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.

Sounds like your picking the wrong routes or times if your having such busy walks.

I went for a run this morning, I picked a route I knew had nice wide paths and the few people I can across we had no issues moving to either side/onto the verge of needed and saying a polite “hello” before carrying on.

Sirzy, I live right on the edge of one of UK's largest forests. There was no question that the runner could have avoided the track I was on. As for the running man (wasn't that a film?) that was right outside my house.

My DM who is 80 was forced to move aside in a similar way today Gorse, by cyclist. The alarming thing is she was in a really quiet area so they could have dismounted and moved for her and it might have been the only interruption to their ride. Sorry you had to deal with it too. It's awful.

If I was a robot that couldn't change direction or speed, I wouldn't go out right now. Some of the people we are encountering might as we'll be those robots, and they have no regard for the age or fragility of those they force to scramble out of their fast and unbending trajectories.

Inkpaper, you're so right about some of these cyclists and runners being like robots! They seem so centred on their own physical 'excellence' that they won't slow down or move aside for anything. Bugger anyone who isn't nimble enough to get out of the way. I shall be glad when the gyms, sports clubs etc reopen because I suspect a lot of these joggers would normally go there. I hope your mum can walk in safety soon, tell her she's not alone, a lot of us less mobile people are being elbowed aside these days 💐

Thanks Gorse !

Hope you don't have any more close encounters with the robots!

If a path is less than two metres wide then no one should be over taking surely, whether walker, cyclists or runner. You should just maintain your place in the line of people making their way down the path. Anyone who overtakes isn't maintaining social distancing and is in the wrong

Hearhoovesthinkzebras what do you do when you encounter someone coming the opposite way on a path less than 2m wide? A genuine question, I don't know the answer.

Yes we must all march in lockstep spaced at 2 m intervals whilst singing the praises of our glorious leaders

Hearhoovesthinkzebras what do you do when you encounter someone coming the opposite way on a path less than 2m wide? A genuine question, I don't know the answer.

I have no idea. It means that too many people are exercising in that place doesn't it? If people won't police themselves then I guess authorities will have to put stricter rules in place to stop overcrowding

Other countries are closing roads to motorists and making safe space for cyclists - it makes sense because of the drop in motor traffic and the increase in walkers/cyclists/runners. Not sure why they haven’t done it here yet.

I would be in cycling heaven if some roads could be closed to motorist ....imagine being able to just go for it on the road and not worry about the cars 🤩

Other countries are closing roads to motorists and making safe space for cyclists - it makes sense because of the drop in motor traffic and the increase in walkers/cyclists/runners. Not sure why they haven’t done it here yet

I think they are starting to do it in London. It should be everywhere. Where I am there is a high street with three parallel roads. It should be possible to block at least one of those parallel roads to motor traffic except for access and encourage cyclists and runners to use that road.

In Jersey they have the green lanes with a 15mph limit and priority for cyclists and pedestrians. They could do something similar on a temporary basis here but I guess by the time they set it up, lockdown would be over or at least eased a lot. Although that may be the time when you need it the most because there would be more cars on the road but people would still need to be socially distancing.