Joggers should be banned from paths and pavements

[BalancedIndividual]

As a car driver I find that the occasional cyclist breaks highway codes, cycles dangerously, or cycles without care and consideration. Key word being occasional, so no biggie. Just like how the occasional car diver is a .

But as a pedestrian going for a stroll in the park, the number of rude, selfish, careless and aggressive joggers i've seen is ridiculous high.

I see a jogger coming towards me, I walk to the side/edge of the path, but joggers always decide to keep running straight down the middle....

Similar to the above, joggers not keep a safe distance, and actually brushing past me.

And lastly, the worst offenders, joggers running side by side taking up the whole path, coming towards me, and giving me looks as if im supposed to jump out the way and off the path. ***

I honestly think legislation should be brought in to ban jogging on paths and pavements. Restricting joggers to grassland/cross country, outdoor tracks, private land, and the gym. The same way that cycling isnt permitted on pavements.

AIBU?

What's with the sneery, smug, self-righteous twaddle that so many of the runners on here come out with? It really is pretty low-stakes stuff if you think you're somehow virtuous for running on pavements and people out walking are to be mocked and derided

I'm not mocking or deriding going for a walk.
In my post I quite clearly said I go for walks. It would be fairly stupid to mock an activity I do.

I'm mocking the attitude up thread from a poster who was arguing that those going for a walk do so to enjoy fresh air and get out the house, but that runners are all hooked up to endless running tech and are obsessed with beating their mates on Strava.
Mocking a silly attitude does not equal mocking walking, obviously.

I feel the same way about people who never walk in local open spaces, but since lockdown have come on Mumsnet apparently shaking with fear that there's dogs off lead in an open space where it's allowed, or raging there's mountain bikers in areas where it's allowed, or any other people doing activities they've always done in spaces they've always used.

People have managed to coexist in public spaces long before lockdown, just during lockdown some of those who've barely used public spaces or gone for walks locally seem to think that the whole world should stop doing what they've always done.

I think we should ban the pedestrians in all honesty.

Actually when the gyms open I think it will be incredibly selfish for people to use them. Don't they know that the rate of transmission is massively lower outside? So they will be going back to the gyms, breathing everywhere... multiple studies have shown that indoor transmission is hugely - if not exponentially - higher than outdoor transmission. May studies regarding transmission from instructors to participants in closed indoor rooms. Many studies essentially clearing outdoor activity. So people act like they're holier than thou, when actually, more likely than not in a true statistical sense, they're doing an activity that's 'riskier' than jogging outside. Oh, have mercy on us all!

@Lurcherloves

I think OP is Piers Morgan 😉

I'll take that as a compliment

I often (but not always) agree with Piers Morgan's views.

@TheJerkStore

Yes I saw those incredibly helpful suggestions!

The reality is there are more people sharing the pavements because people are not able to go to the gym, play team sports, tennis, golf, etc....so the only feasible options are walking, running or cycling if you want to keep fit outdoors. But some people might have discovered they enjoy walking or running in the last year, and that's surely a good thing?

I hate running indoors - the only time I've run in a gym in the last 20 years was a relay event for charity.

Pre covid, The worst pavement hoggers I used to see were high school children pootling along slower than your average granny, quite unaware of surroundings ,usually sharing stuff on their phones....but I dont have a problem with them - it's nice to see kids with their friends (unless they are crossing the road in that manner!) and just time my run not to coincide with school finishing.

My main annoyance with joggers is their inconsiderate approach to other users of the path. Ive literally been pressured/forced off the path by a hole joggers.

How hard is it to jog single file keeping as much distance as possible between yourself and others?

And if the path is very narrow, and you see a parent with a toddler, why not just jog around them? Instead of nearly running the parent or toddler over? Especially since some toddlers (2 year old) wont walk single file / without holding hands.

Also, if you do see someone else on the path and you insist on staying on the path too, why not slow down a bit when passing, to make life easier for everyone?

