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Joggers

(68 Posts)
Beswitched Sun 09-May-21 22:03:46

Has anyone else found themselves becoming quite hostile about joggers during the pandemic?
I never really took much notice of them before, but during the worst of the pandemic so many of them seemed to have no scruples about running up behind people and almost brushing against them as they passed by, puffing and panting as they did so.
Not to mention the ones running down the middle of the pavement and assuming everyone would jump out of their way.

It also annoyed me the way so many joggers chose the busiest area of the park, near the picnic benches and coffee shop to jog instead of the less busy areas.

Obviously there are lots of considerable joggers around, but their image has been done no favours by the ignorant self centred minority who couldn't seem to get it into their heads that no one wanted them panting, gasping and sweating beside them during the scariest days of covid.

polnan Wed 12-May-21 11:18:11

I find it strange/funny/irritating ,, sad that we have to put labels on people.

this came home to me the other day, being recently bereaved/fairly,, fairly recently, living on my own, and elderly, I was thinking that it is the elderly who are sad and depressed, and more so... feeling a lot older..

then the other day, I heard that youngsters (dunno the age group) have also "grown older quicker" in these lockups

Came home to me how we have to group people,, so joggers/runners,, as LisaP has pointed out,, are also... grandmothers, mothers...etc..

strange how we put labels on people

black people, we mention a lot, people with darker skin that so called white people is a classic...

just saying!

icanhandthemback Wed 12-May-21 11:18:12

Most joggers are considerate. Those that aren't seemed to be totally lost in their jogging and listening to stuff on their headphones rather than being deliberately rude. I am more than happy to take avoiding action as I meander along and can't help admiring their dedication to an activity that I can only dream about.

Jaxie Wed 12-May-21 11:23:33

I too admit I am jealous of the fitness level of these joggers. I’ve observed though, that some become rather egotistical about their fitness and consider themselves superior to a poor old crock like me, crawling along, riddled with arthritis, on immunosuppressive drugs, short of breath - but it may be the arrogance of youth, as I’m sure I wasn’t very sympathetic to disabled people when I was young and fit.

GrannyGear Wed 12-May-21 11:25:35

I feel I have to get a word in as a cyclist. All sorts of road users can be careful and considerate or stupid and downright dangerous - walkers, joggers, cyclists, motorcyclists, car drivers, even pedestrians. No one group is all good or all bad.
I ride a recumbent trike with electric assist and find that most drivers are considerate - it could be that a recumbent trike is different and people are not sure what it is. Perhaps some think I am training for the para-olympics - I'm not! But if drivers see me and behave with courtesy I don't care why they do it. Perhaps being a little old lady rather than a strapping young lad helps.

Lin52 Wed 12-May-21 11:32:08

Don’t mind joggers on the whole, what does annoy is when they run into the road without looking, then accuse you of not being careful. Yes there are numptys in the jogging fraternity.

4allweknow Wed 12-May-21 11:32:56

Very little risk from joggers breathing near you. My concern is cyclists on footpaths. Knocked over by a group last year didn't even stop. A van driver did though! LisaP I have no problem sharing the road with cyclists, it's the illegal sharing of footpaths (official shared paths excepted)

Caro57 Wed 12-May-21 11:35:01

Maybe they choose the busier areas so they can feel safe……….

grandtanteJE65 Wed 12-May-21 11:46:51

Joggers and others are fairly considerate here, and their manners have not declined during lockdown, so I cam't complain.

rafichagran Wed 12-May-21 11:57:19

My partner is a runner and has done all the big marathons in the past. He is very considerate. The people the OP talk about are the minority. The bad ones seemed to come out during lockdown.
Please dont be miserable, and look for something to be offended by, it's a great way of keeping fit, the traning for the marathons is very hard and alot of money is made for charities.

Aepgirl Wed 12-May-21 12:07:53

I find them so rude. They rarely say ‘thank you’ when I move over for them (and why should I, the pavement is for sharing?), they spit on the ground, they puff in your face.

annifrance Wed 12-May-21 12:13:11

Well, what goes around comes around. I just think they are going to suffer really badly with their knees in years to come, especially if they run on hard surfaces.

Markoni40 Wed 12-May-21 12:14:03

agree, so annoying.... and it is not even about Covid, but really not wanting someone to breath on my neck or in my face in general... obviously, we've seen very considerate joggers and have nothing against, but some of them are just not nice

rafichagran Wed 12-May-21 12:15:57

That's not my experienceaepgirl my partner is not rude or inconsiderate, and being a runner for many years, knows to get out of the way of pedestrians, always acknolages when people get out of his way.
As I said before, dedicated runners do alot for charity.

