I have a similar issue with the common advice for pedestrians (including runners) to stay on the side facing traffic. When all else is equal, fine, but most peo

I have a similar issue with the common advice for pedestrians (including runners) to stay on the side facing traffic. When all else is equal, fine, but most people never stop to think about why this rule exists. It's about visibility. In the interests of visibility, it's often more important to be on the outside of a curve. There are some curves around town where it would be absolutely suicidal to stay on the left (I'm in the US) because the road's narrow and visibility (or escape) is completely blocked by trees or fences etc. The only time I stay on the inside of a curve is when terrain totally flat providing 100-foot or better visibility. A particularly important case is at intersections. Being on the left often means that you can't see anyone in the near lane and they can't see you until you're practically in the roadway. I often find it's much better to be on the right, with good mutual visibility, so long as I also keep an eye on potential traffic coming up behind me. Also, if you're on a sidewalk going past multiple driveways, you're better off staying on the road side whichever that is. People backing out without looking for pedestrians (or at all) are the greatest danger you face, and you want to maximize visibility/reaction time.