Dangerous drivers while running

kookiebrew

I do most of my running on country Rds with no footpaths and very little hard shoulders and every day I'm out I'd say 90% of drivers don't indicate when passing me. Today there was a van towing a trailer with three cars behind it, never indicated when he passed me and the second and third cars had to swerve out to miss me. If there was anything coming the opposite way there could have been a serious crash. It's turning into a real pet hate for me lately.its not like they can't see me cause they pull out themselves but just don't let cars behind them know I'm there. I won't start on the speed some of them go at, that's for another day but it makes you realise how there's so many accidents on the Rds these days.

Right rant over....

average_runner

kookiebrew wrote: »

I do most of my running on country Rds with no footpaths and very little hard shoulders and every day I'm out I'd say 90% of drivers don't indicate when passing me. Today there was a van towing a trailer with three cars behind it, never indicated when he passed me and the second and third cars had to swerve out to miss me. If there was anything coming the opposite way there could have been a serious crash. It's turning into a real pet hate for me lately.its not like they can't see me cause they pull out themselves but just don't let cars behind them know I'm there. I won't start on the speed some of them go at, that's for another day but it makes you realise how there's so many accidents on the Rds these days.

Right rant over....

Indicators are for Christmas time in Ireland

kookiebrew

That might be the slogan that's needed.... Indicators are for life not just for Christmas...

Tombo2001

I live in the city but the odd time I am running in country roads I always feel uncomfortable.

I usually try to find bodhreens with practically no traffic, maybe a car every ten minutes....if I am running on road.

Drivers don't slow down. That's something that's not going to change regardless of the rights and wrongs of it.

webpal

kookiebrew wrote: »

That might be the slogan that's needed.... Indicators are for life not just for Christmas...

Even as a driver this p1sses me off. i always think to myself i should chase them down and slap a big sticker on their car saying "Exempt from indication"

sconhome

kookiebrew wrote: »

Right rant over....

Only beginning....

Something I come across regularly on my run route and it's getting to the stage where I'm tempted to carry something that will remove a wing-mirror (other than using my arm) as a lesson to cars that shave by on country roads.

What winds me up is the people who can see you coming towards them, can see the cars on the other side of the road and who speed right up to force you off the road - there's a reason I'm not already running in the ditch.

Idiot, ignorant people are everywhere unfortunately.

TFBubendorfer

I must be doing it differently to all of ye. I've been running for just over 10 years by now, virtually all of it on very quiet country roads, and never had a dangerous encounter with a car.

walshb

Quiet country roads tend to be quite narrow, with just enough room for two cars on either side. I would argue that anytime cars pass runners on these roads that this is a dangerous encounter. No need for swerves or skidding or evasive action. Just presence alone is dangerous on narrow country roads.

RayCun

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

I must be doing it differently to all of ye. I've been running for just over 10 years by now, virtually all of it on very quiet country roads, and never had a dangerous encounter with a car.

Is it too soon to joke that your dangerous encounters involve you being behind the wheel?

seamus

Rules aside, there's a certain amount of self-preservation you need to take into account with this activity - if you see a car coming towards you, do a quick glance back to see if they're going to be pinched by oncoming traffic and maybe make the call on whether you need to run in the ditch or stop altogether and stand to the side.

Most drivers will give plenty of room, but some will just bull on through. They're in the wrong, but getting hit by a wing mirror at 80 km/h could kill you.

walshb

seamus wrote: »

Most drivers will give plenty of room, but some will just bull on through. They're in the wrong, but getting hit by a wing mirror at 80 km/h could kill you.

That's just it. Right and wrong mean F all when you're dead. You are responsible for your safety when you decide to run on a road with cars.

kookiebrew

walshb wrote: »

That's just it. Right and wrong mean F all when you're dead. You are responsible for your safety when you decide to run on a road with cars.

Agree but it's so frustrating when you do everything in your own power to be safe only for other muppets to take your life in their hands...

walshb

kookiebrew wrote: »

Agree but it's so frustrating when you do everything in your own power to be safe only for other muppets to take your life in their hands...

