Saturday 29 November 2008

night's dark agents

I drove up to Nottingham with young K after school yesterday; it's an away weekend for her. As the sun set, we watched mist rolling down from the tops of the Cotswolds in a very dramatic way. And then the fog set in pretty solidly.

I was very late back to Bristol, and thought that I'd have a mooch around Avonmouth to find something photogenic. Apart from the car I was driving, of course.



...and then I went out early in the morning, because it's nice to be abroad early. I took this picture in Clifton...



...though I kept a weather eye open for other people. There have been five sex attacks in Clifton over the last fortnight. The local police have helpfully published advice on staying safe, which basically involves not going out alone or after dark if you're a woman. Hmm. As Annie points out in her blog, why not tell the men to stay at home instead?

There is a Facebook group now, organising a Reclaim The Night demo. I want to join in with it, as it affects both me and young K - knowing, as she does, about the events in Clifton, she was worried, when we were climbing up Glastonbury Tor in the dark last week, that there might be someone posing a threat there too. As it was, there were a couple of hippies... mostly harmless...

...

7 comments:

  1. I remember it getting dark around half four when I lived in the UK.Does that mean that women who live alone must stay in during the hours of darkness.? (oops I've just read what Annie says - the same). They cut down all the bushes by our village school - to stop the lurkers.

    It's important not to live in fear.

    Your car is so photogenic!

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  2. Lovely atmospheric pics!

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  3. Yes those photos are excellent. The first one, especially - really first rate Dru :-)

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  4. Good photos, well executed - it pays to make the effort to be in the right place at the right time. Note: I have never been a lover of old cars, no sentimental attachment to an ancient marque, yet, somehow I have become rather fond of your MT - it seems to be developing a life of its own.

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  5. Been up the Tor in the dark so many times! the worst you'll find is the odd sheep, or drunken traveller.
    It's best in a thunderstorm!
    We used to get a little crazy and go up there during storms, I loved that.. Almost got struck more than once..

    That's scary, I used to also live in Clifton, and walked around all the time by myself at night!

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  6. It does rather look as though women are expected to stay at home, Anji... K is fearful of the dangers of darkness now, thanks to this business. Which is something to be countered.

    Thanks for complimenting the pics, Bristle, Caroline and Jo :-)

    ...I'm fairly ambivalent about the liking of old cars, Neil; what I like mostly about the Trav is its simplicity. I think. O well, I just like it.

    Blimey, Chandira, that sounded extremely dicey! The Tor in a thunderstorm, that is, not the wandering around Clifton.

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