New runner - dumb question

[CantWaitToGoAgain]

6 weeks ago started JG run/walk program. So far so good! Here's my question; what side of the road are runners suppose to run on?? With traffic or against? Thanks in advance.

 

[FireDancer]

6 weeks ago started JG run/walk program. So far so good! Here's my question; what side of the road are runners suppose to run on?? With traffic or against? Thanks in advance.

The rule of thumb is to run against traffic but it also depends on the road and conditions. For example, running in the evening or morning when the sun is bright and low it is safest to run out of the sun so you are with cars also coming out of the sun. You also might want to change the side of the road you are running on if there is a blind turn so you are always opposite the cars coming out of it. Of course that depends on how much traffic there is and how safe it is to change sides of the road.

I highly recommend not wearing any headphones if you are running around traffic. You want to hear cars as well as see them.

 

[Dagna]

6 weeks ago started JG run/walk program. So far so good! Here's my question; what side of the road are runners suppose to run on?? With traffic or against? Thanks in advance.

Here's what I've always been told: if there's no sidewalk, run against traffic UNLESS on a sharp curve with sight obstructions, where running on the opposite side would give you a longer safe sight distance.

PS. The only dumb question is the one that's unasked

ETA: Beaten to it!

 

[SuperHappyFunTimes]

I agree with what the previous posters said. The only thing I have to add is that if you have very cambered/slanted roads and you always run against traffic, you need to watch out for possible injuries from always running on a slight slant. It won't happen to everyone, but if you get a strange injury/pain on one side consider if it's being caused by running on a slant (and maybe try to run on a flatter surface or trail).

 

[Merandab4]

Always best to find a jogging path or a trail. I don't have safe roads or sidewalks were I live so I have to drive in my car to go for a run. Sounds silly I know, but it's the safest way.

Congrats to you for starting a jogging/running program! We will be seeing you at the Run Disney events before too long! The family 5K's are great races to start with. Feel free to check out our blog below for info/pics of the Royal Fmaily 5K's. Good Luck to you!

 

[CantWaitToGoAgain]

Thanks all for the great and very helpful information. I should have mentioned I live on 4 acres in a rural area. On Tuesday and Thursday I run in my "development" that's approximatley 2 miles.

I'd like to believe it's safe?! But I run very early when its still dark which made me think what side should I be running on?! I do also where a reflective vest.

Thanks again to all. The Dis board people are amazing and always helpful.

 

[SuperHappyFunTimes]

Always best to find a jogging path or a trail. I don't have safe roads or sidewalks were I live so I have to drive in my car to go for a run. Sounds silly I know, but it's the safest way.

Congrats to you for starting a jogging/running program! We will be seeing you at the Run Disney events before too long! The family 5K's are great races to start with. Feel free to check out our blog below for info/pics of the Royal Fmaily 5K's. Good Luck to you!

For my long runs I drive my car to a park with trails too. I feel kind of silly driving to run too, but it is so much nicer to run without worrying about cars!

 

[SuperHappyFunTimes]

Thanks all for the great and very helpful information. I should have mentioned I live on 4 acres in a rural area. On Tuesday and Thursday I run in my "development" that's approximatley 2 miles.

I'd like to believe it's safe?! But I run very early when its still dark which made me think what side should I be running on?! I do also where a reflective vest.

Thanks again to all. The Dis board people are amazing and always helpful.

I think the reflective vest is a great idea. Just be alert. Great job starting running. These boards are awesome, you can pretty much learn everything you need to know.

 

[Dagna]

Always best to find a jogging path or a trail. I don't have safe roads or sidewalks were I live so I have to drive in my car to go for a run. Sounds silly I know, but it's the safest way.

I have to do that, too. Running on the road I live on would be like playing Russian Roulette . You can see the skid marks where cars routinely don't make the corners (it's supposed to be a 30mph neighborhood, for heaven's sake!), and my mailbox gets whacked off at ground level by a car coming off the road about once every three years.

So, I drive somewhere safer to run, but I do feel a bit odd about it .

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Thanks all for the great and very helpful information. I should have mentioned I live on 4 acres in a rural area. On Tuesday and Thursday I run in my "development" that's approximatley 2 miles.

I'd like to believe it's safe?! But I run very early when its still dark which made me think what side should I be running on?! I do also where a reflective vest.

Thanks again to all. The Dis board people are amazing and always helpful.

I have about 7 miles of very quiet, interconnected neighborhoods and another 4 or 5 miles that only has one intersection that sees more than one car an hour at 4AM (when I run on weekdays).

I worry more about being abducted by someone than I do with meeting cars at that hour. (We have good streetlights and I wear an LED Flasher, so I'm not too worried about being run over. . .)

 

[johde]

To the OP, definitely not a stupid question. A biking message board I frequent has been having a similar discussion.

Always best to find a jogging path or a trail. I don't have safe roads or sidewalks were I live so I have to drive in my car to go for a run. Sounds silly I know, but it's the safest way.

I do most of my jogging and biking on a local Rail/Trail. So, I agree that they can be the safest way. That being said, you need to follow the rules, both written and unwritten. Most of them come down to remembering you're sharing the trail with people going multiple speeds in both direction.

1) Unlike on the road where you run against traffic. On the trail, you are the traffic so you stay to the right (at least in the U.S.)

2) Unless the trail is extremely wide, you wouldn't walk or run more than 2 abreast. On most trail, I've been on, that third person will be across the, sometimes imaginary, center line impeding people coming the other direction or people trying to pass.

3) Signal to the people ahead of you your intention to pass. Tradition says you call out "on your left" if you are passing on the left, or "on your right" if you are passing on the right. But people unfamiliar with tradition will sometimes move that direction right in front of you. So, I normally just call out a friendly "hello".

4) Watch your kids. Fortunately it hasn't happened on the bike yet but while running I've had a kid dart in front of me and I've needed to do some fancy footwork to avoid a collision. Not easy for someone 320lbs.

 

[Dagna]

I always sing out a cheery "thank you!" to cyclists who warn me with "on your left!" when I'm jogging. However, when I'm the cyclist I use, "Coming up on your left!" It takes a bit more to say, but so far I've never had it misunderstood.

 

[ludari]

I typically run on the sidewalk but if there if there was no sidewalk I would run against traffic.

 

[John VN]

I always sing out a cheery "thank you!" to cyclists who warn me with "on your left!" when I'm jogging. However, when I'm the cyclist I use, "Coming up on your left!" It takes a bit more to say, but so far I've never had it misunderstood.

I find it much easier and direct to say...passing left.