Of course. I see your point. But I don't really see how much you can do in your power to be safe when on a narrow country road. The best you can do is keep eyes open, wear gear that is somewhat visible, and stay as close to the edge of the terrain as possible. That's pretty much it. The rest is up in the air. For me that risk is just too much, and certainly not worth taking for a run.

plodder

seamus wrote: »

Rules aside, there's a certain amount of self-preservation you need to take into account with this activity - if you see a car coming towards you, do a quick glance back to see if they're going to be pinched by oncoming traffic and maybe make the call on whether you need to run in the ditch or stop altogether and stand to the side.

I would generally do that, and drivers definitely appreciate it when you make a bit of an effort.

Most drivers will give plenty of room, but some will just bull on through. They're in the wrong, but getting hit by a wing mirror at 80 km/h could kill you.

The worst thing would be for people to throw their hands in tha air and stop using the roads because it's too dangerous. If more people were out walking/running then motorists would get used to it, but there's no question you have to look after yourself, and be prepared for all sorts.

TFBubendorfer

RayCun wrote: »

Is it too soon to joke that your dangerous encounters involve you being behind the wheel?

No, I was highly tempted to include that myself :rolleyes:

But it would have taken away from the message, namely that running on quiet country roads does not automatically mean you're putting yourself into unreasonable danger.

walshb

plodder wrote: »

The worst thing would be for people to throw their hands in tha air and stop using the roads because it's too dangerous. If more people were out walking/running then motorists would get used to it, but there's no question you have to look after yourself, and be prepared for all sorts.

Some may, but not all. It only takes one motorist to end your life!

Micilin Muc

A pet hate of mine on my regular rural running route is full-beam headlights. I'm on a rough 3-foot wide 'footpath' and tripped a few times because I can't see where I'm running. Too easy to trip out on to the road.

kookiebrew

walshb wrote: »

Some may, but not all. It only takes one motorist to end your life!

Why get out of bed at all in the morning...could trip and fall down the stairs, could cross the rd and get run over by a car, could get attacked by knife wielding lunatics... Not to mention getting abducted by aliens....hahaha

Can see where your coming from but living in the country doesn't give us the safety of running on footpaths or in parks where there's no traffic not to mention running when it gets dark, that's just a definite no no.

Enduro

Micilin Muc wrote: »

A pet hate of mine on my regular rural running route is full-beam headlights. I'm on a rough 3-foot wide 'footpath' and tripped a few times because I can't see where I'm running. Too easy to trip out on to the road.

If someone is approaching me with full beams I usually move further towards the centre of the road as its harder to see the margins/ditch (and move back to the edge when they dip). Similarly for cars approaching without showing any signs of moving out so as not to hit me. So far this has always had the desired effect.

I always run on roads at night with a set of flashing LED armbands. These seem to make a good difference.

Not running on country roads is no solution. Plodder is absolutely correct. Its a known fact that the more drivers have to adjust to cyclists/pedestrians due to increasing numbers, the safer it is for everyone.

BeepBeep67

Lots of ignorant people out there, some happen to drive vehicles.
Agree with the indicators, I reckon 1 in 2 vehicles do not indicate when over taking and there is following traffic.
I tend to take an aggressive position when running on back roads, that is running out a couple of feet rather than in as far as I can. I feel more comfortable having somewhere to move to.
If a vehicle is going to drive too close to me I'll stick out my arm, which encourages them to give me more space.
I also try to avoid running around blind bends and will cross over until I'm around the bend.
And I don't wear headphones where I may encounter potentially dangerous drivers, you need all your senses.

walshb

kookiebrew wrote: »

Why get out of bed at all in the morning...could trip and fall down the stairs, could cross the rd and get run over by a car, could get attacked by knife wielding lunatics... Not to mention getting abducted by aliens....hahaha

Can see where your coming from but living in the country doesn't give us the safety of running on footpaths or in parks where there's no traffic not to mention running when it gets dark, that's just a definite no no.

