Spainish students and 'bumping'

2nd Row Donkey

Just spotted a post in the 'after hours' thread that made reference to the fact that spainish people are really bad at moving/stepping aside on foot paths etc compared to say us Irish or some of our other european neighbours.

Does anyone else have this problem when out jogging. I'm not just picking on the spainish students (well maybe i am) - as some of the 'natives' can be just as bad.

I was in the phenoix park recently doing a lap of the addidas 5 mile route and on more then one occasion.. despite the fact that there was only one of me - (therefore needing a limited amount of space to pass) and there was 4-5 of 'them' AND they could see me coming for 50 yards at least, they still didn't make even the smallest attempt to allow me to pass them.

They were walking towards me - 5 people wide on those narrow paths either side of chester ave but i must have been invisible - all 6ft 2" and 15 stone of wearing bright blue colours!

The first time it happened, I just stepped aside. The next time i sort of stoppped in front and gave them a dirty look until they moved, and the 3rd time i just stiffened my shouldesr and elbows and ploughed through them sending them flying.

obviously i'm not in habit of crashing into strangers (except on the rugby field).

surely i'm not the only one with this problem?

anyone else got any novel idea's for this issue

/rant over

token56

I can't say I've experienced this much myself (you always get the odd person), I've had a few people get annoyed at me when they are walking ahead of me and I come running past with them thinking its someone going to attack them or something, although I do always cough whenever I'm coming up behind someone, just in a to let you know I'm coming sort of way rather than a get of my way type of thing.

I'd recommend getting a little water pistol to squirt at them as you approach, it should be effective, or else just anger them.

RacoonQueen

This subject has come up on here before. It happens ALL the time, whether you're walking or running, people coming against you 3 abreast etc very rarely go into single file or move aside. Irish people are very rude, unfortunately.

token56 wrote: »

I've had a few people get annoyed at me when they are walking ahead of me and I come running past with them thinking its someone going to attack them or something

This happened with me a few weeks ago. I had just powered up a hill and was coming up behind 3 teenage boys, one of them turned round to defend himself as I approached. Look on his face was priceless. :pac:

rainbow kirby

It's happened to me a few times with Spanish kids around my area, and I have shoulder-charged one of them who was being particularly obnoxious about not getting out of my way. If they're going to be that fcuking stupid then they deserve it really.

The Rook

If they're doing it on purpose just drop the shoulder, go through them for a shortcut and they won't do it again, I've done it before, I'll do it again if needs be!!

geld

Does anyone think that it is us runners are the ones who should get out of pedestrians way?

I mean we are the ones that are running on a FOOTpath. I don't agree with some of the solutions suggested above and in any case how many of us would be able to defend ourselves if the the people blocking the path fought back?

Personally I run around anyone blocking my path. Its annoying but I have more important things to get really annoyed about. Besides I'm not going to let something as trivial as this ruin a good run.

digme

Most of them are spoiled rich little feckers I'd plough straight through them like you did haha

I find people in general are good about passing but if it was rudeness then shoulders at them!

does anyone think that it is us runners are the ones who should get out of pedestrians way?

No I think common courtesy should go both ways... if it was 2 runners and one pedestrian then yeah move, but a bunch of pedestrians taking up the path, they should move. Same as if you were walking briskly to try and get past

nerraw1111

I find walkers to be the worst culprits. Pedestrians are usually quite good and understandable. But for some reason walkers seem to deliberately block your way. It's like "look at those runners, thinking they're great with both feet off the ground."

I referring to parks etc where ppl go to exercise rather than footpaths. I think shouldering them is bit OTT.

Which reminds. I once was cycling on the Phoenix park cycle paths. Unintentionally, I was cycling on the wrong side. A guy in his 40s came up in the opposite direction and headed straight for me. He pulled away at last minute only to blow a whistle in my ear! Bastard. He did this to all pedestrians who happen to be in his way.

Part of me agreed with him but part of me thinks life is too short for that nonsense.

The Rook

geld wrote: »

I mean we are the ones that are running on a FOOTpath.

Yes, we are running, using our feet, on the footpath...... Just because we run why should that mean we have any less of a right to the path?!!!

menoscemo

I used to get annoyed by this, but I have found that letting out a good strong "excuse me" about 10 yards away from the 'blockers' alleviates the problem.

johndoe99

i find this with almost all spanish students, no thats a lie, all of them, they literally walk into you, they either bump you aside or you have to step onto the road to avoid them. I just believe their ignorant.

