<p>barrons–</p>
<p>“My kids need to learn to be prudent and careful and to develop good radar about bad situations … but strangers are a lot lower on my list of concerns than for most people replying to this string.”</p>
<p>Good point–many, many abuse & other crimes are committed by people the victim knows (family member, mother’s bf, etc.). But, categorizing the rate of frequency of a risk does not mean that your individual response to a less-than-prevelant risk needs to be muted.</p>
<p>So – most strangers are great, a few are off the charts & a fatal risk. Do you reduce your ‘stranger safety’ (in my mind, never take a ride w/a stranger, no matter what your circumstances–particularly if you are a woman), because statistics show that more crimes are committed by acquaintances? No, you use prudence in all situations w/potential risk of harm (be it a date, ride, etc.). </p>
<p>And…you don’t have to get all down & negative about humanity as a whole about it. Just be practical. :-)</p>