Walking is a good exercise. Many walkers find walking a dog both
motivating and gratifying. If you walk
your dog two or three times a day it
becomes a routine. Actually, anything
that you do more than once (or even just once) becomes a routine to a dog. This means putting on your walking shoes and
heading out the door morning and night.
I am always pleased when I
read newspaper articles about walking. This time of the year, it is especially gratifying
to read articles that stress safety
concerns, especially if you walk after dark. During fall and winter the pleasant after dinner
walk becomes rather unsettling.
In case you haven’t noticed, it is dark out
there. Visibility is poor. Drivers
can’t see you. The street lights are not
as bright as they should be, and there are an unbelievable number of people out
driving after dark. You probably wonder why they aren’t home
having dinner or settling in for the night, I do, but nevertheless they are out
there and often driving quite rapidly down quiet residential streets.
Last night, driving home
from the gym in the dark, I counted 2 bicyclers, 2 people crossing in the
middle of the street, and 8 people walking dogs. Guess what they all had in common? They were all wearing dark clothing. If we didn’t know that the locals were often
out there, we might have missed them (or hit them). Age doesn’t have anything to do with it, but
many dog walkers are older people. I am
afraid for them, even though I admit that I am not always as careful as I
should be either. Many of us are guilty
of using poor judgment when it comes to our safety when we go out after dark.
Theresa Goffredo (www.goffredo@heraldnet.com) wrote
an article for the Herald about the importance of making yourself visible. We all know this, but I think we’ve already
established that we don’t do it. The
only people I have seen using lights, light reflective materials and reflected
tapes are joggers. Good for them.
Whether you are doing a one
mile circuit for exercise or just going to be out for a few minutes is
immaterial. It only takes a second for a
pedestrian accident to happen. What can you do to ensure that your walk
will be a safe venture for you and your dog?
The article in the Herald focused on dog walking, but the information is
prudent whether you are walking with your dog, a human friend, or alone. They key is to be visible.
Before you step outside
tonight, enjoy a shopping spree at your local sporting good store. Shop for yourself and for your dog. Light colored clothing, flashing lights and
strips of reflective tape at the very least.
A pet store will have collars
with blinking lights or at least one that will reflect light. Be safe, keep your dog on a short leash and
take this walking business seriously. Movement, reflections and dancing bright
lights will catch the eye of any driver.
It just makes good sense.
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