Joggers please be aware of safe distance around walkers

Today I went for a longish walk to Peckham Rye park,
myself and other pedestrians on the pavement were respectful at keeping the recommended 2m safe distance, stepping off the pavement into the road (which were clear enough to do so) hanging back to create said distance and so forth.
HOWEVER- walking alongside peckham Rye park on the pavement opposite Harris school no less than 3 joggers (weirdly all female ) on separate occasions ran down the narrow pavement huffing and puffing in the face of myself and other pedestrians -the road was clear and to be honest a quick glance over the shoulder and they could have run safely into the road whilst keeping within the recommended distance.
walking back towards home along Woodvale alongside the Cemetery this happened again this time with the jogger puffing behind me “excuse me” when the road was clear of oncoming traffic and it would have been logical (to my mind) to step off the pavement for a few paces in order not to have to huff and puff within inches of me.
This may be controversial but PLEASE could people jogging on the pavement be a little mindful of retaining a safe distance from pedestrians (ie: the recommended 2m).
thank you.

Well said. I am sure we can all tell a comparable tale. I suppose this is the reason we all now find ourselves confined to barracks.

I suspect the 2 seconds a jogger is in your vicinity as they pass is far less of a reason than the groups walking along in inadvertent unison in parks or seafronts - and the crowds waiting together in supermarkets or trains.

However, it’s something for us all to remember. I’ll throw in another; if you are out on your daily exercise or walk to the supermarket, do smile at anyone you see. There are a lot of people living alone who may not have interacted with anyone and your smile might mean a lot.

Runners need to bear in mind that not everyone can move aside as quickly as they want them to and some pedestrians can’t hear them coming. Some runners won’t slow their pace to accommodate walkers who happen to be on the pavement in front of them. It can also be intimidating in normal times to see a runner, often with ear pieces in, hurtling towards you down a pavement when you have nowhere to go to avoid them.

Perhaps this crisis will make us all more aware of the need to respect each other’s personal space.

Funny you mention smiling at strangers.
Today on my walk I found myself making an effort to smile at other solo walkers, I always got a nod or a smile back.
And while I’m on here another little moan-today I noticed a lot of people (adults I stress)cycling on the pavement.
for all the reasons other posters have stated above please dont do this! The roads are much quieter at the moment so if you’re not an experienced street cyclist now is the perfect time to get some confidence provided you’re wearing a helmet of course.
Please be mindful of others now more than ever.

Well said!

Runners were out in force on our pavements early today. Quite a few were running two abreast and taking no prisoners. Because of traffic and the fact that the runners won’t slow down it was harder to dodge out of their way in time. If they’re not prepared to adjust to accommodate walkers, why can’t they walk to a park and then run?

Guys, this works both ways, I went for a run yesterday and from what I saw, some pedestrians are equally as discourteous by not providing space for others.

Agree. I went for a walk yesterday with my two boys and one guy was on his phone and made no effort to avoid us, even though we tried to tuck in away from him but was quite hard with a buggy and holding older child’s hand. Other people are great.

When I went running I managed to dash across the street or around people. Some people just don’t seem to care, spoiling it for all.

I agree. Some people are just plain discourteous. Where possible we dodge into the road to avoid them. But some runners come at you so fast that there’s nowhere to go in time to avoid them. Especially when, like the ones I mentioned, they’re running two abreast and don’t even make an effort to separate. It’s intimidating and frightening, especially for people with mobility issues. So I don’t understand why if people are intent on keeping up this level of speed they don’t do it in parks, where it’s easier to avoid slower walkers.

Yesterday, when there was no traffic around, my husband saw a runner diverting onto the roadway when passing people walking on the pavement, putting parked cars between himself and them. Obviously that’s not possible when there are cars or cyclists around, but we thought that was a kind and thoughtful gesture.

If you’re out jogging or running you should be the one making the effort to get out of the way. Not everyone walking is able to make quick changes of direction.

Everyone on the pavements probably has to learn to behave like cars do on narrow lanes… if you can see something coming towards you, whoever has somewhere to duck into (between parked cars or a driveway) does so and the other acknowledges their courtesy with a smile or wave. It shouldn’t matter if you’re a runner or a walker except for acknowledging that some might be less able to be manoeuvrable; to keep the road analogy, treat those with buggies or wheelchairs like an HGV and stay out of their way.

I am a Jogger and can now no longer safely run where I normally do, (because of people not social distancing) through FH to Dulwich park.

So I don’t go there anymore.