But I will caveat by saying most female joggers are considerate and give space. But male joggers usually try to barge past others and jog inconsiderately.

Especially since some toddlers (2 year old) wont walk single file / without holding hands.

Umm.... Are you saying that people with toddler’s shouldn’t be already keeping their toddler out of people’s way when people are trying to get past?

Maybe you DO live around here because I see this often, parents who let their toddler’s walk anywhere on a path shared by walkers, runners and cyclists without checking on them. The parents are too busy talking. Or they leave their toddler in the middle of the path and bend down to pick up dog poo around a corner without making sure the toddler is out of danger.

Are you saying there is no onus on the parent to ensure the toddler is not blocking the path?

How hard is it to jog single file keeping as much distance as possible between yourself and others?

Again!! Here, let me fix this

How hard is it for ANY able path user to go single file keeping as much distance as possible between yourself and others?

OP. I think you realize you are being unreasonable here.

Are you saying there is no onus on the parent to ensure the toddler is not blocking the path?

It's entirely reasonable for runners to expect parents to remove their toddlers from their path. It's unreasonable of them to expect that parents will always be able to do this immediately at a speed which ensures that the runner does not have to slow their pace. It sometimes takes a minute for parents to gather and "marshal" their children, especially if they have a pram and multiple other young children. Hence, I imagine many runners choose to jog around parents and young children if they can rather than give them time to move.

Now, I am going to report. I have been on my morning run (very slow that I am). The path was relatively empty due to school being back.

90% of all path users kept to the left (yippee!), about 6% of the others were on the right edge. And the remainders walked in the middle without checking if someone was coming. Therefore anyone passing was a bit close but frankly if you are in the middle of a nice and even path that is 2.5m wide, you have to expect that. And they are people I have seen do it in the past when it was busy or quiet. They just walk dead centre.

I also saw two sets of elderly couples out which was lovely and they were to the side ( not single file as such but close together) and waved back to me as I was over the other side of the path. They were also on the left!!

Pre-covid, people did not stay left so this is new. To all those who ask why it is important, my path is shared with cyclists. If everyone stays left, everyone can pass without having to ‘cut through’ others. If someone is coming the other direction, people behind stay back and pass when clear. Just like how the road works. And everyone has distance between them.

Of course, there will still be inconsiderate people, but at least it is easily navigated with no sudden movements of others who suddenly decide to move across the path for no reason. And everyone knows roughly how to get past.

helle yep, I have spent the entire 12 months hissing "keep left!" at my kids when we're out running and walking. I was always very good at yelling it at parkrun though.

I think I even had a rant that the government should include "keep left" instruction in their downing street briefings.

Do any of you runners consider that you might be disturbing people, particularly those anxious about COVID? My mum and many of her friends stopped going for walks for a few months due to all the heavy-breathing runners coming so close to them

In the 49 years I have been alive, I've NEVER had a runner come and breathe all over me. I wonder what is about MNers, their mums and their mums' friends that attract these people on a regular basis/several times a day? And why do they not mind the joined at the hip couples. family groups with scooters and dogs, and the vans that park on pavements and force you to walk or run in the road.

I think I even had a rant that the government should include "keep left" instruction in their downing street briefings

So totally agree with this.

megletsecond

I did question whether the government could make that suggestion too. But was assured by my English friends that that would sound like a deprivation of liberty (I took this as a joke being still recently from another country and me not knowing if it was or not).

I did take the time to point out the footage of Melbournians using paths in parks were all staying left though. It was quite noticeable on the BBC footage .

So let's recap
Because a small minority some dickish male runners are inconsiderate and dont always move aside, no one should ever be allowed to jog or run on a pavement.

I'm assuming some circumstances are ok.i mean if you saw a small child about to be run over...would that be ok to break into a sprint to move them out of harm's way?

It's entirely reasonable for runners to expect parents to remove their toddlers from their path. It's unreasonable of them to expect that parents will always be able to do this immediately at a speed which ensures that the runner does not have to slow their pace.

