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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

out for a jog and women yells at me to stop

189 replies

suchclearwater · 12/05/2020 17:04

Really feeling quite confused. I feel like I have done something wrong but I don't think that I have. Or have I? I was out jogging in some fields (a popular area for joggers, dog walkers etc) and came near two women. I was at least 5 metres away from them and keeping that distance as I was passing them when one of the women shouted, Stop!' at me.I stopped and said I am at least 2 metres away from you and she came back with, well I have a chest infection so that isn't good enough. She then went on to say that all us joggers were just panting and spreading our breathe everywhere. I honestly didn't know what to say. In the end I just jogged about another 4 metres away from her and carried on but was left feeling slightly mystified and a bit cross. I don't think I had done anything wrong. Her tone was really aggressive. What do you think? Should I have apologized or something? I don't think I should have but clearly she did.

OP posts:

ShredMeJillianIWantToBeNatalie · 12/05/2020 17:34

She was in the wrong but probably genuinely frightened so I’d cut her some slack. I’ve been a runner for many years and I give people as much space as possible, but there are always a few people who appear on your shoulder huffing and puffing and it can be alarming if you think they aren’t going to stop. I wouldn’t dwell on it.

Craftycorvid · 12/05/2020 17:35

Yes, she sounds like she just wanted to pick a fight. It was very likely about a dozen things that were all about her, but you happened along. There are people for whom it’s always about someone else. I give anyone I meet the widest possible margin when running, even when they are shuffling along about three abreast and blocking the path - says she not at all testily . I get irked by cyclists racing up behind me though as I often can’t hear them and get out of the way fast enough.

cologne4711 · 12/05/2020 17:35

You're fine OP. It's not helpful that there has been all this rubbish in the media about "joggers shedding the virus" and the op above who says, with no evidence it has been proven that the 2 metres isn't sufficient with joggers. If that were the case, there would be guidance to that effect, and there isn't. And I have yet, since lockdown started, to meet an inconsiderate "jogger".

Were you as far away as possible? I would always for courtesy's sake pass people as far away as possible I think people have different views on how much space they need. I've just come back from a run and there was a man with a pram coming towards me. I went out into the road as I usually do, easily 2m away and he stopped and looked at me. So I went further out, at this point I must be 4m away. He still doesn't carry on. So I just crossed the road and must have been 10m away.

Mind you I often notice that in normal times, people stop for me (not just when running) when there is more than ample space to get by. Maybe people just don't have very good spatial awareness at the best of times.

And yes, if you have a chest infection you stay indoors or at least away from other people.

diddl · 12/05/2020 17:36

Some joggers seem to think that as they are going past fairly quickly then social distancing doesn't apply.

Pisses me off!

I think that close enough to hear them breathing is too close!

Devlesko · 12/05/2020 17:36

Should you have apologised?

No, you should have told her she should be inside with a chest infection, breathing her germs everywhere. Stupid cow.

iamapixie · 12/05/2020 17:37

How horrible. I thought this silliness about joggers and cyclists was a bit 'last week' so she's quite late to the party. Try to ignore it.

Confusedaboutthis01 · 12/05/2020 17:37

Oh my god YANBU 😂

TypingError · 12/05/2020 17:38

it has been proven that the 2 metres isn't sufficient with joggers and it needs to be far more based on how the breath while jogging

That's the first thing that sprang to my mind also. I heard this report on BBC a couple of days ago. Runners were advised they should be keeping 4 metres at least away from others. Perhaps this woman had heard it too. We get lots of runners along our rural roads which have no pavements. There's really nowhere to go. I wish they'd run somewhere more suitable. There are plenty of bridleways round here where they could run at speed and keep a decent distance from walkers who are also trying to negotiate oncoming traffic. I can't use those bridleways to get to the shop. I have to use the road.

TheVanguardSix · 12/05/2020 17:39

She’s the symptomatic one! Why’s she out?

CHIRIBAYA · 12/05/2020 17:41

Ignore her, she should be at home if she is that vulnerable.

Peggysgettingcrazy · 12/05/2020 17:43

Op clerly says she was at least 5 meters from them.

Why do people keep talking about joggers needing to be further away? If you want to be more than 5 metres away from people, you need to stay in.

Dalamalama · 12/05/2020 17:43

It sounds like she should be at home with a chest infection.

As a runner I would have told her to piss off! A guy posted on a running group that I'm on that a woman had actually tripped him up, he just missed going under a car.

I haven't had any animosity while I've been running, I've had the odd dirty look which is thrown straight back at them, they're out, I'm out, no one is In the right or wrong.

PutThemInTheIronMaiden · 12/05/2020 17:44

YANBU but...

"Us joggers were just panting and spreading our breath everywhere."

Was it my Mother?

Dalamalama · 12/05/2020 17:46

And just for the record. I've stopped running on the canal towpath as it's too narrow. If I'm running towards someone I cross the road or run in the road if there are no cars and I always try and run into the countryside, sadly everyone else has the same idea at the moment.

pipnchops · 12/05/2020 17:46

You did nothing wrong but my mum is terrified to go outside in case she comes across someone jogging because of the breathing thing. She's over 70 and has asthma. You weren't doing anything wrong though.

pipnchops · 12/05/2020 17:47

Heavy breathing thing I meant to say!

LordOftheRingz · 12/05/2020 17:48

Im sorry OP but 'breathing and panting' in the open air....and I bet you clap for the NHS as well like butter would not melt.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 12/05/2020 17:50

Either she should have stayed in, or SHE should have ensured that she maintained an acceptable (to her) distance.

You aren't clairvoyant - you don't know if someone is particularly vulnerable, and you weren't breaking social distancing rules. Ignore her - she's stupid.

crustycrab · 12/05/2020 17:50

I think in Germany their diagrams are showing 10 metres for runners.

guanciale · 12/05/2020 17:50

she should have stayed in to stop spreading HER infection!!

sussexman · 12/05/2020 17:50

You definitely weren't being unreasonable. The advice is and remains to keep a 2 metre distance. No difference when exercising. www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do#public-spaces--outdoor-activities--exercise . The 4-meter thing appears to be unsubstantiated, I'm extremely doubtful that it would have been an official message on Radio 4 for example.

I expect that the poor lady was extremely unsure about being out at all, but felt she had to be for whatever reason, and worried sick about her own health. I'd just have politely moved on myself.

PotholeParadise · 12/05/2020 17:52

workshy44

You might find this of interest.

www.vice.com/en_us/article/v74az9/the-viral-study-about-runners-spreading-coronavirus-is-not-actually-a-study

MashedPotatoBrainz · 12/05/2020 17:52

As a runner I would have told her to piss off! A guy posted on a running group that I'm on that a woman had actually tripped him up, he just missed going under a car.

Surely he must have been too close if she was able to trip him up.

viewfromthecouch · 12/05/2020 17:55

YWNBU.

I would have told her she should have been at home if she was that worried. She had no right to put that on everyone else, especially people who are doing nothing wrong.

diddl · 12/05/2020 17:57

"Surely he must have been too close if she was able to trip him up"

It must have been with the very end of her 2m stick!

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