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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Deranged runners in public spaces....

285 replies

SoHereItIs2016 · 13/03/2016 19:51

I am genuinely interested in other people's opinions following a really unpleasant experience when out with my two kids and DP yesterday.

So we have membership to a local, but national attraction. It is a very large outdoor type of space which people generally go to to walk, take kids, picnic, and walk dogs. The layout is in two halves so in one side nog dogs are allowed at all and hence the other half is where you find the dogs.

For info no bikes or scooters etc allowed.

We were about half way round the dog walking half and as we had gone late in the day it was very quiet and we could see in front and behind quite far. We have a 6 month old toy breed puppy ( eg very small) who has no aggressive or overtly bothersome behaviours, we are in the process of completing her off lead training, which is why we went late and only let her off in the parts of the attraction where we had good visibility, not wishing to be in any way a nuisance to others.

So all of a sudden a runner emerged AT HIGH SPEED from the trees, not from main path, as he hurtled towards us both DP and I tried to put her back on lead as well as get the kids out of this mans way as it was fairly obvious he was not going to be sensible and actually slow down/ alter his path so that we could all pass sensibly.

As he approached he the. Started shouting at us to put dog back on lead as by this point she had started trunking over to this fast moving object who was shouting and flapping his hand about. At no point did she jump up, bark, growl or do anything whatsoever other than trundle along next to him. The verbal abuse then escalated to the point she this man was swearing and literally screaming at us all the while still trying to run....please note he was not being impeded in his run in any way.....

Eventually my DP by this time rather peed off with all the shouting and swearing in front of our kids shouted back very firmly to him to STOP running so we could put dog back in lead if this is what he wanted.....man went ballistic carried in verbally abusing me/DP and at one point literally launched himself over out dog due to having distracted himself off his own path.....

Whole,episode was really upsetting and both kids by now in tears, dog shaking like a leaf etc.

Now my AIBU is really why do people undertaking timed/ serious sports use public places where to encounter even the possibility of a hold up is going to cause them immense rage/distress/or where they are so 'in the zone' they lose the ability to be a. Rational human being.

It seems to be happening more and more recently, with runners coming at us en masse. In addition to this last incident we have had a few near misses recently where groups of runners have literally forced my young DC off the road....

I appreciate that we all have the right to use the roads, pavements and public spaces but ultimately they are not sports arenas or running tracks, there are designated places for that which I for example wouldn't go to walk the dog or take the kids to play, realising that the two uses do not mix, and often the person coming at you at speed seems to feel that their right to peruse their sporting goals trumps everyone else's right to quiet enjoyment of the public and open spaces.

And just to make it clear the dog was at no point engaging in aggressive, or disruptive behaviour, she was just trundling along faulty bemused by the shouting flapping jumping man!!!!

OP posts:
Twitterqueen · 14/03/2016 14:02

OP - YANBU

Echt
Unbefuckingleivable that the OP can turn a human being into a "fast moving object shooting and flapping his hand about".

Actually it's not unbefuckingleivable at all. I've had two fast-moving, out-of-control dickheads who have actually kicked my small, stationery, not out-of-control dog rather than slow down, show some consideration and give us slower-moving objects some space.

maydancer · 14/03/2016 14:50

Many dog owners don't seem to understand fear of dogs and treat it seriously.

SirChenjin · 14/03/2016 15:03

That's because the dogs are just being friendly Wink

curren · 14/03/2016 15:39

It's much smaller than the other half and not all that suitable for running.

so? He chose to run there

Foginthehills · 14/03/2016 15:43

walking with DC3 and his 2 little friends a while back, and we were on the footpath which has plenty of room (in the form of a small field) next to it. He came running along at full speed, despite being able to see us, and instead of running around us

This could be translated as:

"We were walking slowly 3 abreast across the whole width of the pavement. I expected him to step off the pavement to get around us."

I am so so sick of people walking slowly, 2 or 3 abreast, expecting me stop for them, or step into the gutter. Even when I'm simply another pedestrian.

ShortandSweeter · 14/03/2016 15:48

he probably felt threatened by your dog, right?

howabout · 14/03/2016 15:50

Op YANBU

I had a cyclist "in the zone" behind me at a set of traffic lights last week. He started Ffing n jeffing because I was waiting for the 3 cars in front of me to stream into lanes for the corner / parked cars / bus stop before proceeding. Good job I am more level headed than the average competitive cyclist / runner I encounter or I may have just hit reverse instead of having a laugh at his expense with the DC.

SirChenjin · 14/03/2016 16:01

It could have - if you were determined to to make some kind of spurious point Fog. We (as in an adult, and a 7, 8 and 10 year old) are perfectly entitled to walk at normal pace 3 abreast on a footpath - and he is perfectly entitled to slow down and say "excuse me" and wait until have time to move to the side, or not slow down but to go around the side of us on the small field of grass.

kw1091 · 14/03/2016 16:16

As a runner I can tell you that there is NOTHING more unnerving than being chased by a dog whatever it's size and I am a dog LOVER.
Please be more considerate of where you let your precious pup off the lead.
It sounds as if the runner may have overreacted but you have no idea why - he could have a phobia of dogs?

milkbottle · 14/03/2016 16:19

Jeez. OP had her dog off the lead in a dog-friendly park...what a crime! Seriously, if you are afraid of dogs, why go into dog friendly parts of parks when there's somewhere right beside it where dogs aren't allowed?

curren · 14/03/2016 16:23

As a runner I can tell you that there is NOTHING more unnerving than being chased by a dog whatever it's size and I am a dog LOVER.

or as a dog runner you could keep out of the area that is for dogs.