Find a field?

kookiebrew

If there is no traffic coming towards me I usually run about a foot or two out from the verge anyway, find the rd camber is more level and easier in the feet, also if there is a vehicle approaching it can see me easier if I'm out a bit. Not sure about sticking my hand out though, some would take it off.

kookiebrew

walshb wrote: »

Find a field?

Good idea I'm sure there is a level field in co Mayo somewhere not full of cow or sheep crap...

walshb

kookiebrew wrote: »

Good idea I'm sure there is a level field in co Mayo somewhere not full of cow or sheep crap...

Bound to be...:)

plodder

kookiebrew wrote: »

Good idea I'm sure there is a level field in co Mayo somewhere not full of cow or sheep crap...

I don't think there is a level field anywhere in Mayo..

caff

I am beginning to think that there is some force field in Dublin City centre that disables indicators and makes red lights appear green to drivers.

kookiebrew

plodder wrote: »

I don't think there is a level field anywhere in Mayo..

That's the truth, they're not used to playing on a level field up here....

RoyMcC

Not just Ireland lads - in fact I found Irish drivers more aware than here for the time I lived over there.

ThePiedPiper

There's always better and worse routes no matter where you are. The quiter roads and National primary roads with wide hard shoulders are the safest. You get to know the safest roads eventually. At this stage, I've accustomed myself to expect stupidity and utter ignorance on certain stretches, having done a couple of last-second jumps into the hedge.

Ireland's not unique in this though, by any means. I inadvertently ended up running up a French dual carriageway last summer, and whilst I shouldn't have been there, it was the most frightening 10 minutes I ever ran, so much so, I resigned to clambering over fences and up a thorny mess of briars to get off it. In general, I found the road behaviour of the French worse than Ireland, the UK and Italy.. Us Irish are saintly in comparison!

annapr

I'm not sure I agree that national roads with wide hard shoulders are safe... how many times have you seen slow traffic, trucks, etc. cruising along in the hard shoulder? ...oblivious to whether there might be pedestrians or runners up ahead. And I think the stats show most accidents happen on primary routes (not motorways)... wide, straight roads with hard shoulders!

In my experience, back roads and boreens are safer -- but then I'm basing that on Donegal which has probably the longest network of quiet 'roads' in the country... great for running, Donegal County Council even provides grass in the middle of them .

kookiebrew

Ohh those green Rds are a great workout, hoping and jumping over those potholes

dna_leri

seamus wrote: »

Most drivers will give plenty of room, but some will just bull on through. They're in the wrong, but getting hit by a wing mirror at 80 km/h could kill you.

Actually a car wing mirror will not kill you, even at 80 km/h - I have tested it.
A truck mirror to the head, probably will, but if you are that near to the truck, you are in trouble anyway.

I live in the country and only run on the quietest roads where I will meet 2 or 3 cars in a 40 min run. For longer or faster stuff, I'll drive to a park/wood/track/ football pitch etc.

TFBubendorfer

dna_leri wrote: »

Actually a car wing mirror will not kill you, even at 80 km/h - I have tested it.
A truck mirror to the head, probably will, but if you are that near to the truck, you are in trouble anyway.

Depends.

I remember a case of a pedestrian being killed after being hit by a wing mirror (from a motorbike, maybe?) while standing on the road side. No idea about the speed, but 80 kph would be brutally fast in such a case.

James Cracknell survived being hit by a truck, I think the wing mirror struck his head from behind. Mind, it was a very close call.

dna_leri

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Depends.

I remember a case of a pedestrian being killed after being hit by a wing mirror (from a motorbike, maybe?) while standing on the road side. No idea about the speed, but 80 kph would be brutally fast in such a case.

James Cracknell survived being hit by a truck, I think the wing mirror struck his head from behind. Mind, it was a very close call.

Unless you are crouching down (or a child being carried in someone's arms) the car wing mirror will not hit your head. Car wing mirrors will also fold under the impact force.

Keep away from trucks.