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AIBU?

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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:
LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 25/04/2025 16:48

MemorableTrenchcoat · 25/04/2025 16:37

I disagree. I happened to watch a half marathon that my nephew ran last year. There were people of all shapes and sizes participating, not just the fitness elite.

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And I'm ok with that as I disagree with you. I think that any non-essential activities that encroach on other people's lives are selfish and unnecessary.

workthrowaway · 25/04/2025 16:47

Ginmonkeyagain · 25/04/2025 13:28

There are two marathons this weekend in the UK, London and Manchester. Both on Sunday. I would find it hard to think either route would completely cut off car access to residential roads.

If by any chance that os the case there will be access for medical and essential needs.

When I lived in Westcombe Park, Greenwich we did get cut off by road during the London Marathon.
I think it is still the same. For about 12 hours. Trains would still run into the area. To access on foot whilst the race was going through the area (a good 2-3hrs) you had to go through Greenwich Park and round the back of the starts - a good 2 mile detour. Other than that there were crossing points on foot but not when the race was in full swing. There were always cars driving round trying to find a way out but you genuinely are trapped.

Kilroyonly · 25/04/2025 16:46

Magnastorm · 25/04/2025 16:24

Don't be daft.

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I’ll block off your road for 6 hours then & see how daft you think I am then.. another idiot comment

SallyD00lally · 25/04/2025 16:46

notanothernamechange24 · 25/04/2025 15:25

Where are all this extra staff going to come from? We’re running on the bare minimum as it is. Nobody wants to do the job. Primarily because people treat carers so shockingly.
Id love for some of you to come and see the realities of running a care business day to day.

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Oh don't be silly.

There are loads of care agencies in London, absolutely loads.

No-one has to 'magic them up'. They simply book a few extra staff one day a year, so their elderly clients aren't sitting in their own shit.

MemorableTrenchcoat · 25/04/2025 16:46

Bottlew · 25/04/2025 16:43

Tell me where I dictated what should happen.

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Do you think the marathon should go ahead? Or do you think it will cause too much mayhem?

Original poster
Bottlew · 25/04/2025 16:43

MemorableTrenchcoat · 25/04/2025 16:38

If you had your way the event wouldn’t happen. Or, at the very least, you don’t think it should, because your neighbour refuses an appropriate care setting.

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Tell me where I dictated what should happen.

OP posts:
Boomer55 · 25/04/2025 16:43

Softleftpowerstance · 25/04/2025 13:22

It is one day. No one is prevented from leaving their house or having a carer or anyone else visit.

I was a care for my Dad who was on the route. It did prevent me getting there - it’s a bloody nuisance.🙄

MemorableTrenchcoat · 25/04/2025 16:42

EggsAndBacon83 · 25/04/2025 16:38

I disagree. Lots of elderly/disabled people or people who are economically less fortunate are hemmed in and stuck at home for 50% of their weekend. It gets old. But I guess you will disagree and tell me you feel great for running, cars are polluting the earth etc, people need to move into an old people’s home somewhere out of the way etc.

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I’ve never really been a runner. But I think the benefits of organised runs far outweigh the inconvenience to a relatively small group of individuals, once or twice a year.

MemorableTrenchcoat · 25/04/2025 16:38

Bottlew · 25/04/2025 16:37

Where did I dictate what should happen?

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If you had your way the event wouldn’t happen. Or, at the very least, you don’t think it should, because your neighbour refuses an appropriate care setting.

nahthatsnotforme · 25/04/2025 16:38

EggsAndBacon83 · 25/04/2025 16:13

Here we go again
, where the people who are totally unaffected and not going to be cut off by their roads being cut off, carers not being able to get through, not able to drive their family who have blue badges out etc, are going to lecture the rest of us who are affected every year.

Quite. Wouldn’t be so bad if they could bother their arses to think up a new route now and then and spread it about.

EggsAndBacon83 · 25/04/2025 16:38

MemorableTrenchcoat · 25/04/2025 16:35

You’ve already said your neighbour should be in a home that can accommodate his needs, but he refuses to go. Instead, he, or you, want to dictate what happens on this basis. Such entitlement.

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I disagree. Lots of elderly/disabled people or people who are economically less fortunate are hemmed in and stuck at home for 50% of their weekend. It gets old. But I guess you will disagree and tell me you feel great for running, cars are polluting the earth etc, people need to move into an old people’s home somewhere out of the way etc.

michealsmum1998 · 25/04/2025 16:37

Ginmonkeyagain · 25/04/2025 13:28

There are two marathons this weekend in the UK, London and Manchester. Both on Sunday. I would find it hard to think either route would completely cut off car access to residential roads.