ClaudiaApfelstrudel · 14/03/2016 16:23

if I'm honest I have a fear of dogs especially those revolting pit bull creatures.

GeorgeTheThird · 14/03/2016 16:32

Tiny toy puppy. So it's about the size of a rabbit, right?

ShortandSweeter · 14/03/2016 16:32

all dogs should be on a lead unless in very specified/allocated areas. No one ever got bitten by a runner.

howabout · 14/03/2016 16:36

No one ever got bitten by a runner. Perhaps not, but I personally know several elderly people who have suffered broken bones after runners collided with them.

ShortandSweeter · 14/03/2016 16:38

a few years old now, but in 2013 it was estimated that there were 200,000 people a year bitten by dogs in England...

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/10429862/Dog-attack-laws-and-statistics.html

SirChenjin · 14/03/2016 16:39

The OP was in the allocated dog area Short - the runner chose to run in the dog area as opposed to the dog free area.

Peaceandloveeveryone · 14/03/2016 17:07
Grin
Deranged runners in public spaces....
SirChenjin · 14/03/2016 17:10

That's more Shock and Sad than Grin Peace - did you read it?

Sanityseeker75 · 14/03/2016 17:23

I think you are both BU and I think that you know this a little bit which is why the story changes ever so slightly.

I run (all be it probably slower) and actually every time I run, dogs run up to me either because they are on the other side of path and spot me or follow me as I run past. It is annoying and I don't know which are likely to bite or jump up. I accept this as part of life and am far more likely to give a glaring look to an owner who clearly has no control. Mostly I try to just run round the dog or some that I see regularly i will smile at (lets face it dog prob doesn't appreciate the smile) but I like to think the owners get that I am ok with their dogs and trust the dog is just being nosey but not a worry. Most dog owners will attempt a recall but not all.

It irritates me that walkers out for family days and kids and buggies etc, insist that they need to walk all spread out across a path and whilst if I am behind them I will try and run around them on grass or say excuse me when approaching and if someone is walking towards me I always move over and if someone moves I always smile or utter a thank you because I generally think that people should have manners and be pleasant anyway.

I am also a dog owner and my dog is definitely not one that has any recall and is never ever allowed off his lead (he would chase a leaf given half an opportunity and definitely want to jump up)he is also fluffy and attracts young children so we muzzle him if out because people are not good at knowing to ask before stroking or approaching a dog.

I find there is generally a good balance between everyone but you are always more inclined to remember the one knob that you encounter not the couple who were ok and just passed you by.

Actually the worst person I have ever met whilst out and about is some knob who cycles with his dogs on leads attached to his bike. He has 3 on 1 side and 2 on other - rides smack bang in middle of the path and takes out anyone who doesn't shift and every time I see him I feel so sorry for his dogs because one day someone will end up getting tangled and him and his bike are going to land on the poor dogs.

Peaceandloveeveryone · 14/03/2016 17:53

Yes, I read it, was trying to find national statistics for human bites as it gets my goat when it's always dogs getting vilified.

Peaceandloveeveryone · 14/03/2016 17:55

Actually, apologies, I hadn't registered the one that I think you mean. I was trying to make a point about humans being responsible for some horrific injuries but perhaps that wasn't the best source.

Foginthehills · 14/03/2016 18:10

We (as in an adult, and a 7, 8 and 10 year old) are perfectly entitled to walk at normal pace 3 abreast on a footpath - and he is perfectly entitled to slow down and say "excuse me" and wait until have time to move to the side, or not slow down but to go around the side of us on the small field of grass

Well I happen to think walking slowly all across the path is bad manners. You should move over so someone coming the other way, or behind you, doesn't have to stop and say "Excuse me" - they shouldn't have to say that in the first place. You should realise you're taking up the entire path, and move for others going faster than you, or coming the other way. It's basic consideration for others.

boredofusername · 14/03/2016 18:11

I've not RTFT but I run and most runners are not like this.

However, some are.

Some cyclists are like this.

Some drivers won't give way even though I am halfway across the side road they want to turn into (also applies to cyclists).

Some pedestrians won't give way (think 2 or more people coming towards you on pavement and expect you to walk or run in the gutter/busy road rather than them going single file).

And some pedestrians think it's ok for their dogs to chase runners or entangle them in those extendable leads.

If everyone took a little care, and got out of their little bubble of oblivion, there would be fewer accidents and fewer AIBU threads!

boredofusername · 14/03/2016 18:12

PS We (as in an adult, and a 7, 8 and 10 year old) are perfectly entitled to walk at normal pace 3 abreast on a footpath

I hope you don't drive with that attitude.