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Other Hondas & General Topics => Off Topic (Non-Honda) => Topic started by: richardfrost on November 20, 2021, 05:26:15 PM
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As a runner, I was wondering what your views are on runners in the road.
Where I live, I run mainly on paths, towpaths, trails and tracks, but to get there, or when training for road races, or in the dark, or appalling weather, I do have to run on roads. Most of the roads I run on near me are single track and some are very narrow indeed.
I always, even in bright daylight, have some high vis elements to my clothing, usually long socks, as the movement is easy to spot. At night and in bad weather, I wear high reflective elements also. I never wear headphones due to safety but also because one main reason I run is to be outside, and being outside to me means enjoying the sights and the sounds of nature.
When running on the road, I always keep to the right, to face oncoming traffic, as we were taught as kids. The exception is where the lie of the land or the bend in the road means I can see better, and drivers can see me sooner, if I keep to the left. One example is long right hand sweeps of the road or certain junction types, like crossroads between lanes where I am turning right.
Wherever possible, I try to make eye contact with an oncoming driver. If I am able, I will stop and get into the hedge to let a car pass without pause, or wave a car coming from behind through, if I can see their way is clear.
As of yet, and I have been running hereabouts like this for six years now with no real issues. There are inconsiderate drivers who do come close, don't slow down at all or consider a driver coming the other way and forget about me, but no near death experiences so far.
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The rule of the country, as you say, is to walk on the side facing the traffic.
I adopt the same strategy on busy town pavements and stay close to the kerb allowing those walking the other way to walk further in. When I'm walking the same way as the traffic I walk away from the kerb and you'd not be surprised at those who try to force you to the edge.
Doesn't work with me, I hold my position.
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Can never understand in UK that we drive on the left but in shopping centres and pavements pedestrians seem to walk on the right....
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I've noticed that as well. Very annoying especially on stairs, escalators and the like.
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All I can say is if you put reflective bands on lower legs or arms ( something that moves a lot when you run ) they are easier for vehicles to see, even with dipped headlights, and flashing LED lights that you can wear are so cheap these days it is a no-brainer, most of them are bright enough to be visible in daylight as well.
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Ran for 35 years on roads: high viz vest/jerkin, head torch in winter/night, reflective strips on shoes. Faced ongoing traffic and noted suitable hedges to throw myself into/walls to climb/barbed wire to avoid so would not be killed by kamikaze drivers. Used to average 40 miles+ per week.
No crashes /smashes but lots of splashes.
Fell a few times on ice /loose stones - few cuts etc but no broken bones.
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Can we include cyclists in this post.
Have just returned home 8.0pm via a 10 mile stretch of country lanes.
I narrowly missed a lone cyclist riding with no rear lights, or any vestige of hi-vis clothing. in fact he seemed to be wearing black lycra or similar.
WHAT AN IDIOT!!
Is it any wonder some cyclists get a bad name?
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My thought at the start of this thread was of cyclists riding in dodgy light, unlit, in black clothing.
Regarding walking, when on quiet country roads, I'll usually swap sides to be on the outside of a bend. It gives more chance to be seen, particularly when there's no verge.
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My thought at the start of this thread was of cyclists riding in dodgy light, unlit, in black clothing.
Regarding walking, when on quiet country roads, I'll usually swap sides to be on the outside of a bend. It gives more chance to be seen, particularly when there's no verge.
The number of cyclists without lights dodging traffic in our area is a real problem...
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I have no issue with cyclists who keep as far left as possible but there is a growing band of selfish ones who ride 2 or 3 abreast on main A roads and once a HGV gets behind them you get a massive tailback.
Then they moan when the overtake is very close.
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I have no issue with cyclists who keep as far left as possible but there is a growing band of selfish ones who ride 2 or 3 abreast on main A roads and once a HGV gets behind them you get a massive tailback.
Then they moan when the overtake is very close.
I used to work with a bunch of rabid cyclists, they insist that riding 3 abreast is their right, and it actually makes it EASIER for traffic to overtake them because 3 cyclists abreast take up less length of road than 3 in line. There also seems to be a snobbery amongst modern riders, a workmate had a bike he paid 2 grand for, and when he turned up at the club it was 'Oh you got one of those', as they mounted their £10,000 carbon fibre bikes that weigh a few pounds less than other bikes, but if you damage the carbon fibre they cost as much as a car to repair.
