Tragic. Agreed, never run with traffic, especially in early or late times of day.

I'm not being deliberately argumentative here and I feel terrible for your loss - this is a legitimate request for information. I can see the benefit of running against traffic so you can see oncoming cars and sidestep if they get too close. But why then do we ride our bikes with traffic?

I think that if we were to ride against traffic, imagine having to swerve for something and hitting a car head-on. For example, 15mph (bike)+45mph (car) = 60mph impact when riding against traffic is a lot worse than 45mph (car) - 15mph (bike) = 30mph impact when riding with. Much more likely to survive. Whether it works like that or not, I don't know, but you get the point. Also, riding with traffic is psychologically easier for me as a rider and driver.

Actually, the reason you ride with traffic is that bicycles are considered vehicles and should obey the traffic laws. It would not be permissible for cars, trucks, motorcycles, or even mopeds to drive against other traffic. Therefore, bikes should not either. That said, I've seen a fair number of bike riders riding against traffic. I doubt they get stopped by police . . . but they should.

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''The enemy isn't conservatism. The enemy isn't liberalism. The enemy is bulls**t.''

—Lars-Erik Nelson

Also, motorist look in specific directions when making specific turns. If I'm turning right on a main way, I might not even look to my right, though I should. Competent pedestrian should be aware whether a motorist in such a situation has seen the (making eye contact) or assume they haven't and walk behind the car. I know, that isn't the law, but I've almost been mowed over in such situation, it was my awareness that saved me. If you are on a bike, you likely will not be seen and stand a better chance of getting hit, same applies to cyclist on sidewalks.

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"In the world I see you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You'll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You'll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Towers. And when you look down, you'll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying stripes of venison on the empty car pool lane of some abandoned superhighway." T Durden

Short answer: bikes are traffic. Bike is a vehicle when on the road. Long answer: It's also safer. See which way drivers look for traffic when turning etc etc...

I'm sorry to hear about this. It is on everyone's mind, or at least it should be. This year, after many many years doing this on the roads, I switched to running and riding where there's no traffic. No not in my garage or treadmill. Can't stand it. We have tens of miles of paved trails here. Pick the right time of the day and the right trail and they are almost empty.

when i'm biking along ad see a runner come at me, in the shoulder of the road, i notice (generalization here, but it's about 90% from the 10s of 1000s of miles i ride) that runners do not step out of the way--either off the shoulder or into traffic. instead, i'm expected to go into traffic.

always strikes me as interesting. i get that runners are reducing their risk (fair), but they put me at higher risk to go into traffic.

were i the runner, running against traffic, i'd step OFF the road if i encountered a cyclist, because as a runner i'm the one that loses in any collision. (same reason i get out of the way for cars when on a bike.)

I agree and see it almost every day either riding or running. People running (a lot in bike lanes) with traffic is just a dangerous scenario for all involved.

Sharing the roads is neither a game of chicken nor a pissing contest.

unfortunately, our reality (runners and cyclists; i do both) is that we are the lightest/least-protected people out there.

i feel like running against traffic is helpful to the runner but does put cyclists traveling in the assigned direction at risk--pushing them out into traffic with their back to oncoming vehicles.

my earlier post was a genuine question/observation. should runners traveling against traffic generally step out of the way (into the road OR off the shoulder), as they are the ones looking at the oncoming traffic situation?

i mean this as a sincere discussion.

I've noticed recently that quite a few runners make way for me by heading into the road, and to me that's the worst of all worlds. I'm a vehicle, moving in the direction of traffic, so when they do that they're sandwiched between me and traffic in a way that I don't think serves either of us.

If I'm the runner, I step aside for a moment. I do this on a singletrack trail as well when encountering bikes coming at me. Much easier for a runner to safely pause than a bike. Doesn't happen often enough to annoy me. And the favor is often returned when I'm on the bike.

When I've been the runner I've always hopped up onto the curb for a few strides to let the cyclist pass (except in the odd situation that there's nowhere to go, but I try to avoid running on those roads in the first place). Usually this favor seems to be returned when I'm riding, although not always.

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All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. ~Gandalf

Very sad indeed.

I run against traffic when in an area with no sidewalk. I stay as far to my left as possible when approaching oncoming traffic. Some drivers will courteously give me a wide berth by moving over several feet to their left. Other drivers act like they're playing chicken with me and hold their line, not budging an inch even though the lane to their left is clear of other vehicles.

This happens to me as well. There are very few sidewalks where I live, so I run against traffic as far to the edge of the road as possible. I can't imagine what kind of mentality these people have to not budge an inch. Heck, some drivers seem to get even closer as if to intimidate me... and I'd say this is about 1 in 10 cars. I sometimes want to run with a camera and then turn it in to local authorities. Some people are insane.

Because bicycles are vehicles, just like automobiles. Runners are not vehicles.

My thoughts go to the family and friends involved in this tragedy. We have a city park with multiple. nested paved loops ranging from a mile to about 11 miles. Infrequent car traffic, more cyclists, lots of runner, walkers, dogs on leashes. The vast majority of the non-vehicles travel in the direction of the vehicles - a mistake and accidents waiting to happen. What's more amazing is that the park is connected to a busy cross-city main street by a 2 mile, low traffice, 2 lanes in each direction connector. What's amazing about that? There are signs encouraging (demanding?) pedestrians to walk/run against traffic (good!). But as soon as these folks enter the park, connected to that road, they revert to traveling in the direction of traffic on a windy, hilly set of roads. Madness!

Sorry for the loss. These threads are becoming like the threads about mass shootings.

I don't think that it matters which side of the road we travel. People that drive simply do not pay attention or simply do not care about pedestrians.

Just think about what you have said.

So if motorists aren't looking - would yu rather run with your back to traffic - or face the traffic ?

One is clearly safer...

In addition to a bike being a vehicle, where would you swerve to in order to avoid a car that doesn't see you? A runner can sidestep usually, but a cyclist really would have nowhere to go if going against traffic.