Does this ever happen to (female) runners?

raemie21

Coming to the end of a run this evening and some little sh1t slapped me on the backside as I crossed traffic lights in Donnybrook. WTF???

I mean, yeah people can whistle and shout all they like (would never happen in the gym or park but somehow seems more acceptable on the roads....?) and initially I thought this guy was just saying something and clapping as I passed so I was just ignoring it & had my Ipod - but no, he then took it a step further.

In retrospect, I should have bloody chased him coz I was definitely fitter than him and probably could have given him one but it was up Belmont Avenue which is kinda tight and I guess I was so taken back that I didn't know what to do on the spot except to shout at him and give him the finger.

And for the record, I wear a pretty mundane T-shirt and shorts but that shouldn't matter anyway. I know it may sound a bit funny but it actually wasn't, there were loads of cars around and I just wanted to cry. He was maybe a bit younger than me, in his early 20s and was walking with another couple. He wouldn't have done it if I was walking but yet felt it was acceptable as I was running... Little pr1ck. :mad:

rainbow kirby

I probably would have taken a swing at him!
There's idiots everywhere, I've had kids from the local secondary school shouting "Run off those cakes ye fat cnut" at me while I was running past them. Unfortunately, gobshítery just seems to be par for the course at times.

shels4ever

raemie21 wrote: »

Coming to the end of a run this evening and some little sh1t slapped me on the backside as I crossed traffic lights in Donnybrook. WTF???

I mean, yeah people can whistle and shout all they like (would never happen in the gym or park but somehow seems more acceptable on the roads....?) and initially I thought this guy was just saying something and clapping as I passed so I was just ignoring it & had my Ipod - but no, he then took it a step further.

In retrospect, I should have bloody chased him coz I was definitely fitter than him and probably could have given him one but it was up Belmont Avenue which is kinda tight and I guess I was so taken back that I didn't know what to do on the spot except to shout at him and give him the finger.

And for the record, I wear a pretty mundane T-shirt and shorts but that shouldn't matter anyway. I know it may sound a bit funny but it actually wasn't, there were loads of cars around and I just wanted to cry. He was maybe a bit younger than me, in his early 20s and was walking with another couple. He wouldn't have done it if I was walking but yet felt it was acceptable as I was running... Little pr1ck. :mad:

Thats a disgrace, if you'd given him a slap it's be well deserverd but prob better to just keep running,

happend to a friend of mine in a pub and she punched the guy, best thing i've ever seen.

Krusty_Clown

Outrageous. Deserves a good thumping.

I've had a few things thrown at me recently, (sticks and stones), and had a couple of fleckys try and push me out onto the road while jogging on the path (and I'm a 6ft male), but unfortunately they seem to hunt in packs. The HiViz vest is like a beacon to them.

drunkmonkey

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

The HiViz vest is like a beacon to them.

Get one with Garda printed on the back, that should sort them out..

RacoonQueen

Luckily never had anything that bad. That would have me seething and I'd probably have turned around and absolutely clattered him. You must have a hell of a lot of self control.

Had the obvious stupid comments, people purposely jumping in your way, running alongside you 'cos they're mad funny but can only last about 5 seconds and can't keep up with you(not being able to keep up with me at the best of times is pathetic never mind when I'm on my way back from a long run), things thrown etc...

Worst one was about two months or so ago, running along a narrowish path alongside a main road, group of lads coming towards me, taking up the whole path and one of them decided it would be really funny to spread his arms and legs and jump in front of me...as I was running at speed my only option was to jump on the road(into oncoming traffic) or clatter into the neanderthal...luckily the cycle lane was clear and I hopped into that, otherwise I'd have been under the bus that was going by. I'd run by two garda about 10 seconds earlier though, they saw what happened and stopped the little cunts.

That being said though I've had many, many, many nice comments thrown at me, lads pulling their mates out of my way so I can keep running by etc etc... sadly it's the dickheads who stick out in your mind.

TheRoadRunner

that is pretty shocking all right. Gob$hites are attracted to runners male or female (I'm male). I've had people shout at me from cars etc. I have a short temper a number of times I've abused the abusers when they get stuck at traffic lights etc, not so much now though.

Its funny if Gob$hites see a person running they will abuse them. Yet if they are on a pitch chasing inflated pig skin nothing is said :rolleyes:

I think I've mentioned this before on these boards but a guy hit me from a van when I was running one day. It was a van with a flat back and tiny rear window. I was ripping picked up a rock and threw it at the van. By some miracle I broke his rear window. I throw like a girl (no offence) and couldn't believe my luck. I got a good chase (tried to knock me down :eek:) but it is still one of my happiest memories

RacoonQueen

I'm not very good at not retaliating with a good, well emphasised "fook off"

plodder

That's really crap. Legally, it's an assault, so if there was a guard in the area at the time, you could make a complaint. Though to be honest, I've heard of cases where gardai weren't all that helpful in these specific situations.

