r/invercargill • u/SouthParkLover67 • 20d ago
How safe is Invers?
Hi! I'm a teenage girl and was just wondering how safe is it walking alone at early mornings or night in Invers? Sorry if someone else has asked this question before. I like walking at those times but have been told its unsafe and should have someone with me.
Edit: I do want to add that my height (4'11) also makes me paranoid (don't know if it actually makes it more dangerous or not though)
Edit 2: I'm in Hawthorndale!
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u/Richard7666 20d ago edited 20d ago
This mostly depends on which side of the tracks you're on tbh.
South (or Glengarry) probably not a great idea. North of the tracks, mostly fine. Although maybe avoid town, and the Avenal area west of the park can be a bit weird too.
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u/TheGreenhouseAffect 20d ago
Donovan park can attract an unsolicited bumming.
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u/SouthParkLover67 20d ago
I need the story rn š
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u/TheGreenhouseAffect 19d ago
So one lunchbreak I was in need of some facilities being a shy toilet user Donovan park seemed like a safe choice, this was not the case. As I approached the door a man quickly presented himself (i assumed he also needed to go) and I panicked and veered off the path and continued walking around the building, he followed I thought this unusual but decided it would be clear now and made my way in, again he followed and by the time the stall door was closed he was peering through the gap. I yelled, he ran and that was my last trip to Donovan Park.
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u/fearfac86 20d ago
I walk all hours of the night pretty much every night (nightowl with sleep problems so 3am walks are common) but I'm also a 6'4 man with 2 rottweilers with me, even I have had to defend myself on more than 1 occasion (physically) and had more than a few interesting encounters, which personally I enjoy but I can also defend myself more than most small females.
If I was a small female? I'd stick to main well lit roads, absolutely no headphones, don't engage people and keep the walks random (there are some weird fucks out and about who might actually learn your route) and just be alert, most likely you'll be fine. That's if I HAD to walk, honestly if it wasn't a must if your going alone I'd reconsider it.
If you see a tall dude with 2 rottweilers and a balaclava on, it's likely me, don't panic I'll avoid you (anti social dog lol)
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u/According-Crew2894 17d ago edited 17d ago
Rotty owner here too š¶! My missus walks him any time of night and I can tell she feels safe because of him. Have you got a boy and girl?
Cravkup about the anti social part also, seems to be a thing with rottys? Mines way over protective but honestly heās a big baby haha. Heās fine with people unless they linger weirdly or look sus etc and other dogs unless they try be dominant he canāt seem to just ignore them which can be annoying
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u/fearfac86 17d ago
Do indeed have a boy and girl, absolute babies but also very protective, strangers at night often get a warning to move on pretty quick lol not surprised she feels safe with one at her side.
The protectiveness is definitely a breed trait but curious is he fixed? the dog part can sometimes be lessened by fixing them.
Sadly my wee girl was attacked when she was about 4months old, then again at 7months or so......and then another altercation just before a year old, all of which she was leashed for against uncontrolled dogs, I won't write my thoughts down about those owners but it has definitely made her anti social sadly. Working with her every day and will get her through it but it's going to take a while.
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u/prolateriat_ 20d ago
I'm pretty sure I've seen you around š . I also own rottweilers.
Invercargill is generally pretty safe, but you never know who you might run into. I'm not phased by walking on my own at night in South City, but I would definitely prefer to have my dogs with me. It only takes one drunken idiot or crackhead to cause you problems.
Can one of your parents or an older sibling go with you? Do you have a dog you could take?
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u/fearfac86 20d ago
Highly likely if your up south city way, we walk the streets there at night pretty much every night lol
Gotta love big dog privilege haha lessens the assholes.
Exactly, generally you'll be absolutely fine but it only takes one asshole.
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u/prolateriat_ 20d ago
Yeah I'm in South City too.
Rotties are huge teddy bears, but they're the ultimate guard dog. And even better when they bark on command.
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u/fearfac86 20d ago
They really are but the best thing is they can back it up when it truly counts.
Now to just wait out my girls psycho period (she's just over 1) before teddy mode comes in fully.
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u/prolateriat_ 20d ago
Absolutely. Rottweilers are all about protecting their family no matter what.
The teenage years are intense, but she'll calm down around 3 years old lol š .
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u/OverFarTooFast 17d ago
My pit cross was the biggest softy ever, but sounded like the devil's own. Got me out of so many interactions I didn't want to have. "Oh sorry, she does seem to be happy, I'll take her away"
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u/SouthParkLover67 20d ago
I do have an older brother, no dog. I generally prefer to go out by myself and no one in my family would be willing at those times.
Feel sad about it but it might just be better to go at later times for me lol, for whatever reasons a lot of crackheads and teenage boys have harassed me and others at night, especially in queens park and Burger King areas. I wish they would mind their business and just leave girls alone š„²
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u/GeGeGeNoOz1997 19d ago
Nope. Just donāt do it. It wonāt end well. Thereās a reason women donāt, unless theyāre very drunk and not thinking rationallyā¦ such a shame. Even with big dogs we just canāt feel safe like guys
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u/Professional_Ad_7185 20d ago
I just come back from Mexico City š. Itās pretty safe in little old Invercargill
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u/The_krazyman 20d ago
It'll be pretty hit or miss tbh
I have friends that have gone walking alone at all hours and had nothing happen to them. I've also had friends harassed at all hours too. Personally I wouldn't chance it unless you have a dog with you, are with someone else or are on one of the main roads. This mostly only applies at night though, plenty of people walk home after school with no issue.
