I thought this article from Runner’s World deserved mention, partly because it’s amusing and partly because it raises a good point. Apparently Cranston, a small town in Rhode Island, recently discovered that almost 700 of its 2600 stop sign were placed by a citizen, without the town’s authorization. That’s more than a quarter of Cranston’s stop signs!

Like Mr. Remy, I hesitate to assume that this is the work of a runner. But if you run in a town without conspicuously abundant signs, you probably understand how this would benefit us athletes.

The law, at least in my native state’s law, says that pedestrians pretty much have the right of way, unless they’re jaywalking or doing something stupid. But we run in a country that values comfort. This has led to our dependence on cars and an our diminished sense of priority. A dangerous combination, that. Among the dangers is indifference to traffic laws. After all, what is a speed limit when Bill is late for work? How can you expect Nicole to yield when Dancing with the Stars has already started?

In the suburbs where I run, pedestrian safety seems to be most drivers’ lowest priority. I could ennumerate their small (and not-so-small) transgressions against me, but you’re a runner- you understand. Hell, everyone knows how thoughtless humans are when behind the wheel. Suffice it to say that there are many towns in the US that would benefit from a few illegal stop signs.