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| RUN INTO TRAFFIC!!! (Read 664 times) |
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posted: 5/22/2008 at 9:32 PM |
I just want to reinforce a recent thread in light of today's run.
I was in the last mile of a 10-miller, cooling down after a workout. The road I was on was a flat, straight back country road -- never much traffic, maybe 1 car every mile or two of running.
A pickup rounded a turn and came toward me from a half mile away. He had a clear line of sight to me the whole time. It was bright and sunny, perfect visibility. When he was about 50 yards away and going about 40-50mph, I saw him look at a house to his left. As he had not yet started to move over for me like he should have by then, when I saw his head turn away I started for the narrow shoulder. Sure enough, the truck veered sharply off the edge of the pavement, so far off that I nearly tumbled into the ditch trying to avoid being caught be the front bumper. I bounced off the middle of the truck lightly and caught myself on my feet as the truck passed.
The driver did stop, and he got quite an earful from me even though he was apologetic. I'm sure the apology wouldn't have cut it with my wife either as I would have been killed if A) the truck had come another foot over, or B) I hadn't been paying attention and reacted so quickly to hit the ditch.
Be careful out there... |
"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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posted: 5/22/2008 at 10:38 PM
modified: 5/22/2008 at 10:39 PM |
Great post! I can't even imagine having such a close shave; I'd give him a little more than an earful. I'm glad the driver had the decency to stop for you after that stunt.  Sometimes I actually feel safer running at night, because you can at least see someone's headlights if HE'S not paying attention to YOU. Of course, by the time they spot you and turn off the high beams, you're half-blinded and not sure where the shoulder is...I tend to move way over and stop at that point.
People like to speed on back roads, too, because there's "never much traffic," as you said. Not a good thing if it's a misty morning and their headlights are off.
I make only one exception to the "into traffic" rule: hills. I'm always afraid that some idiot will come careening over the hill just as I'm cresting it. It makes me nervous. |
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| view log Jazz, happy dog |
posted: 5/22/2008 at 11:51 PM |
Just to clarify--You mean run facing traffic, right? I mean, running into traffic is never a good idea!  |
| Just 'cause you can, doesn't mean you should
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| view log Potato Grower |
posted: 5/23/2008 at 12:05 AM |
| Thanks for the reminder. Glad you're OK. |
| The glass is half full. |
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Lisa3.1 |
posted: 5/23/2008 at 12:12 AM
modified: 5/23/2008 at 2:45 AM |
| Glad You're ok. |
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posted: 5/23/2008 at 1:12 AM |
You wouldn't have been able to take evasive action had your back been to traffic. I had a similar experience a couple years back; no traffic, a sunny day and unlimited visibility. The driver never saw me because she was too busy talking on a cell phone and I had to hit the ditch to keep from getting run over. You definitely have to watch out for #1 and the few extra seconds you get by facing traffic can make the difference between becoming a victim or being a survivor .
Glad you are ok.
Tom |
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Mr Inertia view logHeck of a Guy |
posted: 5/23/2008 at 1:24 AM |
| Glad you're ok. Thanks for the reminder. |
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| view log Marathon Man |
posted: 5/23/2008 at 11:54 AM |
| Quote from spaniel on 5/22/2008 at 9:32 PM: I just want to reinforce a recent thread in light of today's run.
I was in the last mile of a 10-miller, cooling down after a workout. The road I was on was a flat, straight back country road -- never much traffic, maybe 1 car every mile or two of running.
A pickup rounded a turn and came toward me from a half mile away. He had a clear line of sight to me the whole time. It was bright and sunny, perfect visibility. When he was about 50 yards away and going about 40-50mph, I saw him look at a house to his left. As he had not yet started to move over for me like he should have by then, when I saw his head turn away I started for the narrow shoulder. Sure enough, the truck veered sharply off the edge of the pavement, so far off that I nearly tumbled into the ditch trying to avoid being caught be the front bumper. I bounced off the middle of the truck lightly and caught myself on my feet as the truck passed.
