Runner v dog walker

[Inniu]

I suspect we were both being unreasonable here but I am feeling terrible about it and trying to figure out how I should have handled it.

I run. I try to be a responsible runner and to be aware that other people can be nervous of runners these days. I try to run in quieter places or at least places with wide paths, to stick to the putter edge of the path and to run on the road it I can when I meet groups, couples etc

I started taking DS for runs about a month ago and we always go to somewhere that has very wide footpaths, run in single file and follow the same distancing I do on solo runs.
DS is 9 and autistic.

Today when running a man came towards us, he went to the middle of the path with his arms out and his dog on a lead just off the edge of the path on the road.

I got confused. I checked that DS was behind me so we weren’t taking up too much of the path or blocking him. So I just asked the man which side he was on. He shouted at me that runners need to be 4 meters on to the road. I got on to the road a little but he seemed to loosen the lead and his dog came at us. DS started making panicked sounds and going further in to the road. I caught DS. The man kept going on about 4 metres. Which would have put us well in to the middle of the road. We were quite far into it because of the dog anyway.
I stupidly argued with him and said he needed to share the path him on one side and us in the other. There were no cars at the time I should just have taken DS to the middle of the road to avoid the argument.
I got past, calmed DS down and we ran on.
Further on our loop I could see him coming towards us again.
A man ran past him and he didn’t stick out his arms or lengthen his dogs lead.

I warned DS to ignore him but that we would go on the road.

The man did the same thing again and shouted that dogs can’t have corona so if is ok for his dog to make us stay 4 metres away for him because runners breathe heavily.
I again told him, while holding on to DS on the road, that he needed to share the path and we ran on.

I do understand that the man who was probably 70 would be nervous because of the virus.

I am partly mad at myself for getting drawn to an argument and not staying calm. But I am partly livid because using a dog to frighten a child on to a Road is a lot more dangerous than running past someone with a 2 metre rather than a 4 metre distance.

I’ll tell you what OP I’ve been so surprised and disappointed while on my walks at all sorts of people.
Runners coming up behind me and overtaking so close I can feel the wind between us. Adult men on bicycles zooming down the middle of the pavement. Whole families taking up the path and making no attempt to move.
I’ve put it down to ignorance and stupidity.

This man was in the wrong and trying to make a point of some sort. Ignore him and chalk it up.

I’d have have shouted at him to get the fuck away from me the minute he deliberately veered into me to be honest. Clearly doing it on purpose to bully you. You’ve done absolutely nothing wrong here, and the fact he was fine with a man (who might have punched him) says it all.

That man sounds a bully.

I am vulnerable health wise and going out with my dog is the only exercise I get and also the only time I am out of the house (I work PT from home).

I shout hello or say morning to people from a safe distance, especially the elderly. I always move out of the way with my dog (walking on uneven ground, through nettles, or on the road) to achieve a comfortable social distance just over 2M between myself and other walkers, talkers, runners or cyclists of both genders that I can see coming towards me (most never nod, say thank you or acknowledge this in any way).

I find runners or cyclists (with or without children) scary especially the ones that come out of nowhere and quietly come up behind me and are closer to me than I would like them to be. You may have done this or something similar to the man, gave him
a scare and caught him off guard.

On Sunday I was out walking with my family and dog. We were all walking single file on the edge of a tarmac path/road through a park. I was at the back of the group and two lycra clad cyclists came up behind me, really close to me much less than one metre and quietly said ‘beep, beep and laughed’. I nearly twisted my ankle and fell in my haste to get away.

He was rude and a twat to boot.
I have a dog. When we meet runners and walkers I keep my dog close to me and move out of their way. People take precedence over dogs!
I have noticed on here some people worrying about runners somehow spreading the virus further if they are breathing more deeply or something. Weird and hysterical. Same with cyclists. People seem to feel they need to give these people a wider berth than walkers. Don’t get it.
And some people will use any excuse to be a twat and a cuntweasel.

You know what, I’m sure I read on here that cyclists and people running need to leave more than 2m distance due to their breathing?

But regardless he was definitely picking on you

Dog owner and occasional runner here. You have been very considerate about organising yourself and your son on your run so that social distancing can be maintained. I meet plenty of runners whilst walking my dog, the dog goes on the lead (if he's not already) as soon as they come into view, I take one side of the path and the runner takes the other just as you did, seems to work just fine. The man is a mysogynist and a bully, you did nothing wrong. Defending yourself is not unreasonable.

