Safety on the Sacramento River paths?

Well, I got a lot of feedback on that post.  Ideally, those people (and you know who you are) would take the time to officially comment (which is the kind of thing that drives traffic to a site).  But you didn't, so I'll give you the highlights:

A woman who calls herself "Pev" said this:  One word:  pockettazer...I don't walk without it and I'm in the "safe" burbs.

To "Pev":  one word, "don't taze me, bro"  Seriously, I remember when I was dating a man who ran security systems in the desert.  He was so romantic.  He gave me my first tazer.  Back when NO ONE had one.  Hot!  Below see a photo of a "pocket lazer" which is as close as google images could get:

Donalee says:  Hear! Hear!  I remember hearing about attacks happening on the American River bike trail.  However, I work downtown and a few years ago a woman was murdered right in our building's quad area; people are mugged frequently. I saw my (only) dead body in a downtown alley.  I haven't heard about rapes happening in the downtown area, but I wouldn't be surprised.  I'm a chicken about being almost anywhere alone - and some times even with other people.  Sad.

Donnalee, take 2 tablespoons of raisins and call me in the morning!

Bill A says this:  I strongly urge, nay forbid, my wife to walk along the river alone. There is a history of attacks, esp along the American River, going back to my first days in Sacramento (1985).  I would not call them victims of the economy.  I call them rapists.

Hmmm, Bill A., where is your compassion, man?  Rapists are people too.

I also found out at the dinner table that my husband, whom I'll call Bill M., also would strongly rather (the thinking man's "forbids") that I not walk alone along the river.

I said it before and I'll say it again (hopefully not to my eternal regret), I've always felt very safe there.