Etiquette

I was driving home at dusk last night and came across 1 runner & 1 cyclist with ipods on a busy street and no shoulder; 2 moms walking abreast with strollers, with traffic, in a relatively quiet neighborhood. All were enjoying the beautiful evening...unsafely. I thought this would be the perfect time to bring up road etiquette for active folks.

Runners / Walkers:

1- Run/Walk against traffic. (stay on the left side of the road) This allows you an "out" in case the car driving against you decides not to give you some space.

2- Use the shoulder whenever possible. Yes, we should all share the road, but don't assume that drivers see you or care.

3- Keep the volume down. If you listen to music when you exercise, keep it low. You never know what might be coming up behind you...can we say DOGS?

4- Move as far left as possible and into a single line when traffic approaches. Don't play chicken with a vehicle weighing a few thousand pounds at 45mph.

5- Always look both ways before crossing the street. Your mother was onto something. Be safe!

6- When crossing an intersection, pass behind cars turning right. Drivers don't typically look right when turning right, so they won't see YOU.

Cyclists:

1- Ride with traffic (stay on the right side of the road)

2- Watch the volume on your music.  I don't recommend riding with music, but if you do, keep your left ear bud out.

3- Wear your helmet! I'm always seeing little kids with helmets on, but ill-fitted. 

4- Look both ways and use hand signals when turning and stopping.

In all cases, use common sense. Bring ID and keep your eyes and ears open. Not all drivers can see you, or care about moving over for you. In fact, I've heard of quite a few people getting mowed over "just to prove a point". Be smart, move over, bring id, and use reflective gear when appropriate. 

Check out RoadID.com 

Stay safe!