Why do some people insist on running on the road?

KnM0107

Pedestrians have not only the right to be on the road, but also the right of way. It's the drivers responsibility to avoid hitting them. I agree that there is a time and a place. I won't run on the road if it's a very busy road, rush hour, that type of thing. I also am all lit up when it's dark.

Pedestrians absolutely do not have the right of way. Only in crosswalks. Outside of crosswalks pedestrians are to yield to all vehicles.

This is how it is in Alabama...

Joehenny

I don't know but I wouldn't do it in California. You will get your *** run over real quick!

likitisplit

Pedestrians have not only the right to be on the road, but also the right of way. It's the drivers responsibility to avoid hitting them. I agree that there is a time and a place. I won't run on the road if it's a very busy road, rush hour, that type of thing. I also am all lit up when it's dark.

Pedestrians absolutely do not have the right of way. Only in crosswalks. Outside of crosswalks pedestrians are to yield to all vehicles.

This is how it is in Alabama...

True, but...

Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter or the provisions of any local ordinance, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused, incapacitated or intoxicated person.
(Acts 1980, No. 80-434, p. 604, §5-104.)
- See more at: http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/alcode/32/5A/10/32-5A-213#sthash.Tvt2gaOG.dpuf

KnM0107

Pedestrians have not only the right to be on the road, but also the right of way. It's the drivers responsibility to avoid hitting them. I agree that there is a time and a place. I won't run on the road if it's a very busy road, rush hour, that type of thing. I also am all lit up when it's dark.

Pedestrians absolutely do not have the right of way. Only in crosswalks. Outside of crosswalks pedestrians are to yield to all vehicles.

This is how it is in Alabama...

True, but...

Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter or the provisions of any local ordinance, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused, incapacitated or intoxicated person.
(Acts 1980, No. 80-434, p. 604, §5-104.)
- See more at: http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/alcode/32/5A/10/32-5A-213#sthash.Tvt2gaOG.dpuf

Pedestrians still do not have the right away... someone claimed that pedestrians had the right away which is untrue in Alabama.

3dogsrunning

Pedestrians have not only the right to be on the road, but also the right of way. It's the drivers responsibility to avoid hitting them. I agree that there is a time and a place. I won't run on the road if it's a very busy road, rush hour, that type of thing. I also am all lit up when it's dark.

Unfortunately where I am this is not exactly the case. Pedestrians (which includes runners) are required to use the sidewalk if there is one available and it is clear.

This is my exact problem with bicyclists. I know this is not a popular opinion and I've gotten into plenty of debates with family members, but why bike on the road? They have paths for that. On a bike, you cannot pedal the speed limit and you usually ignore traffic signals, especially in the city. On top of that, you're a liability, because if someone hits you you're probably dead or horribly maimed.

Frustrates me.

You realize that not every place has bike paths? I don't just bike for fun, I also commute.
You are not required to do the speed limit, it is a maximum, not a minimum. Here, the only road cyclists are not allowed on are the major highways which do have a minimum speed limit. No, I don't usually ignore traffic signals. I take my safety and the rules of the road quite seriously, particularly when I am on a bicycle.
It is also illegal for a bicyclist to use the sidewalk.

It is interesting to see the other rules, here, you are required to stay furthest to the right as is pratical but not allowed to drive on the shoulder (practical comes into play because we have some roads with sewer grates that force a cyclist further left into the lane).


During a run, I've been hit by a car in a marked crosswalk with overhead lights flashing after waiting for traffic to stop for me. There is nothing in life that is guaranteed, I refuse to live in fear of the what if. I will continue to bike, run, walk while doing my best to do so safely.

jos3php

I think some of the frustration and confusion is caused by people living in different places. I know that where I jog there are no sidewalks and the sides of the road are often muddy. However, the roads are curvy and hilly and everyone goes slow anyways. I have never had anyone be rude or upset (that I am aware of) having to wait for another car because I am jogging. If this was in the city and causing a traffic jam this would be a completely different story obviously. So no one can paint this with that wide of a brush to think they are absolutely correct.

momma2azoo

Running on roads is stupid if you have an alternative. I run on roads because I don't have an alternative (my town is tiny, established over 100 years ago then went bust in the 30s with not much further development....like sidewalks). Prior to living in small town boonies I lived way, way out in the country. Part of my running in the sticks was on dirt roads the other part was on quiet paved country roads.