RacoonQueen

Cycle paths aren't that hard to miss, they have big white bikes painted on them every few metres. Walking in them is just ignorant.

nerraw1111

I was on a bike!

I took from his whistle that he believes the cycle lanes in the park should be one way given only that there's one on either side of the road.

Pedestrians in cycle lanes are particularly annoying.

jb-ski

there's a lot of pent up aggression lurking in this thread,

i don't think you guys are running enough:D

robinph

Have had to barge a few school kids out of the way previously after they make a point of standing in my way to block the path. As someone else mentioned before on a previous thread I believe, it's actually a useful science lesson for them about opposing forces or some such.

If coming up behind people going the same direction I'll generally cough to warn them I'm there, but if they don't move I'll not barge them out of the way. People coming towards me and pretending not to notice a tall sweaty man running at them at speed, and deliberately continuing to block the whole width of the footpath will get pushed to varying degrees depending on how ignorant I feel they are being.

2nd Row Donkey

RacoonQueen wrote: »

This subject has come up on here before. It happens ALL the time, whether you're walking or running, people coming against you 3 abreast etc very rarely go into single file or move aside. Irish people are very rude, unfortunately.



This happened with me a few weeks ago. I had just powered up a hill and was coming up behind 3 teenage boys, one of them turned round to defend himself as I approached. Look on his face was priceless. :pac:

I know its been done before. i suppose my point was that the spainish students are the worst offender:)

A few weeks ago, after the addidas 5 miler, I was running the same route about 60mins after everyone else (as I wasn't registered). 800 meters to go and I was reallly putting the foot down to get a good time. Ahead of me I could see a group of people who had quite clearly been running the race themselves. You'd think fellow race runners would be sympathetic but no.. they never budged either. Bang!

What's can you do.

2nd Row Donkey

robinph wrote: »

Have had to barge a few school kids out of the way previously after they make a point of standing in my way to block the path. As someone else mentioned before on a previous thread I believe, it's actually a useful science lesson for them about opposing forces or some such.

If coming up behind people going the same direction I'll generally cough to warn them I'm there, but if they don't move I'll not barge them out of the way. People coming towards me and pretending not to notice a tall sweaty man running at them at speed, and deliberately continuing to block the whole width of the footpath will get pushed to varying degrees depending on how ignorant I feel they are being.

coming up behind people is one thing .. they could be deep in conversation with someone else, listening to their ipod or they don't hear you till the last minute because of traffic noise or whatever. But as you said.. a big tall sweaty man, clearly visible in the distance, approaching at pace... I mean - FFS - move!

2nd Row Donkey

bluewolf wrote: »

I find people in general are good about passing but if it was rudeness then shoulders at them!


No I think common courtesy should go both ways... if it was 2 runners and one pedestrian then yeah move, but a bunch of pedestrians taking up the path, they should move. Same as if you were walking briskly to try and get past

Could'nt have put it better. If you are 2 runners or more, then you'd automatically fall into single file, wouldn't you? And if the pedestrians are 3, 4, 5 etc and you are own then is it unreasonable to expect the same thing? Unless of course its a mother/father with a buggy or small kids or an elderly couple or something.

John_Rambo

geld wrote: »

Does anyone think that it is us runners are the ones who should get out of pedestrians way?

Absolutely, could not agree more. I believe we, the faster runner should maneuver around walkers, buggys, dog walkers, pensioners, groups of people on the footpath etc... I would never ever shoulder charge someone. Any of you that do shoulder charge people for not getting out of your way will shoulder charge the wrong person and end up staring at the back of your eyelids for a while.

RacoonQueen

While I wouldn't shoulder charge someone out of the way, I don't think we should be the ones to get out of peoples way. If they're taking up the footpath, they should go single file and vice versa.

John_Rambo

I always move move, I have chosen to run faster, a collision with me will hurt more than it would if I was walking, also, I am the fit one, I am agile and nimble enough to move.

Better, stronger, faster...

mloc123

Anyone else get annoyed with people that walk on 'the wrong side' of the road? Maybe its something I have just grown up with being from the sticks but... you should walk against road traffic and this includes footpaths imo.

