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Original poster

To think the National Trust should not let Park Run volunteers marshal the cars at a NT property

388 replies

ParkRunIdiots · 23/09/2023 18:50

So rocked up a very large NT property with lots of parkland at about 9:25 today.

had gone through the payment control bit, then you drive for about another mile (no joke) to the car park. Just before the car park all traffic stopped in a traffic jam caused by two Park Run people in pink vests who would not let any cars through.

So I sat there and say there and sat there, not a single car moved through. I could see the runners approaching from the right, at times there were gaps in the runners but still no car was allowed through. After ten minutes still no car had been allowed to pass. Several cars behind me did a 20 point turn and left.

Then I realised that the runners weren’t even crossing the road as I’d originally assumed, they turned right and ran alongside the road edge, which has a massive Green verge they could run on . So in my mind no need to stop any car. Or if some risk assessment has deemed it too dangerous to have the cars beside the runners then it means there’s no access to the car park for about 45 mins, in which case the NT property needs to open later!

the runners were all strung out, no big wide bunch/crowd, so single file or in pairs.

anyway I honked at this point. One pink vest guy had obviously been waiting for this moment and charged up, ran past me and bollocked the car behind me who was mid 20 point turn and leaving. That driver grassed me up so the park run guy came and condescendingly told me “when there’s a gap” we will let a car through. I said it was ridiculous, that there had been plenty of gaps, nobody had been allowed through and the runners weren’t even on the road!

At which point he told me if I didn’t like it I could leave!

then the other marshal let some of us through, even though there were still runners running alongside the verge the same as there had been for the last ten minutes! I think they were letting cars through in groups of 5 or 6 as some had gone through just before I got stopped. Again when there were runners there! So nothing to do with gaps!

diagram for an idea.

I do feel like emailing the NT and telling them they need to have an NT person there overseeing it, and preventing the Parkrun people been rude to other users.

I may be slightly anti park run after my (on lead, walking to heel) dog was trampled on and tripped over by several park runners on the inaugural run of my local new park run on a narrow public bridleway and they shouted at me for been there with a dog (even though I’d stepped into the mud at the side). Still not forgiven them for that.

To think the National Trust should not let Park Run volunteers marshal the cars at a NT property
OP posts:
Thread gallery
22
MetaMette · 25/09/2023 11:04

Unless you know, all signage and maps now indicate that what was once the main car park is accessible parking only. They should have someone at the junction directing people to that car park if they're going to block access to the central bark and cow pastures car parks

HermioneKipper · 25/09/2023 11:02

ChicoryDip · 25/09/2023 10:54

But in this case it's not inconveniencing hundreds of people. It's a small section of road/track that is closed to cars for around 30 minutes to ensure the safety of the park runners/walkers.

Other NT park users - walkers, joggers, cyclists etc. are still able to use the road. There are other car parks so the car users don't have to wait if they prefer not to.

The op clearly said this is the route she was directed to as everywhere else was coned off.

why should parkrun take precedence over NT users who have actually PAID to use the site when parkrunners are using it as a favour and should be working around other people using it

TheGhostofLoganRoy · 25/09/2023 11:01

QueSyrahSyrah · 24/09/2023 20:21

What an utterly ludicrous and offensive comparison.

Not nearly as ludicrous as your suggestion that walkers and the disabled taking part in Parkrun are being 'exploited' FFS.

Anyway I'm off for a run. Have an evening.

Please stop making up lies.

A disabled person was knocked down and injured during the River Run (not Park Run, entirely different event - I'd never heard of "Park Run" before this thread) as a direct result of organisers planning a huge race on extremely narrow busy central London streets at nighttime on a weekday, which is obviously very dangerous and organised with zero thought to the impact on disabled and elderly and other members of the public who were also using those narrow pavements and alleys.

Your response to hearing that an event had injured and badly frightened disabled people was to dismissively say that disabled people also participate in Park Run, you essentially acted like the fact that wheelchair users participate i something somehow cancels out the fact a disabled person was injured.

I absolutely did not say that Park Run exploits anyone, I said that YOU were exploiting us disabled people by using us as strawmen in your argument.

As an actual disabled person, please stop.

How nice for you to brag to disabled people about being able-bodied.

