. It’ll be the least lonely part of your walk.

Better yet, get really comfortable with those scooters! It’ll be your best bet to zip right through without running into a problem.

But tl;dr - I did this walk. I never had a problem, but it always felt like I could. Be careful. Be aware. Don’t wear noise canceling headphones. Don’t carry anything super valuable.

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YoYoMoMa t1_j9pl7r6 wrote

This is the best advice here imo.

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ashalottagreyjoy t1_j9psht2 wrote

Thank you.

I got a lot of flack from coworkers who are lifelong city residents that warned me all the time what I was doing was dangerous.

They’re right, of course. But if you have to do something - like find the safest route to walk at night because you can’t afford a car - it’s better to be informed.

It’s risky, OP. I don’t know if I’d still be doing it if I had to. That walk is the entire reason I learned to drive and bought a car, paid for insurance, and a parking spot in my building. It’s not a trek to plan lightly!

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maudlinmary t1_j9qdggm wrote

Yeah, I’m looking at that route and “lonely” is definitely the best word for it. Not outright dangerous, but isolated, which is risky. If I were her (and OP, I hope you are safe and happy in all of your strolls!) I would walk down Baltimore then up Charles. Lots of traffic, public transit lines, good lighting, and hotels with valets keeping their eye on the outside.

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ashalottagreyjoy t1_j9qeisv wrote

Baltimore is the best bet here for sure. I used Saratoga because that was my terminus street and I was exhausted and lazy most nights. But it’s not necessarily the safest way.

From Howard until you hit Lexington - three blocks, at least - you’re completely alone with a lot of boarded up shops. It’s very sketch, especially with all those random blind alleyways - portways? - stuck between the buildings. It can be alarming and worrying.

Stick to busier streets, OP, but even that don’t let it make you let down your guard.

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maudlinmary t1_j9qjzei wrote

Park and Saratoga aren’t bad in those stretches, but they are sparsely populated. It’s my secret driving route through the city because it’s almost entirely empty all the time, even at rush hour.

Kudos to you for being an independent lady getting where she has to go no matter what people say - I stopped walking a lot of places when I moved to the city, which is ridiculous because that’s half the reason to live in a city to start with

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OilComprehensive6237 t1_j9q4v1l wrote

I live in this hood. Can confirm this is the right answer. Take the long way on Charles. It is a nice walk.

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ashalottagreyjoy t1_j9qf8ig wrote

Also, OP, not to sound paranoid, but one of the best things I ever did working late night in the city and feeling unsafe was to make a point of stopping into a convenience store relatively frequently along my walk.

It took a little longer, but I ended up becoming friendly with people at the counter and they looked out for me.

It also helps in case you ever do feel unsafe along your walk to have a spot to duck into. :)

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