Can people say thanks when I run into the road for them?

[Fizzysours]

I am a runner and going out once a day. I try to choose a quieter time. I ALWAYS run into the road to give pedestrians of any age plenty of safe space. It's usually really obvious to see that I have done this as our area is fairly quiet. A quarter of people say thanks or a cheery morning. By 'thanks' I mean a smile, a raised hand or ANYTHING. It would be nice if more people could manage the tiny pleasantries that make everyone's day a bit friendlier, especially when we are all so divided?

The people debating the definition between a runner and a walker are seriously missing the point. The point is that we can take this opportunity to make someone's world a bit brighter or a bit darker. The choice is yours.

It doesn't cost anything to be polite and friendly, so even if some people think that runners should move, saying thank you doesn't involve having to actually be eternally grateful; it's just a pleasant social nicety, a small nod to social cohesion. Surely we aren't only pleasant and polite to people when they do something really amazing and useful for us; surely we say please and thank you and sorry etc simply because we can, there is no harm in it, no cost to us, and can be really appreciated by the recipient.

I agree. It costs nothing to smile or say thank you.

*Collins dictionary: Pedestrian- a person travelling on foot; walker

At what point does someone change from being a pedestrian to being a runner? a jogger? a child running to get a ball? someone walking very quickly and travelling faster than a jogger?*

When you're walking there is always one part of a foot in contact with the ground. If both feet are off the ground at any point it's not walking so would be running (fast or slow).

Your definition doesn't mean that pedestrians = walkers it means pedestrians = people on foot ie walkers or runners.

"Linsey Marr, an expert in airborne transmission of viral diseases and a professor of civil engineering at Virginia Tech, says the issue of whether people can become infected from cyclists or runners is still undecided. “We need to keep in mind, though, that we don't yet know what size particles released by an infected person actually contain virus and whether that virus is ‘alive,’ or can still infect others,”"
www.wired.com/story/are-running-or-cycling-actually-risks-for-spreading-covid-19/
Article from yesterday, so I doubt that the issue has been proven one way or the other since.

I’ve noticed that many more people say thank you when I step out of the way whilst walking then running. I do think people resent runners because deep inside, they wish they had the fitness level to do so too!

Agree!

I'll acknowledge and say hello from time to time but if someone is melting past me running and getting on with stuff then I'm not going to be doing anything really .

I'm usually keeping my mouth shut and not breathing when they go past or if I pass anyone. If someone genuinely looks like they've made an effort to stop or move across then I'm happy to acknowledge that as appropriate.

A cyclist approached from behind the other day on a shared path, they had clearly slowed down and then tinkled their bell, I was happy to move over on to the grass to give us both space, we both raised a hand - job done.

The point is that we can take this opportunity to make someone's world a bit brighter or a bit darker. The choice is yours.
Same goes for posting complaints on Mumsnet to reveal to the world how guilty they should feel for not having said thank you to OP.
I would literally never have come up with the idea of thanking every single runner that rushes past me in the street. Now am I meant to feel bad about it? Great.

I do think people resent runners because deep inside, they wish they had the fitness level to do so too!

Oh fuck off.

Half the folk out walking are doing so as they are with family or kids or dogs or just don't want to be fucking antisocial when we have a finite amount of space for a lot more folk than usual. spraying your fucking breath for miles instead of a couple of kms while walking.

I also go running myself and would never expect anyone to thank me for keeping out of their way. Of course I wouldn't run right close up to them, even without Covid. It has nothing to do with some people being runners and some not.

I agree OP. I've been on daily walks with two young children and people are constantly stepping into the road for us, which I appreciate tremendously. I don't care if they're doing it for our benefit or theirs; it benefits us regardless so I always say thank you and wave, and the four year old does the same. Some people have no manners and there's absolutely no excuse, no matter what some people on here would have you think.

I have noticed that people are much friendlier now. Smiling , waving or a wee thumbs up. As a “runner “ I will always get out of the way by going into the road or changing direction entirely.

spraying your fucking breath for miles instead of a couple of kms while walking
Haha, no resentment there at all!

Haha, no resentment there at all!

