Photo by thecrazyfilmgirl.
I’m sitting on an ice pack as I write this post. Why? Well… the story is a little dramatic.
I got hit by a car yesterday. As in my actual person was hit. While out on a run.
I told you it was a little dramatic. Luckily, I wasn’t seriously hurt. After a trip to the emergency room and a few x-rays later, I came home with little more than a sore behind and a bump on my elbow. As I’ve been recovering today though, I’ve had a lot on my mind. For instance:
1. I’m happy to be alive. All things said, this situation could have been worse. A LOT worse. I didn’t hit my head or break a bone or wake up in the hospital not remembering who I was.
2. Never take your safety on the roads for granted.
It seems easy enough: Look both ways before you cross the street. Obey all traffic signs and signals. Exercise general caution. My friend Krista actually wrote a post about safety on the Dailymile blog recently but little did I know how timely it would be for me. Sometimes though, you can follow all the rules and bad things still happen to you.
I was at a four-way stop a mere block away from my house, at an intersection I pass through on nearly every run. I saw a car slowing to a stop at the sign so I began to jog across the road. I usually like to make eye contact with a driver before proceeding but something about being so close to home (and maybe the fact that I was wearing bright red on a clear sunny morning!) made me feel safe at the time. Unfortunately the person driving the car didn’t look my way and she stepped on the gas when I was almost directly in front of her car. It was one of those slow motion moments in time where you know what’s about to happen and you try. so. hard. to stop it but you just can’t make your body react in time. The car ended up plowing into me, sending me went flying backwards until I landed smack on my tailbone in the middle of the road.
All I could think about was first: “Did that just happen?”
Followed by: “Am I dead? No. Ok. Am I broken? No.”
And finally: “Aw hell. Now I can’t finish my run!” (I know, I know. Call me crazy. I’m trying to be honest here though.)
I do this thing when I’m driving that I call “Assume everyone is a jerk.” That may be a little bit crude but it seems to work well for me. Basically I operate under the assumption that other drivers are going to switch lanes with out signaling, or turn left in front of me suddenly, or not give me the right of way when it’s TOTALLY mine. I realize now that I should adopt this frame of mind while out running as well. Ok, maybe I won’t assume that everyone is a “jerk”, but I’ve definitely got to be more defensive. Also, despite being practically run over by her car, I’m pretty positive that the woman who hit me is not a jerk. I bet she’s a lovely person who made an unfortunate mistake and now feels really bad about what happened. And honestly? I probably could have been more on guard. Just because I have the right of way I can’t assume that everyone on the road is paying attention the way I am.
This is the long version of me telling you to be careful out there. Sometimes it’s not enough to just follow simply the rules. It can be easy to forget that we’re out there running/walking/biking on the road next to masses of steel that could potentially kill us. That’s just the reality of it. So be safe everyone.
That’s scary, and good that you’re ok. My general rule of thumb in a situation like that is to run behind the car. Unless the car has specifically stopped well behind the intersection and signaled me through or made it clear they’ve seen by waving or flashing its brights, I expect the driver is going to edge up through the crosswalk, do a rolling stop, etc. It annoys me to have to go out of the way (even though it’s just slight) to avoid the car, but it’s better than the worst case alternative.
Again, it’s good to hear you’re alright.
Glad to hear you’re okay Tracey!
I am REALLY happy to hear you are “ok”. That said I always use the following rules to dodge such fun events:
1. Right of way or not (because the other person will likely assume they have it), surviving is best, and I can stop better then they can.
2. The driver will NEVER look my way.
3. That white line is only a white line, not a barrier to protect me.
4. When the car starts moving get your hand up and ready to slap the hood of the car. If that should fail there is ALWAYS room for me on the hood. That is when they see.
So glad that you’re ok! How scary.
I don’t think that this post is dramatic at all… very rational, actually.
I am paranoid about running on roads and crossing roads. I usually abide by the eye-contact-with-the-driver-before-crossing rule as well. And while I’m behind the wheel, I have a similar “Assume everyone is a jerk” philosophy.
Your story serves as a reminder to be extra diligent out there, whether I’m running or driving!
I am glad you’re ok Tracey. I almost always assume they do not see me but every once in a while (especially when I am tired) I let my guard down and have had many close shaves but I’ve been lucky. Get healed up!!
Thank goodness you are o.k.! This post is a great reminder for pedestrians (and bicyclists) to always be wary of drivers. Even though there are campaigns to “share the road” there are still many drivers that are clueless or too aggressive to care. I recently moved here from Sacramento, California, a great community for bikers and runners. I am frequently dismayed by the drivers here in Milwaukee that fail to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. The parks and walking/biking trails here in Milwaukee are plentiful and lovely, but my first impressions of the safety of pedestrians/bicyclists on the roads of Milwaukee haven’t been favorable. I hope that readers of your site will help pass the word that sharing the road means that all modes of transportation should be accomodated.