@dontdisturbmenow

I must have missed that you were more at risk of passing Covid for breathing more heavily!

Yes, obviously you've missed that. There's plenty about it online

@Inniu

I'm sorry he scared & upset both you & your DS.

I'm guessing you didn't want to upset DS more or for him to learn any new phrases - shame really as he deserved a mouthful!!

Hope it doesn't put DS off going running.

I'm a regular runner and there are a lot of walkers in the middle of the path and abreast with others. I just assume their unaware rather than selfish. This bloke sounds like a idiot - I too would have had a dig back.

The idea that runners breath heavily and are therefore more dangerous is rubbish. You only do the same number of breaths per mile as a walker, you're just going faster. Unless you're fabulously unfit and spitting / coughing as you go.

Enjoy your running! It's good for you and your son.

Expecting a child to run in the middle of a road to stay any distance away just isn't on.

As an aside, they need to ban long leads on dogs. A dog isn't under control at the end of a ten foot lead.

He's a fucking idiot. I've had to deal with one of those too.

It's because of this: www.wired.com/story/are-running-or-cycling-actually-risks-for-spreading-covid-19/

I'm guessing that because you were running with your DC you weren't panting and gasping all over the place anyway.

The slipstream "study" was a computer model based on air movements and does not reflect the behaviour of a virus and the way it carries on particles breathed out.
It also has not been peer reviewed.

Really it's only relevent if a pair of runners from different households if they social distance one behind the other.

When a runner (or cyclist) overtakes a walker and pulls back in after giving a 2m or so berth, they are increasing the gap between them and the walker all the time so the walker will only spend seconds in the slipstream which is very low risk.

The real, practical risk is prolonged contact (15 mins+) indoors.

MNers seem to excel at finding nutters.

He was an arse.

Pig. I think if you run into him again, next time it may be best to just stop and wait for him to walk round you both. Or cross the road if possible.

As a runner and a dog walker, sometimes at the same time, he was a massive twat. He’s obviously just trying to bully you and your dd. Funny he didn’t do it to the man who ran past time.

Don’t give it any more though. Some people are just dickheads for the sake of it.

I'm a dog walker, and the runners around here are idiots. Rather than slow down and walk for twenty paces until there's room to over-take with social distancing they'll brush past your shoulder on a narrow path as they overtake. I must admit I have very little time or patience for any runners at the moment due to the repeated selfish actions of some.

The "rule" is 2m. Runners do breathe more heavily, so the "decent thing" is for them to give walkers as wide a berth as is possible safely. So long as you were doing that - he's a dick.

I find runners in my area are much more polite and conscious of personal space than dog owners. So many times I have had dogs, which are off the lead with no recall, jump on me or my toddler. But it's OK cause the dog is friendly, apparently.

A thousand times this. DD used to love dogs and is now scared of them when she's not in her buggy. The best was the man who told DH it was his fault for having snacks in the basket of the buggy

Dog owner - he was being a selfish idiot.

I was gobsmacked at the runners not going single file past me and DH - clearly they thought us going single file meant they didn't need to bother 🤦🏼‍♀️.

Sometimes dog decides to randomly get close a runner when she is off lead which I always apologise for and if I see she thinks they smell good I call her back. Mostly she ignores them.

Near a road no way would I be forcing other people to run on the road...

The man is clearly a bell end

I'm a runner too OP and the only people I've had any issue with over the past 9 weeks are entitled old men, who think that everyone should jump into the road for them - particularly women! I had an old bloke on a bike yell at me on Sunday. I was keeping left and he was resolutely on my side of the path. I kept going and he then yelled at me. I just muttered 'Twat' and kept running.

I'm a runner and I regularly encouunter wanker dog walkers.

I also encounter nice dog walkers and wanker other runners.

There are wankers everywhere. Unfortunately you encountered a particularly wanky one.

Dog owners are the worst.

I’ve come across people with their dog off lead on normal city pavements (not even a green space). Cue the “he’s just friendly!!!!1!!” when their dog jumped on me and followed me as I hurried past. There was literally nowhere for me to move to the road had normal car traffic.

Also the owners of massive huskies/German shepherds that insist on walking them through very narrow paths and alleyways. Meaning that no one can get past them without practically touching their dog, let alone social distance.

I also saw a man on a mobility scooter “walking” his puppy. In reality the scooter was moving faster than the dog so it was just dragged along the street, practically being choked🤦‍♀️

Your only crime was being a women and not getting out of the way for the better sex.

Hes counting on the fact you have your child with you that you wont stand up for yourself.