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Original poster

Bloody joggers

321 replies

Credenhill22 · 02/01/2021 21:02

I've had enough of them.
Today I was going to pick my daughter up and these idiots are all over the road.
The sun was very low today and it was very hard too see the road.
I swear I nearly knocked 2 idiots down who were running on the road.
I get people need to get out and keep fit but keep to the bloody pavements and if the pavement is too icy then bloody stay at home and stop putting road users at risk.
I mean can you imagine the hassle a driver would be put through if we ran over one of these selfish idiots...either stay on the pavements or stay indoors..

OP posts:
Regretsy · 02/01/2021 23:56

@12frogsincoats I was very perturbed at the time that apparently it’s not an option on the NHS Grin.

MLMsuperfan · 03/01/2021 00:00

People will take priority over cars every time for me. Sorry OP.

m0therofdragons · 03/01/2021 00:01

@UrAWizHarry just seems to have increased. It’s hard enough making yourself go for a run without others criticising all runners because of one bad runner or one bad driver. Prince Philip used the sun excuse for his last car crash but hasn’t driven since Wink

Pinkandwhiteblossom · 03/01/2021 00:08

@bigpricklyfern clearly! Grin

Blibbyblobby · 03/01/2021 00:16

So this is interesting for the people who think “roads are for cars.

Because of course we’ve only had cars for 100 years or so, but we’ve had roads for much much longer. So there must have been a time when roads weren’t automatically assumed to be there purely for drivers’ convenience, and something changed that.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26073797

“ The use of jaywalking as a term of ridicule against pedestrians crossing roads took off in the 1920s.
A key moment, says Norton, was a petition signed by 42,000 people in Cincinnati in 1923 to limit the speed of cars mechanically to 25mph (40kph). Though the petition failed, an alarmed auto industry scrambled to shift the blame for pedestrian casualties from drivers to walkers.”

(It’s about US laws but the attitudes are the same.)

And so we end up where we are today, with entitled drivers believing they own the road and it’s up to everyone else to stay out of their way.

LolaSmiles · 03/01/2021 00:18

Run on the pavements - inconsiderate
Run in the park - inconsiderate
Run on the road - inconsiderate
Too true.

It's a funny place on here as since lockdown there's more people using local outdoor spaces, which is great, but it amuses me that so many people are surprised that there's people in the world who do something other than have a slow wander. People have been riding bikes, walking dogs, going running for years, just those who don't go out locally much haven't noticed and now they have it's somehow awful.

Moomin12345 · 03/01/2021 00:22

Bikes on narrow walking paths are much more irritating than joggers on a wide road.

12frogsincoats · 03/01/2021 00:30

@MLMsuperfan

People will take priority over cars every time for me. Sorry OP.
Funnily enough most cars are being driven by people (we won't talk about Teslas).
Ylvamoon · 03/01/2021 00:38

I agree... we watched a group of joggers run across a red pedestrian light on a busy crossing...
It nearly caused an accident, as car in front of me has to slam the brakes to avoid running them over. They seemed totally oblivious, ignorant little sh*!

MLMsuperfan · 03/01/2021 01:08

All road users need to be aware of, and considerate of, other road users; whatever mode they are using. That includes joggers.

If you have to "slam on the brakes" because you are surprised by other modes of road users, that's probably the problem.

Ylvamoon · 03/01/2021 01:31

If you have to "slam on the brakes" because you are surprised by other modes of road users, that's probably the problem

Not If the traffic lights are green for the cars and some idiot jogger group decided to ignore the rules of road use (Red = Stop).
What else can you do but hurl into an emergency stop?
Common sense prevails.

VenusTiger · 03/01/2021 01:34

I live near country lanes OP and pedestrians have to walk on the road as there's no pavement at all - basically if you're the road user (driving a car) then it's actually your responsibility to be careful of every single danger that can occur - so, if the sun is really low then you use your visor as best you can and drive really slowly where you need to - that's just as simple as it gets really and you know that too - imagine no joggers around anywhere, but someone decided to cross the road in front of you - would you see them?
Aside to that, if there is a pavement then I agree, anyone be it joggers, pedestrians etc. should not be on the road at all, so I see both sides - (it's also very icy and snowy round here too) so I've not used my car for days for this reason.

RavingAnnie · 03/01/2021 02:12

You shouldn't be driving if you can't see where you are going. It could be a jogger, a cyclist, a child running out, a Walker avoiding people due to SD, a parked car.

It's good people are out jogging. We should make it easier for them. As a nation we don't do enough exercise.

ChestnutStuffing · 03/01/2021 02:15

@frumpety

If you are running on the footpath and encounter an obstacle, why is it ok to jump off the footpath into the road when there is oncoming traffic , surely it is safer to stop running for a moment and manoeuvre around the obstacle when safe to do so ?
This is what cars are expected to do for bikes etc.

I do think it's ideal for bikes or walkers (or tractors or very slow cars) to move over when they can for those behind to pass, especially if passing in the other lane isn't possible. But people don't always notice you right away.