I was hit, in the grass beyond the shoulder, of a paved country road by a moron in a truck who wasn't paying attention and went off the road. The impact shattered 3 of the 4 main support columns in my face and fractured the 3rd, completely shattered my right eye socket, broke both my upper and lower jar, broke a chunk of bone out of my nose, smashed half the bones in my right hand, messed up my right hip, and caused multiple severe lacerations (severed deep muscle, lots of nerve damage). The force of the impact caused a macular tear in my right eye causing permanent vision loss. I have so many titanium plates in my face my plastic surgeon lost count and a ground breaking procedure was done on my right hand so I could keep functionality of most of it. I'm three years out from the wreck and still undergoing surgeries. My team of plastic surgeons was stunned I survived with no brain damage. I have a premier team of docs, the best of the best. My primary reconstructive surgeon said that in her entire career she'd never seen someone incur so much head trauma and not only survive but not be a vegetable. I was lucky almost beyond believing.

Given the choice, I'll take a sidewalk as far away from cars as possible. Curbs are great things. Hard cement is a hell of a lot easier to deal with than a couple ton vehicle smacking into you.

The speed limits in my town are 25-30 mph, traffic is minimal, the roads are wide and I'm still nervous about running on the roads. I do it, because I am hell bent on getting back out there and running again.

Most vehicle/pedestrian accidents result in death for the pedestrian. I was doing all the right things for road running and got hit. It doesn't matter sometimes. Give yourself better odds though, get off the road when you can. If you have to road run, do it on roads with excellent visibility, in neighborhoods where pedestrian traffic is expected and speed limits are slow and as others have said....wear obnoxious gear to make yourself very obvious.

Oh, and where I'm from (Texas) the pedestrian absolutely has the right away. The guy that hit me was convicted of a couple different violations (brought by the state, not me). Being right really didn't do me a damn bit of good though. Wish I'd stuck to the rough trails that morning instead of going for an 'easy' road run.

desireecl

B/C busy, narrow, winding, hilly roads with no shoulder, lots of blind curves, no streetlights, clueless tourists who don't know the area and people in general who like to drive like they're in the Indy 500 are the ideal places to run, walk and cycle!
Our town spent a fortune on a beautiful 10.5 mile bike path with plans to expand it another 10+ miles and there are several tracks in town...rubber at the high school and fine gravel/clay at the community center. There are hiking trails, long sandy beaches, and there are miles upon miles of quiet paved neighborhoods with little traffic if running on pavement is preferable for the comfort of the runner. I am fortunate to live where I do and have a lot of great outdoor places to workout in the fresh air; I know a lot of people don't have the same luxury. Yet there is still a certain faction of exercisers who insist on using this one road in particular that is extremely dangerous as detailed above. I try not to drive on it if I don't have to and would never consider running, etc on it. Part of valuing my health is valuing my LIFE!
It is just important for both the exercisers and the drivers to be respectful of one another and exercise caution and common sense.

bheathfit

Best to research laws in your area if you plan to run on a roadway. Here is a rather lengthy list of the laws as I understand them for my area... Subject to change without notice, of course...

- obey any applicable instructions where you are
- sidewalks must be used when available and practical
- use the shoulder of the road as far as practical if there is no sidewalk
- stay as far to the edge of the road as practical if there is no shoulder, always yielding to all vehicles
- on a 2-way road, proceed only on the left hand side
- if you are facing a circular green light, you may cross with care, unless it is otherwise prohibited
- if you are facing (only) a green arrow, no crossing allowed
- if you are facing a yellow circular light, be warned that you may have insufficient time to cross
- if you are facing any red light, you may not cross
- when you enter an intersection, you must yield to vehicles already lawfully in the intersection, even if you have a “walk” signal (but, let’s face it, who wants to play chicken as a pedestrian versus a motorized vehicle?)
- if the pedestrian signal changes to “don’t walk,” you may continue to proceed through an intersection if you are already in it
- you must use a crosswalk if you are between two adjacent intersections with crosswalks
- if you are crossing somewhere other than where there are crosswalks, you must yield to all vehicles

(I don't remember the source, but it wasn't me...)

I do tend to give runners forgiveness and space when possible. These are just people doing what they feel needs done to achieve their goals. I certainly won't swerve for a runner if it means spilling my beer though... A man can only be expected to do so much!!

rowlandsw

Around here there's no sidewalks as we're rural but in the city i've never figured that out unless the area has terrible sidewalks.

Joreanasaurous

I honestly prefer trail whenever possible, but when that isn't possible I feel safer on the sidewalk unless I am in a residential area with minimal traffic.

I honestly think runners just need to employ some common sense. If it is dark out wear some sort of light to make you noticeable both to cars and other pedestrians. Don't be on the road if you are going to impede traffic. You might feel all the entitlement of the world to be on the road, but the reality is you are NOT going to will a fight with a car and you are a jerk if you are affecting the flow of traffic. And don't blare you headphones so loud you have no idea what is going on around you.