As for people walking three and four wide, yeah... the world is full of rude people. I tend to hold my position and play chicken.

TFBubendorfer

geld wrote: »

Does anyone think that it is us runners are the ones who should get out of pedestrians way?

Absolutely! Now I know I do 95% of my running on deserted Kerry country roads where that issue does not arise, but on the few occasion when I'm in Dublin I always step off the path and onto the grass when I overtake/pass people.

A group not moving out of the way is not very polite, but deliberately shoulder charging people is obnoxious and then complaining about them just takes the biscuit.

mcdonrob

In much the same way that anyone would expect a motorist to drive around a cyclist on the road, I would expect a runner to run around a pedestrian or group of pedestrians.
Shoulder charging... ffs people... can you imagine the outcry there would be if a motorist took that approach to a cyclist in their way.
Just run around them - what's the problem.

robinph

But what gives them more right to use the footpath than anyone else?

We are not talking about barging through everyone who happens to be walking down the street, it's the people who make a deliberate point of trying to get in our way who are liable to have a closer encounter with a sweaty runner than they were planning on.

robinph

mcdonrob wrote: »

In much the same way that anyone would expect a motorist to drive around a cyclist on the road, I would expect a runner to run around a pedestrian or group of pedestrians.
Shoulder charging... ffs people... can you imagine the outcry there would be if a motorist took that approach to a cyclist in their way.
Just run around them - what's the problem.

Yep, but if there was a line of five cyclists making their way down the road next to each other blocking the entire carriageway they should expect some abuse from the motorists they are getting in the way of. Running them over is admittedly a bit too much, but I don't have a horn installed in my running shoes to blare at the people getting in my way on the footpath and shouting and screaming at them isn't the easiest thing to do with good effect whilst running.

RacoonQueen

mcdonrob wrote: »

Just run around them - what's the problem.

It's rude to take up an entire footpath and expect other people to walk or run on the road. It's just basic manners if I was walking or running along side others I would go into sinhle file/get out of the way of people coming in the other direction.

Zapho

John_Rambo wrote: »

Absolutely, could not agree more. I believe we, the faster runner should maneuver around walkers, buggys, dog walkers, pensioners, groups of people on the footpath etc... I would never ever shoulder charge someone. Any of you that do shoulder charge people for not getting out of your way will shoulder charge the wrong person and end up staring at the back of your eyelids for a while.

I agree as well - for the majority of cases. But the OP still has a point. Its really annoying that the Spanish students walk in a line of five or more, sometimes holding hands. Its like they need a damn support group to get from A to B incase someone gets lost. It doens't usually bother me when I'm running, but there are droves of them around the NUIG campus and they hold up cars, bikes, people in a rush and the occasional jogger. The Galway streets are too small for this kinda thing!

Krusty_Clown

It is rude not to make room on a footpath, particularly when walking in a group, but to be absolutely fair, shoulder-charging has got to constitute some form of assault and assault in retaliation for rudeness is... well..... pretty rude....

I do think there is a cultural difference, and perhaps in some Mediterranean countries they are more used to having the runners give way than the walkers (right priority maybe?). We on the other hand are used to having things the other way around. But if this is the case, it's got to be more appropriate to explain our cultural differences, rather than 'teach them a lesson'.

I remember being driven by a friend at one stage in San Francisco. My driver-friend didn't realize that in the streets of SF, cars are supposed to give way to pedestrians crossing the road. I'll never forget the expression oni that poor man's face, as he mounted the bonnet of the car.

robinph

Zapho wrote: »

I agree as well - for the majority of cases. But the OP still has a point. Its really annoying that the Spanish students walk in a line of five or more, sometimes holding hands. Its like they need a damn support group to get from A to B incase someone gets lost. It doens't usually bother me when I'm running, but there are droves of them around the NUIG campus and they hold up cars, bikes, people in a rush and the occasional jogger. The Galway streets are too small for this kinda thing!

When walking down the path myself towards a group like that I would tend to just aim for the middle of them and then come to a stop in the middle of the path once right infront of them.

plodder

robinph wrote: »

When walking down the path myself towards a group like that I would tend to just aim for the middle of them and then come to a stop in the middle of the path once right infront of them.

