Exercising outdoors + Unwanted attention

saa

In short....been noticing a fair amount of more incidents when I'm cycling of people taking the having a laugh which isnt a big deal to being spat on the other day, pushed and kicked etc. etc. I thought it would be interesting to hear from the ladies as my female friends have a weird attitude about being out in public exercising anyway and my male friends never really see anything other than minor annoyances out on the road. I thought of LL as well seeing as we seem to have a lot of couch to 5k'ers.

Jarren

Very sorry to hear about your experience OP, some people just weren't meant to be born.

Keep doing what you doing.

Good Luck:)

dev100

I'm a man seen your post on the main page . Yes do post it in cycling forum also jas that's absolutely shocking disgusting in fact . Did you get the reg of the car? That's assault . Degenerates with no intelligence

saa

Nope I had that someones just thrown something at my face reaction I looked up to get the reg immediately and they were too far down the road. I'm so angry the next time someone says something to me I'm going to roar at them but most people are too cowardly to give you the chance. I'm no model but I'm an average size, but I get the feeling whether youre noticeably good looking or so so you get berated in public for no reason.

daenerysstormborn3

OP I experienced similar style abuse when I lived in Dublin when I was out walking my dog, out running, cycling and walking to and from work. Some people are just horrible and want to see someone upset, they're just like that. I just tried not to let it get to me. Don't get me wrong, it's not often you can be shouted at by a stranger and told to "run fat bitch run" and just shrug it off but try not to take it to heart. I used to laugh at the fat blokes shouting at me from cars while I was out running though, seriously?!

I was walking my dog one day and a car pulled up across the road and the lad in the passenger seat shouted over "hey is that your dog?" and I said "yes" and he said "oh yeah you can tell he looks like you" - and himself and the lad driving started roaring laughing... it wasn't even funny :rolleyes:

Lucyfur

WTF???????

Jebus....I'm shocked at that saa and pixie....

Actually speechless....that's disgusting:(

saa

pixiebean22 wrote: »

OP I experienced similar style abuse when I lived in Dublin when I was out walking my dog, out running, cycling and walking to and from work. Some people are just horrible and want to see someone upset, they're just like that. I just tried not to let it get to me. Don't get me wrong, it's not often you can be shouted at by a stranger and told to "run fat bitch run" and just shrug it off but try not to take it to heart. I used to laugh at the fat blokes shouting at me from cars while I was out running though, seriously?!

I was walking my dog one day and a car pulled up across the road and the lad in the passenger seat shouted over "hey is that your dog?" and I said "yes" and he said "oh yeah you can tell he looks like you" - and himself and the lad driving started roaring laughing... it wasn't even funny :rolleyes:

Ah I know I've learned to have a laugh with the kids who are just looking for attention because they hate to see people not being affected, if its some yob I just think what a wally, a fair few incidents have made me literally laugh because they were young its the grown men you're like really.., someone could shout at me fat or ugly and I would be like meh whatever thats a bit messed up and brush it off but it was the last incident that has me so paranoid.

martinedwards

video camera on the bike. you can get the click ones for under £50. just video every trip and when some scumbag treats you like that take the film to the guards.

As a male I feel dirty after reading the first post.

saa

I've been wanting to get a cam and even to post on youtube just to show whats happening out there aside from bad driving, the regularity of these events and more recently the seriousness of them seems to be getting worse I just feel bad when I see any other woman out walking their dog or whatever and think that they go through the same thing.

psicic

Again, I'm also guy wandering in from the front page, but... wow. :eek:

That's quare shocking behaviour altogether. Are these rough areas?

daenerysstormborn3

saa wrote: »

I've been wanting to get a cam and even to post on youtube just to show whats happening out there aside from bad driving, the regularity of these events and more recently the seriousness of them seems to be getting worse I just feel bad when I see any other woman out walking their dog or whatever and think that they go through the same thing.