The driver did stop, and he got quite an earful from me even though he was apologetic. I'm sure the apology wouldn't have cut it with my wife either as I would have been killed if A) the truck had come another foot over, or B) I hadn't been paying attention and reacted so quickly to hit the ditch.
Be careful out there...
Glad you're OK, and a good reminder, Spaniel.
Ditto whatyou said, and the thread you referred to.
http://www.runningahead.com/forums/topic/6f3b07ec4b7d418495fe55d0114e7a27
Jeff
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"You can't have everything. Where would you put it?" - Steven Wright
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posted: 5/23/2008 at 1:14 PM |
Wow. That's scary. I too run on country roads. For me, it's like flying. Each time I fly, I ask myself if this is the day my plane will crash, and when I'm running, I ask myself if this is the day I'm gonna get hit.
Glad you were on top of it.
What the hell was his excuse? |
- Anya
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posted: 5/23/2008 at 2:06 PM |
Good reminder and glad nothing worse came of it - that's a close call.
My suggestion: Don't ALWAYS run on the side of road facing traffic in the situation you describe. What I do, on the rare occasion I run on a road with only 1 or 2 cars per mile, is to switch sides of the road. You have to be very, very, very cognizant of what may be coming up behind you but I'll switch to the other side of the road - still facing the oncoming car but at least he SHOULD be one lane away from me. Then cut back over until the next car comes. If it's a car coming from behind me, obviously, I stay where I am. Be careful of big curves too, many times I'll switch to be on the OUTSIDE of the curve. I am constantly evaluating where I think the safest part of the road is. |
2008 Goals:
2000 miles for the year
100 mile week
Sub 3:10 marathon
Sub 19min 5K
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| view log Hoping to Run Again :-( |
posted: 5/23/2008 at 2:53 PM |
| I'm so glad you're okay spaniel. And thank-you for the reminder. |
~ Fly ~
Only as much as I dream can I be.
veggies on the run
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| view log Frustrating Project |
posted: 5/23/2008 at 3:20 PM |
| Quote from Anya_ on 5/23/2008 at 1:14 PM: For me, it's like flying. Each time I fly, I ask myself if this is the day my plane will crash
So every time you drive, do you ask yourself if this is the day the car is gonna crash? 'Cuz that's way more likely.  |
20th Century: 800m: 2:04 |1600m: 4:37 |3200m: 10:06 |5k: 16:23 |10k: 35:38 |15k: 54:20
25k: 1:35:59
21st Century: 5k: 19:42 |10k: 43:00
"Do not allow children to mix drinks. It is unseemly, and they use too much vermouth."
Steve Allen |
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posted: 5/23/2008 at 3:59 PM |
| Quote from Shale on 5/22/2008 at 10:38 PM: I make only one exception to the "into traffic" rule: hills. I'm always afraid that some idiot will come careening over the hill just as I'm cresting it. It makes me nervous.
I do the same thing. There are some great farm roads here in Missouri that I love to run on, but I always get nervous on those hills!
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| "If you run 100 miles a week, you can eat anything you want - Why? Because (a) you'll burn all the calories you consume, (b) you deserve it, and (c) you'll be injured soon and back on a restricted diet anyway." ~ Don Kardong |
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posted: 5/23/2008 at 4:18 PM |
| Quote from kencamet on 5/23/2008 at 2:06 PM: Good reminder and glad nothing worse came of it - that's a close call.
My suggestion: Don't ALWAYS run on the side of road facing traffic in the situation you describe. What I do, on the rare occasion I run on a road with only 1 or 2 cars per mile, is to switch sides of the road. You have to be very, very, very cognizant of what may be coming up behind you but I'll switch to the other side of the road - still facing the oncoming car but at least he SHOULD be one lane away from me. Then cut back over until the next car comes. If it's a car coming from behind me, obviously, I stay where I am. Be careful of big curves too, many times I'll switch to be on the OUTSIDE of the curve. I am constantly evaluating where I think the safest part of the road is.
I do the same things around big curves. |
- Anya
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