Yup. I've done that, or at least slow down to a walk.

In fairness, most of the time, if you're running and you don't want to slow down, then it's up to you to stay out of the way, but sometimes, it's not safe to skip on to the road and everyone has to pass by on the path.

mcdonrob

All I'll say is that when I run I concentrate on running. Allowing yourself to get vexed about people 'blocking' you will distract you from the run. You are not going to change the behaviour of the many pedestrians out there. So just run around them.
If there's a persistent group... who intentionally block you... stop and hug one of the 'offenders'. If you are as sweaty as get they'll think twice next time.

Kai

This thread is a little bit surreal as i live in a rural area with miles and miles of empty roads to run along. Last night i went out on a narrow country lane and the only traffic were 2 tractors. Both of them pulled over and stopped to let me pass without breaking stride.... They even gave me a friendly wave. If a guy in a tractor can pull over surely a pedestrian can move 12 inches to let you past!

Cabaal

mloc123 wrote: »

you should walk against road traffic and this includes footpaths imo.
.

Ah no it doesn't,

You only need to walk against traffic if there is no footpath as per the rules of the road. It says nothing about if there is a footpath,

If you have a footpath you can walk any direction you want

robinph

Can't remember which country the comparison was with, could have been Japan, but I'm sure I saw something once talking about how different cultures manage to get past each other along footpaths. They had tried putting in one way lanes along Oxford Street in London I think, which everyone basically ignored, but the UK population* manages quite well to get past each other in a seemingly random fashion without bumping into each other. Other countries and everyone will all be walking in the same direction down the paths without any crossing over between people going the other way. Stick some of those people, probably with a camera round their neck as a tourist, in the middle of a busy pedestrianised area and they just can't cope.

*The Irish manage just as well with seemingly random walking down the street, they can't queue or use escalators properly though.

Mr. Presentable

The ignorance of others does not excuse assault, and let's be honest here, dropping the shoulder and barging someone from your path is assault.

OP, one day you'll do it to the wrong person and find yourself explaining your actions to the Gardai.

robinph

I suspect there is very little "assault" actually going on, things get over stated on the interwebnet quite a bit.

It will mostly be nudging of shoulders and nasty looks from behind a pair of shades that is going on. I've only once had to actually push my way past, but that was some local school kids who had made it clear as I approached them that they were not going to be moving, so I made it clear on going past them that I was not going to stop.

Usually it's just keep running at them and at the last moment they suddenly realise that they may have left it too late to get out of your way and you end up knocking shoulders as you pass, they make some mild scream of mock surprise and everyone carrys on as if nothing happened.

There is very little shoulder charging people going on, just pedestrians getting contact with a sweaty shoulder.

The Rook

Exactly right Robin, the twice I've had to do it the only reason I "dropped the shoulder" was in case the person who I was brushing against thought to themselves "Oh this'll be good, I'll send the runner flying".

I've not knocked anyone off their feet, and don't intend to.

token56

All this talk of shoulder charging reminds of playing Red Rover as a kid.

Personally I'd never actually shoulder charge or purposely bump into someone when running by/through them. Generally if possible I would just try navigate around them, or hop onto the road very quickly when getting by. I've no real problem doing it, but I guess each person is different.

copacetic

Personally I think its up to the runner to get out of they way and it's what I always do. I'd never crash into someone on purpose, why on earth would you do that?

I did knock someone over once but it was a teenager who made room then thought it would be funny to jump at me as I went by shouting Boo! I think he meant it to be a laugh for him and his mates but he caught me by surprise and I knocked him on his ass with a forearm fend.

Sport101

Re - Spanish Students -Just do your runs during siesta time, simples.

ThisRegard

I wonder if there are similar threads on boards.es about stupid drunken Irish tourists ruining their beautiful streets by doddering around the place while the locals are on their way to and from their places of education and work ? And doing this while looking like strawberries while wearing soccer jerseys of English clubs for some unknown reason.

lipi

Great thread as this is something we all deal with.

If the group are walking in the same direction, chances are they can't hear you coming and certainly don't see you so I will either prepare to move or say excuse me and they'll always make enough room.

Walking in a group against you and as the footpaths are there for everybodys use then everybody should be prepared to move aside to make room.

