To see less ads Register or Login ----- Daily Fantasy Sports games 18+

Running on the road

A forum for general discussion on Health and Fitness issues and topics such as well-being
User avatar
llama
Grumpy Old Man
Posts: 2124
Joined: 03 Sep 2009, 19:19
Location: hellbound airlines

Re: Running on the road

Post by llama »

If a jogger or a cyclist look like they are getting too close, just hit the horn nice and hard as you pass, just to let them know you are there. They seem to really appreciate it. They always give me a wave to say thanks.

User avatar
crispybits
Dumbledore
Posts: 5499
Joined: 10 Aug 2010, 09:18
FS Record: FISO Apprentice Champion 2011-2012, Xpert11 FBT winner season 7

Re: Running on the road

Post by crispybits »

It's the ones that cycle down busy 2 lane 2 way roads in the rush hour where each lane is barely wide enough for 2 transit vans to pass each other that annoy me.

Sure, everyone has a right to use the roads and everyone should be respectful of everyone else, it just doesn't seem very respectful to slow a 40mph road down to 5-10mph for almost the entire length for every other road user when there are other options less than a mile away (a disused railway line from the 50s that has been converted into a cycle lane/footpath through the countryside)

The joggers aren't brave enough to run down that particular road (which is 80% of my daily commuting distance and has residential areas with footpaths at either end)

User avatar
Backlash
Dumbledore
Posts: 9818
Joined: 04 Nov 2012, 10:05

Re: Running on the road

Post by Backlash »

llama wrote:If a jogger or a cyclist look like they are getting too close, just hit the horn nice and hard as you pass, just to let them know you are there. They seem to really appreciate it. They always give me a wave to say thanks.
Maybe it's different when you live llama as I closey followed your detailed method of overtaking cyclists and I must say the cyclists were not as thankful :?

User avatar
tedbull
Dumbledore
Posts: 8085
Joined: 16 Jan 2006, 01:55
FS Record: FPL 82nd 08/09

Re: Running on the road

Post by tedbull »

Living in the city I don't get same issues with joggers. About the only problem I see is them crossing roads while wearing headphones and focused on their running.

Cyclists are a bit more of an issue. There are cycle paths on my route to work but many choose to ride on the road instead. My assumption is that they do that to avoid being slowed down by the non-Lycra casual types. They also seem to get frustrated any time that they have to slow down or unclip. I get that it takes a lot of effort to build up speed and they wouldn't want to be slowed down but that's the nature of road travel - you see something and react accordingly. A lot of cyclists seem to think right of way means they shouldn't have to stop or slow for things they can plainly see.

For me, road use is about courtesy and safety. Not at all convinced that peak hour travel should ever be a sport.

User avatar
tedbull
Dumbledore
Posts: 8085
Joined: 16 Jan 2006, 01:55
FS Record: FPL 82nd 08/09

Re: Running on the road

Post by tedbull »

crispybits wrote:It's the ones that cycle down busy 2 lane 2 way roads in the rush hour where each lane is barely wide enough for 2 transit vans to pass each other that annoy me.

Sure, everyone has a right to use the roads and everyone should be respectful of everyone else, it just doesn't seem very respectful to slow a 40mph road down to 5-10mph for almost the entire length for every other road user when there are other options less than a mile away (a disused railway line from the 50s that has been converted into a cycle lane/footpath through the countryside)

The joggers aren't brave enough to run down that particular road (which is 80% of my daily commuting distance and has residential areas with footpaths at either end)
That's a planning issue. Cyclists have the right to use the road and if you can't give them a metre then you don't pass. You'll get to your destination in the end. It's just traffic.

Sounds like it's not a very good road to travel to work on. Needs widening.

User avatar
unc.si.
FISO Knight
Posts: 11775
Joined: 11 Oct 2010, 14:08
Location: Off to buy Loctite
FS Record: 'Loser' by Beck

Re: Running on the road

Post by unc.si. »

crispybits wrote:It's the ones that cycle down busy 2 lane 2 way roads in the rush hour where each lane is barely wide enough for 2 transit vans to pass each other that annoy me.

Sure, everyone has a right to use the roads and everyone should be respectful of everyone else, it just doesn't seem very respectful to slow a 40mph road down to 5-10mph for almost the entire length for every other road user when there are other options less than a mile away (a disused railway line from the 50s that has been converted into a cycle lane/footpath through the countryside)

The joggers aren't brave enough to run down that particular road (which is 80% of my daily commuting distance and has residential areas with footpaths at either end)
3 main points:

If it's rush hour they'll be commuting, just like you. That disused railway line probably doesn't go between many people's homes and places of work. If all those people weren't on bikes, they'd be in cars, clogging up the road. People just don't go on training rides in rush hour in the city.