Simple as that, if you can’t run where you won’t be social distancing - DON’T. Running your regular route is not more important than the spread of this virus.

I’m also finding it unsafe to run my normal route via parks. People simply aren’t practicing social distancing out there, in the parks it is worse. They seem to think they are immune whilst in a green open space.

So now I run early in the morning or late at night to avoid the ‘crowds’. Along quiet roads where I know I can safely run on the road should I need to.

It is a shame. The park I run through, the path is wide enough to practice social distancing but people insist on walking down the middle and in groups. I do tend to run on the grass when I encounter situations like that but last night there was a family blocking the path and also on the grass. I had no option but to run through them. Other runners and walkers were waiting for them to move on, which I suppose I should have done.

Maybe we will end up like New York where people shout ‘excuse me’ if you are in the space they intend to enter (us ‘polite’ Brits just say ‘sorry’ as they squeeze into your personal space without warning).

Haha! Maybe we will!

Believe me, I did some shouting last night! It’s common sense, 2 metres apart from each other. Both parties do their utmost best to adhere to that. Which most people are doing. I’m honestly not one of those runners that motor on through, even when we’re not social distancing. I happy to slow down or rest for a short while. . Last night, with this family, I was at end of my run, feeling a little upset by people not social distancing (they’re going to close the parks soon!) and so annoyed that they didn’t move to the side when I asked them to. It wasn’t until I saw the others waiting, that I came to my senses.

One thing that might help is runners not wearing headphones. Shutting down one of the primary senses meams such runners can be less aware of their immediate environment.

To which I’d add pedestrians texting while walking. The words of my driving instructor of olden times should apply to all, whether motorist, cylist, runner or mum pushing a pram … Read the road ahead!

Yes and those who just stop dead in the middle of the pavement to look at their phone. Move to one side… please.

My current bugbear is the people walking in pairs who can see you coming towards them but make no attempt to limit the amount of space they are taking up. Please just go single file while you pass.

I went to get medication for one of the local residents on Thursday. I was coming back along a country lane and encountered a jogger going the same way as me. I realised after about 50 meters that she had her headphones on. I wasn’t all that bothered As it was a lovely day and the rape flower has just come out. She must have sensed something as she eventually turned around and nearly fell over when she saw the car. People can sometimes retreat into their own bubble. No harm done, she stood to one side and I drove past. We nodded and I was of.

Thanks to the two selfish joggers photographed who were jogging towards me side by side spaced as in the photo down Honor Oak road this morning…they were chatting to each other as they ran and I had to flatten myself against a wall to get even a foot between me and the young lady on the left. It was only when I shouted “Thanks a lot!!” That they looked up in surprise and seeing the road was clear ran over to the other side when I took this photo.
Thanks also to the couple walking Down London road side by side with Sainsbury’s bags in each hand… no attempt to move single file I stood right on the edge of the kerb and still the guy passed literally inches away from me. Because they make you stand 2m away from strangers waiting outside Sainsbury doesn’t mean the rules don’t apply outside the queue and on the pavement.

I have same issue when I am out it’s the same for the bicycle riders you can use legs to stop like us walkers do!! I also get the part of I am on a roll but still. Sorry hope I made sense typing on a mobile version here.

So far on this thread, there are selfish joggers, selfish cyclists and selfish walkers. The only beacon of hope is @Londondrz with his patient driving.

We’re all human so we probably all fall into at least one of these groups on a daily basis. Some people are genuinely just less spatially aware than others and we are all having to change the habits of a lifetime; all we can all do is our best to follow the guidelines. If you can’t remind someone in the moment to give you space, don’t waste your energy getting riled up although I appreciate that’s easier said than done. I’ve had to count to 10 a few times.

Incidentally, in normal days when I’m cycling to work and a driver passes too closely, I’ve had better responses when I’ve entered a conversation telling them that it felt a bit closer rather than assuming they were trying to kill me. They tend to react less defensively. Suspect the same might be true if there is the opportunity here to ask for more space.

Don’t worry, I reversed over her!

Only kidding. The delay meant I had a lovely slow drive in the sun.

The more time not being shut in a house or flat the better

It is probably be best to go out prepared, whether you are a walker, cyclist, jogger or murderous country lane car driver. Be ready to scream, “TWO METERS!!!”, at all times should anyone get within even four meters of you.

If you aren’t prepared, you’ll either say nothing or say something rude, so the personal-space-infringer won’t change their behavior.

I thought the BBC advice is to take a broom with you to politely push people away if they are too close:

Or maybe I’ve mis-read that

I went out for a brief walk on Saturday. Not many people about and not much traffic so I was able to cross over the road if I needed to avoid people. But when my attention was on the people approaching from the front, a sweaty, puffy woman still managed to barge into me when overtaking. I didn’t see her coming, she was so fast.

So much as I want to, I doubt I’ll go out again. I’m not a scaredy cat type person. I’ve been in hazardous situations, but you do your risk assessment and make a judgment. There are too many idiots around over whom we have no control.

Yesterday even weeding the pavement side of the front border was a challenge, watching the pavement all the time and dodging back onto the drive whenever some inattentive person came shambling up. It’s a steep hill and seems to attract runners and heavy breathers. One female runner was just going up and down the hill repeatedly, treating it as her personal exercise track. It’s a pavement! She made no effort to accommodate anyone else.

And why do so many people have to take their exercise on headphones or looking at their mobile phones while walking? Even families out walking together are giving their full attention to texting while strewn all across the pavement and not attending to their children who are often many yards ahead or trailing way behind. Why go out at all if they’re not going to appreciate the moment and pay due attention to their surroundings?

As well as all the reasons you give, cycling in the pavement is illegal, unless you are a child, so whether experienced or not, adult cyclists still need to be on the road. But many of the side roads are pretty quiet for practicing on.

Yes I know its illegal but now more than the usual amount of adult cyclists seem to be using our pavements which with the roads so much quieter then usual just beggars belief

There are so many aren’t there? The worst was on Saturday. We were walking back from shopping via Peckham Rye and Forest Hill road when an entire family - parents and two teenagers, cycled two abreast towards us on the pavement forcing us and two elderly ladies in in front of us to dive in to the road.

To add to an already astonishing situation the father had a large dog on a long lead as he cycled along.

The only strategy that ensures people keep distance while I’m out for a walk is to cough into my elbow and cover my mouth with my top just before people approach. Most stay well clear after seeing that!
Sad that it has to come to that but I see it as more dangerous when joggers breath heavily as they run past me, rather than someone casual walking near me at 2m distance but for twice the time.

To add to this, please keep dogs on leads, long leads in a park. If dogs make contact with each other and then your stroke your dog at home, you are putting yourself and others at risk.
I had an incident with a woman wearing a face mask who’s dog was harassing mine, I had to pull her dog off mine (contact) and then wait for her to approach into my space (contact), where she then decided to pull the mask down (contact) to tell me to leave her dog alone!

This might be of interest:

Interesting research from the Netherlands about social distancing and droplets in the slipstream of people in motion.

Social Distancing v2.0: During Walking, Running and Cycling,

There is guidance on how to overtake safely from the pov of the overtaker protecting themselves, but not telling them not to cut in too soon for the sake of the poor sod they’re leaving in their spit laden slipstream.

I’ve been told I’m high risk, but had up till now been out twice for a walk (carefully social distancing & covering my face) & I walked to Lewisham & back on Thursday. But I’m nit going out anymore, the walk to Lewisham & back did it for me; people were just ambling about, & I really had to keep out of their way! I agree about the joggers, runners, & cyclists on the pavements, they think pedestrians should step out of the way, so I’m confining myself to barracks, I have a lovely garden, so that’s good enough for me, for now…

Conversely, I went out for a jog at 8pm tonight in the Perry Vale area, ran down the middle of the empty road to avoid people on pavements. Didn’t stop one unpleasant lady shouting “Can’t you f&£@ing do that somewhere else!” Charming. I was at least five metres away and had been out my house thirty seconds.

Would you be able to share the source of that quote? I’ve not been able to download the paper in English.

I have the white paper as a pdf but can’t work out how to post it.

But if you cut and paste this phrase …

Social Distancing v2.0: During Walking, Running and Cycling

… That should take you to a pdf download page.

I woder if it will work if I attach it here?

Social Distancing v20_White_Paper.pdf (3.42 MB)

Thanks! For some reason I’m not able to download it, but I guess I’m not the only one who’s trying just now so will give it a go later.

Ah, that’s worked. Thanks.

And there’s a newspaper piece about it here …

Re the lack of peer review: that’s pending, but the paper was released early because of the urgency of the situation.

And just to note it is a model\simulation rather than real world data.

Yes we should bear in mind that any kind of breeze or crosswind will spread droplets even further. I believe the next stage in the study is to examine that. Sadly, too many aren’t following even the very optimistic 2m rule.

Whilst this is true, imho (as a newly acquainted ameteur virologist/epidemiologist), the wind will also disperse the droplets making the chance of receiving a viable dosage lower.