Aye, Attachment 467 that's exactly the way I've come to see things these days.
I've had the cycling experience too.

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GONE RUNNING

Hi all

Nice topic and something I was going to mention too.

Since I started running I have really noticed how rude some folk can be on pavements. Other runners and cyclists, people with dogs and older couples walking seems to be good but the 'general public' can be quite inconsiderate.

Just the other week I came across a small lady (actually looked like an egg on legs) with shopping bags around a bus stop taking up half of the width of the pavement. As she saw me approaching rather than step to the side she stood at the end of her shopping effectively blocking the pavement off to me. I bumped past her with some words. If it was a quite road I would have ventured onto it but it's really busy.

Another thing that bugs me is if two people are walking the width of the pavement don't sort of move closer a little to let you pass. Again I like to 'bump'

I'm new to this game and maybe it's the wrong thing for me to do but when I am walking with my dog or just generally being on the pavement I always move over, even before I started running.

Some folk

Cheers

Gary

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Hello!

Anyone else here use the canal towpaths around Brum ?

I'm lucky that the motorists around here seem to be quite good and they do move over. I suppose they realise that if they hit me at 60+ mph I might make a small dent

I've got the problem of cyclists not wanting to use the road, so they use the pavement which is quite narrow. I moved over for a while, without thanks, so now I'm going to be petty and just stay where I am. Sad, but they make me petty!

I've had very few problems with motorists while out running on the road even with a dog running off the lead at heel. I did have a problem once just outside Middlesborough (bloody englanders). I was out for a run with my young nephew who turned out to be less fit than he made on, as a result we were still out when it got dark. I did have on a top with reflective flashes on it tracksters with hi-viz piping and was under a street light and I'm near 6' and 13 stone so hardly small and easily missed. When some **** came down the road huggin the kerb. With my nephew tucked in behind my the car was on a collision course with us. Right at the last minute I threw my arms in the arm and stepped out from the kerb a step. The look on the drivers face was a picture as he swerved, the fact he was on his mobile might have had something to do with his lack of attention. Not the safest thing I've ever done but the road was otherwise empty.

Never had a problem with other runners being ignorant all seem to give a wee nod of acknowledgement on passing.

I've been forced to employ the same tactics a few times, Squint. I've clipped a few wing mirrors in my time on the roads!

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GONE RUNNING

After my run last night, I can kind of see why people favour the inside line. With more bikes/walkers/runners etc using the inside (farthest from the canal), it has worn a slightly smoother groove into the towpath.
It's not a lot though. Not enough to get pig-headed about.
Some cyclists even go so far as to tell you how many more bikes to expect if they are in a group.
Cyclists on the road are getting a bit better these days too I notice. It still bothers me that they have no reg markings or plates of any kind. I'd had my mirrors clipped while waiting at traffic lights more than a few times - and there's just no accountability.

Anyway, I can feel myself getting all Meldrew now, so I'm shutting up.

Trick I've had the same problem with a cyclist they rode into the back of my car dented the rear wing and scratched hell out of the back bumper as I made to get out the car the guy shouted abuse at me for stopping(yeah because you're supposed to keep going at red lights) gave my the finger and rode off quickly with very squint handle bars!!

It's a shame really, and as with life in general it's the bad minority that tarnish the good majority.
I gave up motorcycling on two fronts in the last few years: I was tired of getting "spot checked" by the police three or four times on a sunday afternoon (measuring numberplate, checking for EU stamps in the exhaust, checking helmet visor tint level etc) - just because a few idiots like to travel on the back wheel too much and have noisy race exhausts. I also gave up enduro (competitive trail riding) as most of the lanes are now closed because of inconsiderate riders tearing up the place with untaxed, uninsured and under-silenced bikes).

ooops, Meldrew mode crept in there!

Anyway: I love running, it's free, it's good for you, it focusses me, it keeps/makes me fit, makes me happy, and if I ever engineer a way to get chatting to the hotty who runs between saltaire and Rodely...........who knows??? I just can't keep up with her!

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't breaking any unwritten rules!