You’ve probably heard about the tragic death of UT graduate Lauren Huddleston, who was killed while jogging on the Katy Trail when she abruptly changed direction and was struck by a bicyclist.

While walking this week both on the Katy Trail and around White Rock Lake, I noticed a possible result of her accident – people walking on the “wrong” side of the trail. Trail traffic proceeds just as road traffic does – slow movers stay far right, faster movers pass to their left but on the right-hand side of the trail. This week I’ve seen a few folks traveling on the left side, presumably to better see the possible dangers coming at them.

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The numbers were small, mind you, just one or two people each time I walked, but the implications are much larger. The safety of “the masses” depends on bringing order out of chaos, while the safety of the individual might, indeed, improve by going against the grain. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if the experiment of a few mavericks transforms into a bona fide trend. If so, we may have to don rubber suits so we can bounce off each other without injury.

Author

  • Carol Toler

    Blogger CAROL TOLER and her husband, Toby, are the parents of four LHHS graduates. She has an MBA from SMU and is the proud recipient of the Exchange Club of LH's Unsung Hero Award and Councilman McGough's Blake Anderson Public Service Award. She received LHHS PTA's Extended Service Award, FMJH PTA's Charger Award and a Life Membership from the LHFC PTA. She has moderated candidate debates for Dallas Mayor, Dallas City Council and RISD Trustee races and taught seminars on garnering publicity for nonprofits. She completed training with Dallas Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation and Inside RISD, and she's a sustaining member of LH Women's League. She has served on the boards of After8 to Educate, Dallas Free Press, Healing Hands Ministries and Camp Sweeney and chaired fundraisers for multiple Dallas nonprofits. Email ctoler@advocatemag.com.