Why don't people like runners now?

[Bog]

I'm sometimes fortunate to be able to go for a run in the evenings as some me time from working and being a dad to my son.
I remember in lockdown and before my son was born when my wife and I would go running, the torrent of abuse we would get from others. Things like run in the road or get away from me/ don't breath on me.
I figured since that ship has sailed I would restart as my wife wanted me to be healthy and fit for our son ( my diet is/was pretty much beige and crisps lol).
Yet still, the comments. It was a bit icy on the road so I didn't feel safe running there and don't anyway as I'm not a car. So I'm running on the pavement and I'm still getting the glares and tuts, even had one woman whip out her mask.
Then it's the deliberate not moving. Is it such a crime to want to have a run?
I feel I'm on the same hate level as a cyclist. Unless there was a running lane that would be handy.
I can't afford or have space for a treadmill or to go to the gym but why am I being punished? People are baffling at the best of times.

Yes I wanted to apologise to every pedestrian on behalf of all runners for that one! 😂

Yes. The people I know who huff most at runners know they should be exercising for their own health, and are generally snippy with those who do, especially if they appear to be enjoying it. I've been with people who have huffed at inconsiderate runners and have had no idea what the problem was. Yes, some people run fast but no-one has ever come close to belting into me.

I'm a runner, a walker and a cyclist. Some people are inconsiderate, most aren't, whatever their mode of transport When I am walking, I will get out of the way, if easy, for runners (or cyclists in parks) just because I know it can be annoying to slow down and it is easy to step sideways when walking - but I would absolutely never expect anyone to do that for me and always say thank you if anyone does.

“The deliberate not moving”

Slower pedestrians have no obligation to give you a clear path. Sometimes even just faster walkers have to slow down and wait for an appropriate window to pass politely.

it is also well documented that exercise increases the amount of viral particles send into the air from respiratory illness. If you are passing people closely while exercising, you are going to make some of them nervous. You don’t know their personal medical status and some of them may be vulnerable.

I don't think many people dislike runners per se. The runners who are likely to encounter hostility are those who treat the footpath as their personal running track and forget that they are sharing the space with other people, most of whom cannot, or do not wish to move as fast as the runner. And I'm afraid your lap time is one of the many things nobody other than you gives the tiniest, shiniest shit about.

I don’t have time to read all this string but please can runners “Wear Something White At NIGHT!” Reflective gilet is good too.

I’ve just driven through my village and encountered a runner. Luckily as he ran I caught a glimpse of the white soles of his running shoes as I came up behind him. He was running with the traffic.

I could so easily have clobbered him with my wing mirror because he was all in black/dark grey.

Also, please run to face oncoming traffic. I see you, you see me, we make eye contact!

I'm an avid runner and not aware of us being disliked.
Shouting "stand aside" is rude and annoying though. If running in public they need to accept they may need to alter their pace for other people. They should go to the track instead.

Never ever had a problem with runners. Jealous of you in fact and look on and think “I should be doing that now instead of scoffing giant buttons in my car”.
No issues with runners on pavements either. Keep on running! 🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️

I'm always impressed to see runners out and I do my best to make way for them as I'm able to do that easily, but please remember that your workout doesn't entitle you to a clear path with no slowdowns. A couple of pedestrians side by side (or one with a pram or dog) may not be able-bodied enough to sidestep quickly and safely in order to get out of your way when you come pounding up behind them. The onus is on YOU as the faster-moving individual to yield to slower and potentially more vulnerable pedestrians and give them plenty of room, not on them to yield to you so you can have the perfect workout.

That said I wish everyone could be more considerate of each other, including being courteous to runners, and I try to teach DD that! And good for you for getting out there.

If you're coming out of the side road then presumably the pedestrian is on the main road and hence has priority. Which is what pp was trying to tell you.

This!!! And they get SO annoyed if I politely ask ‘Excuse me, can I please get past?’ . I’m only asking for them to briefly move in single file like they would for walkers coming from the other direction 🤷🏻‍♀️

I was trying to get on the bus and a pair of runners (running abreast), rather than run around me, pushed me over. My bus was literally right there, there was no way they could have missed a double decker on a fairly quiet road (it was early). It's made me very wary of runners. I'm disabled, pushing me over isn't the best idea. Shared pavements are a nightmare!

I live on a popular running route......can't say they bother me tbh. We don't have any parks nearby and they have to go somewhere. I will say tho I hope you're well lit up at this time of year, even if it's just a hat with a headlight. It can get a bit much when it's dark and I nearly end up colliding with people.

