Jogging in the street. A-holes that try to see how close they can get and my rights to defend myself

[Sterg]

Any joggers here that run into these people? Most drivers give you a little berth, but there are some A-holes out there that think they can come as close to you as they can. Makes me want to carry a baton or blackjack to take out their mirror. WTF. Are batons legal to carry? I feel assaulted by their vehicles.

Admin, please add "A rant if I may" in the title.

 

[76Too]

Move somewhere with sidewalks? Go to the track?

I hear what you’re saying, but there’s really nothing you can do. If you cause damage to someone else’s vehicle, or worse they crash because of something you did, I bet you could be found liable.

 

[Davidk]

deleted

 

[Picton]

This should be good...

I run. Yes, I too think it’s awful that towns don’t bother putting in sidewalks. But it’s a known hazard in this part of the country. At the end of the day, as long as you’re outside the white line on a public way, it’s the car’s fault when they barrel into you.

Not that that’ll help you much, though. Keep the earbuds out and maintain your situational awareness.

 

[Noreaster]

I cannot cite law, but i do not believe battalions are legal to carry around. Bats are legal. If you go around jogging with one, i would be surprised if you don't get questioned at some point just for looking like an idiot.

1) this goes for cyclists and for joggers, the people in cars can be dicks in general, Its then compounded when on narrow roads where car drivers need to choose to drive 3 MPH, or squeeze around a non motorist and the oncoming traffic lane. Its a recipe for disaster. They then forget that they are in metal cage and the non-motorist is not. A scratch on a car is just a scratch, possibly fixable, only financial harm. The other party could die. People forget to look at it like that because they are overcome with anger.
2) Why non motorists think they are so important that they need to be in a narrow road instead of alternate paths (sidewalks or other routes) is beyond me.

 

[Sterg]

Move somewhere with sidewalks? Go to the track?

I hear what you’re saying, but there’s really nothing you can do. If you cause damage to someone else’s vehicle, or worse they crash because of something you did, I bet you could be found liable.

I wasn't sure if the pedestrian rules applied here. There are mostly sidewalks but there are places where there are none and it can't be helped. I have had a few people try to see how close they can come. One guy several years ago actually ran me off the road in his truck. I guess ill just try to snap a picture of them as they go down the street and report them. Although the cops probably can't do anything.
I should have included "A rant if I may" in the title,lol.

 

[drgrant]

If this happens on a regular basis you're probably going someplace where there's too much traffic. You may be "in the
right" legally wherever you're jogging, but that doesn't necessarily make it a good idea to jog there.

Staying away from chaos and retards as much as possible = cheap risk mitigation.

-Mike

 

[Sterg]

I cannot cite law, but i do not believe battalions are legal to carry around. Bats are legal. If you go around jogging with one, i would be surprised if you don't get questioned at some point just for looking like an idiot.

People forget to look at it like that because they are overcome with anger.
2) Why non motorists think they are so important that they need to be in a narrow road instead of alternate paths (sidewalks or other routes) is beyond me.

Being overcome with anger. Good advice I guess. I probably should let go of it and just try to ignore it. I don't neccecarily agree to 2 as i need to go a certain route to get to trails and to more sidewalks.

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

I see this goes both ways. I live in the city, drive to work, but I'm also an avid cyclist who likes to ride in the city. Some people just generally suck and driving, running, walking, riding bikes...whatever. Common sense is almost a lost art these days too. I bet 8 times out of 10, people aren't coming close on just to piss you off. They either can't gauge how close they are getting or are distracted drivers. The ones who get close because they just don't care, well, those are indeed A-holes, but not the majority.

But like I saw, this goes the other direction as well. People riding bikes, cutting out of the bike lane into traffic without looking to avoid a puddle or overtake another biker. The assumption of right of way is so strong for bikers in most cities that they will often put their lives at risk with the assumption the vehicle will be the one to move/stop. This circles back to people being idiots in general, so hits happen often. Just saw one last week. Also saw a runner cut off a biker by entering the bike lane without looking, which then the biker entered the driving lane without looking. Get dash cams or action cams.