So on a path that is known to be shard with many cyclists and known to be busy, it is reasonable to then expect parents to keep toddlers close by and not blocking others in the first place? Or are others who expect parents to do this on busy paths unreasonable?

I am not talking about a path where you would expect to see one person every few minutes. I am talking a path where someone is passing you every minute in a quiet time.

People have always tended to walk on the same side that cars drive on in that country. I noticed that first about 30 years ago. Maybe people are being more careful about staying out of others' way now, but the tendency to stay on one side has always been there.

ravenmum

I would have say that is not true in my area which could be due to high proportion of people from all around the world. But my English friends had also never heard of it and they are in their 40 and 50s.

I would though state this is around London so that may impact it. I would like it to be so.

I think it's going to depend a lot on where you are. A small park full of walkers, or the main entrance areas too busy parks and EVERYONE needs to slow down to let all the users sort themselves out. Once you're into a bigger space the cyclists and runners can choose a path that's used by other cyclists and runners and is wider to allow overtaking, leaving other paths including all the narrow paths clear for walkers. Most of the issues in our park occur at specific cross-over points because the stream of weekend cyclists and car drivers looking for non-existent parking spots simply will not give way for a second, but walkers including those with young children need to cross the paths to get into, access certain parts, or get out of the park! Individual runners behave annoyingly on occasion, but it's not as disruptive nor as common. Toddlers have a right to explore the park, so it's reasonable for all users to be mindful of them at entrances and exits, but it's up to parents to keep them close at those places and move as soon as possible to a bit of park without loads of other people.

Sounds entirely reasonable MRex and how I would tackle it myself.

@Helleofabore. Well of course it depends on the path. That's why I don't take my toddler for a slow wander along narrow busy paths if I can avoid it. Sometimes I can't avoid it - if we're walking to the doctor's, that's along a very busy urban road and the pavement is less than a metre wide in places. So there isn't room for anyone to pass, really, unless you flatten yourself right against the wall which is what we do.

We live in a city, though, and all the parks and woodland trails around us are very busy. Even in the quietest areas around here, I can't imagine going more than a couple of minutes without seeing someone. What this means is that joggers and cyclists have to share the paths with wheelchair users, dog-walkers, buggies, families, babies learning to toddle and small children on scooters and bicycles. And occasionally they have to slow down to pass them safely, which most do without complaining and with good humour.

My DH runs a lot and can't stand being slowed down by other people. Instead, he tends to run either late at night when it's dark or first thing in the morning before going to work, so there's usually fewer people around.

YABU. And YABU for calling them 'joggers' and comparing it to the gym. Running is a sport in its own right. It is not comparable to 'doing exercise' in any form, in the same way you wouldn't tell a rugby player they can never play rugby again because the gym is a perfectly fine alternative.

@Helleofabore I live in Germany, and a few years ago my aunt came to visit. I made a comment about making sure to walk on the right-hand side, as people tend to do that here, and she dismissively told me she knew that very well from the time she lived abroad, about 50 years ago, thank you . But yes, it probably is a bit different in a multinational city.

Didn't realise "jogger" was an insult, I am well behind the times! But looking at the speeds suggested as the difference between jogging and running, I definitely jog - I only do about 7.5 kmh on average (says the gleaming control panels on my fitness equipment). Does that mean I am allowed to use the pavement, or not?

@LilMidge01

Then feel free to run on grassland or on a sports track.

It wouldnt be acceptable to play bowls on a public path, so why is recreational running okay?

@LilMidge01

YABU. And YABU for calling them 'joggers' and comparing it to the gym. Running is a sport in its own right. It is not comparable to 'doing exercise' in any form, in the same way you wouldn't tell a rugby player they can never play rugby again because the gym is a perfectly fine alternative.

I would tell a rugby player to play rugby on a rugby field

The same way id tell a runner to run on a sports track.

Or a jogger to run on a treadmill at the gym or across grassland.