Outside walks and people

[CharlotteRose90]

No hate please but I’m hoping I’m not the only one.

So me and my mum have been going for walks with the dog and it’s making me so angry what people are doing. Walking so close to us and not keeping distance. We’re both in the vulnerable category and I’ve said so many times to people to move away.

I completely get you don’t have to wear a mask but don’t walk next to or behind people you don’t know. The park we choose today had a massive path and people still did it. I ended up shouting at this woman for standing next to my mum and coughing.

Rant over. I’m hoping I’m not crazy

Even pre pandemic I could not bear people bunching behind me when I was out walking. Just fucking overtake.

However my view is that you are highly unlikely to get covid from someone walking beside you.

I find the same. We are a family of four and when people are approaching we go single file to allow room to pass. Most people approaching still walk side by side meaning they are often passing pretty close.

I don't worry about it as even if they have it, they aren't going to pass it by walking past me in an opwn space, butit does mean we don't loiter in any one place for too long.

Vulnerable or not, you don’t own public parks and pavements. Everyone has to share the space, so you can’t expect everyone else to move out of the way for you all of the time. You’ll have to compromise and actively move out of the way yourself, go at quiet times, wear a decent mask if it makes you feel more protected etc.

YANBU people are so annoying. I think they must think it's ok because they're outside. I stepped into the road a little to move out of someone's way because they didn't give me room which they could have done and was almost run over.

I agree op but if I was vulnerable and concerned I'd move over on the path or stop and pointedly tell people to go past

Went out today, my husband, me with a crutch, able bodied son and wheelchair using son. We have to use the path and go to single file but a lot of people walk two or three abreast at us. Please consider others around you, I try to keep the kids out of the way but it's annoying when adults don't try.

I mean you could turn round and walk the other way you really are expecting an awful lot from people are they not allowed outside ?

Yeah I think you are being a little crazy tbh. Passing people by in an open space is about as safe as it gets other than staying home and locking the doors.

If someone is walking up behind you stand aside and let them get ahead.

I do agree, I feel like I’m always the one leaping into the side to let people pass. No one thanks me ever.

I do think it’s unlikely or low risk to catch covid outside fleetingly. But it’s out of courtesy really. We have encountered a few really terrified people who pull on a mask when they see us approaching and turn their back on us. I understand why, I don’t judge.

However I did judge the man who decided to join me and the DC on a small rock on the beach. That was very strange.

Stay inside then. Plenty of exercise machines available.

When I walk my dog, I usually end up in the road, runners and cyclists on pavements are the worst, as they give no warning and just expect you to get out of the way. My dog has gotten so used to crossing over the road when someone approaches, he seems to have SD sorted.

Everyone has to share the space, so you can’t expect everyone else to move out of the way for you all of the time.

I agree. If you want space, you move out of the way.

Perhaps try going somewhere a bit more secluded for your walks.

If people are bunching up behind you, you're obviously walking slower than them. Step aside and let them past. Not difficult.

If you're that bothered about other people go early or later when there are less people about.

@Mindymomo a jogger ran into the back of me the other day. I'm heavily pregnant and was pushing a pushchair with the dogs too. He said he thought I was going to move aside, I didn't even know he was there 🤷‍♀️

Oh of vourse people bunching up to strangers and getting unnecessarily close are annoying, even without a pandemic!

Its unreasonable to shout at people, but not unreasonable to expect people to go single file just while passing another group.

People saying that if someone finds selfish or antisocial behaviour annoying they should stay inside (or turn and walk the other way multiple times, as though pacing up and down an enclosure rather than going for a walk) are telling us an awful lot about themselves!

You sound really entitled and rude. If someone is too close for you to be comfortable with, you should move!! You were out of order shouting at someone.

I get you Op, I'm not worried about catching it outside but I'm fed up with families sprawled across the path. It's rude, you go single file if possible. And that goes for non pandemic times too.

Yet another variation on the regular thread where a poster goes somewhere, complains its busy, and fails to recognise that she is part of the problem.

Yes outdoor spaces are busy because there is fuck all else to do. everything is closed. Everything. And its been a glorious day today. You want the park to yourself? Go at midnight. Or when it's pouring.

And you might want to cut out shouting at people too, it's just rude.

Didn't take long for the runner comments to start. I'm a runner and I always move onto the road for people and rarely get a thank you. I'm also fed up of having dogs run up to me and get under my feet.

Walk faster or get out of the way.

You’re the problem here, not everyone else.

I'm sorry that you're this anxious OP but YABU to shout at people in the street. The chances of catching it from someone you fleetingly pass are minimal, unless they actively cough in your face as they're doing so.

In an ideal world we'd all be able to keep our distance but the world isn't designed to have 2m between each human at all times. Paths and supermarket aisles and pavements aren't wide enough so occasionally it can't be done and it's really not a big enough deal to shout at strangers about.

Everyone is entitled to go for a walk just the same as you are. If you want to avoid as many of them as possible then perhaps look into less busy routes or quieter times of day. The seafront near us is perpetually packed, but the country lanes in the other direction are always deserted.

O think you are overreacting to be honest. Walking outdoors is very low risk. The amount of time someone spends walking by you is a matter of seconds and you're highly unlikely to catch covid that way. I think your vulnerability is clouding your normal rational senses.

DH and I made the decision that to feel safe when we are out walking, we will move over when other people approach. So we do. We cross the road, walk in the gutter, stand in other people's gardens and generally step to one side.

Some people smile and say thank you and others don't even notice. But we do it for ourselves to keep and feel safe.

We avoid the lovely local park and leave it free for families and dog walkers who need more space than we do.

Why are you shouting at someone? You realise that's probably just as likely to spread as a cough.

Yes, some people stand too close at times/forget themselves/cough or sneeze at an uncomfortable distance for you.

Perhaps you should mask up or go somewhere where you will be less likely to be bothered by people whose threshold isn't as high as yours.