Footpath dangers threat to road runners

Press, 5 July 1978, Page 16

Footpath dangers threat to road runners

RUNNERS’ DIARY

By

John Drew

One of New Zealand’s most gifted young road runner, narrowly missed being run over by a speeding motorist the other day. The boy, who has the best marathon time for his age in New Zealand, was not running on the road but on the footpath. And the speeding motorist, who narrowly missed killing the runner, was not speeding on the road but out of his own driveway. The boy, Michael Marquet, of the St Martins Club, at 14 has already completed five 26-mile marathon races. Michael was asked for his comments. “Drivers should look out when people are coming along the footpaths, not shoot out of the driveways,” he said. Michael added that he thought running on the footpath was now more dangerous than training on the roads. This is something that many experienced runners have been convinced of for some time. But why blame the motorists? After all, pedestrians have become so rare on suburban footpaths that motorists have been accustomed to race regardless out of their drives. But that was before Christchurch acquired one of the fastest growth rates for runners in the world. Most of them train on the footpaths.

Of coarse, motorists who use their cars rather than their legs to reach their destinations still run a greater survival risk than runners do. This is because the fatality rate among non running males from coronary artery blockage is about one in three. And over the age of 50 the male fatality rate is about 51 per cent. Now that Christchurch has some 10,000 runners. many of them training as family groups in the city and suburbs, they are really inviting disaster by running on footpaths without keeping a constant watch on all concealed vehicle openings. Here are a few elementary- safety hints for runners training on the footpaths and roads. 1. Develop the habit of keeping a watch on all suburban and city driveways. 2. Keep the driveways on

y.our left side because drivers who bolt out of their drives may look to the right for oncoming road traffic and may see you before they run you over. 3. When you are cr.ossan intersection look behind you. It is easy to forget that a motorist who makes a legitimate left-hand turn may cut you down as you step off the kerb. And if he does you have yourself to blame. Where there are no footways and you have to train on the roads — heed the Ministry of Transport recommendation to run facing oncoming traffic. Even this may not protect you. Last year during the annual Lincoln Lope Road Race two women, running against traffic, were struck down from behind by a car travelling on its incorrect side to overtake another car. It is a sound axiom never to suppose that motorists will stop at a traffic stop sign. Remember, many will turn without signal indication and can, at any time, violate the road code in wild and unpredictable ways. Runners who are followed by a back-up vehicle on the left of the road should ensure that their driver follows close behind. This is because cars which pass the support vehicle may cut in abruptly. If you have to run on the left side of the road with traffic overtaking you from behind, beware of falling into a sense of false security after some vehicles have passed you without danger. Some motorists follow too close in line and if you move out after one or two cars have gone by the next may strike you. Many experienced runners on winding, hilly roads practice a mutual earlywarning system. When an approaching car from either direction can be heard or seen all of the group shout “arc.” It’s a good safety habit. A member of the Presbyterian Harrier Club, lan Brown, of Sumner, is manufacturing a simple reflector system which may save lives of runners training at night. The devices are. reflective anklets, arm bands and waist belt. Such devices are already used extensively in the United States and the United Kingdom. Runners training in the dark owe them as a warning to well-intentioned motorists. The habitual use of these devices also prepares the runner’s mind to maintain ceaseless vigilance. But reflectors won’t save you from being run over by motorists rushing out of driveways at night. You must watch out. Years before the days of level - crossing barriers, lights and warning bells, New Zealand Railways erected huge signs reading : “Stop! Look! Listen!” This is a sound slogan for road runners today.