Munster_Gal

OMG :eek:
I would have chased him down the road and kicked the crap out of him!!!!
Some people are just so bad minded!

McConkey

Yeah people can be so rude....it's almost like you're fair game if you are out for a run! So far I've only gotten beeped at by cars passing by or guys shouting at me from cars so I'm lucky it hasn't been worse it seems. Cheeky fecker that did that to you OP :mad:

uberwolf

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055482932

unfortunately not exclusive to your sport or gender

Kine

I've had "I've seen nicer legs on a table" shouted at me, but then again, I've had a car full of girls pull up and ask for my phone number....:eek: That was random to say teh least.

Thankfully never a "happy slapping" has never happened me, but I'm more "sprint" orientated these days, so am bigger and angrier looking... :cool:

colblimp

The most bizarre thing that's been said about me while I was running was when I ran past 3 big, burly blokes. One of them said; "See that jogger, he could kick all our heads in!"

I've had a scumbag run next to me (for about 5 yards) and ask if I want to buy a mobile phone.

Nothing as bad as the OP, or any other type of assault - thank goodness. Don't know what my reaction would be...

stmochtas

Plenty of verbals during the Docklands 5 mile race this year from would you believe young, overweight, tracksuit clad teenagers. No physical contact though as I would find it hard to restrain myself.

One time I was running in the park and a young fella start doing a wheelie on a mountain bike coming towards me showing of to his mates. For some reason I decided to play his game of chicken and he ended up crashing into a wall ouch!

Got a chase but bikes are no good once you go-offroad :P

eliwallach

mp1972 wrote: »

sadly it's the dickheads who stick out in your mind.

Regrettably, amen to that.
It's the pack mentality thing mostly. Any one of these slack-jawed-yokels wouldn't dare try something if he found himself separated from the herd. It's a head-down, mono-syllabic, acne-backed retard then.

Thankfully the worst I've experienced it the car horn or shouting from the (filled) car.

Has anybody had anything motivational ever shouted at them?
Thought not.

TheRoadRunner

eliwallach wrote: »

Has anybody had anything motivational ever shouted at them?
Thought not.

A couple of times, but not in Ireland.

In the states I have had guys really encourage me on training runs. One time in central park a couple of cyclists came up beside me and were shouting you're the man and other stuff like that. I thought they were taking the P but it turns out they just thought it was great to see someone hammer up the hills in the park and wanted to give me some encouragement.

ike

Sorry to hear that OP what ever you do just don't let it put you off, probably just another lazy fcuker who knows everything

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Its funny if Gob$hites see a person running they will abuse them. Yet if they are on a pitch chasing inflated pig skin nothing is said :rolleyes:

Its funny I've always found that too, running is probably the most natural thing in the world, but always seems to be a target for abuse and general stupid comments. Reminded me of a short run i was doing around the local GAA complex last summer and it started pissing rain - I got absolutely drenched (there was a hurling match on at the same time.) I was back at the car and towellnig myself off, guys passes conversation goes something like this:

Guy: are you mad running on a day like this
Me: it has to be done (was not in the mood for stupid chat)
guy: that can't be good for ya
me: can;t be any worse that those 30 running around in it
guy: Ah but thats different...
Me: WTF

Stupid_Private

eliwallach wrote: »

Has anybody had anything motivational ever shouted at them?
Thought not.

In France I used always get "Courage" shouted at me as I was running.

I haven't ever had anything said to me in Dublin that I'd take offence to. Except during the snow last week... that's an odd time. Groups of lads out who are generally never out when I'm running are out, and for some reason think it's hilarious when one of the group calls the guy running by a queer....

shels4ever

Has the same in Germany last sept was doing a hill run and though i was having the piss taken out of my by some of the locals but they weren't.
Makes a change from when I run on the road where I live, I don't think i've had a run where someone hasn't shouted something at me and made the mistake this year of going out on on Oct 30 th.. wont be doing that again fecken rocket nearly too my head off.

--amadeus--

I've had "hey sexy!" yelled at me twice by car loads of young women. Mrs A insists that they were taking teh P but I don't believe her

A couple of times I've had young ones run beside me - it's normally a bit of craic, bit of banter with them and then I put the hammer down. No real harm.

