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Original poster

Jogger passed so close he brushed my coat, so upset!

70 replies

Wasiinfected · 03/04/2020 16:32

I'm early pregnant and worried. Out walking and stopped to tie a shoe lace at the side of a woodland track I walk on every day (briskly except when I stop to tie a lace) and a jogger came round corner (with enough distance to move out the way and loads of room on his side) and passed so close while puffing away that his arm brushed my coat

I'm so upset, why didn't he just move out the way? He had time! I was facing other way and on edge of path but would have jumped into the bushes even if I'd know what he was going to do

OP posts:
Emcont · 03/04/2020 17:50

'Wasiinfected' - No, you weren't...

CaptSkippy · 03/04/2020 17:50

He was a prick. Next time just yell at him. He needs to know he doesn't own the damn road.

AvocadoOwl · 03/04/2020 17:56

I'm finding it irritating to be lumped in with inconsiderate runners, when, on my average run, currently, I'm encountering endless pedestrians walking dead centre down a 2m wide pavement, leaving us responsible social distancers no option but to step into the road, runners and walkers alike.

Exactly this. It's not just people I approach from behind (who could certainly be forgiven for not being aware of my approach) either.

I ran into the middle of the road yesterday to safely swerve a couple walking towards me in the middle of a path. The other side of the road had traffic so I couldn't safely go any further out. The walkers could easily have moved onto the generous grass verge the non-road side of the path to let me pass more safely but instead they stayed put and tutted and shook their heads as I passed! I was more than 2m away.

I'm hugely careful and cross the road all the time to avoid people. If there wasn't room to safely pass I'd drop to a walk until there was space.

If people are THAT worried about people passing too close then they need to take a bit of responsibility too. Look around now and again because not everyone will take it as seriously as you.

BusySittingDown · 03/04/2020 18:05

*No they don't. All the ones I see, and being one myself (and I run all the time not just now) cross the road as soon as they see me, run wide, or stop to let me by and I do the same. I don't run panting up behind people, I run wide, and into the road if it's safe to do so.

It's the families with kids and scooters who take up the whole path.*

Well, that's your experience. You must live in an area that is full of considerate joggers. The ones round here are obviously arseholes. As I said, I'm a runner myself (although I usually go early when no one is about) so it's not some hatred I have of runners.

The bit about them not running ever before lockdown was a bit of a joke, although I'm finding it strange that the village is crawling with runners right now and it wasn't before 🤔.

Completely with you on the kids on scooters though.

gnushoes · 03/04/2020 18:10

I alternate between jogging and walking. In my experience the walkers tend to be three abreast in the middle of the path paying no attention, while the joggers (maybe because they're moving faster) are paying attention and moving out of the way. Not always, obviously - but they're generally better than the walkers.

Davespecifico · 03/04/2020 18:12

I wish people would stop jogging for now. I’m nervous to go out for a walk as it is, and people running too close and breathing heavily just make it worse.

springiscoming12 · 03/04/2020 18:15

Jesus OP, you (and a lot of others on this thread) sound hysterical. Get a grip and if you’re that afraid of catching it just stay in the house - it might be better for your mental health if you do.

Original poster
Wasiinfected · 03/04/2020 18:21

Not hysterical at all. We've been told by our prime minister to keep two metres apart at all times, including exercise, and I'm upset because someone made no effort to when they easily could have done.

The virus is expelled in droplets and I would have breathed those in. I agree some scientific opinions are that sustained contact is probably necessary for transmission. But if you can't catch it by close contact, or there's no question mark over it, what's the point in asking people to socially distance and queue two metres apart at shops etc?

I've come across lots of courteous joggers too btw, and walkers and cyclists.

OP posts:
MummyNeedsWineNow · 03/04/2020 18:24

Aww.. I can see why you are worried OP, but I honestly wouldn't fret about it. If you washed your coat when you got home and have been careful with handwashing, I'm sure you'll be fine.

As for the jogger - perhaps they were being inconsiderate, or perhaps they just didn't see you. Again, I wouldn't think too much about it.

Concentrate on keeping yourself healthy, only go out for exercise and essential travel, and don't stress as bump needs you to stay calm.

Have a bubble bath and some chocolate and watch a movie.

TashieWoo · 03/04/2020 18:27

One came up behind me when I was walking the dogs the other day and he breathed down my neck! Why he couldn’t have crossed the road I don’t know, there was nothing around!

Balhammom · 03/04/2020 18:27

Also having more difficulty with walkers here!

If a pavement is 2-3m wide, people need to stop walking straight down the middle or 2 or 3 abreast. Just keep to the bloody side people!

Samtsirch · 03/04/2020 18:37

I am a dog walker and I am deeply upset to have been left out of the personal attacks thus far.😊
I feel sure all will be well OP
Best wishes to you.

Thighmageddon · 03/04/2020 18:40

Oh for goodness sakes, and I don't say this often on here, the nastiness of telling a woman in the first trimester to "calm down ffs" is just awful.

