Safety Tip - Walking on the Road

[nreyn12]

Safety Tip!!!

Hi all from Samos where I am enjoying a stop on my Camino-en-Coche (road trip!). I want to share an observation from the trail and make a request / suggestion for those of you headed to the Camino.

Please (please please please) be alert and vigilant when you walk! The trail is often directly on the road, where cars, trucks, and buses roam free. Having walked the Camino many times, I drive slowly and with extreme caution, but even I very nearly ran into a number of pilgrims who were unaware of their surroundings.

Two things:

1) Trail etiquette in Spain is that pedestrians walk on the left, facing traffic, single file.

2) May I recommend NOT using headphones while walking so you can hear vehicles and cyclists behind you.

Please be safe and don't become one of those sad statistics we occasionally hear about.

Buen-seguro Camino...

~ Nancy

 

[Magwood]

I totally agree @nreyn12. I always adhere to the rule ( law?) and walk on the left (except when it is dangerous to do so). On the Norte this year where a lot of the route is on the road there were pilgrims all over the place, so that on-coming traffic would move over to avoid people walking on the right hand side and then have to quickly make an adjustment for those correctly walking on the left. It must be a nightmare for drivers.

 

[Wokabaut_Meri]

Thanks for the timely reminder Nancy.

It's so easy when walking to become absorbed and forget that you are sharing the road with traffic. Plus for those of us from countries where we drive on the left, there is a constant need to remember that important point. You can tell us by the way our heads rotate when crossing a road

 

[Waka]

Should road walkers also be wearing high vis waist coats?

 

[SYates]

Should road walkers also be wearing high vis waist coats?

Certainly a good idea in any weather and required by Spanish law, as far as I know, in low visibility. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Magwood]

After feeling very vulnerable on a couple of CP stages on narrow busy road with no shoulder in poor light and pouring rain, I applied high viz tape to my pack and poles and also have a very high viz pack cover/shoulder cape which should ensure that drivers are aware of me from either direction.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I agree and unfortunately I have often seen pilgrims walking two and three abroad and acting like the road is theirs. A dangerous presumption.

 

[Priscilla NC]

I totally agree @nreyn12. I always adhere to the rule ( law?) and walk on the left (except when it is dangerous to do so). On the Norte this year where a lot of the route is on the road there were pilgrims all over the place, so that on-coming traffic would move over to avoid people walking on the right hand side and then have to quickly make an adjustment for those correctly walking on the left. It must be a nightmare for drivers.

I walked during one of the busy periods. I always walked facing traffic except in instances like what Magwood posted: there were many times when most of the pilgrims were walking on the right -- and to walk on the left meant that traffic had to swerve back and forth. In those cases, I would walk on the same side as the other pilgrims. It never felt very safe, especially in bad weather.

 

[C clearly]

there were many times when most of the pilgrims were walking on the right -- and to walk on the left meant that traffic had to swerve back and forth. In those cases, I would walk on the same side as the other pilgrims.

Yes, I've had that problem - trying to decide whether to walk on the correct side, or the side that other people ahead have taken.

 

[AlwynWellington]

@nreyn12, thanks for this post.

I also prefer roads when available.

Like you, my guiding consideration in Europe is to walk on the left facing oncoming traffic. But there are many conditions when that can be dangerous.

An example:

There is a bank, bluff, hedge ... on your left and the road (from your perspective) is curved to the left. In this example two conditions cause danger to the walker:
1) your view of oncoming traffic can be practically non-existent until they are upon you;
2) the oncoming traffic is taking a right hand bend and will tend to be at (or even over) the white edge line.

Where this condition exists I will cross to the right hand side while I still have good visibility of traffic in both directions.

This may account for you seeing walkers on the right.

 

[trecile]

I agree and unfortunately I have often seen pilgrims walking two and three abroad and acting like the road is theirs. A dangerous presumption.

I had that happen the other day. I was walking on the left, and a couple near me were walking side by side on the right - actually almost in the middle of the road without any consideration for motorists. It was driving me crazy until they finally moved to the left.