But what about dogs and their owners? Recently I was running in a park minding my own business and a dog came up and starting jumping up on me. When I turned around the owner simply waved - the cheek of him :mad: Regularly I encounter dogs off their lead and running all over the place and the owners just watch - surely they have a responsiblity to look after their dog. I'm not interfering with their enjoyment of the footpaths/parks so they should afford me the same courtesy.

And what about cyclists? I run along the promenade from Fairview to Sutton regularly where there are cycle lanes yet I constantly meet cyclists on the footpath and I have to move aside. I've had some awful shocks where they go past from behind at speed and very close to me. Come on guys, surely it's about courtesy to others

HardyEustace

lipi wrote: »

And what about cyclists? I run along the promenade from Fairview to Sutton regularly where there are cycle lanes yet I constantly meet cyclists on the footpath and I have to move aside. I've had some awful shocks where they go past from behind at speed and very close to me. Come on guys, surely it's about courtesy to others

Sodding cyclists. I get so CROSS when I see cyclists on the footpaths. PARTICULARLY when they're on the prom in Galway AND, AND, AND on wolf tone bridge - a small bridge that can barely fit three across and you get MUPPETS cycling across the Spanish Arch and onto the bridge <red mist descends>

If you can't control a bike on the road, then you shouldn't be cycling *

*unless you're on your first set of teeth

John_Rambo

lipi wrote: »

And what about cyclists? I run along the promenade from Fairview to Sutton regularly where there are cycle lanes yet I constantly meet cyclists on the footpath

I run from Raheny to Sutton. Never come across cyclist on the footpath. There is tarmac area divided in two, one for pedestrians, one for cyclists. There is another path beside the road. It's never used by anyone, there is another path on the opposite side of the road too! Nobody uses it either. That's three footpaths in one stretch! I run back towards Clontarf on the Howth road and I see a group of runners running on the cycle path! Avoiding the two footpaths and running on the red painted cycle path, winter, summer, bright dark, on the cycle path with no hi vis gear.

lipi

John_Rambo wrote: »

I run from Raheny to Sutton. Never come across cyclist on the footpath. There is tarmac area divided in two, one for pedestrians, one for cyclists. There is another path beside the road. It's never used by anyone, there is another path on the opposite side of the road too! Nobody uses it either. That's three footpaths in one stretch! I run back towards Clontarf on the Howth road and I see a group of runners running on the cycle path! Avoiding the two footpaths and running on the red painted cycle path, winter, summer, bright dark, on the cycle path with no hi vis gear.

Try Wooden Bridge to Giants Causeway stretch and you'll see them without fail day in day out.

RacoonQueen

HardyEustace wrote: »

Sodding cyclists. I get so CROSS when I see cyclists on the footpaths. PARTICULARLY when they're on the prom in Galway AND, AND, AND on wolf tone bridge - a small bridge that can barely fit three across and you get MUPPETS cycling across the Spanish Arch and onto the bridge <red mist descends>

If you can't control a bike on the road, then you shouldn't be cycling *

*unless you're on your first set of teeth

Children cycling on paths annoys me enough but when adults do it it really bloody grates at me. Couple of weeks ago some dozy bint nearly knocked me off my bike, she was cycling on the path and I was just about to come off a roundabout and onto the cycle lane. What does dozy bint do? Hops down off the path MILIMETRES from my front tyre. Not only should she not have been on the footpath but she also shouldn't have been going onto the roundabout. If I hadn't seen her and known what the silly cow was going to do the two of us would have gone flying, most likely under the range rover that was right behind me.

John_Rambo

lipi wrote: »

Try Wooden Bridge to Giants Causeway stretch and you'll see them without fail day in day out.

Actually, you are right, I do see it. Cyclists on the path, joggers on the cycle path, it's all over the shop.

RacoonQueen

This happened to me again in the phoenix park yesterday as I went down wellington road - three women coming up the other way could clearly see me coming and were making no move. Could hear a car coming up behind me despite having my headphones in and even though I had no where to go - they still didn't move. Hopped down onto the road after throwing my arm out to signal to the car that I was going down and just very loudly said ''fcuk sake, ignorant cows''. Grrrrr...Irish people :mad:

robinph

That's an instance where I'd be making certain I ran into at least one of the pedestrians.