Beginners and Beyond

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runner/car accidents (Read 134 times)

kettledrum


    Are these more common than I think?  Saw this in the local news this morning.   Pictures and video inside link.

     

    In my admittedly short running career, I have thankfully had only one close call.  I do try to be very aware of my surroundings, although with fall and winter coming up I am going to need to buy some more things to help make me visible at night.

     

     

     

     

    http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013130917009&nclick_check=1

     

    MUNCIE — Police say a jogger suffered serious injuries after she was struck by a vehicle in Muncie Tuesday afternoon.

    The accident was reported just after 4 p.m. at Wheeling and Riverside avenues.

     

    According to police at the scene, the victim was jogging and had just started to use the crosswalk across Wheeling Avenue when she was struck by an Oldsmobile Intrigue that had run a red light at the intersection. Emergency personnel said they found the pedestrian — who hit her head on the windshield — about 22 feet away from the initial impact point. Her injuries are initially believed to be serious.

     

    The driver of the Intrigue was cited at the scene.

     

    The names of those involved in the accident were not immediately available.

    Docket_Rocket


      Depends on the area.  We have a lot of pedestrian and cycler fatalities here in Miami but that is common for one of the worst pedestrian cities in the US.  When I run here every day, I have at least one driver issue a day, and that's if I am lucky.  I've been clipped, almost run over, and swore at for making them stop.

      In other areas, it is probably not normal to have that many a year.

       

      It is sad when things like these happen.

      Damaris

       

      As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

      Fundraising Page


      Jess runs for bacon

        I think I must be lucky, we don't have many runner related issues (bikes though), and the only incident I ever had was almost getting clotheslined by an opening car door.

         

        *knocksonwood*

        Venomized


        Drink up moho's!!

          I cannot remember hearing about a runner or jogger in my area.  Just the occasional street worker or person walking at night on the road.  I live in NW Indiana so I-94 and I-65 and I-80 all go through my area.  We have had more than our fair share of highway construction workers get hit and killed.

          thekl0wn


          Pigtail Connoisseur

            We don't have a terrible amount of accidents, which is surprising...  Our town/city isn't setup to accommodate for runners/bikers, and is strongly anti-fitness.  And those who do run often do it very dangerously.  Heck, as a runner, I've almost hit other runners on the road, simply because they're morons and running in areas where they're taking a losing gamble with their life every time they touch the pavement.

             

            As I always tell people:  "The Right" doesn't negate physics.

            Something witty


            Hip Redux

              We don't have too many pedestrian+car accidents caused by driver inattention, but the number of students by the university who aimlessly step into the street with their heads buried in an electronic device is alarming.   The other day, the student cut through stopped traffic to get to the other side of the road, and didn't look for any oncoming traffic as he continued on - and he was completely hidden to the oncoming drivers behind the stopped cars.     It's like playing frogger driving by there.

               

              thekl0wn


              Pigtail Connoisseur

                You get less points for someone using an electronic device.  Not as much skill required.

                Something witty

                Love the Half


                  I don't know how common it is but what I do know is this:  I am responsible for my own safety.  I never wear headphones.  I never assume that cars will stop for a red light.  I wait until I see them stop.  If I'm wondering if the driver in that car sees me, he doesn't.  I never cross in front of a car unless I have made eye contact with the driver and he has given me some acknowledgement.  Even then, I don't cross immediately in front of the car just in case a foot slips off the brake and the driver moves a few feet.  I try to avoid major roads and if I am on them, I only run on those that have very wide berms and I stay all the way to the side of the berm.

                   

                  The vast majority of accidents involving a car and a runner involve fault on the part of the driver and inattention on the part of the runner.  When I was a kid, someone taught me that, as a pedestrian, I had the right of way at all intersections but there was little point in being dead right.  I keep that in mind.

                  Short term goal: 17:59 5K

                  Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

                  Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).

                  happylily


                    I don't know how common it is but what I do know is this:  I am responsible for my own safety.  I never wear headphones.  I never assume that cars will stop for a red light.  I wait until I see them stop.  If I'm wondering if the driver in that car sees me, he doesn't.  I never cross in front of a car unless I have made eye contact with the driver and he has given me some acknowledgement.  Even then, I don't cross immediately in front of the car just in case a foot slips off the brake and the driver moves a few feet.  I try to avoid major roads and if I am on them, I only run on those that have very wide berms and I stay all the way to the side of the berm.

                     

                    The vast majority of accidents involving a car and a runner involve fault on the part of the driver and inattention on the part of the runner.  When I was a kid, someone taught me that, as a pedestrian, I had the right of way at all intersections but there was little point in being dead right.  I keep that in mind.