Ultimately some places are probably just not good choices for runner or bikers. My mum lives on a street that is on the way to a park, so people are always jogging by. However it's also a busy pavement near a hospital, and a busy road, and we get a lot of snow, and there is parking all along one side, so joggers get blocked a lot. Lately they have started running in the new bike lane which also seems foolish.

BrokenCrown · 03/01/2021 02:17

@Elbels

I run most days. I wear reflectives and run on the pavement facing the opposite direction of car travel so I can see what's coming if I do have to jump into the road.

Things that I contend with regularly:

  • families and groups walking several abreast, filling the pavement, so I have to jump into the road or just run straight into them which I'm sure they wouldn't like
  • kids in large parks on bikes and scooters veering into my path meaning I have to jump out of the way. Parents rarely notice
  • cars rarely stopping at zebra crossings
  • dog walkers on the opposite side of the pavement or park path to their dog so that the lead covers the pavement

No runner I know would ever choose to run in the road but it's definitely tricky on the pavement sometimes.

Omg are you me? I could have written all of this. I drive, I walk, I also run, and will always slowdown, stop, move aside when others are present, especially since covid, but omg lately I can go out for over an hour and not a single other person shows the same courtesy to me - great that people are getting outside in the fresh air but omg so many large groups of ignorant people about
ChestnutStuffing · 03/01/2021 02:20

@Blibbyblobby

So this is interesting for the people who think “roads are for cars.

Because of course we’ve only had cars for 100 years or so, but we’ve had roads for much much longer. So there must have been a time when roads weren’t automatically assumed to be there purely for drivers’ convenience, and something changed that.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26073797

“ The use of jaywalking as a term of ridicule against pedestrians crossing roads took off in the 1920s.
A key moment, says Norton, was a petition signed by 42,000 people in Cincinnati in 1923 to limit the speed of cars mechanically to 25mph (40kph). Though the petition failed, an alarmed auto industry scrambled to shift the blame for pedestrian casualties from drivers to walkers.”

(It’s about US laws but the attitudes are the same.)

And so we end up where we are today, with entitled drivers believing they own the road and it’s up to everyone else to stay out of their way.

The idea of having a lot less cars is great, I think cities especially should be planned to try and make that happen.

However, I also think that trying to have cars, joggers, and bikes use the same space often will not work well in busy places. Just like trails for bikes and walkers, if they are busy, can be dangerous. Or horses and ATVs.

It becomes dangerous in some cases, or sometimes it is just too busy for all those users so everyone ends up stressed or not able to really get where they are going. It helps if people try and be thoughtful but it doesn't always solve the problem.

RavingAnnie · 03/01/2021 02:23

@Credenhill22

Are the roads for traffic or joggers?
They are for everyone.
1forAll74 · 03/01/2021 02:58

I don't mind joggers really. but I recently saw a couple, they were jogging together in the road, and both were extremely obese, very very fat, and panting , I was worried that they might keel over and have a heart attack on the village road. They were in the road, as the pavement is very narrow where they were, and the two of them would not have fitted on it together.!

Littleposh · 03/01/2021 03:22

Maybe drive carefully??

And if you can't, maybe don't drive

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 03/01/2021 03:34

Clearly the solution to this predicament is the standardisation of fitting 'cow catchers' to new production vehicles. That way, when irresponsible lycra-clad morons decide to have a game of chicken with a couple of tonnes of motor vehicle, rather than being crushed/mangled/catapulted through the windscreen, they'll merely be propelled harmlessly into the nearest field/garden/copse of trees, thereby reducing risk of damage to both themselves, and the wellbeing/property of innocent drivers.

It worked in 19th Century frontier USA, so I see no reason why it can't be re-engineered and updated for these modern, Covid-obsessed times, where idiots in underwear think it's wise to go sharing strips of tarmac with big, fast, shiny metal things that are far harder than they are, lest they miss out on precious 'exercise'. Added bonus that it would work on cyclists and horse riding clowns too.

Bookworming · 03/01/2021 04:37

Joggers are jogging, it's a good thing! Buy some sun glasses 😎 😎

HugeAckmansWife · 03/01/2021 06:25

To be fair re the winter sun, even wearing decent sunglasses, with wet roads reflecting the glare it can be incredibly difficult. I had to slow to a crawl the other day as I was driving directly into the sun and really couldn't see ahead at times. I'm a good driver.. All this 'you shouldn't be driving if you can't see the road' is ridiculous, but you do need to take extra care.

ivykaty44 · 03/01/2021 06:33

Everyone should have sunglasses in the car at this time of year, it’s really reckless not to.

nicebreeze · 03/01/2021 06:41

@Credenhill22

The sun was so bloody low today...Honestly was anyone out driving today and struggled with the very low sun glare?
Come off it, OP. If you can't see to the extent you've come home and posted about how you couldn't see and nearly hit something in the road then you shouldn't have been pootling along.

Next time pull over, or stay off the bloody road until you're properly prepared with glasses/visor in correct position, etc.

If you hit anything (bit of metal, car, dog, human) you will be to blame here, from an insurance and a from a legal perspective.