why run towards traffic?

Running on asphalt is easier on the knees, ankles and back than running on concrete. Running towards traffic is a safety thing: I'm not sure that the drivers can see you any better, but at least you can see them if you need to duck out of the way. If your facing away from them, you wouldn't know if they saw you, if they were swerving to avoid something else, or some kid was throwing something out the window (I know, but it happens).

If you do run along a road, face towards traffic, and wear a reflective vest, a white shirt, or something else that will allow a driver to see you, especially if the sun is at that blinding, windshield sun-glare level.

So you can see the oncoming traffic.

Bicycles, on the other hand, are vehicles that must abide by the same laws and conventions as other vehicles.

right. soooo, cars must yield to pedestrians. cyclists who are on the road need to behave like cars and also yield to pedestrians. BUT, if the runner is in the same part of the road the the bike is, what should the cyclist do? (assuming there as a mass of steel and glass on one side, and a curb or other obstruction on the other) this is a good place to ask, since everyone here runs and bikes.

Why on the street as opposed to the sidewalk or grass? Maybe because of footing issues? I try to stay on the sidewalk, if there is one. But on my "block" run, parts of the sidewalk are blocked by bushes or trees that have grown out. Other parts have fire hydrants and telephone poles in the middle of the sidewalk (!!) and so it's easier to just run on the street than to try to dodge all that stuff.

I'd sooo much rather run on a trail or asphalt, but sometimes you do what you have to do. I barely have time for my 30 minute run most nights, so driving to some other location is out of the question. I'm forced to run the "block" or the "box" (a larger square area around my house).

As a bike commuter, I've had to go around runners/walkers. The rule is the walker/runner gets the right-of-way, and the bikes must yield to them, just as cars must yield to bikes.

i thought the asphalt on the knees thing too, but then grass is even kinder. thanks for the response. i'm planning on getting a vest now that the skies are getting darker earlier.

The bike has to suck it up and either stop, or hope that the runner/walker gets out of their way. Bikes, unfortunately, are usually stuck in the middle of these situations. Having been on all three sides of this one (runner, biker, and driver), I can say it's not a good place to be in no matter who you are. The cyclist could very well swerve into the traffic lane and cause mischief for the drivers. The runner could, on the other hand, jump up on the curb for a second as the bike goes past. And... ta da... that's why the runner is facing traffic.

First of all, a car driver must treat a cyclist as he would any vehicle, that is, must not pass unless he can safely do so. Therefore there shouldn't be a "mass of steel and glass on one side," if the bike is passsing a pedestrian.

Cars do not have to yield to bikes. Cars must give bikes the same respect as other cars, though.

i've only ever commuted by bike, since i don't drive, and i can't remember ever seeing someone running on the street. yeilding to pedestrians was never a problem, but i'm not sure what i would have done if one was running right at me. i probably would have had to swerve around them?

here's a thought - the stretch he has observed this is on a very steep hill. is concrete even harder on the knees going downhill?

i know that's how its SUPPOSED to be, but the bolt in my left elbow is reminding me that's not how it IS.

Yes, exactly. But, really, how many cars do that? I'm one of those semi-militant cyclists that takes her part of the lane without hesitation. I firmly believe a bike on the "side" of the road will not be seen by most motorists.

But, tell the truth, you know as well as I do that a car will try to pass you no matter. And the bike will more often than not be the one to have to negotiate the situation between the cars and the runner. Just as the cyclist has to negotiate the cars in his lane and the opening doors from the side of the road. "Right-of-way" is great unless you're injured or dead. And the runner, although she has the right-of-way will probably yield if it looks like the cyclist is going to run her down. I know I would. I know what happens when a bike runs into a person. It's pretty much always worse for the person.

Sorry to hi-jack the thread on my rant. I will go write my history paper now.

its totally okay. i was a commuter for years and was pretty militant too - although i knew enough commuters who had been forced off the road by perturbed motorists that i often opted to avoid getting in the way of traffic, knowing how drivers can be. now that i'm pulling the burley, i'm even more bold about getting out into the lane and 'being a car' (our burley has stickers that say 'go by bike' and 'we're not blocking traffic, we ARE traffic'). i get yelled at even more with the burley than i ever did as a commuter. who knew?

I make a habit of "riding high" myself, staying six or eight feet from the white line. Seems to me to be a safer practice than having a car squeeze by you when there's oncoming traffic.

As a caveat, most of the roads I ride are low-traffic venues.

Asphalt is easier on you than concrete. And though grass/ground is even easier on your joints, I don't like running on it because it's harder to see hazards (like holes) and makes my footing less sure. I'd rather take a little more joint pounding than take the chance of twisting my ankle.

That being said, if there's a sidewalk there, I'd take it. If I want to run on asphalt, I'll run through a neighborhood with a lot less traffic. I only run on main thoroughfares when I'm on the way to a running trail from my house.

So we can see who killed us before we died.

In some places (New York, for example), it's actually the law that pedestrians must face traffic.

Running facing traffic is safer. When I was in high school, for some reason , two of our cross country teams top runners were running with traffic (at team practices we ran facing traffic). The large side mirror of a truck struck one of the runners on the back of her head. She was killed instantly. Terribly tragic.

Running:
I have a back problem which quickly turns excrutiating on concrete so I run on the shoulder if possible, otherwise I'm on the asphalt facing traffic.
If I intersect with a bike, it's easier and safer for everyone if I get out of the way than it is for the cyclist. I signal which way I'm going to move and I yield. Hence, the likelihood of my making it home safely and in one piece is increased.

Cycling:
I'm on the side of the road. The width of the roads and amount of traffic around here seem to make this the safest place, but I'm new to this kind of cycling and the area. I'll be paying attention to this for a while.
If I intersect with a runner, I signal which way I'm going to move and I slow down so I can avoid them or come to an outright stop if needed. I've been in this situation already. I'll yield completely if I have to. Hence, the likelihood of my making it home safely and in one piece is increased.

I don't care about right of way or being right. I'm training, not racing. I just want to get home safe and have a protein shake and a PB.

thank you for all the replies. i hope its okay that i pass along the responses to my hubby. he was just curious and wondered about what to do. i think all but one of the runners got out of his way (one ran out into the road to get around him though, which made him really nervous for the runner). again, thanks!