Why do cockroaches run toward you?

Cockroaches do not actually run toward you intentionally to attack, but it can appear that way because they are trying to escape to dark sheltered hiding spots and you happen to be standing near their escape route, plus their erratic movements are driven by light avoidance and predator evasion. Cockroaches, especially German cockroaches which are small light brown about half an inch and American cockroaches large reddish brown about one and a half inches, are nocturnal and have negative phototaxis, meaning they avoid light and seek darkness, so when you turn on light at night they scatter quickly trying to find cracks, under appliances, and wall voids, and if your feet or body are near their harborage, they may run toward you as they head for cover, not because they are attracted to you. Their rapid, unpredictable running is an evolved escape behavior to evade predators, with sensory hairs detecting air movements from your approach, causing them to run in seemingly random directions including toward you. Additionally, cockroaches may be attracted to warmth, moisture, and food residues on shoes or clothing, but not to humans themselves. Some people report roaches running toward them because roaches are trying to hide under furniture near where person stands. This behavior is not aggression, roaches rarely bite and do not chase people. To prevent roaches running toward you, reduce clutter, seal cracks with caulk, store food sealed, fix leaks, and use gel baits containing fipronil placed near hiding spots that roaches carry back to kill colony, plus use flashlight inspection at night to locate harborages, as heavy infestations cause more frequent encounters.