No resentment, just don't expect a medal or think that everyone wishes they were you cos I guarantee that most folk don't give a shit. Run or don't run. But accept that your activity choice is most antisocial than others and don't expect us all to be smiling and waving as you walk by. Instead of going out onto the road, you could always stop and move the side and turn your fact away, but you wont do that though eh? You'd rather folk walking moved or praised you for running in the road.

Another thoroughly depressing thread on MN.

I've also noticed people being friendly in real life.
Presumably the pressure of being so polite to one another in the street creates a burgeoning underswell of resentment that then bursts out in the form of threads on Mumsnet complaining about tiny little incidents that they would not normally think twice about.

I would be interested to know if the walkers who don’t acknowledge a runner for moving out of the way also don’t acknowledge another walker for moving out of the way. Are they equally miserable to everyone?

I’m a cheery and very polite person, but I find it odd that you feel you need to be thanked or acknowledged by everyone op.
You’re hardly a superhero for moving out of the way of pedestrians, mums with youngsters, people in mobility scooters, etc.
Just do your run, continue to move out of the way of pedestrians and enjoy life instead of fretting over whether you got enough “thank yous”

WaxOn indeed. Even my own dear family are pretty indifferent to my athletic endeavours. When I ran my first marathon my mum said “that’s nice dear.” When I ran my tenth she said.......guess what? Yep. “That’s nice dear.” I do it for me, frankly, and I don’t expect anyone to be remotely interested in the details my hobby, any more than I’m interested in their crochet or cookery .

@Lenny1980 See my post above at 13:46. You call it "miserable", I call it "normal". For context, I don't live in a tiny village where you wave hello to every single sheep or cow you pass. Doesn't everyone involved usually move out of the way? It's a joint effort. People would think I was bonkers if I thanked them here.

We are out three times per day and almost always move. We never receive nor say thanks, if someone else moves. It is just normal and basic manners not deserving of special thanks.Runners often move as you are going twice the speed so cant predict if the walkers will move in time. You are really looking after yourself by not breaking your stride. Why do you want thanks for that? The runners that come right up to you and skim past are ignorant. The ones that move onto the road are normal. You shouldnt get special thanks for not being ignorant.

@WaxOnFeckOff, so if you pass another walker on a sidewalk the width less than 2 metres, and the other walker gets on the road to make it 2 metres, do you ignore them?

Are they another f* breather who shouldn't be in your way?

I didn't realise there was so much dislike of runners! I run as it helps me manage my asthma but I am not particularly fast. I have changed my normal running route as I was finding it too busy (I live near the sea and normally run by the coast). I now run on roads near my house and always move away from people when I am running, often running into the road if there is not enough space. I find it is 50/50 whether people acknowledge me when I move away from them when running, whereas people do usually say thank you when I do the same when I am walking.

I don't expect any thanks but it is nice when someone says thank you or smiles. I have found that some people have a sense of entitlement and take up all the space on the pavement, either walking or cycling along it, and make no effort to move at all. I understand that it is difficult for people with children and I always make sure that I move away well in advance of getting close to them, to let them see that I am taking the initiative.

I guess it is the same as in other areas of life, some people are considerate and some people are inconsiderate. I don't take it personally if people don't acknowledge me, but those that do certainly lift my mood. There is an elderly lady living in sheltered accommodation near me who often sits in her garden and she always waves to me, so I always wave back and wish her a nice day. Little interactions like this are heart warming in these troubled times.

Whilst a few people have gone onto the verge/road mostly people just move to either side of the pavement single file here. Unless you are particularly vulnerable (then you shouldn't be out) or suspicious of symptoms (also shouldn't be out) this is sufficient. Reducing risk is all we need to do. We will catch it eventually (I think I had it 3 weeks ago, smell still recovering!)

Most times as a walker I will move if I have the opportunity and I don't expect thanks and couldn't really care less if I'm acknowledged or not (although irrationally I probably do when driving and i've done a favour and don't get a wave ). As I said before, in a 50/50 situation, i'll size up the attitude of the person running or cycling towards me, if they make even the slightest acknowledgement that they've seen me and are willing to move, then I'll move to allow them to pass. However, I'm a thrawn cow and if the person looks like they feel they should be given the way then i'll stop and stand my ground or just carry on walking. Again, I don't care one way or another if someone acknowledges or not. You can tell by someones demeanor if they are appreciative or not to be honest.