A couple of people have roared out of cars but I'm lucky in that I've never had things thrown at me or whatever. I did have a situation a few weeks ago where I was running in teh dark and had to go through a bunch of young ones. One of them thought it would be funny to do a star jump out in front of me and yell. Without even thinking I popped up a block and knocked them out of the way. Turns out it was some young girl (it was dark, she was wearing a hood so I had no idea) and her mate pumps after me on a bike looking for bother. My Donegal roots showed through in teh ensuing conversation but anyone going past would hae wondered what on earth was going on - a grown man in a LFC wooly hat and shorts reading teh riot act and using some very exotic language to some spotty 16 year old young fella on a BMX...

Anyway these people are morons and bullies. No-one should have to put up with that kind of abuse. It's easy to say from the comfort of a keyboard but they need to be put back in thier box. Mrs A often gives out about female runners out running at night on thier own and how unsafe it is but we can't let scumbags win.

hunnymonster

I've been pretty lucky, some abuse shouted but only one real incident of note. I was running in the country and got followed by a creep in a car. He was driving along with the window down making some pretty lewd suggestions. Normally I'd just laugh it off but because he was so persistent and we were so isolated so I rang the guards. Even ringing them was enough for him to take off.

Peckham

Stupid_Private wrote: »

Except during the snow last week... that's an odd time. Groups of lads out who are generally never out when I'm running are out, and for some reason think it's hilarious when one of the group calls the guy running by a queer....

Well, if they're wearing running tights....;)

jlang

I'm not female, so I'm not sure my input is on-topic here but I've never had real trouble, despite a lot of my runs being around the not-the-best areas of Dublin 15. That said, I tend to keep to the more main roads on these and have been known to cross the road earlier than planned to avoid certain groups of people. (They completely ignored me and may have been wearing their hooded sweatshirts because they were cold after their own run training, but my internal stereotyped prejudices didn't allow me to stop and ask). Recently there's been some occasional attention for my winter gear in the form of cars beeping and vocal cheers/jeers from schoolkids on the way home from school, but I concede they do have a point - tights on men do look ridiculous.

And complete sympathy to anyone with any uninvited undesired encounters or contact. Some of the above are very worrying.

robinph

I had somone give me a slap on the arse whilst out running before.

Couldn't really take too much offence at the situation though as the slap was from some 60+ year old woman who was running just behind me and I had just slowed to a walk in the London Marathon. She seemed to think I was a bit pathetic I guess.

Stupid_Private

Peckham wrote: »

Well, if they're wearing running tights....;)

Oi! I resent that.... I don't wear tights when I run. Loose fitting ron hill tracksuit bottoms when it's proper cold. More often than not I'll just wear shorts as I get too warm after a few miles. The time in question the ron hills were definitely on.

smcgui

I've been pretty lucky so far, although last week I had a bunch of young lads try to hit me with snowballs.....I was just too fast for them though!:p

average_runner

Had a few eggs thrown from cars at me but they always aim low the legs so i just jump high.

Got a hard boil egg in the face down in lucan village once, was totally shocked, jumped over the wall to catch them but sure they were well gone!

RacoonQueen

eliwallach wrote: »

Has anybody had anything motivational ever shouted at them?
Thought not.

A junkie regularly shouts 'fair play to you missus' at me pretty much every night.

I've had a few people stop and stare at me open mouthed as I pummel up a local steep hill and 'fair f**ks to you' and 'chucking hell my car groans going up this hill' thats about as motivational as it gets. :pac:

raemie21

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Gob$hites are attracted to runners male or female (I'm male).....
Its funny if Gob$hites see a person running they will abuse them. Yet if they are on a pitch chasing inflated pig skin nothing is said :rolleyes:

Thanks for replies everyone, have calmed down a bit since last night and it's definitely helped hearing about similar situations for both sexes.
I just find it really baffling though, what's so hilarious about people running or cycling? If I'd been wearing PVC thigh boots and a mini, I bet he wouldn't have slapped my ass.

Honking and shouting I can take but the need to do anything else is bizarre. I only started running in the past year and a half but I would never have thought this kinda stuff goes on.

To be honest, I think I'm more annoyed at my own delay in reacting to him and not doing more. The collar on his rugby shirt was up and all... would have been so easy to grab! And then there is that unavoidable sense of embarrassment as about twelve drivers had to have seen it. On a positive note, I ended up practically sprinting the last 2km to my door without noticing. His face on the path might prove to be a key motivating factor in longer runs ahead...:D

SomeFool

I used to have long hair and a bit of a crazy beard and got a great kick out of seeing the look of shock on the faces of two lads in a van who thought they were honking at a lycra clad lady until they passed me out:)

Most bizzare thing ever was a mate of mine who had a crutch thrown at him while rowing under a bridge in cork by some demented looney.