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Original poster

to think marathons in cities cause too much mayhem?

254 replies

Bottlew · 25/04/2025 13:18

There is a full marathon in my city on Sunday. They will start to close the roads 5pm on Saturday and it is impossible to drive anywhere.

My neighbour is immobile and relies on carers. All his visits are severely delayed and it means he ends up sitting in his faeces and urine for hours and hours. He won't get his meals till a lot later. There is access given for carers, emergency services but this still ends up in a lot of delays.

I know it brings in a huge amount of income for the city but the disruption is terrible particularly for those who are vulnerable. It means I don't get to visit people in need because I can't drive anywhere. Public transport doesn't work as I often have a lot of shopping etc.

OP posts:
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SquashedSquid · 28/04/2025 12:47

Strumpetpumpet · 28/04/2025 07:29

Maybe so, but we had a lovely day. Friends came round and we tracked our several marathon running friends and went out to cheer them on then had a bbq in the sunshine. Not that unusual to know several people running a local marathon - unless you don’t have many friends I guess…

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That's nice for you. I'm sure the disabled people left sitting in their own waste will be please you had a gay old time.

Strumpetpumpet · 28/04/2025 07:29

HauntedBungalow · 25/04/2025 21:03

Wow. You have an unusual amount of marathon running friends. Spending all day waving at them is quite the commitment.

Is there lots to do, in Sale, at 5pm, on a Sunday?

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Maybe so, but we had a lovely day. Friends came round and we tracked our several marathon running friends and went out to cheer them on then had a bbq in the sunshine. Not that unusual to know several people running a local marathon - unless you don’t have many friends I guess…

EggsAndBacon83 · 27/04/2025 22:04

Yes the road was closed when the actual running/walking over… just to clear the enormous amount of litter spread all over the road.

chipshopElvis · 27/04/2025 17:09

If you're talking about Manchester OP I agree. We're near the route and it means being heavily restricted on the day. It also means that NHS community teams struggle to visit vulnerable patients. And lots of people can't get to church etc. It's also two days a year as same happens for the half marathon. On top of that the amount of litter and plastic waste is horrifying.

EggsAndBacon83 · 27/04/2025 16:21

dynamiccactus · 27/04/2025 15:41

So they drive as far as they can and walk the rest, which may only be about 2 minutes. And as I said, there are rolling road closures and they reopen as the runners pass, so it's not beyond the wit of a care agency or an individual carer to plan the calls accordingly.

They have to do this when there are roadworks, which can last weeks or months, so I think they can do it for a one day/morning/hour's event.

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Well if you guesstimate that it’s fine, it must be fine.

Original poster
Bottlew · 27/04/2025 15:56

dynamiccactus · 27/04/2025 15:41

So they drive as far as they can and walk the rest, which may only be about 2 minutes. And as I said, there are rolling road closures and they reopen as the runners pass, so it's not beyond the wit of a care agency or an individual carer to plan the calls accordingly.

They have to do this when there are roadworks, which can last weeks or months, so I think they can do it for a one day/morning/hour's event.

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Depending on the location it is a lot longer than 2 minutes. They often have equipment also.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bottlew · 27/04/2025 15:55

dynamiccactus · 27/04/2025 15:41

I can't believe people think it's OK for disabled people to suffer because a bunch of middle aged blokes want to don some lycra and run up and down. Can you hear yourselves? You think it's OK to make vulnerable people sit for hours in their own waste so this can happen

The marshals allow carers through. If they don't, complain to the organisers.

And women run marathons too.

Yes they do let the carers through. It still means a lot of delays due to the convoluted routes.

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dynamiccactus · 27/04/2025 15:41

EggsAndBacon83 · 26/04/2025 21:33

They cannot parachute in or come by helicopter. They are coming from outside the area.

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So they drive as far as they can and walk the rest, which may only be about 2 minutes. And as I said, there are rolling road closures and they reopen as the runners pass, so it's not beyond the wit of a care agency or an individual carer to plan the calls accordingly.

They have to do this when there are roadworks, which can last weeks or months, so I think they can do it for a one day/morning/hour's event.

dynamiccactus · 27/04/2025 15:41

I can't believe people think it's OK for disabled people to suffer because a bunch of middle aged blokes want to don some lycra and run up and down. Can you hear yourselves? You think it's OK to make vulnerable people sit for hours in their own waste so this can happen

The marshals allow carers through. If they don't, complain to the organisers.

And women run marathons too.

MemorableTrenchcoat · 27/04/2025 08:06

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 26/04/2025 21:16

Please report the posts where they're doing that, MNHQ takes a really dim view of the cowards who use the laugh emoji like that.

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Thanks, I will.

Ginmonkeyagain · 27/04/2025 06:37

As has been posted before the London marathon has a help line for carers and disabled people impacted by road closures.

