But why be dead right? If special clothing has to be worn with the intent of being seen by drivers, then maybe a route farther away from auto traffic needs to be found. I think bright clothing gives some runners a false sense of security.
Having grown up in the South Suburbs of Chicago, I've had numerous run ins with cars and pedestrians. While in college, I was surprised at the number of run ins I had on country roads - not just with aggressive car loads of teenagers - but from the grandmas and grandpas who wouldn't yell or throw anything at us, but seemed set on making me/us dead right. For the last 20 years, most of my runs have been in the evening and in the dark, particularly in the winter months. People ask me if I ware reflective tape or material on my running gear. I tell them no, because I don't want to be a visible moving target. Ed and Dana Parrot wrote: > > Back in the day, back before running was reinvented in Boulder, there was > a war in the > > streets as you tried to log your miles. One winter I was asked why my > running outfit > > was so ugly. The colors of this outfit could not be blamed on my color > blindness. I > > dyed my long johns a deep pink, my shorts were a green-yellow, the > sweatshirt was > > orange, and my stocking cap was red. I dressed like this as a form of self > defense. In > > the previous weeks, I was hit in the shoulder by the large mirrors of a > pickup truck > > that came up behind me when I ran a short stretch in the same direction as > the > > traffic. I found myself sprawled on the hood of a car because the driver > only looked > > to the left as she made a right hand turn.On a Sunday morning, a driver > swerved toward > > me and my hand hit the door handle, slashing the top of my hand and giving > me a scar > > that I sport to this day. I vowed that if I was hit again, the driver > would have a > > difficult time explaining that he didn't see me. I was ugly, but I at > least felt safer. > > Smart move. I have a neon yellow jacket that has been jokingly referred to > as "Exhibit A" (in case it is needed in court to prove that the driver who > hit me could indeed see me). > > - Ed Parrot
