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| which side of the road do you run on - with or against traffic? (Read 745 times) |
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posted: 5/9/2008 at 2:12 PM |
| The only time I don't run against traffic is on this one road in town that goes up the mountain to a popular trail. People blaze down that road driving too too fast so when I'm running up this road, I always run with traffic so the people who are going down see me and don't run over me. |
Finished my first marathon 1-13-2008 in 6:03:37 at P.F. Chang's in Phoenix.
Marathon coach for Albuquerque Fit
The only thing that has ever made any difference in my running is running. |
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posted: 5/9/2008 at 2:17 PM
modified: 5/9/2008 at 2:18 PM |
Never run with your back to traffic for any reason.
I had to take evasive action to keep from getting hit several years ago. It was on a sunny day in a 25 mph speed zone. An approaching car was hugging the shoulder and the driver never saw me because she was too busy talking on the phone to notice. I had to literally get out of the way to keep from being run over. If I was running with my back to her I probably would be dead.
Traffic pulling out of driveways and side streets is a hazard no matter which side of the street you are on. You need to be aware or it and make sure that you have eye contact with them before crossing in front of them, or better yet just cross behind them.
I've been a road runner for more than 12 years now and have survived because I always run facing traffic and always assume that every car is driven by a psychopath out to kill me. Quite often that's not far from the truth.
Tom |
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posted: 5/9/2008 at 2:30 PM |
| It may be inconvenient to have to watch for people blindly turning right and pulling out when running against traffic, but a man 20 miles away from me was eviscerated last week by a teenager blabbing on her cell phone and doing 60 because he was running with traffic and never saw it coming. 'Nuff said, IMO. |
"Talent" is a cop-out for not wanting to try harder.
marathon - 2:28
HM - 1:09:53
10K - 30:57
5K - 15:18 (2nd half of above 10K) |
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I run for Peanut Butter! |
posted: 5/9/2008 at 2:32 PM |
I've always insisted on running against. But I ran a new route today (we've recently moved) and it was on the sidewalk of a very busy Highway. Traffic was heavy, so I avoided crossing initially and ran with traffic out, constantly looking over my shoulder. Back I was against traffic and much more comfortable.
Thanks for the reminder everyone. Next time I'll cross twice and run against in both directions.
~ Fly |
~ Fly ~
Only as much as I dream can I be.
veggies on the run
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RAer |
posted: 5/9/2008 at 2:36 PM |
| def. against. |
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| view log Blaine Moore |
posted: 5/9/2008 at 2:56 PM |
| If you want somebody in a driveway to notice you before pulling out, point at them. They will be more likely to see you. When they spot you in their peripheral vision they may not actually notice you. If you are pointing, though, you become a threat and survival instincts will give them a "sixth" sense to turn and look even if it is just out of the corner of their eye where you'd normally be ignored. You can then try to get eye contact once they've turned their head. |
Run to Win
I just started using Twitter - anybody else on there? http://twitter.com/BlaineMoore
Saturday, 9/6, I'll be interviewing a man who has only lost 1 minute off his 5K time in 30 years:
http://www.runtowin.com/ask/Tom-Ryan.html - Sign up for the call in details and to have your own questions answered! |
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posted: 5/9/2008 at 2:58 PM |
Always against traffic. I also never assume that a driver sees me at a driveway or side street even if we make eye contact. I just slow down and watch, wait if necessary. I have found that a 200 lb human vs a 3500 lb car, the car always wins! Be safe and have fun.
Bob |
Castaic Sprint Triathlon 8/9/08
Disneyland HM 8/31/08 PR 2:13:19
Santa Clarita HM 11/02/08 |
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| view log i can has marathawn? |
posted: 5/9/2008 at 2:59 PM |
If I'm on the road, ALWAYS against traffic. Whenever possible, I'm on a bikepath with very few grade crossings or on the sidewalk. Being on the sidewalk is an improvement, BUT most people in the Boston area consider the sidewalk to be an extension of their driveway not a place for pedestrians. They fly across it, stopping only when the bumper has reached the street.
Last year I had to jump up on a car's hood to avoid being run down. A few weeks ago I was standing in the middle of a crosswalk and scared the crap out of a b*tch by pounding her window as she flew by me. She was texting or dialing her phone and NEVER looked up until I rudely awakened her.
I don't run with my mp3 anymore, I sometimes miss it but it's just not worth the added risk. |
Ed
Bib #10 at the Tuesday night Good Times 5K series in Lowell, MA (so sad it's over, mark your calendar for opening night on 4/2/09)
2008 goal: HTFU and BQ at BayState Marathon
Beer is proof that God loves us, and wants us to be happy. |
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| view log Bif! Bam! Pow! |
posted: 5/9/2008 at 3:16 PM |
Always always against traffic. I plan my routes so that on the one busy busy highway I am able to go against traffic without crossing.
It bugs the crap out of me...lately I have been running with someone who EVERY time a car is coming towards us she darts across the road to the other side. I think she wants to get out of THIS cars way, but you never know on hilly country roads when someone will be coming the other way...and now there are runners on BOTH sides of the road so the car cant give us as much room in case there IS someone coming.
