RUNNERS: Road or Sidewalk ?

24

Replies

  • Tomahawk3Niner
    Tomahawk3Niner Posts: 61
    In Tucson, IF we have sidewalk available that's a big if... there's not a whole lot of it except for on major roadways, and even then it's a crapshoot -- if they are available they are usually being parked on or are so broken up they'd be dangerous to run on. I'll stick to the bike lanes. The crazy cyclists in this city will just have to deal with it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I cycle and run (sometimes)...the road and bike lanes are for cars and bikes...not pedestrians. When I run, it's usually on designated paths or the sidewalk. Runners in the bike lane piss me off to no end because i often have to move into traffic to get around them which often requires me slowing down my pace to time it, etc.
  • Lane1012
    Lane1012 Posts: 211 Member
    Road when it's safe and available, otherwise the sidewalk is fine. I prefer the former primarily because in my area there are cracks and large trees pushing parts of the sidewalk up, plus there is no "edge" to worry about in the road. I've rolled my ankle twice hitting those edges.
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
    As a driver, please for the love of God stay on the sidewalks and trails if you have them.
  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
    The issue for me with sidewalks is cracks, overhanging branches, and pedestrians. On a residential street I'll run in the road, on an arterial I will stay on the sidewalk, but sometimes hop onto the road if there are pedestrians on the sidewalk. Always run against traffic!
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    I try to avoid running on concrete whenever I can. It's a lot harder on the knees and other joints, than running on asphalt.
    I hear this all the time but I never really agreed with it. It is true that concrete is about 5 times harder (or more dense) than asphalt, but the energy absorbed by either of them is so miniscule I don't think it will really matter. That's just my theory though, I don't have any scientific data to back it up. But I figure I have a better chance of getting hit by a car running in the road than hurting my knees because I'm running on concrete instead of asphalt.
    Same here. I haven't run into any actual studies, just anecdotes and broscience.

    Whether it is concrete or asphalt, the effective spring rate is of the ground is MUCH, MUCH higher than your shoe/foot and your leg. If you are running with good form, you should have a slightly bent knee and absorbing almost all of that energy in your leg.

    FWIW, I run in the road against traffic in the neighborhood, on the sidewalk otherwise, and on a dirt path wherever possible.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Also - (out for a run tonight) around here and in a lot of the UK the pavements are tarmac of some sort anyway. It's not exactly the same as the road - different colour and so on, even in bits that don't really see use on both of them - but definitely not just concrete.
    In some cases where I live ('Bronte country') there's lot of cobbled roads - sometimes the pavements are considerably more consistent than the road, more grippy and so on.

    Another similar circumstance - I've done wheelies and stoppies on tarmac and concrete on motorbikes. If they've come down hard, I've not noticed any difference between the two. Ok, you've got 35psi in the tyre and suspension, but if you've messed up, it can drop harder than a foot would fall when running, I'm pretty sure :).
  • fitgirlpolitickin
    fitgirlpolitickin Posts: 1
    I run on the sidewalks! I think it's pretty selfish of people to run on the road ESPECIALLY when there are visible cars coming your way! Not to mention it's also dangerous.
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
    I live in an area with no sidewalks so road it is. However there isn't a lot of traffic where I live either so that's not even an issue.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I have no sidewalks. So road it is. Dodging cars adds an agility workout to my run.
  • KeithAngilly
    KeithAngilly Posts: 575 Member
    At 4 am, right down the center, on the crown (I don't wear headphones, so I can hear cars a good distance away). If it's later, I'll run on the sidewalk, if there is one available.
  • BakerRunnerBadass
    BakerRunnerBadass Posts: 1,359 Member
    Sidewalk, even in our small town I have almost been hit way too many times by driver's not paying attention. Just would rather be safe.
  • MatthewNSW
    MatthewNSW Posts: 88
    I duck into the road only when there's a human roadblock on the pavement. Running on the roads seems to be to be inviting an accident, so I try to avoid it where possible.
  • W0nderGiirl
    W0nderGiirl Posts: 121 Member
    I reside in the country, so sidewalks aren't much of an option. We do have gravel sidewalks but, who wants to run on gravel? So, I run right beside the gravel but, on the paved roads is where I run. However, there is the anxiety of checking behind your shoulder every couple of minutes to check to see what is behind me. If so, I run on the gravel till they pass. It's always good to be on the safe side but, I'm a daredevil at heart. :D
  • rassha01
    rassha01 Posts: 534 Member
    The issue for me with sidewalks is cracks, overhanging branches, and pedestrians. On a residential street I'll run in the road, on an arterial I will stay on the sidewalk, but sometimes hop onto the road if there are pedestrians on the sidewalk. Always run against traffic!

    tumblr_inline_mjejfkndvN1qz4rgp.gif
  • chachabear79
    chachabear79 Posts: 14 Member
    Sidewalk. Road if that's all that's available in the area.dirt trails are my favorite
  • ratherbeskiing
    ratherbeskiing Posts: 847 Member
    road 100%
  • mrslcoop
    mrslcoop Posts: 317 Member
    I will not run on cement. So.... if the sidewalk is cement then the road it is. If it's a nice asphalt sidewalk then I'll do the sidewalk. I always run with a RoadID however just in case I were to ever be hit by a car.