Always made me so glad that my dog is bloody massive and won't allow strangers within a certain perimeter :cool:

I've lived all over Dublin and used to walk my dog everywhere, from perceived "posh" areas to perceived "rough" areas and I met these fools everywhere.

saa

Usually but not always, the spittinggate was in a nice part of Stillorgan and middle class men in their 30s in nice cars to stereotype seem to be also fond of driving into puddles, slowing down and following you being creeps and insulting, I know lads are just trying to have a laugh and it means nothing not to take it personally but still its a pain in the arse.

Truley

Yes, I cycle every day to and from work and encounter hassle on an almost daily basis. Although I never considered it a gender thing because my OH gets it when he cycles too. I think it's to do with the fact that seeing someone cycling (where I live anyway) is considered pretty unusual combined with the fact that you are alone, vulnerable and exposed unlike someone in a car.

The worst culprits are students, nearly always male, because I pass the local IT to work. I nearly always get abuse shouted at me. It's so sad really.

jesus_thats_gre

I don't think that is a gender thing. Experienced similar myself when out and about - I am a male by the way.

It boils down to people, mostly lads, just looking for a laugh. Pointless taking it personal.

dev100

Ah Dublin scum you can't beat them!!! Doesn't matter if they have nice cars or living in posh areas still scum. That spitting incident makes me sick . I wouldn't suggest you do it if anyone gave me jip on a bike . I'd be whacking mirrors if I caught them at a set of lights .

whatdoicare

I'm a lady in Limerick and I've jogged all over the city - I have never encountered any of this abuse (I am a big girl with even bigger boobs - so I should be a candidate for abuse) but that's absolutely disgusting to read!

I'm so sorry to hear that you've suffered these fools! I'd hate to think anyone has to be subjected this craziness, who the hell do these idiots think they are that they have to abuse people they come across??:mad: Scumbags!

dev100

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

I don't think that is a gender thing. Experienced similar myself when out and about - I am a male by the way.

It boils down to people, mostly lads, just looking for a laugh. Pointless taking it personal.

Slagging is one thing but spitting !!!

onimpulse

I cycle & run all the time & very rarely have anything said to me? Thankfully! I can recall one three incidents ever - that's it! Two of those were teanagers trying to look good in front of their friends & another was a guy in his 30's who felt it was appropriate to tell me "nice rack" as I ran past!

If they feel they have to take you down a peg they are clearly jealous to begin with...

daenerysstormborn3

dev100 wrote: »

Ah Dublin scum you can't beat them!!! Doesn't matter if they have nice cars or living in posh areas still scum. That spitting incident makes me sick . I wouldn't suggest you do it if anyone gave me jip on a bike . I'd be whacking mirrors if I caught them at a set of lights .

Ah now in fairness I'm sure it's not just Dublin. The only reason I specified Dublin is because I now live in the countryside and don't meet anybody when out walking or running.

saa

Oh I almost forgot some lad tried to kick me off my bike, don't care about being shouted at meh. I just kind of want to stop being assaulted when I go outside :pac:

dev100

pixiebean22 wrote: »

Ah now in fairness I'm sure it's not just Dublin. The only reason I specified Dublin is because I now live in the countryside and don't meet anybody when out walking or running.

Well the op was spat at in Dublin so Dublin scum . Ye your right doesn't really matter it can happen anywhere

dev100

saa wrote: »

Oh I almost forgot some lad tried to kick me off my bike, don't care about being shouted at meh. I just kind of want to stop being assaulted when I go outside :pac:

You could write a book !!! I've heard of lads getting their arses slapped on the bikes. You need protection

daenerysstormborn3

I drive a motorbike and I had a group of people in a jeep throw a large full bottle of coke out a window at me (it landed on the tank of the bike, wobbled around and fell down my leg and onto the road, so lucky it didn't go under the bike or I probably wouldn't be here) and proceed to point and laugh at me like it was in any way funny and not at all extremely dangerous. I was overtaking them on a 2+1 road and my lane was disappearing so I had to pull back in ahead of them. If the bottle had gone under my bike I probably would have had a serious crash and the cars coming behind etc. could have been involved.

