time to get out of the gene pool!

[marni]

dear joggers,

Not only were all six of you dressed entirely in dark colors, but you were running in the 5:00am pitch darkness,on a road with no street lights, in the right hand lane against traffic, with not a white sock, reflective clothing, or surface or flashing light among any of you.

If there was ever anyone who was ineligible for the gene pool it would be you six.

from the driver who swerved to the left lane to avoid you and ended up across the lane and almost in a ditch!
marni

[jessmarimba]

I used to run with a girl who ALWAYS dressed like that. Black sweatshirt & tights in the winter, at twilight. Black hat. Dark hair. And she ran pretty far into the road so she could stay on the flatter areas, too. ARGH. I would run with a headlamp and a bunch of blinkies to compensate, but since we were both group leaders I couldn't really kick her out.

[zoom-zoom]

I'm with you on everything except for the "against traffic" gripe. You do realize that that's where runners/pedestrians are supposed to be, right? I actually get really POd at runners on the wrong side of the road, just as I do cyclists riding into traffic.

And one thing that drives me nuts about running clothing manufacturers is the dearth of reflective trim and abundance of dark colors in clothing--at least the warm stuff. Way too much black. But when it's dark even high-viz stuff is of no use. Some light is required for the human eye to see color. Everything may as well be black after sunset and before sunrise.

They definitely should have had some LED headlamps, though.

[Koronin]

Can I add the guy we saw on a bike tonight in all dark clothes (not even bike clothes) just dark clothes, no lights, no reflectors, no bright anything and he was wearing sunglasses. This was at dusk.

[badger]

I think they should be nominated for the Darwin Awards!

I often shake my head at those cyclists who wear dark clothes, no lights, and no helmets. OR, those who wear a helmet, but don't bother buckling the straps - why bother wearing one at all??

[OakLeaf]

You do realize that that's where runners/pedestrians are supposed to be, right? I actually get really POd at runners on the wrong side of the road, just as I do cyclists riding into traffic.

+1

Y'know, a couple of years ago I got called out for using the term "cager" here, and even though I don't necessarily agree that it's offensive, I've been good.

There is no call for calling people "joggers." Especially not on this board, where many of us are runners, duathletes or triathletes.

Maybe they were jogging. And if they were, maybe they were serious athletes on a recovery day, or on an interval between intense repeats.

I totally agree with most of the OP, but easy on the derogatory language OK?

[marni]

+1

Y'know, a couple of years ago I got called out for using the term "cager" here, and even though I don't necessarily agree that it's offensive, I've been good.

There is no call for calling people "joggers." Especially not on this board, where many of us are runners, duathletes or triathletes.

Maybe they were jogging. And if they were, maybe they were serious athletes on a recovery day, or on an interval between intense repeats.

I totally agree with most of the OP, but easy on the derogatory language OK?

I apologize, I was under the impression that if there was a sidewalk, which I did not mention in the original post, that runners, joggers, tri atheletes, dualtheletes whatever you chose to call them, were obliged to use the sidewalk. I was under the impression that unless it was an organized event with traffic blocked and police present, that wheeled vehicles belong on the road and two footed machines don't. My bad.

As for the term joggers, I apologize, I use it as a generic term with nothing deroatory meant.

I was actually really just berating the lack of common sense involved in what they were wearing while running where they running.

marni

[zoom-zoom]

I apologize, I was under the impression that if there was a sidewalk, which I did not mention in the original post, that runners, joggers, tri atheletes, dualtheletes whatever you chose to call them, were obliged to use the sidewalk. I was under the impression that unless it was an organized event with traffic blocked and police present, that wheeled vehicles belong on the road and two footed machines don't. My bad.

As a runner I often loathe running on the sidewalk--especially when it's dark, since that's where all of the sticks, branches, and ruts exist...some of the same reasons we don't like riding on sidewalks. And concrete sidewalks are really friggin' hard compared to asphalt. Non-runners don't get that, but it's really noticeable.

Runners are no more obligated to use the sideWALK than we are when on our bikes. Around here the few available sidewalks are often overrun with oblivious adults and kids on bikes, inline skaters, scooters, and other runners with their music turned-up too loud to be aware of me coming up behind.

[Blueberry]

I had no idea that "jogger" was considered offensive.

[Bike Writer]

I had no idea that "jogger" was considered offensive.

Nor did I. I wonder when that happened and why?

Now I'm wondering what is a "cager" and why is that offensive?

I must not be hip to this stuff. That's an old word.

[PamNY]

I wish more cyclists/runners/scooterers/walkers/barhoppers were adequately lighted.

I didn't know that jogging was a derisive term either. What should one say?

Here's what Urban Dictionary says about "cager."

[Eden]

Runners are no more obligated to use the sideWALK than we are when on our bikes.

Actually that is probably dependent on where you are.... here in Washington at least it is actually illegal to walk (run or otherwise ambulate) down the street if there is a sidewalk available......

RCW 46.61.250
Pedestrians on roadways.
(1) Where sidewalks are provided it is unlawful for any pedestrian to walk or otherwise move along and upon an adjacent roadway. Where sidewalks are provided but wheelchair access is not available, disabled persons who require such access may walk or otherwise move along and upon an adjacent roadway until they reach an access point in the sidewalk.

(2) Where sidewalks are not provided any pedestrian walking or otherwise moving along and upon a highway shall, when practicable, walk or move only on the left side of the roadway or its shoulder facing traffic which may approach from the opposite direction and upon meeting an oncoming vehicle shall move clear of the roadway.

[OakLeaf]

There's a lot of local variation on whether pedestrians are allowed in roadways or not when there's a sidewalk. And even more variation in practice and enforcement.

Twenty years or so ago, Columbus was notorious. Among the more publicized cases, an elderly person who liked to sweep the street in front of their house got several jaywalking tickets.

Running in the road may be safer as a general rule (fewer irregularities and softer surface), but obviously they ought to be visible to traffic, and to get on the freakin' sidewalk if there's an oncoming car and no room for it to pass them safely in the road. I'm certainly not trying to say those people were being smart.



But I will say ... while runners and cyclists DEFINITELY have a responsibility to be visible and predictable, and you're definitely justified in your annoyance with them, what if it had been a deer, a dog, or a trash can in the road?

[Bike Writer]

I wish more cyclists/runners/scooterers/walkers/barhoppers were adequately lighted.

I didn't know that jogging was a derisive term either. What should one say?

Here's what Urban Dictionary says about "cager."

Thanks for the link, now I know what it means.

[badger]

I, too, am wondering why the term "jogging" is derogatory? is it because those who train don't want a lax, recreational implication of "jogging"?