Cyclists and joggers in busy areas

[Inkpaperstars]

I have just been out for a walk, many pedestrians were out and we didn't once have to go within two metres of any of them. Even if they don't change their path, we have time too.

Cyclists and joggers, nearly every one goes by before you have time to move. The cyclists also kept getting caught in ridiculous bottlenecks with each other near paths, at one point three separate households were completely tangled up for quite a while.

I get that you just can't really do your run or cycle if you have to keep stopping every 20 seconds, and round here that's what it would take for them to give people room or time to move. If you live in a quieter area it's fine because you might only encounter one or two others so you probably wouldn't mind slowing to avoid them, and they probably have more room to get out of the way too.

This has been recognised as a problem because on some parts of the London river walk cycling is now banned between 6am and 5 pm. Not sure the message has got out though, and police are having to ask some to dismount and walk by their bike. But that still leaves joggers, have just spoken to an elderly relative who has had a jogger brush right past her huffing and puffing. It's like going out when you have a physical inability to change direction, and come upon people too fast to allow them to.

I am starting to think they need a dedicated space or time for these forms of exercise, or to ban them in busy/urban areas. At the very least they need to say that cycling and running are only permissible in circumstances where they don't mean breaching the two metre rule.

Sorry but a place can be 2 m friendly for walkers but not for joggers and cyclists. I have proof of this every time I go out. It's because joggers and cyclists near here generally don't slow or change direction.
That's an issue with individuals and their actions. If it's possible to remain 2m apart from people then it's possible to remain 2m apart.

Some may but I haven't seen any do so, and it's probably because that would mean them stopping more than once a minute in this busy area.
With walkers you do have time to try and move but the intersection of road, grass and path and the number of people outside means that cyclists and joggers proceeding apace doesn't give you that chance.
It sounds to me like it's a busy place and rather than people keeping to sides of paths there's a lot of people milling around, meandering across paths which makes it difficult for people moving at different speeds. Again, that's an issue with people not paying attention, not a problem with cyclists and runners.

On our paths and spaces that get busy, most people seem to have the approach of people walking are on one side of the path (opposite directions) and those moving quicker, be it kids on scooters, runners, cyclists, faster walkers who dont wish to dawdle go through the middle.

As another poster said, you're never stuck in traffic, you are traffic.

If people are in groups they tend to have less available attention for focusing on appropriate social distancing because they are chatting to other people in the group, I suppose we need to adjust social norms so that we automatically go single file etc?

the UK government knows that if they are too harsh British people will rebel and deliberately flout the rules so they are having to tread a very careful line

You're right Lola there is a lot of meandering! I don't know how they could enforce a better system and even with meandering the walkers are able to stay apart. Some are very inconsiderate but you can get away from them in time.

But at times everyone has to cross a road and they have to do it when the lights allow, that is where the bikes can be an issue. Do they stop and let traffic build up behind them or plough past people just reaching the pavement?

You are right that it should be possible to be 2 m apart no matter what they are doing and even though bikes are bulky it probably would be if they stopped. But as I say, they don't stop because they and runners would have to be stopping every few seconds. That is what it would take to be considerate and they won't do it because that would defeat the purpose of the exercise. Walkers have much more warning of the approach of other walkers and can change direction in advance. They can also change terrain more easily.

If it really is just about who is considerate and who is not, then I would be having the same issues with other walkers, some of whom are inconsiderate. I'm not because I can avoid them.

I wonder why people who walk for their exercise think they are so much more important than those who run or cycle for their exercise anyway?

I agree, why does priority depend on how fast your feet move (I walk fast anyway and can guarantee that I will be moving faster than 90% of the walking population).

And yes you should be able to drive to exercise within reason and the parks should be open - this idea of squeezing people into tiny spaces is stupid. I am becoming increasingly tempted to combine a trip to the supermarket with a run nearby where I think it would be quieter even though I don't actually need to drive to a supermarket.

oh everyone has got it in for runners at the moment!! IME the people walking have been more an issue, all runners have been very aware and given plenty of passing space.
I think we what really need is one way streets or a strict keep to the left or right policy! If you walk to the left of the pavement then that should put you against the wall or whatever is away from the road going with the direction of traffic, and facing the oncoming traffic so you can see if it's safe to step into the road to pass people.

I think probably people shouldn't go out in large groups unless they are in parks on the grass. Inevitably they are taking up the whole paved area.

But cyclists and runners are putting walkers at risk: www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/video-shows-the-danger-of-walking-or-running-behind-someone-with-covid-19/09/04/ if they pass by slower moving members of the public.

Many people used to get exercise by walking to public transport to get to work and are now trying to get that same exercise in a 'leisure' context.

We all have to be more considerate at a time when we are trying to take up more space!

And emma - it's sadly not true that all runners are considerate. I have seen runners running on the narrow path in our local park which has blind corners in it.

I am not using it at all because there is no way you can keep 2 metres away from someone coming in the other direction. That's bad enough if you're walking but if you're running and sweating and breathing hard, it's even worse.

I wonder why people who walk for their exercise think they are so much more important than those who run or cycle for their exercise anyway?

I don't know how you've got there. They don't. Although of course most cyclists and probably all runners could walk, so changing their from of exercise wouldn't mean no exercise at all. Whereas not all walkers can run or cycle, and even if all those that could did, it would just make the situation worse!

It's really not about that though, it's about everyone exercising in a way that allows for social distancing in their own environment. In some places cycling and running will be fine, in other places they won't allow for social distancing so aren't suitable. Similarly large inflexible groups of walkers on narrow paths, and people letting dogs run near others are not allowing for social distancing.