ChicoryDip · 25/09/2023 10:54

But in this case it's not inconveniencing hundreds of people. It's a small section of road/track that is closed to cars for around 30 minutes to ensure the safety of the park runners/walkers.

Other NT park users - walkers, joggers, cyclists etc. are still able to use the road. There are other car parks so the car users don't have to wait if they prefer not to.

MasterBeth · 25/09/2023 10:38

BitOutOfPractice · 25/09/2023 09:52

One person delays their walk for 10 minutes v 100s of people doing their predictable activity. It's not exactly asking anyone to donate a fucking kidney is it?

It’s not one person you’re inconveniencing compared to hundreds of park runners. It’s hundreds of park runners compared to everyone else in the community who are entitled to use the park.

HermioneKipper · 25/09/2023 10:25

BitOutOfPractice · 25/09/2023 09:42

and I was quoted / mentioned twice so I got two ruddy emails as well.

Clearly you only want to hear from those that think YANBU but really, move on OP. ParkRun is the same time every week - avoid it next time eh for everyone's sake

Do you not know how to use mumsnet?

Dont make stupid comments if you don’t want people to respond to you. Avoid it next time eh for everyone’s sake

MaggieFS · 25/09/2023 10:15

MasterBeth · 25/09/2023 09:47

Again, extraordinary arrogance from the park runners who think everyone should be aware of their events, their timings and their duration and need to change their lives for the sake of the park runners, rather than think about how they might be less of a nuisance to the rest of us.

YES!! I actually did one about five years ago, and in my head it's on Sundays.

Original poster
ParkRunIdiots · 25/09/2023 09:54

BitOutOfPractice · 25/09/2023 09:52

One person delays their walk for 10 minutes v 100s of people doing their predictable activity. It's not exactly asking anyone to donate a fucking kidney is it?

But there’s a way of running it/organising it so nobody gets delayed. Isn’t that better? 🤷🏻‍♀️. It wasn’t just me either, dozens of cars in queue, many turning round.

OP posts:
BitOutOfPractice · 25/09/2023 09:52

One person delays their walk for 10 minutes v 100s of people doing their predictable activity. It's not exactly asking anyone to donate a fucking kidney is it?

MasterBeth · 25/09/2023 09:47

Again, extraordinary arrogance from the park runners who think everyone should be aware of their events, their timings and their duration and need to change their lives for the sake of the park runners, rather than think about how they might be less of a nuisance to the rest of us.

BitOutOfPractice · 25/09/2023 09:42

and I was quoted / mentioned twice so I got two ruddy emails as well.

Clearly you only want to hear from those that think YANBU but really, move on OP. ParkRun is the same time every week - avoid it next time eh for everyone's sake

BitOutOfPractice · 25/09/2023 09:40

You keep making it pop back up on my "threads I'm on" and I could no longer contain my irritation 😄I'm unwatching it now so you can froth away undisturbed.

Original poster
ParkRunIdiots · 25/09/2023 09:00

HolefreeGrail · 25/09/2023 08:42

Parkrun is fairly easy to avoid, given it’s every Saturday starting at exactly 9am. If you don’t like it, go another time. If you like having things to complain about, then keep going when you know it is on. Seems like you chose the latter.

I didn’t know it was on. I had no idea there was one at clumber. Maybe the NT need to advertise that there’s restricted access on a Saturday morning 🤷🏻‍♀️. Or manage the situation better? Don’t you think saying to people “don’t come” is very selfish? The situation could be constructively looked at to improve it for both parties

OP posts:
Oulu · 25/09/2023 09:00

BitOutOfPractice · 25/09/2023 08:11

Bloody hellfire you’re still going on about a 10 minute wait, 48 hours later! 🙄

Why come back to the thread if this is all you have to contribute? What on earth is wrong with an OP continuing to engage with people who are responding to the thread? This is a discussion forum, people can discuss things as long as they want to.

Original poster
ParkRunIdiots · 25/09/2023 08:58

BitOutOfPractice · 25/09/2023 08:11

Bloody hellfire you’re still going on about a 10 minute wait, 48 hours later! 🙄

So are you and you weren’t even there 😁

OP posts:
HolefreeGrail · 25/09/2023 08:42

Parkrun is fairly easy to avoid, given it’s every Saturday starting at exactly 9am. If you don’t like it, go another time. If you like having things to complain about, then keep going when you know it is on. Seems like you chose the latter.

