If I'm "invisible," I'm not a target. John Lunn wrote:
> Mike, > Help me here. > > A runner should find "a route farther away from auto traffic"and further away from >"country roads" where > the senior set wants to make you "dead right"? And you have preferred to run at >night with dark clothes > on > so that you can be an invisible moving target? > > I take it that this plan has worked well for you. > JL > > Mike Prizy wrote: > > > 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
