At both Wed. & Thurs. night runs, there has been a preponderance of people wearing headphones while running. As I have watched those athletes streaking through the darkness, I have marveled at the stupidity of it all. Wearing the “Headgear of DeathEwhile exercising on roadways and paths reduces one’s awareness of surroundings. This lack of awareness contributes to people being hit by vehicles and people being molested.
Last year, 122,000 people were reportedly struck by motor vehicles while walking, running, or biking. While choice of exercise location, timing, or merely the presence of bad drivers are factors, persons wearing headphones make the odds of an accident occurring even greater.
A female friend was recently hit by a vehicle for the fifth time. This accident involved a professional bus driver trained in the avoidance of such an event. During the investigation, the first question asked was “Were you wearing headphones?EAfter answering YES (and a 3-day stay in the hospital), she said that she would continue to run with headphones on the highway, because she needed the “helpEduring those activities. She exercises so much that the odds are with her, right? Wrong. This person probably needs to workout on a treadmill or to stop exercising so unsafely.
At most road races, officers do their best to insure the course is safe for runners. But most have us have seen drivers cross a course “closed to traffic.E While that is not supposed to happen, athletes are often injured at these sanctioned events. If you cannot hear what is going on around you, the chances of avoiding an accident are greatly reduced. USA Track & Field (USATF), the governing body of running, makes it against the rules to wear headsets in their sanctioned events. In many of the race disclaimers you sign, you agree to follow these rules, and agree that race officials may remove you from the course if you break these rules.
The wearing of headphones also makes an athlete a more attractive target to a potential assailant. In road running, less than half of runners are women. Yet, most of those who wear headphones ARE women. In the RRCA video (ask Emmett to view) on women’s running safety are staggering attack statistics. One of its main points is that women should not wear headphones. Are women asking for it? Certainly not, but one should be extra aware of one’s surroundings. In wearing headphones, you are giving the attacker the element of surprise.
Wearing headphones while running on streets is dangerous AND stupid. Next time you are running on roads, please take a moment to point out these hazards to athletes wearing headphones. Do them a favor by imploring them to exercise more safely and leave the headsets in the car.