EggsAndBacon83 · 26/04/2025 21:33

ClaredeBear · 26/04/2025 21:06

This doesn’t sound right to me. Are you sure it’s not some sort of excuse from the carers? The roads are usually blocked very close to the course and residential properties are accessible by foot!

They cannot parachute in or come by helicopter. They are coming from outside the area.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 26/04/2025 21:16

SquashedSquid · 26/04/2025 18:59

I wouldn't bother with them. They're laugh-reacting to my comments about disabled people, so that just goes to show what type of person they are.

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Please report the posts where they're doing that, MNHQ takes a really dim view of the cowards who use the laugh emoji like that.

ClaredeBear · 26/04/2025 21:06

This doesn’t sound right to me. Are you sure it’s not some sort of excuse from the carers? The roads are usually blocked very close to the course and residential properties are accessible by foot!

EggsAndBacon83 · 26/04/2025 20:54

Bottlew · 26/04/2025 16:22

This doesn't fast forward the carers being able to get to the people they need to care for. They are still subject to severe delays and often have to drop a visit.

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Yes they need to walk for miles with equipment apparently here just to see people. They cannot get near the houses.

Iamuhtredsonofuhtred · 26/04/2025 20:35

It is annoying! My road is totally cut off by the London marathon; it runs both in front and behind, from 8am till 8pm. I have to work tomorrow in a job that requires me to drive to home visits. I’ve had to park a couple of miles from my house so I can get out.

MemorableTrenchcoat · 26/04/2025 20:27

SquashedSquid · 26/04/2025 18:59

I wouldn't bother with them. They're laugh-reacting to my comments about disabled people, so that just goes to show what type of person they are.

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Who started the laugh reacting? That would be you.

Original poster
Bottlew · 26/04/2025 20:15

SallyD00lally · 26/04/2025 18:46

I didn't say London was the only place, I gave it as an example.

There is a high turnover of care staff in your example too 🙄

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SquashedSquid · 26/04/2025 18:59

EggsAndBacon83 · 26/04/2025 18:46

I have close relatives with disabilities and it is extremely difficult when disabled people are expected to forget about addressing their needs for what’s considered “the greater good” by a bunch of ableist people who don’t understand impacts of decisions.

It isn’t always possible for people to just casually move house. It’s not a student with a rucksack we are talking about. And it is difficult when marathon routes are set in the same streets, blocking the same people time and time again.

You put it so casually “elected not to move somewhere that can better meet his needs”. He’s an inconvenience and should foxtrot Oscar elsewhere.

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I wouldn't bother with them. They're laugh-reacting to my comments about disabled people, so that just goes to show what type of person they are.

SallyD00lally · 26/04/2025 18:46

I didn't say London was the only place, I gave it as an example.

EggsAndBacon83 · 26/04/2025 18:46

MemorableTrenchcoat · 26/04/2025 18:11

OP is referring to a neighbour who is so vulnerable, he cannot tolerate any interruption to his care visits. Not his fault, obviously, but he has elected not to move somewhere that can better meet his needs. OP thinks that the event should be cancelled instead.

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I have close relatives with disabilities and it is extremely difficult when disabled people are expected to forget about addressing their needs for what’s considered “the greater good” by a bunch of ableist people who don’t understand impacts of decisions.

It isn’t always possible for people to just casually move house. It’s not a student with a rucksack we are talking about. And it is difficult when marathon routes are set in the same streets, blocking the same people time and time again.

You put it so casually “elected not to move somewhere that can better meet his needs”. He’s an inconvenience and should foxtrot Oscar elsewhere.

SquashedSquid · 26/04/2025 18:44

I can't believe people think it's OK for disabled people to suffer because a bunch of middle aged blokes want to don some lycra and run up and down. Can you hear yourselves? You think it's OK to make vulnerable people sit for hours in their own waste so this can happen?

All the bollocks about hiring more carers is just unintelligent drivel. It's hard enough to get carers as it is, let alone on a day where transport is more difficult.

All disabled people should move house because of a run? When it's almost impossible to get accessible housing as it is?

Disabled people should somehow levitate and go out for the day, when they are otherwise housebound? Use trams? Come on. Surely you're not so thick that you can't comprehend how during events like this, pavements and dropped kerbs are blocked, many disabled people can't use public transport and some of them are completely housebound?!

If a child was sat in a shitty nappy for hours, it would be abuse. If a child was left alone in a house with no food, drink, or essential care, it would be abuse. Why then, is it ok for a disabled person to be left like this? And the reason is even worse. So people can go for a run.

Sheer entitlement.

Original poster
Bottlew · 26/04/2025 18:37

SallyD00lally · 26/04/2025 18:35

There are absolutely loads of care agencies in London.

London is not the only place where marathons take place 🙄

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SallyD00lally · 26/04/2025 18:35

There are absolutely loads of care agencies in London.

OP posts: