As a runner, I am a sucker for articles on anything running
related. From marathon advice to shoe
advice to injury advice, I never tire of the endless top 5 lists that appear in
my newsfeed. So if you are a runner, I’m
sure the annoyances in my Top 5 “things-I-wish-people-wouldn’t-do-while-I’m
running” list are recognizable to you. Enjoy!
- Don’t ignore stop signs. If you are driving and notice a stop sign accompanied by a pretty painted white line, my tip is to stop your car. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve almost been hit because drivers seem to have forgotten that rolling past the stop sign into the crosswalk can actually kill someone. I get it. We’re all getting old and may have overlooked this part of the driver’s education manual. But seriously people, a stop sign is not a suggestion, so…STOP.
- Don’t stop a runner mid-run unless you are dying. I once had a dude stop me to tell me about all of the medical ailments that his friend had due to running. Recently, another guy stopped me to make a joke about running. This doesn’t annoy me as much if my run is leisurely, but when a runner is in training mode and trying to maintain a certain pace, don’t be surprised if you get a punch in the nuts for making us stop and listen to your ridiculous banter.
- Don’t hog the sidewalk. Whether you are taking your dog for a walk or simply out for a morning stroll, be mindful that there just might be other people like yourself who wouldn’t mind a sliver of the sidewalk. Also keep in mind that some of these people might even be coming up behind you. So, when in doubt, move to your right side and share the pavement.
- Don’t honk your horn at me. Look, I’m almost forty, so I’m not going to lie-I love when people think I’m hot. I’m not usually one to complain about compliments, even in the form of a beeping car horn. But for goodness sake, when I’m running, I’m usually in a zone, and honking your horn can quite literally scare the crap out of me or give me a heart attack. So, while I appreciate the sentiment, a quiet wave or smile will do just fine, thanks.
- Don’t run in the bike lanes. Just to show that I’m not biased, this one goes out to the runners. Having dabbled in cycling, the speed that I traveled while trying to “hold my line” scared me to death and eventually drew me back to running. However, I can now empathize with cyclists, and realize that competing with a runner for twelve inches of space is not ideal. Not to mention, if you are a runner in a bike lane, the only options cyclists have are to either swerve out into traffic while going upwards of 25 mph to avoid you, or to stay the course and pray that you move first. Both scenarios suck, so please remember that bike lanes are for bicycles.
To be honest, until I became a runner, I was not considerate
enough to make myself aware of my surroundings. But I’ve spent over ten years
on my running journey, and I have no plans of stopping…unless, of course, I see
a stop sign.
*This piece was published on Lose the Cape on May 20, 2016.