 

[Picton]

Being overcome with anger. Good advice I guess. I probably should let go of it and just try to ignore it. I don't neccecarily agree to 2 as i need to go a certain route to get to trails and to more sidewalks.

Yeah, gotta let it go. It's unavoidable around here. I learned to run out West, in places like California and Colorado, where sidewalks are normal. Here, not so much. I've seen enough fellow runners get hit that I'm obsessive about staying off the blacktop as much as possible, even if it means shitty footing at the edge of the woods. Between poor footing and a distracted driver taking me out, I'll risk the footing.

It's too bad. On the other hand, when I'm driving, I'm guilty of not giving the widest berth possible either. I'll drift away from runners, but I won't go over the yellow line. No need to be quite that cautious, but I do try not to pull a Ghost Rider and buzz the tower as I go by.

Just gotta pay attention. Truly, though the law protects pedestrians, the onus is on us to be safer than the drivers. They're going to kill us, not vice-versa. So self-preservation means keeping your head on a swivel. And, yes, not getting angry. That helps nothing.

 

[Noreaster]

Being overcome with anger. Good advice I guess. I probably should let go of it and just try to ignore it. I don't neccecarily agree to 2 as i need to go a certain route to get to trails and to more sidewalks.

For #2 drgrant said it with more elegance.

I see this all the time in metrowest. These roads date back to the 1700s, there is hardly room for 2 cars and the edges of the roads are trees, no curbs or any area for run off, just trees. Yes joggers and cyclists have a legal right of way, but its just begging for issues. In the past 12 months, 2 people have been hit while on bicycles in the roads in this town. 1 was fatal. Its just a bad combination. You cant control the drivers, but you can control where you put yourself. If there is a tie for the same space, you wont win.

 

[Shire Guy]

This should be good...

I run. Yes, I too think it’s awful that towns don’t bother putting in sidewalks. But it’s a known hazard in this part of the country. At the end of the day, as long as you’re outside the white line on a public way, it’s the car’s fault when they barrel into you.

Not that that’ll help you much, though. Keep the earbuds out and maintain your situational awareness.

I travel for work from Syracuse east and Canada south to the LI sound, one of my biggest pet peeves are the f**ktards jogging / walking in the travel lane, back to traffic, wearing earbuds. Nearly every city / town has its share of these morons jogging in the road on the wrong side with a god damned sidewalk right next to them!

Seems like they have the attitude that everyone else needs to look out for their dumb asses; of course 70% of drivers have that same "I'll do what I want, you need to get outta my way" mentality. Physics comes into play when these congenital idiots try to occupy the same place at the same moment.

You would have to hold a gun to my head to get me to walk in the road with my back to traffic.

Rant off.

 

[LuvDog]

I find it's more the younger crowd that likes to drive straight at me when I'm running. To avoid as much of that as possible, I run really early when they are probably still asleep in their momma's basements.

But, I also run with a "runners ID" velcro'd to my shoe laces... I figure at least someone will be able to identify my body and call my wife when they find my body in ditch.

 

[Picton]

I travel for work from Syracuse east and Canada south to the LI sound, one of my biggest pet peeves are the f**ktards jogging / walking in the travel lane, back to traffic, wearing earbuds. Nearly every city / town has its share of these morons jogging in the road on the wrong side with a god damned sidewalk right next to them!

Seems like they have the attitude that everyone else needs to look out for their dumb asses; of course 70% of drivers have that same "I'll do what I want, you need to get outta my way" mentality. Physics comes into play when these congenital idiots try to occupy the same place at the same moment.

You would have to hold a gun to my head to get me to walk in the road with my back to traffic.

Rant off.

That's another good point. Can't be running in the same direction the cars are going. I always run the "wrong way." My HS cross country coach taught us well.

