Drivers should do right by runners




I am a runner. No, I am not one of those runners who thinks the world revolves around them. I am the type of runner whomoves out of the way for walkers, runners, bicyclists and cars.

I make sure I am very aware of my surroundings. It is this awareness that has saved me from injury a number of times, injury that would have been caused by drivers who were unaware of my presence.

As I approach an intersection, I look down the street to see if cars are approaching. If a car is approaching, I take extra caution to ensure the driver is going to stop for me; 99 percent of the time I am forced to stop and run behind the car because the driver is unaware I’m even there.

Why is the driver unaware that a runner or pedestrian is standing on the curb, ready to cross? Because as the driver approaches the intersection, about to make a right hand turn, they are looking to the left for approaching cars and never looking to the right for an approaching pedestrian. Most of these drivers then proceed to make their right hand turn without ever looking right.

To make matters worse, many of these drivers are either taking with a cellphone to their ear or looking down at the text message they just received.

As you are driving, please remember to look to the right when you approach an intersection. While the car coming from your left may cause damage to your car and the missed phone call/text message may cause you to miss an appointment, it is the stroller that you run over since you didn’t look to your right that is going to ruin your life forever.

And when you are driving in Oak Park and forget to look right and hear that tap on your car, just wave and say thank you to me for reminding you that could have just ruined you life forever.

Tony Siff
Oak Park



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