I hate to say it, but I think the pack mentality takes over. In a big group of runners/riders people seem to think they are the only thing on the road that matters. Some runners get so self absorbed into their thoughts, music, or on a high or something. They get into this Zombie state. Last year, I came up to cross Monument Ave with about a mile left back to Sportsbackers Stadium. There's this tall guy there that had passed me earlier. No earbuds, music, phone or anything to distract him. Traffic is whizzing by. Suddenly, he starts to cross. There is a car about a 100 yards away bearing down on him. I'm yelling "HEY, HEY, HEY!" No response from him. I can see it all happening in front of me. He's going to get hit, roll over the hood and over the top of the car. I jump out at the last second and yank him back as the car swerves to avoid hitting him. He's just laying there on the sidewalk in a state of shock shaking. I'm screaming, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I help him up, dust him off and run with him all the way back to the stadium. He never gets out of the catatonic state and I hand him off to one of the coaches. His life passed right before him so I guess I can give him a pass! On the next week's run I come upon him again. He thanks me for what I did and has not gotten past the incident. We run for a while and talk. I told him to get over it, but learn from it and not make the same mistake again.

It's dangerous out there. You have to be watching out for each other.