This is Alpha, the first-born, when he was 2YO.
This is Beta, the second-born, when he was about 2YO.
This is Gamma, the third-born, when he was about 18MO.
Run Facing Traffic
Jun
7
2016
I have mentioned this topic before (in my PSA about pedestrians and traffic), but another incident happened so I feel like writing about it again.
The main argument for having pedestrians travel in the opposite direction of traffic (i.e. facing oncoming cars instead of going with them) is for situational awareness – being able to see the nearest danger.
But this time I was driving instead of running and realized another reason for it – it’s better for drivers too.
In this case, I was driving up a hill on a dirt road. The jogger was on my side of the road, going the same direction. Being a conscientious driver, I was going to move into the other lane to go around her. But this was a dirt road, which is about 1.75 lanes wide. So if I swerved at all to go around her, I would be in the other lane. Directly and completely facing oncoming traffic.
And that was the problem. Because we were near the top of a hill. So I couldn’t see if there was oncoming traffic. Anyone who has read Bill Peet books (specifically Jennifer and Josephine) will know that one of the worst things to do just before the top of a hill is to swerve into the other lane. So I idled along behind the jogger until we crested the hill and I could see that there was no oncoming traffic.
What was the problem? Her presence in my lane unnecessarily delayed me.
If she had been in the other lane, like she was supposed to, then I could have travelled at a decent speed (faster than the 4 mph that I did while trailing her) without bothering her. It would cost her nothing to be in that lane instead of this. She would be safer from traffic. And she could have gone jogging without wondering why some car is following her very slowly.
Do not go out into the field
And do not walk on the road,
For the enemy has a sword,
Terror is on every side.
Jeremiah 6:25