    EDIT: I should add my road running is all neighborhood streets. I would never run on a major road with cars whizzing past me at 50 mph. That's just asking for it. But I do have nice asphalt trails that are off of major roads and crossing intersections can be a bit hairy, hence the RoadID.
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
    My road doesn't have sidewalks or shoulders, so I run on the road but into traffic there. When I get to the next street still no sidewalks but pretty wide shoulders so there I will alternate what side I run on because the road is slanted. Drivers in my area are very respectful of runners & walkers - I move as far over to the side of the shoulder as I can and they pull over into the other lane whenever possible. There's a lot of friendly waving involved.
  • jeffrodgers1
    jeffrodgers1 Posts: 991 Member
    Road where possible.

    If traffic is really bad... sidewalk.
  • TammyW18
    TammyW18 Posts: 244 Member
    generally I use the bike lane, unless I am directly in town (parking is on the side of the road) and the side walks are flat.
  • Legs_McGee
    Legs_McGee Posts: 845 Member
    I run on trails about 90% of the time but when forced to be amongst the people and the cars, I run on the sidewalk.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I usually run first thing in the AM when traffic is not an issue. In the summer I'll run on the recreational (asphalt) paths in winter I prefer the road as the city usually does a better job clearing the snow. If I'm running in the evening when there is more traffic I'll use sidewalks when they're available.

    I do agree that runners do not belong in bike lanes.
  • sjp_511
    sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
    I reside in the country, so sidewalks aren't much of an option. We do have gravel sidewalks but, who wants to run on gravel? So, I run right beside the gravel but, on the paved roads is where I run. However, there is the anxiety of checking behind your shoulder every couple of minutes to check to see what is behind me. If so, I run on the gravel till they pass. It's always good to be on the safe side but, I'm a daredevil at heart. :D


    You should be running against traffic, so on the left side of the road if you are in the states. The cars coming from behind you are on the other side of the road and not a threat to you.
  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
    I always run on sidewalks, that's what they're there for. Roads are for cars and bikes, sidewalks are for all other pedestrians. Running in roads just impedes traffic and puts you more at risk to getting hit.

    Gah, yessss, THIS!

    I live in a very active suburb of Houston and people run, in the dark, on the road, despite miles and miles of deliberately laid walking/jogging paths. It scares THE CRAP out of me when I am driving my daughter to the daycare and spot a runner last minute.

    And, don't get me started on cyclists...I totally get that we have to share the road, but do ya gotta be so literal about it? A mile of traffic backed up on a one-lane road so Biffy McGoofball can ride smack dab in the middle of the street to get his burn/endurance training in and be well-conditioned for the Iron Man challenge, this year. Move over and let some folks by, will you?! *facepalm*

    (Yes. First world problems, I know. I'm originally from Shreveport, so I really DO know.)
  • Bounce2
    Bounce2 Posts: 138 Member
    Both. I normally run early in the morning when there is very little traffic. I run on the shoulder or in the bike lane if there is one and always facing into traffic so I can a) dodge cars and b) get on the sidewalk so I don't endanger the cyclists by making them move into traffic coming up behind them. If you have ever commuted/ridden a bike in traffic you'll understand how important b) is. There are a lot of commuters and pro/semi-pro cyclists that train in the hills where I live so most runners and walkers figure out the rules for safety pretty quickly! :drinker:
  • krist3ng
    krist3ng Posts: 259 Member
    I think it's a bad idea to run in the road. But then, I live in Queens, where we have lots of traffic and crazy drivers. Sidewalk is safest, just don't go barreling into people.
  • KateCon912
    KateCon912 Posts: 200 Member
    I used to live in an area with no sidewalks. My knees and ankles would hurt so much from running on the road. I would have to ice them after running only a mile. When I moved and ran on the sidewalk it was amazing. It felt so much better on my joints.

    Now I have a treadmill so that's my choice for the winter :)
  • lucentabella
    lucentabella Posts: 114 Member
    I live in a semi-rural area. We have no sidewalks. I have to jog on the roads. In some places, there is a shoulder for me to use. I get frustrated at the drivers (and there are plenty) don't slow down and give me space. smh
  • doubleclick_darling
    doubleclick_darling Posts: 100 Member
    For safety purposes, sidewalk where there is one. Thankfully, a good portion of the regular traffic is getting used to me being out in the morning, so they pull their vehicles up farther in their driveways during the night (or early in the morning before I go out) and they slow down when they pass me when I'm running on the side of the road, especially when I'm in the process of going around a street-parked vehicle. There's not a lot of traffic during my morning walks/runs, so usually just regular commuters (I've even got a few that are recognizing me, so I get a honk if I'm coming up on a vehicle to go around or they see me coming to an intersection just to let me know that they're behind me and a wave as they pass by). Nice drivers make for a happy DC when out and about.

Categories