How do people deal with having to cross roads in their route?

[birdistheword]

Up until now I've done routes that haven't had busy roads to cross in my routes but this week I've changed my route to challenge myself and there's a couple which cause a break but not a helpful break! I just wondered in my sleepless hour whether there was a nack or I just need to get on with it? It is the point where when I do cross it I tend to speed up!!!

[Anniemurph Graduate]

I'm not very good with road crossing. I've never been one of these people who can jog up and down on the spot while waiting for the traffic to clear. Personally, I just take it as it comes - if I have to stop then so be it. It's not as easy to get going again, though! I hope someone else on here can provide better help

[Upstart]

I find that often cars will stop to let me run in front of them. I'm not sure if that's because the driver's impressed with my running prowess or worried that I might collapse on the pavement if I stop running!

I try to avoid running alongside really busy roads as I might breathe in noxious fumes and anyway it's nice to get away from traffic if possible.

[dottiemay Graduate]

I have to cross a lot of roads - some not so busy but some really busy with traffic lights and/or roundabouts. If I can't safely cross when I arrive, I just run a little further down the pavement until there is a safe gap in traffic or run up and down a short distance until the lights change! Looks a bit funny I daresay, but for me, better than stopping or risking life and limb.

Of course, if it's a dual carriageway and there's no room to run up and down, stopping or running on the spot is the only option.

[L17-12W Graduate]

Yes, I run on the spot too, looks a bit daft but with a beetroot face and sweat pouring off me, I don't look my best anyway!

[birdistheword Graduate]

Ahh you guys that's helpful and made it sound less of a silly question!! I've done the route on Tuesday already, there was only one main ish road to cross anyway thinking about it!! Ha!

[Aftabs Graduate]

On my long runs I have to cross a lot of roads, but I run these on a Sunday morning (at about 7am) so there is not a lot of traffic and I can normally just cross the road. But at the busy roads I just wait until there is a clearing. The longest I have had to wait in the last month was about 10 seconds. I don't really run on the spot, as a token gesture I move my knees up and down, it probably looks more daft!

[Beads Graduate]

If I need a break I'll stop, if not I do the running or pacing on the spot. Either way I glare at the cars who haven't slowed down so I can cross, one of these days they may get the message, I always say thanks when they do. Though if I'm running along a main road and need to cross but not necessarily at a certain point then I'll keep running and take the first opportunity I can to safely cross. I pause briefly at the zebra crossing just to make sure the cars know I'm about to cross as they can get pretty blind round here about them (one delightful chap in tesco's car park gave me a right earful and called me unrepeatable names because he had to stop after the car in front of him almost took me out while I was crossing with a bag of shopping!).

Side roads now, they are my territory, if a car has to slow/stop to see if there's traffic they may as well stop for me!

[FirinBlanks Graduate]

I live surounded by main roads so I try and get out for around 6:00am so the traffic is quieter and wear a reflective hi-vis running vest that I picked up from Sports Direct for £2.99.

Like Dottiemay, if I can't get straight across I'll run further down the road if it's too busy and wait for a gap.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Similar to everyone here, my top tips are:

1. cross on crossings or where you can see well

2. I run on the spot to keep going

3. Smile sweetly at the drivers and they usually stop and let me go

4. As I go out when very few cars are about I like to run on the road as its generally so much flatter

5. Get a head torch

enjoy your running

[baronblaze]

I've been hit by a car once and had one near miss. Both were in the same spot driven by the same driver 3 days apart. I was running on the pavement next to a fairly busy straight road which i had already managed to cross. It was clear visibility, i was ahead of the car running in the same direction when she turns left across the pavement to go onto her drive just as i was running past the front of driveway. The second time i managed to find a little extra speed and avoid her. Fortunately no major injuries.