As a family we are finding it difficult going for walks, my husband is blind and we have 3 kids so we all have to go together. He can't navigate independently with a cane. I hold Dh's hand and can't let go but will temporarily try to walk single file holding hands to make space, walk in roads, wait in drives etc to avoid people or give them space but the problem is if someone walks or cycles coming quickly from behind and I don't have a chance to move. I suspect people think because we are holding hands and in a big group we are being hoggers so don't give us space. Any way we have ended up not going for many walks as a result.

Today’s fun encounter on my run was a family playing piggy in the middle across a 3m wide path. Adult either side small child in middle (this is in middle of MASSIVE park) meaning me running and lady dog walker have to swerve off and give ridiculous wide berth. I wish everyone would just think about others.

If everyone aims to keep left, and two people are coming toward each other then to me the person nearest the road should move into it, shouldn’t matter of runner or walker. As the runner I always end up moving and I don’t mind (really), but it would be nice if just once a walker gave way to me or slightly moved from the middle of the path. Regular cyclist I find are fine, it’s the new ones / families that insist on riding 2 abreast on pavements that are driving me mad!

cycling or running in a crowded area isn't really on, especially when many are in a world of their own, have out of control children and out of control dogs. The latter are a menace at the best of times, especially from those too stupid or selfish to realise that a dog must be on a lead on a public road at all times, however quiet the road.

no excuse for the hate for both groups, which generally comes from the fat and over made up.

I'm developing a theory here that people are jealous of the runners' and cyclists' superior respiratory system and want to drag everyone down to their level

No, I don't really believe that but for goodness sake why are people so angry at each other? I think the vast majority of people have adapted to this completely new way of life extraordinarily well. If a few people get it wrong, forgive them.

@yumyumpoppycat

That sounds difficult, I was thinking yesterday how hard this must be for those with vision problems. I hope you manage to get some walks in

I am trying to keep calm and be understanding of the difficulties for everyone, but there are real and obvious risks to life here that can't just be shrugged off.

When runners push past my elderly and vulnerable relative huffing all over her it's very hard to stay positive.

Best wishes to you all. Here's hoping for increasing understanding of how to distance and safe exercise for all of us.

Thanks inkpaperstars

Wouldn't it just be easier if slow people stayed st home between the hours of say 9am and 5pm?

I've found it's mainly fat people who are difficult to get past given their obvious girth swallowing up most of the paths, and they waddle around really slowly. No wonder joggers and cyclists are having trouble getting round these rotund roadblocks

@Clymene that study was about runners and walkers. It didn't single out one over the other.

People will always find a reason to get pissed off with cyclists or runners. They can't win. Yesterday I walked back from my once weekly shopping trip. Pretty much everyone I encountered on the way home was walking in the middle of the footpath. So even by walking on the wall / curb-side, I couldn't achieve a particularly wide distance. Less than a metre most of the time. Why the hell would people do that? And couples / families staying side by side as you pass.
So there are arseholes in every walk of life, OP. Why single out one or two particular groups?

Cyclists should not really be encountering walkers. They can't go on foot paths pavements or paths in parks. Other than bridle ways where else do you meet them?

Cyclists should not really be encountering walkers
I can see that walkers and cyclists have incompatible needs but many trails and pathways are signposted to indicate that they may be used by cyclists as well as walkers

A lot of country "paths" are actually bridleways which means they are for the use of walkers, runners, cyclists and horse riders, although DH would love it if walkers were banned, even he doesn't really think they should be.

Agree that it’s the person that is inconsiderate regardless of their chosen activity. I have been brushed up against by joggers coming up behind me without warning and had to detour into sprained ankle inducing territory for two groups of walkers that recognised each other and decide to have a chat across the whole path. Not keeping 2m apart might I add, there was loads of them and they were spread across the whole 4/5m path and they didn’t budge just watch me coming.

I always make the effort to avoid people and will slow up when I’m jogging if I need to to let people pass (now is not a time to care about PBs), I don’t want to catch it either!

@Floatyboat there are lots of shared paths where I am. Most of footpaths alongside the main roads are split into a path and bike lane. It's clearly marked with a big white line. It doesn't stop pedestrians constantly walking over into the bike lanes, or groups of people walking side by side from wall to curb. And people tend not to like it if I ring my bell or say excuse me to let them know I'm approaching. Same in my local park. All pathways are shared.

it's mainly fat people who are difficult to get past
when you're about 15m away shout 'helloooo runner approaching' (or some such salutation) and they will stop and be grateful of a chance to get the breath back

I've found it's mainly fat people who are difficult to get past given their obvious girth swallowing up most of the paths, and they waddle around really slowly. No wonder joggers and cyclists are having trouble getting round these rotund roadblocks

Well, they are certainly the group most in need of exercise to maintain fitness so runners better scarper! Although runners being slim is not a given. I haven't seen anyone wide enough to block most of a path...perhaps it's a regional thing but I certainly think those who are very overweight should be supported in every way in exercising. Good on them!

In fact most very fit people, especially with no underlying conditions, will be able to quickly build their fitness back up in the future. The elderly, disabled, or already challenged in fitness terms are the ones for whom maintaining exercise is most important.

Today I was in woodland, walking a track when I see ahead of me a runner steaming my way. I immediately put my dog on the lead, as I do with all encounters nowadays. I not unreasonably expected the runner to choose a path that was not aiming straight at me, because she was at a point where three paths, all perfectly good, intersected (all three leading to the same exit point). But no, she kept on coming leaving me, a good thirty years older than her, to scramble off the path into brambles and fallen branches. She flung a "thanks" at me as she went past and I said you could have chosen another path. She turned around, came back "excuse me, we're all in this together blah blah blah". So couldn't divert her run but could stop for an argument.
Another time a large man was running down hill towards me. I could see he was on an unstoppable trajectory so had to scramble up a steep bank out of the way.
It's all so bloody stressful ☹️