Do Joggers and Runners piss you off?

[126coupe]

Are they supposed to run with traffic or against it?
When the joggers run against traffic it seems to be they put their life at risk. i will be coming around a curve in the road and all of a sudden they appear. I almost killed a few over the years. It makes more sense to run with traffic, a driver has much more warning.

I dont understand why runners run in the street when there
is a perfectly good sidewalk

Joggers and runners chime in!

[RickM]

What gets me are joggers that are doing their deed near busy traffic areas, including highways. Nothing like sucking in huge amounts of exhaust pipe goodness deep, deep down in dem lungs...

[rcecale]

What ticks me off the most is when they get lodged up inside my wheel wells. They can be a real bear to pry loose!

Randy

[Tim Hancock]

What ticks me off is that they are getting in shape, yet I can't my my lazy butt get out and do it!

[addictionMS]

Well, here is my take, when I run, I always run facing traffic, that way I can see the cars coming, I can make eye contact, and be sure the driver sees me.

Not sure how you figure running with traffic will give you any more time, at best a runner will be doing 6 minute miles, so 10 miles an hour, the differential is 20 mph at best (changing from 10mph with you to 10 mph against, delta 20mph, most runners are way below 6 minute miles, so more like 15 mph)

If you can not avoid a runner who sees you closing at 10 mph and takes evasive action, I bet you would be no better off with one who does not see you travelling in your direction at 10 mph

As for the sidewalk thing, I always wondered about that before I started running, and the best answer I can give you is the changes in the sidewalk are disruptive to the pace. Sounds trivial, but it does effect you.

Jim

[Moses]

Runners? No. Bicyclists? Grrrr.... Don't get me started.

[djmcmath]

Runners only really tick me off when they dodge up onto the sidewalk. It really messes up my alignment when I have to chase them up there.

[rcecale]

Physically, it's better for the runner to run on the asphalt than it is on concrete. The asphalt is softer and doesn't cause as much stress as the concrete does.

Randy

[widebody911]

I think's funny when they stop and light up a smoke!

[rcecale]

A guy I served with iin the Marines smoked like a chimney. Part of our bi-annual Physical Fitness Test was a 3-mile run. He would race his a$$ off to the 1.5 mile turn-around mark and light one up, smoke it down and then race back to the finish line. Sad to say but he was faster than almost everybody else in the squadron.

Randy

[amity914]

Cyclers sometimes, never had problems with joggers

hiedi

[speeder]

Originally posted by Moses
Runners? No. Bicyclists? Grrrr.... Don't get me started.

Yeah, I've always been really pissed at bicyclists who either intentionally plug up the flow of traffic and/or seem like they want to get hit by a car.

It is though they are challenging auto traffic to honk at them or something, really ******* stupid.

A guy that I knew was killed several years ago when he got into a road rage situation w/ the wrong MFer driving a big, loud Bronco and the guy I knew was on a MC. (Harley). Of course the Bronco guy chased him down and ran him over, in hindsight that was predictable. "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight", or a MC to a monster truck demolition derby.

These bicyclists are unbelievably stupid. You never know what kind of homicidal, psychotic individual might be behind the wheel of a car or truck. And when large packs of bicyclists "challenge" motorists by not letting them pass, (and drive @ <20mph), it makes me angry and impatient. But mostly, I am actually concerned for their safety, wondering if the next driver won't have my Ghandi-esque patience and tolerance. Or reflexes.

WTF is up wit' dat??

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally posted by widebody911
I think's funny when they stop and light up a smoke!

I was a pretty serious soccer player in my younger days. A guy I grew up with was on the same club and school teams as I was until I was an adult. I can't remember him ever NOT smoking. The coach would send us out on a 10-12 mile road run and this guy would beat the next fastest by a couple of minutes. Always had a cigarette going while the rest of us came wheezing in. Amazing.
As far as runners today, and cyclists for that matter, they don't bother me. There is room enough for everyone. The only ones that might ever bother me are the cyclists that ride three to four abreast on the back roads early in the mornings. Nothing like heading out for my morning drive and meeting a group of these around a blind corner.

[Sarah]

When I run I face traffic so I can see the cars coming towards me. I'm in the city but our area doesn't have side walks so the street is the option. If I run around one of the city lakes...there is a walking path, dirt trail next to it, and bike path. So...most people know where best to be...if not...you see people say "left" or just dart around.

[mikester]

I see the cyclists who have no regard for traffic laws as a big problem. A bike is a vehicle and subject to the same laws of the road my car is - I have to stop at stop signs and lights - so do you.

Here in Downtown LA the cycle messengers have death wishes.

[cbeers]

I agree about the cyclists, in fact one day in court, the Judge said just that. "You all want equal rights, but then you ran a stop sign?"
Next.

As for joggers, I would rather they ran facing me, for the eye contact as stated above. Never know when someone will step left right in front of you..........

There used to be a cyclist up on Mt. Hamilton (single lane in each direction, sometimes only one total) who would attach a stick to his bike so that it stuck out into traffic not allowing anyone to pass. Cops took care of him before the locals did. Good thing.

-Chris

[JavaBrewer]

Originally posted by Jeff Higgins
The only ones that might ever bother me are the cyclists that ride three to four abreast on the back roads early in the mornings. Nothing like heading out for my morning drive and meeting a group of these around a blind corner.

Perhaps when entering blind corners you should drive the speed limit? Seriously, cyclists ride 2+ abreast to increase visibility, more so on back roads. I rode/raced for many years and contrary to public opinon cyclists are not out to purposefully piss people off. Cyclists are very aware of the car vs. bike scenario and just want to stay alive. Search for cyclist in OT for a day's worth of arguments pro/con to road going cyclists.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally posted by mikester
I see the cyclists who have no regard for traffic laws as a big problem. A bike is a vehicle and subject to the same laws of the road my car is - I have to stop at stop signs and lights - so do you.

Agreed. I never rode with guys/gals who didn't follow the rules of the road. Stop signs, lights, turn lanes, one way streets, everything.

[legion]

I do both running and cycling.

When I run, I walk to a dedicated asphalt trail near my house...I consider most drivers too crazy to compete with on foot.

When I cycle, I stay to the right end of the rightmost lane. I signal turns with my hands (it's a royal PITA to get in to the left turn lane though). Some drivers don't like the fact that I'm in the road (albeit a little bit), and pass me when the lane to their left is not clear, thus forcing me off the road. I have no problem slapping the side of their vehicle. The other thing I watch for is people pulling out of driveways and parking lots. Most seem to think that I will come to a dead stop in traffic to let them past. I've had dozens of people pull in to me and slam on their brakes abruptly when they realize that I will, in fact, not stop. I also don't mind giving the front of their cars a kick in such a case. Honestly, I really only had problems when I lived in the Chicago 'burbs. No real issues since I moved downstate.

[kang]

I hate when cyclists ride in the very left edge, or even past the left edge, of the big wide bike lane, or when they ride several abreast, so that they intrude past the bike lane into traffic. Same is true for runners who run in the street and not the sidewalk.

Sure, the sidewalk may be bumpier than the street, or the right side of the bike lane may have more dirt and junk in it, but I would think that not getting hit by a car would take precedence.

When I ride on the street, I try to be as far right into the bike lane as possible, without regard to the condition of the road over there.

My rant does not apply when there is no bike lane.