Driver etiquette when running

[Jenkibubble]

Hi ….
I was out running this morning (last long one before marathon in two weeks ) and to vary my route I went down a road I hadn’t been down before . It runs parallel to a river and is a well known short cut between the city I live in and a town 5 miles away .
There was no pavement just a grass verge and so as not to risk rolling my ankle I ran on the road close to the verge .
I ran on the opposite side of the traffic .
I received several hand gestures / facial expressions from motorists who clearly had to wait for traffic so as not to hit me .
Is this the norm ?
I was quite annoyed at their response tbh .
Broad daylight and a Sunday so quietish fay not rush hour

Around here, the etiquette is pedestrians/runners get out of these roads with no pavements for motor vehicles and stand or jog in place as they go by.

Were you really just jogging along with cars having to crawl behind you?

Yeah if I ever walk my dog on a road like this, every time a car goes past I hop up on the grass verge and get out of their way. I’d rather twist my ankle on the verge than get hit by a car. I don’t think they should have to wait behind me. The road isn’t suitable for walkers or runners so it’s on me to get out of their way.

You didn't move over to let them pass?

As a runner I always stop and move over, even though it's a pain. I have no time to risk being hit by an idiot driver. My health is more important than my times.

Hmm l cycle along a similar road and as soon as l hear a car, l stop and move out of their way

If there’s no part then you move onto the verge when there’s traffic. You don’t just run on a road and expect cars to wait for you.

The same as for pedestrians

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-pedestrians-1-to-35

You were right to jog on the opposite side of the road - giving you clear sight of oncoming traffic and at the same time giving them clear sight of you

(When approaching a blind corner cross over so that you are not hidden from line of sight by the corner)

Where practical step off the road to the verge

Many road users are however intolerant of anything that uses ‘their road’

I think what you did was fine. Pedestrians have the right to use roads as well and the cars should wait for you if there’s not room to pass.

The problem might be similar to one I experience a lot as a driver. The roads here are narrow, and if they are two lane there is not room to also allow for a runner or cyclist.
runners come towards me and don’t stop - if a car is coming the other way, I have to slam in the brakes to avoid the runner - who continues to run towards me!

im used to crawling along behind cyclists but they are going the same way as me so its much less dangerous.
if runners are not going to stop they need to run with the traffic I guess.

I always get on to the verge when a car is coming. I wouldn't trust many drivers not to get too close if I'm honest.

Good to get different opinions . It’s not something I’ve encountered before as usually there is a footpath by the road or I am away from roads (on tracks etc ) I’ve ran on country roads before where no verge so no option !
I shan’t be going on that stretch again .

This post nails it.

Pedestrians have a right to use the roads (excluding motorways and expressways). That said, I do swerve certain nearby roads where there are prolonged stretches where I can't step out of the way safely or there are blind bends/ summits. I don't want to be dead right just because of a principle. But the ancient rights of way network assumes access to roads, is not aligned with the spread of 21st century housing/ demand and does sometimes require use of stretches of road to join up to other sections of footpath/ bridleway.

Drivers need to drive to the road conditions. Around the next bend there could be debris, a stranded vehicle, a slow vehicle, a farm animal, a pedestrian...

What was the speed limit for cars on the road, @Jenkibubble ?

40 mph - speed cameras too

I run loads and tbh wouldn't have chosen your route, but if I do find myself on a road without a pavement, I'd step onto the verge to let cars pass.

You see I feel the opposite to most in this thread. If I see a runner, out slogging their guts out, while I sit in the fat comfort of my car, I’d give way to them.

I think the Highway Code should give precedence to those making the most effort.

are you running London @Jenkibubble ? Good luck.

This is why I hate running on country roads. It’s just unpleasant and you can’t relax into your run. I do think the etiquette is to step out of the way if you can. You’d be frustrated if you were stuck behind a slow runner on a narrow path I bet.

There is room for them to pass if the pedestrian steps on to the verge for the safety of all road users including their own

Thank you .
Manchester , which is the same day as London .
Fortunately roads will be closed so no such issues on race day .

Well good luck in Manchester. Glad your training is going well. And glad you won’t have to share the roads with people who have absolutely no conception that there might be other people / vehicles / animals / forms of transport on the roads apart from themselves. Yet another reason who I’m glad I don’t live rurally.

I don't think you did anything wrong OP.

I have to run on a similar road to access fields and commons, I hate it. There's a blind bend with brambles so nowhere to go so I cross over to the other side where there's houses with driveways until i get past it. Once a man in a van pulled over and patronisingly advised me that I was on the wrong side of the road and i should be facing the traffic. Dickhead.

I also think that if you went on this route and found there was no pavement, you step to the side every so often to let the cars pass by.

I consider myself a fair, patient driver, will let cars out, say thank you etc. I do find it rude though when a very slow vehicle/person is going 10x slower than the speed limit and is oblivious to a massive queue building behind them.

OP- drivers might have just been shocked to see your jogging towards them and then been unable to pass.

The Highway Code states that pedestrians should travel facing the traffic

Of you have to slam on the brakes because you're approaching a pedestrian, you're driving too fast and you really should know the Highway code, if you're going to get behind the wheel, which requires that pedestrians face oncoming traffic.

I live fairly rurally and run on country roads all the time. Tbh they’re not massively busy so it’s rare they have to wait behind me for another car to go by. Maybe once in a run. Generally the cars are fine with it. I always put my hand up to thank them for going round me safely.

I run on which ever side of the road has the best visibility. So on the outside of corners and the same side as the cars going up a blind summit and on the opposite side going down. They’re not super busy roads so easy to swap sides back and forth.

maybe drivers are a bit more chilled out where I live.

if I’d have driven down your road this wouldn’t have bothered me at all (good luck in the marathon btw!) having said that, I probably wouldn’t run down a road where I wasn’t prepared to hop into the verge. It gets difficult because you’re running towards cars so them waiting to pass can be difficult. I’d choose a different route next time