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I treat all cyclists as having excrement for brains. It is the safest policy although many have real brains and use them.
But when you are driving along single track country roads, up a hill with lots of corners and zero forward visibility due to hedges, and encounter a cyclist in black doing at least 20mph downhill coming round a corner in the middle of the road and heading straight for you, an emergency stop by me at 10mph is not going to save the cyclist. He ended up in the hawthorn hedge!
Not much can be done for idiots like that but Darwinism will out.
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My wife and myself were out with our dog doing a walk. We needed to walk on a narrow country road for a short distance to get into the next field. The road had a tight bend. I could hear a vehicle approaching. We pushed ourselves into the hedge as much as possible. Next moment a car came around the blind bend going too fast to stop gracefully. There was some skidding before the car managed to come to a standstill. I shouted at the driver that he was going too fast! The driver and passenger were middle-aged people. They both looked shocked. My wife and I were shaken up.
I used to cycle 100 miles a week to work on the busy roads between Malvern and Worcester, (no cycle lanes). I had some hairy experiences, including getting knocked off the bike one bright sunny morning. I always wore hi-vis kit and had good lights when it was winter. Some cyclists are idiots. Some drivers are idiots. Trouble is, there are many more cars than cyclists. Cyclists are 100% more vulnerable than drivers. Let's be careful out there.
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I used to know that road fairly well,.
In-Laws were in Barnards Green and the Sister-in-law St Johns
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Cyclists probably drive all makes of vehicles.... but they seem to forget that the rules still apply to them when on two wheels.... went to see Milton Jones last week, he said 'any cyclists in the audience' then flashed a picture of a red traffic light up on a screen, 'any of you know what this means?'
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I reckon it's best to consider everybody else on the road, (also in life generally) as idiots until you get to know them.
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I used to know that road fairly well..
You know the short section of dual carriageway at Bowling Green? One bright sunny morning a woman driver struck my bike and knocked me into the road. My theory for the reason she didn't see me was that she was chatting to her passenger and not looking ahead, (don't you just hate to see that?) My bike needed a new wheel and mudguards, but I was not seriously hurt thank goodness. I was nervous about cycling after that.
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[quote from deleted post removed by Admin]
Cyclists probably drive all makes of vehicles.... but they seem to forget that the rules still apply to them when on two wheels.... went to see Milton Jones last week, he said 'any cyclists in the audience' then flashed a picture of a red traffic light up on a screen, 'any of you know what this means?'
Funny-ish! A car jumping Amber and even up to long changed Red lights are a more serious threat to our safety. I frequently start to move into a junction after my light has turned green to see vehicles still moving through. There is no excuse for it.
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No I don't know it that well to have spotted a bowling green. I was always driving (trying to avoid cyclists)
I'll get my coat.......
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Most adults who ride bikes are also motorists and pedestrians.
A lot more tolerance is required all round.
Edit Typo
[Edit by Admin - removed attachment]
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Seems like my request in include cyclists in this post, has struck a nerve.
I note there are at least twice the responses so far from members, relating to cyclists rather than runners.
Not sure of the reasons for that?
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Most adults who ride bikes are also motorists and pedestrians.
A lot more tolerance is required all round.
Edit Typo
Arguably cyclists more of a threat to pedestrians than vehicles are, they often ride on pavement, cyclists often ride across pedestrian crossing ( they are supposed to dismount and push their bike ), shared pedestrian and cycle lanes are a nightmare, no warning of approach, just suddenly a cyclist whizzes past weaving between walkers. Cyclists also cut inside turning lorries and wonder hwy they end up on the floor... Cannot remember last time I saw a bell on a bike, and they often do not have lights, rear view mirrors also not fitted any more. I used to cycle a lot and if i knew a queue was building up I would pull into side of road and stop, never seems to happen these days, cyclist hold the traffic up on hills and then pedal like mad down the other side of on the flat, making it difficult to overtake them. Those electric scooters are even more of a menace, they are illegal if privately owned by a responsible adult but apparently OK if a 13 year old hires one from a council facility...
How dangerous are e-scooters?
Most regular electric scooters have a max speed of 20mph though some models are capable of reaching up to 60mph. They can be dangerous for the rider if they crash, or if they collide with other road users. The problem with e-scooters is that like bikes, they are almost silent — and even more difficult to see coming.