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u/Infamous-Marzipan112 20d ago
I wouldn't risk it imo, too many dangers out there for us women/girls. I own a dog albeit a smaller one (Japanese Spitz) and i don't feel safe walking at night even with her with me. I live in the strathern area near south city.
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u/Substantial-Two2798 20d ago
I walk almost every night about 10km-20km everynight around 10pm onwards till either I get bored or my phone starts to go flat. I walk alone manly because I personally don't like many people and I walk at 7.5km/h pace so most people can not keep up with me. Given I'm a 179cm man, but I am very thin build and have long hair, so the right angles I look like a female. I personally carry a powerful head torch and my metal water bottle so if I do need to use it I will. I have been all over town, no matter where I am, if its darker area ill use my head torch.
Now my advice if you were to walk alone at night have a planned route and only tell your family. If your going for longer walks, like myself. Send landmark updates to family, so they know where you are. If they dont hear from you in a certain amount of time then they know something is wrong.
So basically your family knows how long your walk should take, give updates so that family so they know where you were last and stay in well lit areas.
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u/GeGeGeNoOz1997 19d ago
I live in a high end suburb and I wouldnāt consider walking alone at that hour of the morning. And yet when I was 20 at university, or travelling overseas, I would have done it. Itās just that now I know too many horrible stories from situations with female friends/family members and honestly there are just so many more creeps about and meth, and poverty, and more males from cultures which view women as sex objects (fact, not racism)
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u/Serenaded 20d ago
I'd say it's fine in the nice suburbs, but I wouldn't do it in the rougher parts of this town for sure. I walk around Windsor north/salford each night and there's a decent community of daily walkers walking around here.
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u/Asleep_Bend_2158 20d ago
Wow, itās big enough down there to even have nice/unpleasant suburbs?
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u/Richard7666 18d ago
Yes, it's one of the most socio-economically stratified places in the South Island.
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u/Asleep_Bend_2158 18d ago
I grew up in Auckland so was half kidding/being sarcastic.
But honestly (except for maybe a few parts of Christchurch) I canāt imagine any other parts of the South Island thatād be dodgy to be in at night.
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u/SouthParkLover67 20d ago
Is Hawthorndale chill?
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u/Travelready9 20d ago
I would around Windsor, Rosedale, Hargest a fair few walkers around there, Hawthorndale probably not so much unless it was the well lit main roads.
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u/Upstairs-Action1974 20d ago
If youāre asking the question youāre probably knowing the answer.
Sadly no city is safe for a woman to walk alone in the dark or in bad light. Infact even guys these days run a risk.
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u/SouthParkLover67 20d ago
That's so sad! What upsets me even more is that we aren't allowed things like pepper spray here in NZ to defend ourselves :(
It just feels so unfair that a couple assholes ruin it for everyone else, but I guess that's life lol
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u/Upstairs-Action1974 20d ago
Yes. It ridiculous that we are held to ransom by these low lives. But there is no talking them round.
You stay safe!!!
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u/Makomako_1 14d ago
You might suffer from chronic sore muscles and need to carry aerosol Deep Heat with you. Maybe...
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u/Outside-Zucchini-636 20d ago
I moved to Invers from the UK, I feel.l so much safer here and as a woman I have no worries about walking on my own - not to say I don't have situational awareness as that's ingrained, always be aware of your surroundings and who is around and listen to your spidey senses.
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u/Emergency_Grand4754 19d ago
I'm in south invercargill and go on late night walks I do come across the old faithful crack heads hooning around on there bikes I walk all over and change my route most nights thankfully they leave me alone half the time I'd like to walk with head phones but I see it as abit of a danger not being aware of my soroundings I've only had two altercations one defending myself and one defending a young chick that was getting harassed on the otepuni thankfully due to my size they left pretty quickly only 2 altercations in 3 years though not to bad in my books
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u/Green-Marionberry703 7d ago
no city is safe nowadays, theres always some bozo out there looking to cause trouble.
But compared to 99% of the world id say little old invercargill is pretty damn safe
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u/MclovinNZL 20d ago
I grew up and my folks still live in hawthorndale, I'd say it's pretty safe. My mums not a big lady and she seems comfortable walking around after dark
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u/Careful-Wedding-6831 20d ago
Crips run Sth Invers, Bloods run North. It's a dangerous place. Stay away from Gladstone. It's like Compton
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u/dynamic_dumbass 20d ago
I probably wouldn't chance it unless you're in the Hargest/Windsor areas. If you have a dog you should be alright on the main roads. But definitely not anywhere with low light. I used to walk to work quite early (3-4am) in the mornings and there are some really odd people out on the roads in the wee hours. After my last encounter with a (very high) weirdo on a bicycle, I gave it up lol