Running Mania

http://www.thestar.com/life/2015/04/29/ ... ggers.html

Personally, I try to avoid running on downtown sidewalks at all possible costs. There are too many obstacles. Pedestrians, stoplights, bicyclists.

Even when I run commute, I am on a busy sidewalk (Bloor) for only a short time.

How is it in your city?

purdy65 wrote:http://www.thestar.com/life/2015/04/29/who-owns-torontos-sidewalks-pedestrians-or-joggers.html

Personally, I try to avoid running on downtown sidewalks at all possible costs. There are too many obstacles. Pedestrians, stoplights, bicyclists.

Even when I run commute, I am on a busy sidewalk (Bloor) for only a short time.

How is it in your city?

Fortunately, Winnipeg is pretty devoid of life out where I run.

On another note...

That article is confused about what the definition of "pedestrian" is. Runners/joggers are pedestrians, as they are using their pedes. The law makes no distinction between walker and jogger. So the answer to the question: "Who owns Toronto's sidewalks: Pedestrians or joggers?" can only be answered "pedestrians", but only because the term is all-inclusive and "joggers" is exclusive.

This also brings me around to one of my biggest pet peeves of people blaming runners who get hit by cars while crossing the street because they were in a crossWALK and not a crossRUN.

Vancouver is a runner's city. We have so many great places to run. But most people avoid running on the busy sidewalks on commercial streets since there are so many good alternatives.

daddy_runner wrote:This also brings me around to one of my biggest pet peeves of people blaming runners who get hit by cars while crossing the street because they were in a crossWALK and not a crossRUN.

I occasionally run with a local cop and he once confirmed that, strictly speaking, pedestrians are not permitted to run across a crosswalk, at least in our city. While it's not a rule that he would ever enforce, it's existence could play a role in assigning fault for any accidents.

ian wrote:

daddy_runner wrote:This also brings me around to one of my biggest pet peeves of people blaming runners who get hit by cars while crossing the street because they were in a crossWALK and not a crossRUN.

I occasionally run with a local cop and he once confirmed that, strictly speaking, pedestrians are not permitted to run across a crosswalk, at least in our city. While it's not a rule that he would ever enforce, it's existence could play a role in assigning fault for any accidents.

Hmm..I don't think we have any such bylaw. I just checked and couldn't find one.

We also have some widened crosswalks where bikes are allowed to cross.

Whats a side walk?

It's all old people here and everyone drives everywhere so I rarely run into either runners or pedestrians. Plus we have a great pathway system which means I barely need to run on real sidewalks.

Spirit wrote:Whats a side walk?

The article is about downtown areas.

But one thing I hate about suburban development/car culture is that many places have no sidewalks.

Jwolf wrote:

Spirit wrote:Whats a side walk?

The article is about downtown areas.

But one thing I hate about suburban development/car culture is that many places have no sidewalks.

Lighten up!

Spirit wrote:

Jwolf wrote:

Spirit wrote:Whats a side walk?

The article is about downtown areas.

But one thing I hate about suburban development/car culture is that many places have no sidewalks.

Lighten up!

?

I find it very troubling that our society has moved toward reliance on the car. Our children will be paying the environmental price.

I can't get the article to work for me, but when I run downtown from work, I have to run through several blocks of office building chaos to get to a path. I hate going out right at the start of lunch or right at peak "leave work" times where there are masses of people. Pathways are great, but you have to get there.

Doesn't link anymore.

I just hate groups (ie 2 or more) whether 2 walkers, 2 runners, 1 person + dog or more:

I run commute a couple times a week - run around ppl. Once about a month ago a big guy and his gal were walking aimlessly towards me. (downtown) I was off to the side but they were giving me zero point zero room. I knew what was coming, tensed up my left arm and went right thru the neanderthal arm to arm and didn't look back.

I've had runners come and do the same thing. Biggest pet peeve - give ppl room eh? Some woman in Hamilton once knocked my garmin right off my arm. Sidewalk on York st just after the hill. I'm all the way over without going into oncoming traffic and she bulldozes thru me and broke the bands off the watch. Not even an apology.

That being said if I can, I generally run around people, esp if coming from behind. If there's no escape I say coming on your left.


After writing this I have to say to myself, running almost exclusively for the last month on the treadmill wasn't so bad afterall!

Jwolf wrote:

Spirit wrote:

Jwolf wrote:

Spirit wrote:Whats a side walk?

The article is about downtown areas.

But one thing I hate about suburban development/car culture is that many places have no sidewalks.

Lighten up!

?

I find it very troubling that our society has moved toward reliance on the car. Our children will be paying the environmental price.

I think Spirit is trying to say that she runs on trails.

daddy_runner wrote:

Jwolf wrote:

Spirit wrote:

Jwolf wrote:

Spirit wrote:Whats a side walk?

The article is about downtown areas.

But one thing I hate about suburban development/car culture is that many places have no sidewalks.

Lighten up!

?

I find it very troubling that our society has moved toward reliance on the car. Our children will be paying the environmental price.

I think Spirit is trying to say that she runs on trails.

Ah, I see. I thought it was a comment on how there are no sidewalks in many residential areas of big cities. That's that annoys me.

In those places you have no choice but to run in the street.

daddy_runner wrote:

Jwolf wrote:

Spirit wrote:

Jwolf wrote:

Spirit wrote:Whats a side walk?

The article is about downtown areas.

But one thing I hate about suburban development/car culture is that many places have no sidewalks.

Lighten up!

?

I find it very troubling that our society has moved toward reliance on the car. Our children will be paying the environmental price.

I think Spirit is trying to say that she runs on trails.

Spirit is poking fun at Houston where there are almost no sidewalks. Since I live here, I am allowed to insult Houston.

It was a joke!

I have only run downtown here a couple of times - I avoid it, too many cars, other pedestrians, smokers and cross streets. To be fair, my downtown is MUCH smaller and less busy than, say Toronto's or Edmonton's downtown.

There is no sidewalk on my road, I find it frustrating. I was almost hit the other day on my run, I had to jump off the road onto a driveway to avoid a car that was hugging the curb and not paying attention (yes, I yelled, and yes his window was open).

FishPants wrote:I have only run downtown here a couple of times - I avoid it, too many cars, other pedestrians, smokers and cross streets. To be fair, my downtown is MUCH smaller and less busy than, say Toronto's or Edmonton's downtown.

There is no sidewalk on my road, I find it frustrating. I was almost hit the other day on my run, I had to jump off the road onto a driveway to avoid a car that was hugging the curb and not paying attention (yes, I yelled, and yes his window was open).

Oh yes! Smokers! That's the other horrid thing about running downtown.