Forums >General Running>Rules of the Road
Just Be
Hoping for some references to information or other threads, or feedback on other's experiences as far as good rules to follow to keep yourself safe road running, and not endanger anybody else on the road, for that matter. Since I've moved the majority of my training to the road, I've run both with the flow of traffic and against. Personally it seems safer running against traffic, since I can see the cars and trucks coming and can adjust my line accordingly, rather than running with the flow, where I cannot not see traffic coming and don't knowing who's paying attention to me or not. But the bikers don't seem to like it all that much (althought I do try to take the road-side line and give them the curb-side since I can see the traffic and they cannot), and darn-it if about 30 to 40% of people turning right onto the road I'm on never stop to look for pedestrians coming from their right. If no car's coming from their left, they're off! I get to dart out of the way quite often, even had somebody chase me down to say it was my fault because they didn't expect me to be there (huh? i thought you had to look both ways?!). Thanks.
The voice of mile 18
Tri Rule #1 of Triathlon Training/Racing - If Momma ain't happy nobody is happy
I just have to learn that cars own the road and I have no right to be out there running.
esq.
because the law says you have the right of way, it's not worth the risk.
Cars turning right NEVER yield to runners. That's just the way it is.
Courage ! Do one brave thing today...then run like hell.
Master of the Side Eye
I'd argue that the following are the 3 most basic road rules when it comes to running: 1. You're absolutely *never* safe. 2. Always assume and attempt to avoid, but prepare, for the absolute worst. 3. Always run toward traffic. Any cyclist who is riding into traffic is violating state driving law (in as many states to which I know the rules) they are considered a vehicle and must ride with traffic to be legal.
TRUST THE PROCESS
One day at a time
I don't like road running on busy streets at all, but when I do it, I always run towards traffic. Also, I always assume that all drivers will hit me, even if I make eye contact with them, and I always yield to them, even if yielding to them means running to the back of a parking lot and taking an extra x amount of minutes to get back on course. I will never run in front of a car if the driver signals me to do so, ever. I've had drivers tell me to go several times but what they fail to realize is that there are a ton of people making rights onto the street they're trying to exit... better to have a pissed off driver cussing to their family about the idiot runner they encountered that wasted 20 seconds of their time than wasting the rest of your day in the ER.