BitOutOfPractice · 25/09/2023 08:11

Bloody hellfire you’re still going on about a 10 minute wait, 48 hours later! 🙄

Original poster
ParkRunIdiots · 25/09/2023 07:29

Sayitaintso33 · 25/09/2023 07:23

I think you need to become better at sharing.

I loathe running but recognise that Parkrun is a force for good.

But they weren’t sharing, that’s my point. I’d have been happy if both parties had to wait for a minute while the other had priority like a traffic light system.

There was no communication, I had no knowledge of how long I was going to sit there. I’m aware park run can take 45-60 mins for some people. Should we sit there waiting that whole time? I had no idea if I was going to have to sit there for that long.

OP posts:
MasterBeth · 25/09/2023 07:25

How about they become better at sharing?

Sayitaintso33 · 25/09/2023 07:23

I think you need to become better at sharing.

I loathe running but recognise that Parkrun is a force for good.

Original poster
ParkRunIdiots · 25/09/2023 06:55

Yes, such a shame the bridge didn’t reopen after the vandalism. I have fond memories of parking up the far side of my bridge with my boys when they were young. I assume there’s no way of driving that side of the lake now?

OP posts:
LighthouseTheme · 24/09/2023 23:00

Binglebong · 24/09/2023 21:57

I'm completely unsurprised that this is Clumber. I rarely walk there now as I feel less and less welcome. They've also stopped most parking on Limetree Avenue and if you want to walk on the side without the gardens that's where you need to be - the public car parks are so far from the edges that it takes forever to reach the far side walking. They have effectively blocked off a lot of the park to their less able visitors with this decision. The other concern also being that the car parks aren't open all the time so that prevents you going there too!

If you do write to NT and Patkrun please make sure you include the directors post. You can certainly see where the marshalls's attitude comes from.

I'm with you on this. It is very unwelcoming now.

I would not like to pay £5 per person....! for entry; I have had membership for a good few years, but rarely use it for what is my closest NT property. And one that I have always loved.
(I have a very long personal history with the park, and can remember the days when the café was in the Library, and the shop was opposite the Cricket Ground. One of my first weekend jobs was trying to get people to stop and actually pay to get in - no speed bumps and just a little hut to sit in for shade.)

I watched with dismay as the little wooden stumps went in, lining most of Limetree under the trees (although it does actually go right into the Welbeck Estate, I have discovered. But the land does need protecting and conserving, and this seems to be at the cost of accessibility - it is not so long ago that it was possible to drive right over the bridge and onto the other other side, but that was of course, abused, and the bridge damaged terribly.

I can think of nothing worse than encountering the Park Run.

MaggieFS · 24/09/2023 22:55

Aside from the specifics of this case, I don't think any group should be able to prevent other users from accessing NT land, and certainly not after people have paid in good faith.

To everyone saying it's only a small portion out of seven days, most people work, most people are busy, most people don't have truly spare time. My weekends are precious, my time is precious.

I don't think Parkrun should have any right to be preventing access or causing disruption, no matter how worthy a cause.

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 24/09/2023 22:17

ParkRunIdiots · 23/09/2023 19:30

Clumber Park.

Show quote history

Oh god, the verge is huge! It is like the bloody M1!

HashtagStopBullies · 24/09/2023 22:00

@ParkRunIdiots , so the Director of Park Run has spoken. 🤷‍♀️

In your shoes I would be writing to the NT, ignore the man who has posted on your thread. This NT issue is much bigger than him.

Ask NT for copies of risk assessments and traffic management agreements with park run and if the local safety advisory group have reviewed them.

Ask if park run volunteers receive training in traffic management, for instance if they were doing this on a public highway the persons concerned would need something called a Chapter 8 qualification.

Ask what measures are agreed with park run re mitigation of the risk of their runners/moving vehicles.

Send a copy of your email to the Highway Safety Officer at Nottinghamshire County Council.

Make a fuss. Copy the Director-General of NT in

[email protected]