Aibu to be angry with stupid, arrogant joggers

[Jayfee]

So, today, just out for a walk and like most people taking care to keep 2 metres apart from other people. Then a young fit woman jogs by from behind and leaves about 2-3 ft gap from me. She could have jogged around me and kept her distance but, no, why should she deviate her path. Selfish!!! And gp on TV just said that such behaviour does put pedestrians at greater risk.

The irony that they think they’re being healthy by going out jogging...

It’s the same here OP. I worry that some people who would like to go out don’t because they can’t dodge these selfish runners.

I'm finding where I am the female joggers are going in the road, whereas the sweaty, grunting male joggers aren't moving for anyone. Well, one older chap did the other day, but otherwise, they all to a man are huffing and puffing as they run by and right next to the few pedestrians on the pathways. Arrogant fuckwits.

I've had both male and female joggers run far too close, panting away. They may feel less likely to catch anything moving at speed, so sod everyone else. Gits.

It’s not all joggers though, it’s just that some people are idiots. I run regularly and had to cross the road to avoid the same family out walking the other day, because they completely blocked the (very wide) path. As someone else has said, I’m often running in the road now.

Undoubtedly some runners are morons, but it’s not all of us.

I don't know, I think there are a lot of selfish people. I went for a run yesterday and was at pains to move into the road/verge/whatever but loads of couple continued to walk two abreast instead of single file...!

You are angry with a stupid arrogant jogger. Singular.

Like I was annoyed at smoker who accidentally blew smoke in my face. I’m not annoyed with smokers

All the joggers and cyclists around here are doing exactly the right thing. Whoever is fastest gets out of the way of the others.

Except one silly tit who took running past us - too close until we dodged out the way - as an opportunity to excoriate the council for closing the parking bays at the local park. "Council's gone mad I see". It was like being on the internet, except we had to physically edge away from her.

Yanbu. Ive been a runner for decades and I'm taking so much care to keep my distance from everyone,but I'm not observing it in others :(

Best not tar an entire group with the same brush!

We're not all the same. Please don't assume we are.

Its the same with everyone no matter what they're hobbies are. Some are idiots, most aren't

Getting a bit fed up with all the flack runners are getting at the moment. Especially on Mumsnet.

You get idiots everywhere. Some of those idiots just happen to be joggers.

Around here, everyone out exercising is observing social distancing. I've not encountered anyway spluttering and "breathing heavily`' anywhere near me!

I run and I go far out of my way to avoid people.

I think this bad behaviour is down to the individual-whether they're walking, cycling or running. Some people just keep to their own straight line as though everyone else should scatter out of the way.

Yes these generalisations are pretty stupid. Pedestrians walking two abreast are a bigger problem

Had the same thing here today. We were walking down a hill on a footpath ( left handside). A Jogger was running up the hill in our direction, on our side of the road (so totally into on-coming traffic but thats by the by). He could see us - we couldn't move due to narrow footpath, wall on one side of us and roadside railings the other. He could have easily moved to the other side of the road, as he was already in the road, but no, got closer to us on the pavement and ended up passing us with maybe 1/2 a metre distance? If the railings hadn't been there we would have been close enough to practically brush shoulders. He was panting as well.

Obviously this jogger in question should have given you more space, but honestly I have to say, sometimes I walk my dog and joggers will get on my nerves... then sometimes I jog and the walkers will get on my nerves... so I think in general we’re all a bit agitated either way given the current circumstances.

There are stupid arrogant idiots doing just about every activity going. Please do not tarnish all runners/ joggers.

As runner who's been making the effort to run in the roads and dog-shit-alley verges to give slower pedestrian enough width (and it's amazing how many walkers will not break formation or move over either ) it is getting very tedious being tarnished with constant whinging about a hobby that is keeping me both fit, sane and holding off insomnia. (And also maintaining a healthy lung capacity which is no bad thing in the face of a potentially nasty respiritory virus).

The slip stream article is not as worrying as it initially sounds unless you are tailing a runner at the same speed. Most walkers average at about 2-3mph, brisk walking 4 mph. Runners average at about 6-7mph. You will not be spending long in the slipstream of a runner, especially if they passed with a couple of metres width before pulling in. It will not be many seconds before they have moved beyond the kinds of distance cited in the article. The authors are describing running strategies used by competition athletes, so if your name isn't Kipoche or Mo Farrah, it's actually not that big of an issue.

If you are finding that you can only just maintain 2m from other route users, I suggest changing your timing or route to something quieter.

maybe we should all stay at home - as we have been asked to - problem solved

I totally agree OP. I've had so many joggers coming towards me on the pavement, and it's obvious they are not going to deviate their path one inch to maintain 2m distance when passing so it's always up to me to move to verge or cross the road.

Very occasionally there's a considerate jogger who will deviate his path (women v rarely do), but the vast majority seem to think they have right of way.

Agree they are f*cking arseholes from my experience and I've pretty much stopped going out for a walk because of them. I've even had one come tearing round a corner and nearly bumped into me. No consideration whatsoever, at least a pedestrian going round a corner has plenty of time to deviate to maintain distance.

There's always some inconsiderate idiot in every situation unfortunately.

On the other side I am a runner and when I run sometimes in the park, there is familys who are out and their group spreads 4 or 5 wide across the whole path, I run on the grass to keep a distance past them but It does works both ways.

Bringingbring I am not tarring the whole group, just the ones who ignore social distancing rules.

I think I'm going to start a series of my own AIBUs:

to be angry with stupid arrogant families on bikes

to be angry with stupid arrogant couples who won't walk single file

to be angry with stupid arrogant singletons on bikes

to be angry with stupid arrogant pedestrians who cross the road when their side is empty and make me cross over to the side they've just vacated?

not to be angry with "joggers" because I haven't seen a single on behave badly in my area since this started and I am out "jogging" 3-4 times a week?

“He was panting as well”

Disgusting.

I agree that couples and families keep walking towards me as a group instead of single file.

Bog that is my point..some don't leave 2 metres. And some people are asymptomatic with covid 19

it's amazing how many walkers will not break formation or move over either

I regretted going for my first walk yesterday for this reason. 7 times I had to cross over to avoid people. Not one person made any attempt to move to keep a distance