I had this during lockdown. I was running in the park and was literally about 20m away from this couple when the woman saw me behind her, looked at me disapprovingly, then stuck her arms out at either side of her so I wouldn't get too close. I said to her (still at least 5m away) that I wasn't going to run into her, I was keeping my distance for my own sake. The park wasn't busy at all. She was pregnant and started going on about how she's protecting her baby, then her partner started shouting at me and calling me an ugly bitch after I'd said there was no need for the attitude. Good luck to their kid! I thought they wouldn't harass a man like this, but apparently this is universal cuntery.

OK that's just fucked up and on behalf of those runners I'm very sorry. It's never crossed my mind to be aggressive or hurt someone when I'm running.

No, the runners were running from the footpath, across the side road in front of me, to the footpath on the other side, so parallel to the main road. Without stopping or looking. The highway code for pedestrians says you should stop and look before crossing the road and should walk, not run.

I'm actually not sure if I'm meant to stop before getting to the junction if someone is waiting to cross the road I'm currently driving on? I always give way to someone already crossing but if they are waiting it would be common sense to me to stop at the junction and they could then cross behind me.

People are generally nice to me when I'm running. Quite a few keep hold of their dogs when I go past, which is always welcome. Lady today warned me about the big ice patches on the river path.

I would like cyclists to maybe ring their bells when they're approaching from behind. And I would like them to go single file when coming towards me on the cycle paths, so I don't have to veer into the bushes when there isn't enough room. Female cyclists never do this, but some male cyclists need to cuddle their friends the whole way round.

I'm a regular runner - I think as a runner you are moving faster and also thinking faster in some ways, looking further ahead etc, just more alert in general. It is important to remember that other pedestrians may need a lot more thinking time when they are making decisions about where they put themselves when they encounter you.

As a runner, it is also quite difficult to know what's best when you are running up behind someone - I don't run in busy pedestrian areas as my town is quite small so this doesn't usually apply for pavements as it's easy to cross to the other side in good time. However, out in the parks or woods it's difficult - people are pissed off if you silently run up behind them because they get a scare - equally some people are just as pissed off if you make yourself known from quite a distance behind with a cheery 'jogger behind!' alert.

You can't win so best not to overthink these encounters!

I shout out as I'm coming up behind people when I'm running. Just an "excuse me please, can I get past you...thanks very much" so as not to surprise people.

If I'm running towards people, no one has ever not moved to the side.

No one has ever said anything negative to me at all when I've been running

Runners, cyclists, dog walkers.. we share a common problem. It does not matter if 80% are considerate, everyone only remembers the 20% that aren't.

I have to admit, the inconsiderate behaviour of many runners during lockdown rankled me. And there are still runners around here that will run side-by-side on paths wide enough for two-and-a-half people at most and expect everyone else to get out of the way.

Like this. Not on the main road, running across the road I am already on before the junction.

I live in an area popular with runners, cyclists, dog walkers, very few annoy me. Just share the space. I think it's a good thing that people are looking after their health, good on them.

Are you a man OP? Obvs you could be a woman with a wife. I’ve been running for years in cities and never encountered any of the problems you describe. I am however quite petite and can usually get by people if I need to without being rude or encroaching on their space. If you are a larger man then you may be taking up a lot more space than you appreciate. Please also do not ‘stomp run’ up behind people. I would be really pissed off at someone passively aggressively stomping up behind me.

"I'm actually not sure if I'm meant to stop before getting to the junction if someone is waiting to cross the road I'm currently driving on? I always give way to someone already crossing but if they are waiting it would be common sense to me to stop at the junction and they could then cross behind me."

Which bit of "At a junction you should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which you are turning." are you finding hard to understand?

Also sorry can you explain this previous post because I do not understand it at all ‘I've actually stopped runners and told them if they see us to keep away from the muddy verge and they are free to run past us. This is only when they have moved onto the muddy part of course. I think one girl actually thought I was telling her off so I had to make a Facebook to post on our town page to explain myself.’ Did you stop people and ask them not to run on a muddy verge if they see you, but are pissed off at stopping when running yourself because you want consistent readings? And annoyed someone so much you had to go on Facebook to explain yourself? Seems the common denominator here is you.

I'm not at the junction yet. This is before reaching the junction. I'm not yet turning from the road I'm on, just driving along it at this point. Once I'm at the junction, if they cross in front of me I of course give way, though 99% of the time pedestrians would cross behind the car waiting to turn. However, in this case they are not following the highway code themselves, by failing to stop at the kerb and looking before walking, not running, across the road.