You're very lucky if you can travel at 40mph on a 40mph road in rush hour where you live. Mainly on my commute (when I lived in commuting distance of work) I was travelling faster than the traffic in the busy city bits. I've had far more problems with drivers deliberately trying to stop me getting past when I'm cycling than I've ever had with cyclists slowing my journey when I've been driving. At worst (when driving) I might get held up for 30 seconds or so then catch up the rest of the traffic within the next few minutes. What a lot of city roads do need however is better infrastructure (either wider roads or more dedicated cycle lanes (which I'm not personally a fan of but which do make a lot of sense in some areas if done properly, which they normally aren't in the UK)) but there isn't generally the road space or budget on a lot of roads. I really struggle to understand how some people seem to get held up by cyclists every day when it just doesn't tally with my experience when driving at all, and I do a lot of miles all over the country.

5-10mph? In 40 years of cycling and 30 years of driving I can't say I've ever seen cyclists riding 2 abreast at 5 - 10mph on a busy rush hour road. It's pretty hard to cycle that slowly. 15mph is a pretty steady speed if you ride say once a week, and regular commuters would easily average 18+mph, at which speed the police guidance is that you should be on the road, not a bike path.

Sure there are some idiot cyclists who don't give a fk about any other road users, just like some drivers, pedestrians, runners, joggers, people with umbrellas etc. People do seem to have a tendency for picking out the worst possible behaviour in a group of people and extrapolating that to the whole cohort, whether that be BMW drivers, White Van Man, Immigrants, people on benefits, cyclists, muslims, God botherers etc etc.

User avatar
unc.si.
FISO Knight
Posts: 11775
Joined: 11 Oct 2010, 14:08
Location: Off to buy Loctite
FS Record: 'Loser' by Beck

Re: Running on the road

Post by unc.si. »

tedbull wrote:Living in the city I don't get same issues with joggers. About the only problem I see is them crossing roads while wearing headphones and focused on their running.

Cyclists are a bit more of an issue. There are cycle paths on my route to work but many choose to ride on the road instead. My assumption is that they do that to avoid being slowed down by the non-Lycra casual types. They also seem to get frustrated any time that they have to slow down or unclip. I get that it takes a lot of effort to build up speed and they wouldn't want to be slowed down but that's the nature of road travel - you see something and react accordingly. A lot of cyclists seem to think right of way means they shouldn't have to stop or slow for things they can plainly see.

For me, road use is about courtesy and safety. Not at all convinced that peak hour travel should ever be a sport.
Most cycle lanes are shite, in the UK at least.

Also, when driving in rush hour, I generally have more of an 'issue' with other cars than bikes. ie it's not the cyclists that slow me down, it's those other eff trying to get home after work in their cars that cause the jams. More people cycling is the solution to rush hour jams, not the cause.

User avatar
tedbull
Dumbledore
Posts: 8085
Joined: 16 Jan 2006, 01:55
FS Record: FPL 82nd 08/09

Re: Running on the road

Post by tedbull »

That's the thing though, Unc. No one is going out there to slow you down. It's just traffic. The infrastructure slows you down.

If everyone starts cycling, where are the 'serious cyclists' going? Because they sure as shit don't want to share with commuters.

I come across many bad cyclists and drivers on my commute. I end up, as most will, in the occasional situation where a still photo will make it look like I've done something wrong. The truth is I'm just adapting to the conditions and changes. If I have to stop to maintain a safe environment, well that's just fine... I'll be a few minutes later. I'd say the same doesn't apply to your Endomondo commuters. They take great offence at stopping for someone.

Cycling for your commute is great but when the 'sport' becomes more important then there's no place for that in peak hour traffic.

User avatar
barry
FISO Knight
Posts: 18871
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:43
Location: moving into fisodas towers
Contact:

Re: Running on the road

Post by barry »

use the money being wasted on the new high speed line to London to fund fibre optic cabling/4g phone signal to all remote locations and encourage working from home.

User avatar
paisleypark
Grumpy Old Man
Posts: 3515
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:32
Location: Lancashire

Re: Running on the road

Post by paisleypark »

As a driver , cyclist and runner (not jogger) I have experienced the problems from all sides and I have to say there are idiots in all 3 categories.
My driving has improved since I started cycling but I still cringe when I see motorists, possibly deliberately, getting as close to a cyclist as possible when passing.
Cycling lanes are a joke in most places - 20 yards here, 10 yards there and then nothing at all. It appears councils have a target to provided a certain length of cycle lane and they sometimes do 500 yards in 20 small disconnected sections.

As far as running is concerned - we sometimes have to run on country roads but we are very aware of vehicles and try to take as many precautions as possible - police advised us at one time to run on the left along these roads - not sure what there advice is now (probably none due to risk assessment issues). Whenever we run in the dark we always have lights attached and try to run on pavements for the whole route but that isn't always possible.

Survived 50 years of running etc so far but it becoming more difficult as traffic gets heavier.

Best solution for drivers runners and cyclists is be prepared for anything!

User avatar
tedbull
Dumbledore
Posts: 8085
Joined: 16 Jan 2006, 01:55
FS Record: FPL 82nd 08/09

Re: Running on the road

Post by tedbull »

And show some courtesy and common sense. Amongst the debates on rules and rights of way we seem to forget that we're all just people trying to get somewhere. No-one holds a door open because they have to.

View Latest: 1 Day View Your posts
Post Reply

Return to “Health & fitness incl. well-being”