                     

                    That's me also. I always move over to the grassy part near the ditch when I see a car coming. The driver could be busy texting, or on the phone, playing with his radio, blinded by the sun, etc, and consequently, not see me in time. So I make sure to give him all the space he needs. I have more to lose in an encounter with him than he does...

                    PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                            Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                    18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                    paulski66


                    miscreant

                      Are these more common than I think?  Saw this in the local news this morning.   Pictures and video inside link.

                       

                      In my admittedly short running career, I have thankfully had only one close call.  I do try to be very aware of my surroundings, although with fall and winter coming up I am going to need to buy some more things to help make me visible at night.

                       

                       

                       

                       

                      http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013130917009&nclick_check=1

                       

                      MUNCIE — Police say a jogger suffered serious injuries after she was struck by a vehicle in Muncie Tuesday afternoon.

                      The accident was reported just after 4 p.m. at Wheeling and Riverside avenues.

                       

                      According to police at the scene, the victim was jogging and had just started to use the crosswalk across Wheeling Avenue when she was struck by an Oldsmobile Intrigue that had run a red light at the intersection. Emergency personnel said they found the pedestrian — who hit her head on the windshield — about 22 feet away from the initial impact point. Her injuries are initially believed to be serious.

                       

                      The driver of the Intrigue was cited at the scene.

                       

                      The names of those involved in the accident were not immediately available.

                       

                      Are you from Muncie? Me too.

                       

                      This made me very sad; idiot wasn't paying attention and ran the damn light. Bitch.

                       

                      Also, oddly, the Indy Star website posted a story that included the victim's name and the name of the woman driving the car. (link)

                       

                       

                      I'm happy, hope you're happy too...


                      Will run for scenery.

                         

                        The driver could be busy texting, or on the phone, playing with his radio, blinded by the sun, etc, and consequently, not see me in time.

                         

                        Things used to be so much simpler.

                         

                        In the good ole days all we had to do was assume the driver was drunk.

                        Stupid feet!

                        Stupid elbow!

                        Docket_Rocket


                          I don't know how common it is but what I do know is this:  I am responsible for my own safety.  I never wear headphones.  I never assume that cars will stop for a red light.  I wait until I see them stop.  If I'm wondering if the driver in that car sees me, he doesn't.  I never cross in front of a car unless I have made eye contact with the driver and he has given me some acknowledgement.  Even then, I don't cross immediately in front of the car just in case a foot slips off the brake and the driver moves a few feet.  I try to avoid major roads and if I am on them, I only run on those that have very wide berms and I stay all the way to the side of the berm.

                           

                          The vast majority of accidents involving a car and a runner involve fault on the part of the driver and inattention on the part of the runner.  When I was a kid, someone taught me that, as a pedestrian, I had the right of way at all intersections but there was little point in being dead right.  I keep that in mind.

                           

                          I do all of that and still get some close calls.  Nothing like an asshole texting and veering against traffic or the asshole from the picture I posted in FB a few weeks back when he jumped to the sidewalk.

                          Damaris

                           

                          As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                          Fundraising Page

                          happylily


                             

                            Things used to be so much simpler.

                             

                            In the good ole days all we had to do was assume the driver was drunk.

                             

                            LOL. So true. :-)

                            PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                                    Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                            18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                            Slymoon Runs


                            race obsessed

                              Happened last week in DFW:

                               

                              "FORT WORTH, Texas -

                              A woman who witnesses said was wearing ear buds while jogging was hit by a car Monday morning.

                              The accident happened in northwest Fort Worth on Park Vista Boulevard near N. Caylor Road.

                              Witnesses said the woman was jogging on a sidewalk that runs along the Park Vista frontage road as two cars turned onto the street. The first car narrowly missed her and the car behind it sideswiped her.

                              The witnesses said the woman was wearing ear buds and did not see the turning cars.

                              The 45-year-old victim was taken by air ambulance to a local hospital with serious injuries.

                              Both drivers stopped to help. Neither was cited."

                               

                              It is one of the reasons I am a huge advocate of not covering both ears if you must listen to music and run near a road.  Of course, I am not exempt from missing things, but compared to many runners I see around I am Friggan Omnipotent!


                              Hip Redux

                                I stopped wearing earbuds altogether and now just use the "speakers" on my itouch for music when running around the neighborhood.  I did kinda feel bad that I subjected my elderly neighbor to Eminem one day, but I figure she's probably heard worse.

                                 

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