Back to Fitness: Philip Weber and Road Safety

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By John Andersen

Early on the morning of December 29, 2015, 55-year-old Philip Weber was struck by a SUV while running along Rt. 250 in Ivy and died.  The time of the accident was well before sunrise and it was very foggy out, making visibility particularly bad.

Mr. Weber, famous as Charlottesville’s legendary “Running Man,” was neither wearing reflective gear, nor carrying a flashlight or headlamp in the dark.

I’m going to tackle a very tough subject here. While I am very saddened by the loss of Mr. Weber’s life, and the loss of such an iconic runner and character in our community, I can’t help but also feel frustrated and disappointed in how preventable this accident likely was.

Please extend me some grace here, as I in no way intend to bad-mouth Mr. Weber for his decision-making while running. However, I think it is vitally important that we as a community learn something from this tragedy, and the only way to do that is to speak openly and honestly about it.

I wish he hadn’t been running on Rt. 250, where there is no shoulder or safe place for pedestrians. I wish he had been wearing reflective gear and/or a headlamp so he could be seen, especially on a dark morning with such terrible visibility.

I wish he would have been running defensively, knowing that he was likely not very visible and perhaps taking a moment to get off the road as much as he could when he heard cars approaching him from behind. It is so sadly ironic that the bold, minimalist-style running on Rt. 250 that made him iconic is ultimately what led to Mr. Weber’s premature departure from the community that so appreciated him.

I also can’t help but feel terrible for the driver of the SUV. I hope that everyone is giving that driver the benefit of the doubt. Can you imagine heading to work, driving on a narrow road on a foggy morning, when completely out of the blue appears a runner right in the road? You try to react, but there was no time, and you’ve ended someone’s life. This is also extremely tragic and our prayers should continue to be with the driver of that car.

So what can we learn from this terrible tragedy? Will we learn from this? May I suggest some important, common sense things to consider when we are exercising (running or cycling) on the road:

Be Defensive!

I like to tell people to imagine that every driver is drunk and texting. Yes, we all know that drivers should yield to pedestrians on the road. Yes, we all know about the new Virginia law that requires vehicles to give cyclists at least three feet as they pass by on the road. Yes, we all know that people shouldn’t be texting, distracted, tired, etc. when they are driving. But are you willing to bet your life on these things?

I recall a time in my driver’s education class in high school when the teacher was explaining to us never to trust another driver’s turn signal. In the example she gave, imagine you are stopped at a T-intersection with a stop sign, waiting to turn left.  Now imagine there is a car driving towards you from the left, with their right turn signal on, as if they’re going to make a right-hand turn onto the street you’re on. Do you trust that they are actually going to turn right? Would you bet your life on it?  Because if they didn’t, and you went ahead into the intersection, there would be a very bad accident.

So run defensively and cycle defensively!  Assume that nobody is paying any attention to you and act accordingly.  When I am out running on some of our beautiful country roads and I hear or see a car approaching, I immediately consider how I can make myself safer. Can I get further off the road? Do I start waving my hand to make sure they see me? I never assume I am safe until that car has passed.

Be Seen!

If it is dark outside, and you are running or cycling on the road without any lights or reflective gear on, you are literally gambling with your life. I think it’s human nature to assume that because we can see a car’s headlights approaching so well, that naturally they can see us equally as well. WRONG! Reflective gear and lighting immediately makes you visual to cars from a far distance away, greatly reducing the chance for a collision. I always run with a headlamp in the dark, not only so I can see the terrain better, but also because I believe headlamps and flashlights can be seen even before reflective clothing.

Another relevant “be seen” point: consider where you are located when you are running or cycling on our hilly, curvy country roads. There are many blind hills and blind curves where cars may suddenly appear and have little time to react when they see you. Half Mile Branch is a classic example of a bad road to run on. If you do run on these roads, make sure you are paying close attention as you approach those blind hills and consider waiting until you don’t hear any traffic approaching. Don’t assume that the drivers coming towards you are going to have time to react once they finally see you!

Listen!

Just this week, I passed a person running on Half Mile Branch wearing headphones.  I couldn’t believe it. Not only was this person running on a dangerous road, but also this runner was taking away the only thing that could help to keep her safe—her hearing!

At one point, as I was approaching her from behind, another car was coming towards her over a hill.  Fortunately, we were both driving slowly and paying attention. The runner had no idea that two cars were about to pass her on a narrow, poor visibility road. Not smart. Headphones are great if you’re running on a sidewalk, but if your run or ride involves the roads, even in a neighborhood, be sensible and leave them at home. Or, if you really need music, only put one ear bud in, so you can hear at least some of the danger around you.

Be smart!  

There are so many great running and cycling routes in our area. Start by choosing a safe route with a low potential for high traffic or visibility issues. If you are heading out on a longer run or ride, you’ll probably be on one of our country roads. Remember to be defensive. Don’t wear headphones.  Wear reflective gear/lights in the dark. Imagine that every driver who passes you is both drunk and texting. This will give you the right attitude to get you back home safe and sound.

The memorial of shoes tied to a road sign next to where Philip Weber died is a sad, sobering sight. Let’s all do our part to make sure that’s the last memorial like that we ever see around here.

1 COMMENT

  1. John I was there that morning on 250 and it was wet and dark but it was at the widest part of the road, not narrow. I wish the police had explained exactly what happened from the drivers point of view — again so we might learn.
    It was not foggy to hinder visibilty. It shook me up because we have a runner in the family. This could happen to any one of us.. Either driver or exerciser. Thank you for your caring warnings! Well taken!

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