The Gazelle unknowingly is helping me to highlight another point in the safety tips post I started yesterday.
He was running during the daylight hours recently. He usually runs on the road. As a runner with a bad knee, he knows that running on ashphalt is better than running on concrete sidewalks.
He runs facing the traffic. You can always see the cars that are coming toward you. You can’t see the cars that are coming up behind you. He also makes sure that he obeys the rules of the road. You can’t run if you have been hit by a car after darting out in the road.
The Gazelle was crossing at an intersection. Where unfortunately, the driver of a car decided that the stop sign didn’t apply to him. “He missed me by this much,” said the Gazelle. He held up his thumb and pointer finger about two inches apart. The experience really shook him up. And got him thinking a little harder about personal safety when running.
Which leads me to another point. Make sure you wear some sort of reflective stripe somewhere. It is a little easier for drivers to see a runner if there is something to catch their eye. And check with your local running store, they usually sell LED lights for the times when you run and the sunset comes a little faster than you think.
Also, invest in identification. The Gazelle bought me an id holder for Christmas. It is reflective and is also waterproof. I can wear it around an ankle or my wrist.
Most of all, though use common sense when it comes to running. When one person in this running family is hurt, it hurts us all.
Our Magazine
