I generally feel safe in my area even at night so i dont think about it too much but there are times when you do get shook up, i've had some times where the car behind you slows down and your sure it following or it stops up ahead and waits, freaks me out sometimes but its usually nothing but paranoia. There was one time a guy who was drunk came up and said " i see you walking your dog, what your name?" i just said i don't think so and walked on and he shouted "i didn't want to know anyway" lol but that scared me a bit because he said he sees me about.
I do feel safer with a dog but Harvey wouldnt do anything and he not that scary looking.

Could you not keep your camera under your coat? I always walk our 2 down on MoD land with a beach attached and always feel safe there - sometimes bumping into lots of people and others I seem to be completely alone but was discussing this the other day with another lady walking her dog and she says the same thing. The only time I get spooked there is when the Navy sare training and suddenly you spot someone under a bush or a tank comes over the dunes.....I am terrified of guns and just seeing the service people with them gives me palpatations.

What a lot of posts about this subject. It is something we perhaps all should think about and be prepared for. I have always walked alone and in fairly remote places, I think you are often safer like that than in more built up areas - for obvious reasons. I never carry anything of value when I am out and it is usually obvious (scruff) but if I thought I might be in any danger I would call my dog (or dogs) up and put them on a lead. Next stage I would "gee" them up a bit and hope whoever it was didn't know much about dogs (mine are big but they are usually very soft). Funny thing I have found that when we are messing about at home and getting a bit rowdy, my dog often wades in and sides with who he thinks is leader. So getting them excited and "on their toes" could have the desired effect in a difficult situation - I have never been seriously tested - fortunately.

Yes - I imagine you would have difficulty in "fighting off" a tank