Expressway: Drivers, please share the road

Reader Arlene Gross lives in Huntington.

Sometimes I wonder if running is really so good for my health.

The other day, I almost got mowed down by a car on West Neck Road in Huntington. The driver had been gazing to his left as he started to turn right on red. If he had been looking in front of him, as he should have been, he would have seen my horrified expression as his car suddenly lurched toward me. I had to bang on his hood and yell to get his attention.

Afterward, I continued my run, albeit with an abundance of adrenaline and a heart pounding to the point of bursting. That wasn't quite the healthful experience I was going for!

Lately, I've been having more of these dangerous run-ins. As cars get way too close for comfort, I've taken to flailing my arms, gesticulating wildly as I run down Woodbury Road until I get to a quieter, less-traveled path. Though I might look a little weird or perhaps even like I'm trying to burn a few extra calories, I'm simply trying to stay alive by alerting inattentive drivers. I always wear bright clothes, and try to avoid rush hours.

Years ago, when the prevailing wisdom was to run with traffic, that's what I did. These days, I run against oncoming cars. That's the advice of people I spoke to at the New York Road Runners club and the state Department of Transportation.

From this vantage point, I watch cars zoom along at 20 miles above the speed limit. They weave in and out of the white lines and veer just inches away from me and, no doubt, other runners, as their attention drifts to their cellphones. At times, they even seem to speed up as they pass, perhaps excited by the text they've just received -- or sent.

When my son, Max, was a toddler, I pushed him in the baby jogger. He got a little fresh air while I got my exercise. For several years after that, I ran on a treadmill, nursing a knee injury.

Getting back out on the road again, I couldn't help but notice how much conditions had changed. Now, it seems downright delusional that I ever deemed it safe to take my toddler out on my runs, even for a quick sprint on our well-traveled road.

I truly believe that things changed. People's lives have gotten so harried that they're constantly trying to multitask and don't seem to pay sufficient attention to the matter at hand.

But driving is serious business and requires full attention. Maneuvering a two-ton machine at 50 mph is something we should not take lightly, no matter how experienced we are as drivers.

So, if you're behind the wheel, look where you're going, put down your phones, and, if you see a runner -- or cyclist or walker -- slow down. If it's a woman flailing her arms, please don't wave back. (Some people do.) I'm not looking for friends out there, just mercy.