Idotiic pedestrians

It's not the people who genuinely don't hear me coming or are not paying attention and practically walk into me that bother me the most, it's the ones that deliberately get in my way.

Some people seem to have a real problem with runners and will do as much as possible to obstruct us, more than they would do for a pedestrian. I've had people walking towards me 4 abreast on a narrow bit of pavement, I edged over to one side to give them room to pass and one of them deliberately moved into my way. So I ran straight at him, that made him move  Also had a cantankerous old git telling his wife to "move over a bit, she can go in the road if she wants to run". I didn't run into her but I did slow down as I passed and say "thanks for being so considerate, would you have called an ambulance if I got hit by a bus after you forced me into the road?".

No wonder runner's always "find" the bodies

What drives me mad, and not even when I am running, is when people stop dead in thier tracks. It normally to look at thier phones...gggrrrrrr 

carterusm wrote (see)

And cyclists who are on the pavement that is not a cycle path. At this time of the year they go on the pavements as they havent got any lights on so think its too dangerous for them to be on the road.

If I see a cyclist on a pavement I start to meander.  A cyclist on the road, at night, without lights is fair-game, too, I reckon.

Bizarrely, in Hammersmith where I work, and where there is a pretty large one-way system, a lot of cyclists (those that aren't on the pavements) think it's perfectly legitimate to go the wrong way round the one-way system so long as they're in the gutter. How stupid this is I can't even begin to explain.

carterusm wrote (see)

And cyclists who are on the pavement that is not a cycle path.

Ah, the pavement-mounted yoof on a bmx is a common occurence round my way. I've worked out that their average speed is a little higher than my easy running pace but slower than my tempo running pace.  When they're coming in the opposite direction it's potentially hazardous (although only near-misses so far), but a lot more fun when I overtake them and they jump out of their skin, sometimes even dropping their fag.

So long as you don't drop yours, Phil

....and to the three lady runners in Marlow who made me jump into the road, as they were unable to move from their 'vic' formation, hope I can extend the courtesy to you one day.

So, not just pedestrians, or pedestrians with dogs, or pedestrians with i-Pods, or pedestrians with i-Pods with dogs with i-Pods..........

Never had any problems in London to be honest when I used running as my daily commute - I tended to run in the road when it was busy - or along the embankment where the pavement was wide  so no problems (did get into trouble with the police one day for running through one of the under passes though which were pedestrian free - which is strange in some ways because when I flagged down a police car one day to report a cyclist on the pavement they were not interested!!!) I did punch a cyclist on the embankment one day though because he was on the pavement - totally by accident you understand - as I was actually trying to knock him off.

Peter Collins wrote (see)

I got really annoyed when I was pedestrianising the other day because this baldbloke barrelled into me while I was texting and then told me to go forth and multiply. Sod.

Peter Collins wrote (see)

I'll get in my car and run him down next time.

And youre suggesting I go to anger management classes !!

Other people really annoy me.

That is all.

I suspect that many walkers would view runners in busy areas with the same contempt that is being shown towards cyclists on this thread...

Cor blimey, encountering other people on the pavements of central London on the way to work, who would have thought it? You could try cycling to work instead, but then you'd only get wound up by other people having the temerity to cycle on the road in a manner that displeases you, nevermind the cars. There's only one thing for it - commute in a helicopter with a treadmill in it. 

From my point of view, it is sometimes the pedestrians who have to watch out for runners!

I once tried to go past someone whilst running behind him, but mistakenly brushed his arm.  He jumped as if I was trying to assault him and called me a weido

2wheels wrote (see)

I suspect that many walkers would view runners in busy areas with the same contempt that is being shown towards cyclists on this thread...

 

Cyclists who routinely cycle on the pavement, go the wrong way down one-way streets, don't use lights at night and go through red lights deserve contempt, I'm afraid. Those that obey the law and common sense I'm perfectly happy with. I'm a pedestrian, runner, cyclist and driver, and all four groups have their idiots, true enough.

The world is full of idiots who have absolutley no idea of what is going on around them. Once you accept that and nothing will change them, life becomes so much more relaxed.

I didn't realise reversing out of a driveway was an 'illegal manoeuvre' ...

I work in London and run all the time along Embankment. Its an occupational hazard and sheer weight of numbers mean that from time to time there are bunches of people (tourists).
Personally i dislike the texters, and stop-suddenly google map watchers, but again, fact of life. I do tend to run at people not looking though...
Ahh bikes too...I boris bike a couple of miles as part of the commute. I am staggered by the vast number of cyclists that don't understand traffic lights (conservative estimate 50%), wear headphones (~30%), use pavements (tbh mainly tourists) and I knowit beggars belief, but I see a phone-cyclist at least once a month.
As Peter says all groups have their morons, but in my experience the numbers are higher on 2 wheels

I had some bother when the local primary school pupils were being escorted out for a visit - plenty of teachers around but did one of them tell the kids to mind the person coming towards them? Regardless of whether you are running or walking, politeness and common courtesy should prevail but most people just seem to be rather ignorant.

does the same apply to a parking space then?

Dustin is right.

I walk around central London, and see all manner of cyclist - no lights (this is very common), dark clothing and no lights, going through red traffic lights, on the phone, smoking (not seen one on the phone AND smoking yet).  I hardly ever see one on the pavement though.

However, in two days I saw three cyclists pulled over by police on motorbikes, so maybe they're cracking down a bit on the idiot ones.

I ride a bike too, so I'm not just a cyclist-basher, but those cyclists are a menace to me as a pedestrian (as well as themselves).