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?

I run, walk dogs and cycle. I manage to not get shouted at, moaned at etc whilst doing all these.

Mostly I will run into the road to give people space. Where that isn't possible and the path is wide enough I expect the people I'm running towards to go single file if possible. And I move as far as I can to the other side. It's not hard. If I'm coming up behind people taking up the whole path and can't physically get in the road I'll say "excuse me please"

Some pedestrians move into the road when they see me coming and I always say thank you. Some pedestrians don't take any notice of me and I just do my best.

Mostly we all get out of each other's way, say a cheery morning / afternoon and get on with our day.

Yesterday whilst out on my bike on a narrow country lane, a man stopped his car to chat to two people walking. There was no room on either side to pass him. So I stopped and waited. A good 3 mins. It was kind of inconsiderate but I don't want all white Vauxhall drivers now banned from the road.

You’ve obviously encountered some pretty inconsiderate joggers/runners out there on your walks OP but YABU to suggest joggers/runners should be banned from paths and pavements altogether.
I would absolutely say the majority of us are considerate and much more aware of our surroundings than for example; a couple or a group of pedestrians walking along together chatting. I always make sure I give way to pedestrians and give them lots of space, I’ll run on the verge, cross the road, stop and let people pass and run around them on the road. I only get smiles and little waves from people to say thanks, people really appreciate it. I’ve never had an issue because I do this.

i need to find a park in a nicer area (where the joggers are more decent people).

but the problem is you! Changing the location won't help.

Sure, just as long as I get the teleportation power from my front door to the country that carers apparently have for their visits.

It's SO tiring being mistaken for a god.

How utterly utterly ridiculous.
You sound like a bizarre person

Running on tracks? Cross country? In a gym?

@poppycat10

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.

Well you're lucky then. Around here, we've had runners barge into us, spit on the ground beside us, huff and puff right beside us and clearly prioritise keeping to their time or their course than being polite and accommodating of elderly people. Pavements aren't specifically designed for running, so I feel that if it's that important to you then run somewhere that there aren't walkers. And why complain that pavements are busier? We're in the middle of a pandemic!!!! What do you expect? With so many people confined to home and so many sports facilities closed, walking is one of the few things we can do safely.

Gyms are closed and generally you have to be a member of a club to run on a track - I usually spec out routes to footpaths and woods where is quieter. Urban running sucks though - you barely get to top speed by the time you cross the road - or else play human Frogger - not recommended.

[quote Latecomer131]@hamstersarse , I couldn't agree more. I am not exactly sure how eschewing a Garmin watch is supposed to make you faster ? Reminds me of a certain type of runner who likes to bleat on and on about the virtues of minimal shoes.[/quote]
FML this thread has gone from walkers vs runners to now the runners have turned on each other

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

Pot and kettle spring to mind.......

Those who say that people are envious because others are looking after themselves, you do know that running is bad for your knees long term, right? There's nothing to be envious about, really

This is an urban myth actually (usually trotted out by non-runners as an excuse not to run).

There are studies that have shown that long term runners are less susceptible to joint conditions or arthritis due to the strengthening of ligaments and improved bone density.

Pot and kettle spring to mind.......
Quite.

The funny thing about that poster's reply is that I wasn't even mocking walking, and said I enjoyed going for walks.

I was laughing at the stupid argument made by a PP that walkers go for a walk to enjoy fresh air and get out of the house, but runners are all strapped up to various running tech, preoccupied with beating their mates on Strava.

There's some sizable exercise related chips on some shoulders here.

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

Hands, Space, Face, Keep Left

Yes, quite like that, although can't see the Tories going for it mind 😂😂

@LolaSmiles

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. The awkward moment where the OP doesn't seem to realise that athletics, road RUNNING and trail RUNNING are all separate disciplines, and not the same as using a treadmill at the gym.

Anyone would think that those who do the sport know better on how to train than someone moaning about joggers.

Quite!

I went for a run earlier in the week.
I was on one footpath and ahead was a lady with a Zimmer and a man accompanying her. I thought it would be difficult to pass and did not want to either walk (at very slow pace) or interrupt, or ask them to move so I re routed to a different path. On the detour there was a small section of path bordered by fences that is clearly only suitable for 1 person. 2 walkers were coming.i realised and turned around and waited at a wider area. They smiled , said thank you and apologised for interrupting* my run! It was all very civilised .

*I did pause my garmin while waiting

surely the problem is selfish people not being considerate rather than the speed they move along the pavement

*I did pause my garmin while waiting

an absolute necessity

Soilsister

surely the problem is selfish people not being considerate rather than the speed they move along the pavement“

👏👏👏👏👏

Ridiculous proposition and fortunately will never happen