 

[eboos]

I cannot cite law, but i do not believe battalions are legal to carry around.

I find carrying a battalion to be simply impractical. A fire team, or maybe a squad, but anything above platoon strength is just too much.

 

[Noreaster]

I find carrying a battalion to be simply impractical. A fire team, or maybe a squad, but anything above platoon strength is just too much.

LOL, damn autocorrect.
Im not fixing it. Its more fun the way it is.

 

[wilson911]

Come up and run with me on my road. Eleven miles of dirt roads and I havent seen a car go by since Tuesday. If you live in the city learn to share the roads, be defensive, and choose your running spots carefully. While you may be in the right, it doesnt matter if you are wrapped around the rear axle of a Tahoe.

 

[Bonesinium]

2) Why non motorists think they are so important that they need to be in a narrow road instead of alternate paths (sidewalks or other routes) is beyond me.

Why motorists in big vehicles think they are so important as to drive on narrow roads is beyond me.


Do you realize how ridiculous you sound? It’s really beyond you to comprehend people exercising in their own neighborhoods?

 

[dlarge]

Do you really think "take out their mirror" isn't going to end, eventually, in you hitting the wrong douchebag's mirror and getting your ass kicked?

 

[Stryker]

I run quite a bit on streets with out sidewalks (arguably rural and I pick roads without a ton of traffic for my loops) - I find close cars are due mostly to two things. 1) people are distracted with their phones; texting, music, whatever and 2) depending on the time of the day, they can't see you well enough due to position of the sun or the amount of shade on the street.

Outside of that there may be a few Aholes, but I think mostly it is the above

When I run in the morning, if the sun is low and behind me when I run against traffic (like you are supposed to), I will switch sides to run with traffic so that drivers can better see me

 

[Noreaster]

Its not just the roads anymore, a coworker of mine was killed a couple months back on the minuteman bikeway. Both on bikes, head on crash.

 

[Picton]

Its not just the roads anymore, a coworker of mine was killed a couple months back on the minuteman bikeway. Both on bikes, head on crash.

That had to be gruesome.

Condolences.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

Be careful of one-eyed drivers. They don't have the depth perception that normal people do. Jack.

 

[robjax]

When I see people running I move my car as far away as possible. If there is no oncoming traffic I actually cross the line. Some of them give me a wave when they see how far I moved. I wave back. I think it's great people get out and run. Something I can no longer do due to injury and age. I see some people running to stay in shape and most I see are getting into shape especially in the spring. Hats off to them.

 

[eboos]

I run quite a bit on streets with out sidewalks (arguably rural and I pick roads without a ton of traffic for my loops) - I find close cars are due mostly to two things. 1) people are distracted with their phones; texting, music, whatever and 2) depending on the time of the day, they can't see you well enough due to position of the sun or the amount of shade on the street.

Outside of that there may be a few Aholes, but I think mostly it is the above

When I run in the morning, if the sun is low and behind me when I run against traffic (like you are supposed to), I will switch sides to run with traffic so that drivers can better see me

With cycling, I mostly agree with your observations. I do think there are more genuinely hostile people encountered cycling though. One reason: because cyclists go with the flow of traffic, not against it, which prolongs the encounter.

 

[10thSFFD]

Do not run on streets in MA. Drivers are distracted and many of them do not even know that they are driving.

 

[jhblaze1]

streets are for cars, not pedestrians. Go run somewhere else.

 

[Picton]

streets are for cars, not pedestrians. Go run somewhere else.

If only it were that simple.

In fairness, I'll admit that runners sometimes act like a-holes too. I believe that running with a baton (or a battalion, too) would be a-holish.

 

[DarthRevan]

This is why I only exercise with beer/coffee curls...

 

[Bonesinium]

streets are for cars, not pedestrians. Go run somewhere else.

Good point. Only people with cars should be able to travel.