And always always always WITH traffic on a bicycle. I almost killed a cyclist and his kid when I was out riding and coming down a steep hill and they were riding on the wrong side of the road. |
Beware the Pink Boxing Gloves of DOOM!
"It's not enough to bash in heads, you've got to bash in minds" - Captain Hammer
2008 Goals New PR's in 5K 10K HM, M
Faster than a speeding toddler..... |
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| view log Its a New Season |
posted: 5/9/2008 at 3:25 PM |
For fear of piling on - run against traffic as it gives you a chance to get clear.
Having run in semi-rural areas on shoulders, I've had to ditch dive on several occassions especially when 3rd shift lets out in the morning. Sleepy drivers = potenital hazzard. I would rather smell like a swamp than be on a stretcher.
Don't get me started on cell phone talking morons. I run in the city at lunch and even when crossing with the signal have almost been clipped a couple of times. Main reason I only use blue tooth in the car now and only when absolutely required.
Eye contact is imperrative and keep your senses about you at all times. Another reason I ditched the Ipod. |
Illegitimis non carborundum
2008 goals:
1) run a fall marathon (Indy)
2) stay injury free
3) PR 5K, 10K, HM & M
4) get my kids to start running with me
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| view log I want a sled dog pup! |
posted: 5/9/2008 at 3:27 PM |
| Quote from CarmelRunner on 5/9/2008 at 3:25 PM: For fear of piling on - run against traffic as it gives you a chance to get clear.
Having run in semi-rural areas on shoulders, I've had to ditch dive on several occassions especially when 3rd shift lets out in the morning. Sleepy drivers = potenital hazzard. I would rather smell like a swamp than be on a stretcher.
Don't get me started on cell phone talking morons. I run in the city at lunch and even when crossing with the signal have almost been clipped a couple of times. Main reason I only use blue tooth in the car now and only when absolutely required.
Eye contact is imperrative and keep your senses about you at all times. Another reason I ditched the Ipod.
Totally agree about the Ipod. I NEVER run outside with an Ipod. Way, Way too dangerous. |
- Anya
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| view log Blaine Moore |
posted: 5/9/2008 at 5:14 PM |
| Quote from BadDawg on 5/9/2008 at 2:59 PM: A few weeks ago I was standing in the middle of a crosswalk and scared the crap out of a b*tch by pounding her window as she flew by me. She was texting or dialing her phone and NEVER looked up until I rudely awakened her.
On January 1 I did a "resolution run" through a local shoe store, so there was probably a group of 10 or 20 of us running through town in a snow storm. Almost everybody moved and gave us plenty of room (not much traffic to begin with) except for one young girl who was driving down the road, looking down and texting on her phone, listening to her iPod. Even when 3 or 4 of us banged on her window she never looked up or saw any of us. One of the guys was regretting not having run over her hood (she was not going very fast as it was near a light) but I'm glad he didn't since he was wearing screw shoes and would have done some serious damage to that car. (I've seen a cop car that was parked on a college cross country course after 15 runners with spikes on ran over it - it wouldn't have been that bad, but still wouldn't have been good.) |
Run to Win
I just started using Twitter - anybody else on there? http://twitter.com/BlaineMoore
Saturday, 9/6, I'll be interviewing a man who has only lost 1 minute off his 5K time in 30 years:
http://www.runtowin.com/ask/Tom-Ryan.html - Sign up for the call in details and to have your own questions answered! |
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| view log Hurdle the Dead |
posted: 5/9/2008 at 5:17 PM |
The thread has powerful mojo.
On my morning run this morning, sure enough a yahoo backing out of his driveway almost creamed me because he only looked one way. And because he was on a cell phone. And on the way back, sure enough, I come around a blind corner and a lady has her wheels at least 3 feet over the white line and I have to hop into the grass.
Out of curiosity ... why is it difficult for so many drivers to stay between the pretty colored lines on the road? Didn't we all learn that in like first grade - the whole staying inside the lines thing? |
E-mail: JakeKnight2002@aol.com
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"The past is nothing but a series of recollections; it does not own you ... if we are prisoners of the past, we are jailer as well."
~~ Jack Kerley, The Hundredth Man
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posted: 5/9/2008 at 5:31 PM |
I always, always run against traffic and yet had 2 close calls this week. I made eye contact with one of the drivers and darned if she didn't jump the gas anyhow. (I know I look bad when I run, but surely not that bad!)
I had to jump to the side to avoid getting swiped. 
I was hit while riding my bike so I think it's always a good idea to err on the side of paranoid. (Just cuz you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get ya!)
Another benefit of running against traffic is that you can ID the car and person better if you get hit. Kind of joking, but kind of not. |
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posted: 5/9/2008 at 5:45 PM |
| I'd say that 90% of the time, I run in the middle of the road. I usually run where there is little traffic (I see maybe 1-2 cars per mile) and I can hear and see if there are any cars coming. I always focus and try to stay extra cautious. If a car comes at me, I check to see if anyone is coming from behind me and then move to the right. If a car comes from behind, I move to the left. If they come from both ways, I go left. I would run against traffic all of the time, and do so if I'm in a higher-traffic area, but cambered roads are too much of an injury risk, IMO. |
| If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. ~ Frederick Douglass |
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