It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Until It’s Not)

I cannot believe how quickly Christmas Day came and went. I have to confess that this has been a great week for me from being on vacation to celebrating my son’s seventh birthday on Christmas Eve. I began to think about how much I love running during the holiday season. The weather here has been the epitome of Bahamian winter. Breezy and unusually cold on Christmas Day. It has been a week of great running and dialogue with my group without the pressure of hurrying home to get ready for work.
It truly is the most wonderful time of the year…until it isn’t. In the midst of some fabulous late December running, we have been faced with the tragedies of Christmas Day traffic fatalities. And while safety as a runner is by no means a Christmas holiday issue, I believe it is fitting to highlight many of the ways runners do not take their safety seriously enough on the streets of New Providence.
The sad reality is that in this most wonderful time of the year, motorists become more reckless. They are driving under the influence. They are rushing to get to the airport. They are driving fatigued after a long work shift. As runners, we have a responsibility to ensure that we are not listed as another traffic fatality in our country. And in many ways, we are failing. We see very often the level of disdain that motorists tend to have for walkers, runners and cyclists. We are in the way. We are up too early…and what is all this exercise for anyway?
So I have compiled a list some of five actions we can take to ensure our personal safety while doing that thing that we love. And trust me, these are all based on my own observations both as a motorist and as a runner.

1. Wear reflective gear and lighting. If you are an early morning runner like I am, this is absolutely critical. It is by design that my run group’s official color is neon green. It is imperative that as runners we are visible to motorists.
2. Run against the flow of traffic. If a motorist is under the influence, sleep deprived or has the sudden need to swerve to avoid hitting another object, you are in the position to act and react when you are running facing traffic. You put yourself at risk running with your back to traffic because you are unable to react.
3. If you cannot ditch the earbuds, reduce the volume. I cannot tell you the countless persons that I run past where I can hear what they are listening to under the headphones. If as a passerby, I can hear, then as a runner I suspect that your ability to react to certain warning signs – car horns, sirens, someone screaming for help or in distress – is considerably impaired. At best, as a runner, you appear distracted, as I have observed many runners slowing down or stopping, head down and completely oblivious to his or her surroundings in an attempt to adjust playlists during a run.
4. Utilize the sidewalks. Look, I know this one is a hot take as many complain that the surface of the road presents issues on knees and joints. The fact is that it is no surprise that the Cable Beach strip is arguably the most popular route for runners. From Arawak Cay to Sandyport is sidewalked on either one or both sides. And the atmosphere is visibly appealing. I must say that I understand motorists’ frustration on this point because what is NOT visibly appealing is walkers/runners in dark clothing in the road where sidewalks are present. Added frustration for groups walking/running three abreast which essentially forces the motorist to engage in somewhat of a swerving motion to avoid contact. But if you must utilize the road….
5. Be smart and courteous: On the routes were there are multiple roundabouts and minimal sidewalk presence (think BahaMar Blvd) utilize the inside lane near the median. Why? Because on the exterior lanes, motorists will not see you until they have essentially pulled up beside you, particularly when they are approaching yield signs. Interior lanes allow you to see oncoming traffic and adjust if necessary – and vice versa. If you are in a group, run single file. Do not disrupt the intended flow of traffic by running three/four persons abreast (and as a runner’s courtesy, this rule applies to sidewalks as well. It’s inconsiderate)

The end of 2020 is upon. Let us cross over in 2021safely.
Have a blessed and prosperous New Year! See you all on our new blog platform in 2021!