most people don't SD when out for a walk etc.

[ImNotCutOutForThis]

Well by what I've seen and I include myself in this.
I picked my dm up last week and went to a park / walk and feed ducks
It was really busy probably as busy as a summers day. There was loads of groups of 3 or 4 sat in the park area. Lots of runners and walkers. Friends /mums and daughters with kids etc. When I say lots we prob saw over 100 other groups /couples.
And I can honeslty say maybe 3 were SD
We even saw a kids birthday picnic with 5 adults and their kids (noticed as they sang happy birthday with a cake for the little boy)

The park area has open lake area. I chose to take my dm because my 2 yr old would be a nightmare by the water and I had the baby in pushchair.

And in all fairness. The path is fairly narrow with a cycle path adjacent. There is no way people in 2s could walk 2m apart without constantly bumping into people.
So I'm not judging. I just wondered if the same most places.

I've found the opposite. I feel very safe on the riverside walks and in the parks around here.

I’ve had joggers panting up right behind me.

I hate it.

The kids birthday party might all be in the same school or nursery bubble so may not see the point.

If others don't SD then as an individual I can try to maintain distance whenever possible. Or avoid places.

I bumped into my aunt (in a shop) who doesn't believe in the virus. As usual her mask was under her nose and she kept trying to step into my space up to my face to talk. I had to keep stepping back and reminding her that she needed to keep distance.

There’s no law to social distance so whilst people should it’s not mandated. Outside has a much lower risk than indoors. I wouldn’t worry about it.

I went for an outdoor walk on a path. There were signs everywhere saying maintain 2m social distance.

It might be lower risk, but the underfunded council didn’t put them up for no reason.

I don’t distance on walks. Outdoor transmission is vanishingly low. I don’t hug or get super close to the person I’m meeting but we walk normally, side by side with a bit of a gap between us. I do not ask my 3 year old to distance from anyone we know unless they ask us to keep her apart from them. Always respectful of wishes. If I’m in the shops or walking on my own, I will move aside but I rarely go 2m away. I just don’t get too close & I don’t hover in someone’s space, ie, I grab a pack of cheese & get out the way. Or if someone is pondering which cheese, I stand back & wait if needed.

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince

I’ve had joggers panting up right behind me.

I hate it.

What would you like them to do? You don't have an exclusive right to public footpaths, you know. You're really at no risk by someone running past you in the couple of seconds it takes.

As a runner I give people as much space as I can, but people who dawdle down the centre of the path, totally unaware of anyone else, particularly those with buggies, dogs and DC are every bit as annoying to us as we are to you! A bit of self awareness would go a long way.

It's because it's not natural and not in our nature. I go for walks often with my best friend and we start by keeping distance but once we get chatting we realise we are shoulder to shoulder....like we have always been!

For the record I'm not worried. About people being close or what they do.
Im pretty relaxed about being indoors too near people. Like I say I pick my dm up in the car to go places. I also take her shopping as she doesn't drive and saves carrying it. Etc
I just see mainly on here saying I'll meet xyz for a SD walk.. And then wonder if they really do.

Yes I was going to say its human nature.

I would like them to either run on the spot until we move. If l see them l automatically move away. I didn’t know he was behind me, he just pushed past. If l had known l would have moved away. But he was right next to my shoulder.

But one guy on Sunday was panting so close l could see his eye colour. He could have waited or moved but he didn’t.

No one had exclusive rights, but politeness and consideration are key.

I would like them to either run on the spot until we move.

Well, as a runner I'd like you to get out of the fucking way! So suck it up. If someone is right in the middle of the path I'll call out a cheery 'Excuse me!', but I get dirty looks and huffing whatever I do. I'm not to keep stopping just because you think you have the right of way.

There is no way people in 2s could walk 2m apart without constantly bumping into people. Don't people just drop into single file until they're past each other? That's what happens round here.

As if runners should “run on the spot”😂. I don’t expect walkers to walk on the spot so why should we?

I would have moved out of the way if l knew he was there. No question.

But he pushed past me. He was in the wrong not me.

@ImNotCutOutForThis

For the record I'm not worried. About people being close or what they do. Im pretty relaxed about being indoors too near people. Like I say I pick my dm up in the car to go places. I also take her shopping as she doesn't drive and saves carrying it. Etc I just see mainly on here saying I'll meet xyz for a SD walk.. And then wonder if they really do.

I think people mean they’ll stay apart as much as possible when they say this rather than they will stay 2m apart/ I go for lots of walk with friends, no hugging or touching, try to walk a little way apart but not 2m or even 1m sometimes. I would still say a SD walk.

Yet again. I didn’t know he was there. He pushed past me. Why should he have priority over me? I would have happily moved had l known he was there.

TheEmoji That’s terrible that he pushed you, covid or not.

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince

I’ve had joggers panting up right behind me.

I hate it.

Yep, even worse are the joggers who actually push past you making contact. We walk a lot alongside a canal that has a number of bridges where the tow path is very narrow, literally just a horse's bum wide. Sensible people wait at the end if there's already someone under the bridge walking towards you. Joggers just barge on through - they're obviously too important to actually wait at one end until it's clear.

I can honestly say that since the first lockdown started in March the most considerate people I've encountered during my 3x weekly runs are other runners. We always give each other room and often a smile too, but walkers are a fucking nightmare. They just keep coming right at you, often two or three abreast - the message from them is a very clear 'Take to the muddy bank, we aren't moving'. I've never brushed past or touched anyone, but the inconsiderate behaviour of walkers of all types is a continual annoyance.

There just isn't the space to distance properly outdoors. Plenty of paths aren't even two metres wide.

@zafferana

I would like them to either run on the spot until we move.

Well, as a runner I'd like you to get out of the fucking way! So suck it up. If someone is right in the middle of the path I'll call out a cheery 'Excuse me!', but I get dirty looks and huffing whatever I do. I'm not to keep stopping just because you think you have the right of way.

So you think you have the right of way? Why would you think that?

I haven’t said l want right of way. But if l can’t get out of their way fast enough which is what l always try to do , it means they break their pace if they have to stop.

I thought that jogging on the spot was preferable to this?

No way would l expect this as normal!!! But what is the solution if l can’t get out of the way fast enough? To run right past me and breathe directly into my face

No @Kazzyhoward, I don't, but a public footpath is a shared footpath - both people are responsible for giving way. As I said in any earlier post, if someone is in the middle of the path I'll call out to let them know I'm coming up behind them. I would also avoid that canal towpath mentioned by another poster. I try to choose places to run that are less attractive to walkers. I avoid our local park at the weekends like the plague - too busy - but that's mostly because walkers are so entitled and huff and moan at runners.