E-scooters have been restricted in other countries for safety reasons after several deaths. Silent vehicles like e-scooters can also be particularly dangerous for people with disabilities, such as blind and partially sighted people as they are hard to hear and capable of reaching high speeds.
There has already been one e-scooter related death in the UK. Emily Hartridge, a television presenter who was using an e-scooter on a road in south-west London, died last year when she was hit by a lorry.
However, the biggest concern is that like dockless bikes in major cities, these e-scooters will end up on pavements, unfairly obstructing the way for people with disabilities. It is still not clear whether companies will be obliged to fund docking stations for e-scooters or set up a more efficient collecting system if they become more widespread.
Natasha Bernal is WIRED's business editor. She tweets from @TashaBernal
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Seems like my request in include cyclists in this post, has struck a nerve.
I note there are at least twice the responses so far from members, relating to cyclists rather than runners.
Not sure of the reasons for that?
Mainly because cyclists cause road users ( and a lot of other people ) a lot more grief than runners....
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No I don't know it that well to have spotted a bowling green.
I drove along it yesterday... I didn't realise Bowling Green was a place name, not a sporting venue.
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17&lat=52.15914&lon=-2.26625&layers=168&right=BingHyb
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This time of year, when running (even in daylight) I wear a fluorescent yellow top with reflective details. My shoes have reflective bits. The running trousers I have (now it's getting proper parky out there) also have reflective bits. If I'm running after dark I will have a head torch. The cap I wear has reflective bits.
I'm "only" doing about 50km per week at the moment.
The big problem I have with cycles on canal towpaths is that very few of them have bells (or if they do they don't sound like cycle bells), and they sneak up behind. I wear bone conduction headphones which leave my ears uncovered, so I can hear traffic, etc., but they still catch me out from time to time. It used to be a legal requirement for one to be fitted.
Another problem I have with cyclists is them cycling on the pavement (especially when there's a bike lane alongside). It is illegal but very rarely enforced.
On rural roads wide enough to allow two cars to pass, I take the right hand edge. On single track roads I might run on the crown of the road if the camber is too extreme. I don't run on main (A or B) roads except on the pavement.
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I 100% agree with everything you just said Nowster, apart from two things 1) I'm not back up to 50km a week yet, and 2) I run in shorts, but really need to get some running tights this Winter.
Cyclists can be a real pain on the canals and are one of the reasons I avoid them these days unless I need a towpath to link between places. I also prefer to run on the crown of a single track road if possible. When I was marathon training I was putting in weekly 13/14 mile runs on single track roads and the effect on your ankles of running on the camber was quite insidious. It was only when I did a training run with someone else and mentioned my ankle trouble that she suggested I run on the crown.
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I feel there are 2 considerations, one is for other road users and the second is for themselves.
Round here there are a couple of smaller back roads used heavily by cyclists in particular, though the points apply to runners/walkers equally.
Most cyclists are considerate, but there are some who are not. They ride abreast and make a point of holding up motorised traffic .... because they can. They would be the first to get angry if a car was to pull in front of them and slow down to a crawl, holding them up. Just be considerate (like most are).
The main gripe I have is the apparent total lack of awareness of their environment and their place in it. So many wear black/green/blue lycra and ride on country roads with trees and hedges which make them all but invisible especially when the sun is bright and they are in shadows. I have seen (just) cyclists wearing camouflage. What part of their own safety don't they understand? Just wear something bright and visible, pink, orange, white, yellow etc, something which doesn't blend into the background. Give car drivers a fighting chance to notice them.
Runners (back on topic) generally seem very much more considerate and aware than cyclists, no issue with them. ;D
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I 100% agree with everything you just said Nowster, apart from two things 1) I'm not back up to 50km a week yet, and 2) I run in shorts, but really need to get some running tights this Winter.
I've been running in shorts until the cold winds started a week or so ago. If outside temp is above about 7°C, shorts, unless there's a large wind chill factor. I need gloves before I need to cover my legs.
I've only recently got up to the 13 mile distance. I've done four half marathon distances in the last three months, but my more usual distance is 10km (and parkrun on Saturday mornings).
Another hazard is school bus stops at "letting out time", which seems to be about 2.30pm nowadays.