Friday, January 29, 2016

Many Things Learned While Out on Foot...You?




Enjoyed this article - we have very similar issues here in Nashville! Thanks to Mike for sharing it with me.

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15 things I’ve Learned in 1500 Miles of Stroller Running

by Evan Roberts on January 1, 2016 

    1. It’s way easier to get a child into a stroller than a car seat.

    2. Most Minnesota drivers ignore the crosswalk laws (they do in Nashville, too!). But they’re more likely to stop for you when you have a stroller. There are two interpretations of this pattern. Strollers
     genuinely make you more visible. Or, there’s a lot of chosen ignorance of the crosswalk law.

  1. Drivers are getting better at stopping at this crosswalk.
    Drivers are getting better at stopping at this crosswalk.


  2. 3. Distracted walking really is a thing. People wander all over the sidewalk without checking oncoming or passing traffic (I'd argue that without a true culture of walking, people never really learn where their body is in space). But we’ve only clipped 1 person a year.

  3. 4. Minneapolis and St. Paul have some excellent trails that get plowed well enough to stroller run most of the winter (temperature permitting).

  1. A plowed path all to ourselves!
    A plowed path all to ourselves!


    5. If you’re going to take the kid out on cold (below freezing) days, invest in a wheat bag warmer. Heat it in the microwave and it’ll keep the kid toasty warm for an hour or more. Needless to say, below about 45°F you should have a weather shield on the stroller.

    6. A lot of intersections have poorly thought out curb ramps, or none at all.

    7. I know tactile paving at intersections is a good thing, but it’s a little annoying with a running stroller. The plank road near the Stone Arch bridge is even worse.

  1. Lift the front wheel up as you take a stroller over the plank road.
    Lift the front wheel up as you take a stroller over the plank road.


    8. You can fit a lot of stuff in the bottom of a stroller. Once you’re pushing 50 lbs of stroller and child, why not add 20 lbs of groceries? It’s already going to be slow going up any hills.


    9. If you’re a toddler, downtown Minneapolis’ combination of light rail lines (wish we had here!) and construction sites is incredibly exciting.

  1. Running with your kid in a stroller is a great way to get around taking photos of construction sites.
    Running with your kid in a stroller is a great way to get around taking photos of construction sites.

    10.  Most people aren’t active commuting their kids to daycare. But a lot of parents seem to want to, given the number of wistful conversations I’ve had about “how lucky you are.” I think their kids want to as well (see point 1). But daycare drop-off is not the time or place to talk about changing our zoning so more people can live close to work and stores. Or maybe it is …
  2. About 5% of the kids at our daycare get there by bike or stroller.
    About 5% of the kids at our daycare get there by bike or stroller.



    11. You can have much more of a conversation with your kid when you’re running than when you’re driving (agreed!).

    12. Children have a good sense of direction and geography at a remarkably young age ( totally agree - I have a great sense of direction and I believe it comes from all the walking and biking I did as a child).

    13. Physics: On the flat without a lot of wind I can run pretty close to my normal pace, but up a hill or into the wind, things slow down significantly. And running with an empty stroller is actually harder because the weight and balance is all off.

    14. Don’t bother taking a puncture kit with you, but do have your phone and wallet with you; and have a puncture kit and spare tubes at home.

    15. A lot of our city must be awful to navigate in a wheelchair or with other mobility impairments, and especially in winter (Nashville - this is you!).


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LINK:

http://streets.mn/2016/01/01/15-things-ive-learned-in-1500-miles-of-stroller-running/


Do you have things you have learned out on foot?  Share them here...




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