Witzend Wed 12-May-21 12:21:06

Me too, Beswitched. It doesn’t bother me so much now, but when infection rates were so high they were a positive menace around here. Steaming along in their arrogant self-obsession, puffing and panting, often within a whisker of my shoulder when I hadn’t heard them coming up behind me, and expecting everyone else to get out of the dead straight path they would not deviate from.

Thomas67 Wed 12-May-21 12:23:39

The pavement is narrow outside my house. The road is very busy. Joggers often come up fast behind me and shout rude things because I am walking where they are running. I’ve even been shoved
. I think it depends on how crowded your area is.
Some runners see their running time as more important than others on the public footway .
Just because it’s much safer outside to avoid covid does not mean it’s ok to huff and puff over me. I even had one thump on my car as I was waiting on my own drive to pull out, I was waiting for him to go by!
I often move and wait for them. They rarely acknowledge that . I think I live on some sort of jogging route. I’ve noticed there are not so many joggers on residential side streets compared to my busy road.

cangran Wed 12-May-21 12:40:48

No real problem with joggers and cyclists. My beef has more often been with the arm in arm couples who seemed to be joined at the hip and the groups of people walking abreast on narrow paths, who won't walk single file when meeting someone walking towards them and seem oblivious when you have to move off the path, often onto muddy grass, to get past them!

TrendyNannie6 Wed 12-May-21 13:01:12

Joggers don’t really bother me unless they get too close when running by, what really bothers me is those stupid scooter electric scooter things that teenagers whizz by you on when you are trying to walk on the path, and the other ones where they have two wheels and they stand up on, ( I don’t know what they are called! And no I’m not a misery by any means but I can visualise a pedestrian being mowed down by one ,

Speldnan Wed 12-May-21 13:15:28

I’m one of them! I don’t huff and puff and most regular runners wouldn’t. I always go round walkers and faster runners than me go round me- there’s a sort of code where I live. Re Covid, I doubt many runners would actually be out running if they were infected! Your body wouldn’t allow it!

Speldnan Wed 12-May-21 13:17:46

Ps it’s the dog walkers that annoy me! They often take up all the path and either have a lead crossing it or allow their dogs to pester you.

Purplepixie Wed 12-May-21 13:18:10

No, they dont bother me one bit. I just wish I was built more for running as I would probably put my eyes out with my boobs. Never been athletic even at school. Once we did a cross country run and me and a friend went home only to get the cane the next day! Ah those were the days!

Speldnan Wed 12-May-21 13:20:27

Pps I’m 71 btw so no “arrogance of youth” here! ?

Ellet Wed 12-May-21 13:26:27

I too am one of the people who throw themselves into the nearest hedge, it’s that or the road, when unthinking people keep walking/jogging/cycling towards me in the middle of the pavement and seem determined not to deviate from their desired path. Strangely, it tends to be young people who think everyone else should move out of their way. I am in the vulnerable category and turn away from joggers and cyclists. Why should that irritate anyone? It seems I have to look out for myself as no one else is bothered about my well-being and why should they be?

nipsmum Wed 12-May-21 15:01:36

I see many joggers and cyclists in the park everyday when I walk my dogs. I just step to the side out of their way and try to keep the dogs from tripping them up. Its not hard. Live and let live is what I was taught. We live on a crowded planet and everyone should at least try to keep life simple. What would some people do of they lived in some of the eastern countries that are much more crowded than ours.?

MayBee70 Wed 12-May-21 15:19:30

I know that many people at worst laugh at us for getting out of their way and at best don’t even notice us. However a woman walked past us the other day and shouted to her son who was a few yards behind to give us space. As we walked past I said ‘thank you Oliver’ at which he looked very uncomfortable and mumbled ‘you’re welcome’. I know my daughter has drummed it into her boys to give people space.

Cornishgreenhouse Wed 12-May-21 15:32:36

I am a jogger and wish everyone wasn’t tarred with the same brush as being impolite. I always give a wide berth when going past someone, often crossing the road or going into the road myself. I also don’t huff and puff and like Speldnan said are unlikely to be infected and able to run!
Here most people greet you with a friendly smile, wave or hello when you pass them and most people seem to be happy to share the outdoors, however they use it. I guess we all have as much right to our countryside and paths as each other.
Transmission has been proven to be extremely low outside and a jogger will be in your airspace for such a tiny time.
I have been in supermarkets with people pushing past me, reaching over me and coughing whilst queuing (too close) behind me. To me they pose far more risk than those trying to maintain their health, fitness and enjoyment of the outdoors outside