I went out yesterday and most of the Runner’s were social distancing but not all. There was a variety of people ignoring the advice to save lives.

I too walked in the middle of the road, avoiding traffic, to not get near people who refused to move. I walked up grass verges and in to driveways.

I was even mocked by some because I walked in the road.

Op try not to worry too much, if you are frequently hand washing and not touching your face who knew that would be so hard then you should be fine.

Eckhart · 03/04/2020 18:44

bit about them not running ever before lockdown was a bit of a joke, although I'm finding it strange that the village is crawling with runners right now and it wasn't before

There's a lot of gym goers who can only exercise outdoors currently.

I wish people would stop jogging for now. I’m nervous to go out for a walk as it is, and people running too close and breathing heavily just make it worse

Yes, we all need to stop keeping our lungs fit and strong, because there are a few inconsiderate runners, and you're the nervous type. I've never run that close to anybody and am certainly going to great lengths to avoid it at the moment. But I should be banned from running, is that what you're saying?

BusySittingDown · 03/04/2020 18:49

There's a lot of gym goers who can only exercise outdoors currently.

Ah yeah, fair point actually!

gizmo · 03/04/2020 18:55

OP, I'm sorry you were stressed by such a rude pillock.

Rude people are rude. I think it's that simple. This evening I was running and some bloke decided it was crucial to overtake me with about 2 foot of space. He was only going 10% faster than me - wouldn't have killed him to hang back for a while or go around. #rude.

But he was outweighed by 90% of the other runners, walkers, families etc who were behaving perfectly sensibly. #notrude

Still, you do have to think forward a bit before committing to a route of a 4 ft wide path with fencing either side: exhibit a is my legs after realising I was trapped between two parties of walkers on such a track and hopping into the 'empty' field. No, not empty...heavily populated with brambles as it turns out. #idiot.

Jogger passed so close he brushed my coat, so upset!
GranolaBars · 03/04/2020 18:55

I’ve chatted about this with friends all over the U.K. plus several big cities in America and Canada, and yet somehow ONLY on Mumsnet are there so many careless (or worse) people disregarding the distancing guidelines with no care toward endangering their own health. In my quite populated area of London literally EVERYONE goes out of their way to stay distant.

Thighmageddon · 03/04/2020 18:58

Granola you're lucky because I can assure you there's lots ignoring it in the rest of the south east. Even my dh is getting twitchy in the supermarkets at people's total disregard for others, and he's the most laid back person usually.

MumofTinies · 03/04/2020 19:04

Tbh I would be a little pissed at someone making necessary contact with me in normal times, if they didn't apologise. If he could have moved out of your way in time then that is what he should have done.

Eckhart · 03/04/2020 19:04

@gizmo ouch!

gizmo · 03/04/2020 19:09

I'll live @Eckhart Grin

In all seriousness it has taken a bit of adjustment - I've had to ditch quite a few of my normal routes because of such 'pinch points' where I might end up backing someone into a corner. But I'm actually quite impressed by how sensible a lot of folks are when out and about in our rather constricted city. There's no excuse for someone on a wide country path.

SansaSnark · 03/04/2020 19:12

I can see why this is scary, but he is unlikely to be expelling lots of droplets unless he's also symptomatic- and if he's symptomatic he's unlikely to be out for a run.

Social distancing is important, and it does sound like he was inconsiderate, but you are probably fine.

Can you do something nice for yourself this evening to help you relax?

RunningNinja79 · 03/04/2020 19:15

The bit about them not running ever before lockdown was a bit of a joke, although I'm finding it strange that the village is crawling with runners right now and it wasn't before

Could people just be swapping their usual form of exercise to running. Now there's no gyms, team sports etc they have started running? Normally I go to the gym and run. With the gym being closed Im running more now. Im no good exercising at home. Im not a new runner though, have been doing it for years.

OP - You are most likely going to be fine and you are probably over-reacting a little bit, but with your early pregnancy I can understand why you may be a little bit more nervous about it than usual.

Inkpaperstars · 03/04/2020 19:47

I haven't been out much recently but two people have complained to me about joggers and runners not changing course or maintaining distance. I am sure many do, but if they can't perhaps they should change their exercise to walking for the time being.

Firef1y72 · 03/04/2020 19:59

As a runner and walker I've had far more issues with people walking. I have autism and have a far greater sense of personal space than most people anyway. When running (or walking) I keep my distance, go in to the road when necessary, etc. But when walking with my 6yo the other evening not one other walker bothered moving, even when it meant we had to risk walking in the road with traffic potentially coming up behind us (the people we were passing would have been safer going in to the road as they would have been walking in to the oncoming traffic and able to see if there was a car coming). No one said thank you either, much to the 6year old's disgust.

Please don't tar us all with the same brush. Even before this I always gave people space, thanked anyone that moved over for me, thanked cars that slowed down to pass me, warned horse riders that I was approaching and behaved in a polite manner. And so did the vast majority of runners that I know.