If by any chance that os the case there will be access for medical and essential needs.

Well I can't get to my local hospital due to the London Marathon and it has been this way for my whole life.

MemorableTrenchcoat · 25/04/2025 16:37

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 25/04/2025 16:33

Not really. It's quite elitist. People that are interested in fitness are possibly already doing it and are doing other things.

Marathons are about attention and competing. Running isn't.

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I disagree. I happened to watch a half marathon that my nephew ran last year. There were people of all shapes and sizes participating, not just the fitness elite.

Original poster
Bottlew · 25/04/2025 16:37

MemorableTrenchcoat · 25/04/2025 16:35

You’ve already said your neighbour should be in a home that can accommodate his needs, but he refuses to go. Instead, he, or you, want to dictate what happens on this basis. Such entitlement.

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Where did I dictate what should happen?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bottlew · 25/04/2025 16:36

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 25/04/2025 16:32

Where are they closing the roads the day before? And who is doing it? None of the official road closures on the marathon website are for Saturday, only early hours of Sunday til later in the day on Sunday, is this unofficial closures for setting up entertainment? That’s not on if so.

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The local road signs say 5pm. They adjust the times on the signs. They are already putting the signs in place now ready for the weekend.

OP posts:
MemorableTrenchcoat · 25/04/2025 16:35

Bottlew · 25/04/2025 16:23

People keep talking about how they will make the most of it, go and cheer them on, enjoy being at home. Such privilege.

I am able bodied but I know it is tough for my elderly housebound neighbours.

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You’ve already said your neighbour should be in a home that can accommodate his needs, but he refuses to go. Instead, he, or you, want to dictate what happens on this basis. Such entitlement.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 25/04/2025 16:33

MemorableTrenchcoat · 25/04/2025 15:13

You don’t think that events like marathons encourage lots of people to start/continue running, and gives them a challenging goal to aim towards? I’d be astonished if that wasn’t the case.

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Not really. It's quite elitist. People that are interested in fitness are possibly already doing it and are doing other things.

Marathons are about attention and competing. Running isn't.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 25/04/2025 16:32

Bottlew · 25/04/2025 16:20

They do it the day before. Some of the road closures start 5pm the day before.

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Where are they closing the roads the day before? And who is doing it? None of the official road closures on the marathon website are for Saturday, only early hours of Sunday til later in the day on Sunday, is this unofficial closures for setting up entertainment? That’s not on if so.

CandyCane457 · 25/04/2025 16:27

HauntedBungalow · 25/04/2025 16:25

Amazingly, some of us don't get a lot of entertainment value from watching people jog past their house for hours on end. Or from Sunday morning DJs.

Then stay in and turn the tv up!

HauntedBungalow · 25/04/2025 16:25

Amazingly, some of us don't get a lot of entertainment value from watching people jog past their house for hours on end. Or from Sunday morning DJs.

Magnastorm · 25/04/2025 16:24

Kilroyonly · 25/04/2025 16:13

I agree, Marathons, vintage car rallies, bike rides are all totally unnecessary & self indulgent nonsense. However access is usually possible as the wardens stop traffic but the delays are ridiculous, regardless of whether you are let through beforehand or not.

Don't be daft.

Original poster
Bottlew · 25/04/2025 16:23

EggsAndBacon83 · 25/04/2025 16:13

Here we go again
, where the people who are totally unaffected and not going to be cut off by their roads being cut off, carers not being able to get through, not able to drive their family who have blue badges out etc, are going to lecture the rest of us who are affected every year.

People keep talking about how they will make the most of it, go and cheer them on, enjoy being at home. Such privilege.

I am able bodied but I know it is tough for my elderly housebound neighbours.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bottlew · 25/04/2025 16:20

HauntedBungalow · 25/04/2025 16:10

A little further down the main road is usually a marquee and DJ, it’s all good fun.

How do they get in to get set up??!

They do it the day before. Some of the road closures start 5pm the day before.

OP posts:
EggsAndBacon83 · 25/04/2025 16:20

OP, for God’s sake save your breath. They don’t to have their road shut off at 03:30am on Sunday morning through to 18:00 and they don’t get it. They will lecture you on benefits of tourism, health, car pollution etc and how your relative needs to pull up his socks and go for a stiff walk.

When I moved to my current street, I went out on marathon day and gave the high fives and cheered along encouragingly. I did wonder where all my neighbours were.

Three years on, I know exactly how the neighbours feel. I am going to have to sit in the house and won’t be going out cheering.

HauntedBungalow · 25/04/2025 16:18

It just sounds logistically improbable.