It's simple, there are some absolute muppets in the world who think everything is "a laugh" :rolleyes:

dev100

pixiebean22 wrote: »

I drive a motorbike and I had a group of people in a jeep throw a large full bottle of coke out a window at me (it landed on the tank of the bike, wobbled around and fell down my leg and onto the road, so lucky it didn't go under the bike or I probably wouldn't be here) and proceed to point and laugh at me like it was in any way funny and not at all extremely dangerous. I was overtaking them on a 2+1 road and my lane was disappearing so I had to pull back in ahead of them. If the bottle had gone under my bike I probably would have had a serious crash and the cars coming behind etc. could have been involved.

It's simple, there are some absolute muppets in the world who think everything is "a laugh" :rolleyes:

I know a bike courier who would dealt with that.

sharper

It used to bother me a lot when people took time out of their day to randomly insult me.

The problem was that I imagined them to be otherwise normal people going about their day, then seeing me and that this was somehow the trigger for their nastiness. Naturally this made me feel pretty crappy since I must be awful to trigger that type of reaction in a stranger.

The reality is normal people don't do those types of things. They don't insult strangers in the street, they don't hassle them and they definitely don't spit on them. The only types of people that do that are the type that enjoy doing that because they have little else in their lives besides putting other people down. You're just another target for them and ultimately if it wasn't you it'd be the next person or the one after.

celtic-chick

A friend of mine cycles to & from work every day.She also had a can of coke thrown at her which knocked her off her bike.

daenerysstormborn3

dev100 wrote: »

I know a bike courier who would dealt with that.

We all have our ways

Ah it's just madness sometimes and so dangerous and it's such a pity because a lot of the time, especially on bikes and motorbikes, you don't have enough time to compose yourself to get a car reg (if you don't want to deal with the matter yourself) or whatever, you're just so bloody shocked!

jesus_thats_gre

dev100 wrote: »

Slagging is one thing but spitting !!!

Ok. Wasn't really justifying either. Still think it is pointless taking either personally.

sharper

sharper wrote: »

I..........

The reality is normal people don't do those types of things. They don't insult strangers in the street, they don't hassle them and they definitely don't spit on them. The only types of people that do that are the type that enjoy doing that because they have little else in their lives besides putting other people down. You're just another target for them and ultimately if it wasn't you it'd be the next person or the one after.

Well said, these people are apes, they probably can't get a horn or something.

Kwak.ie

Put a call out in the cycling page or main page for someone who might tag along with u. Loads of people go for casual cycles in these long summer evenings. Even try finding a running/cycling group on meetup.ie, safety by numbers.
That's terrible behaviour. Never came across that up in Louth, as a driver, cyclist and runner, dog walker I'd go mad if I even seen this happen.
U really should be able to enjoy ur cycle and running without this crap!

If I was in Dublin I'd help, drive up ahead of u, when u get shouted at, pick u up, follow the idiots and dump a few eggs in their car when they leave, even pimk spray paint whatever takes ur fancy :-)
Partner-up(cycling/walking/jogging mate) with someone because it sounds like its not getting safe to leave the house!
Shame!

dev100

pixiebean22 wrote: »

We all have our ways

Ah it's just madness sometimes and so dangerous and it's such a pity because a lot of the time, especially on bikes and motorbikes, you don't have enough time to compose yourself to get a car reg (if you don't want to deal with the matter yourself) or whatever, you're just so bloody shocked!

The stories he told me if you knew you d treat bike couriers with respect and he was nasty with his revenge/justice.

Ive had no bad experiences. Touch wood . I'm not exactly the smallest man on a bike with a big bald head . Maybe that's a help

Forest Demon

That's a horrible thing to happen to you :mad:

Its not just women that get it. I am a man and when out running or walking I have got abuse, things thrown at me and splashed on purpose in the rain. Especially when I had more weight to lose when I first started training again . It nearly stopped me training at all. It is really upsetting, frustrating and demeaning.

It boils my blood as I am not a small bloke and boxed when I was younger and I would kick the crap out of somebody who was to stand in front of me and do anything like that but scum are brave in their cars / Vans.

I can only imagine how bad it can be for women as you have to deal with the perverts as well. Sorry to hear that.

Don't let scum stop you doing anything. By the way it was in Kildare so its not only Dublin

saa

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Ok. Wasn't really justifying either. Still think it is pointless taking either personally.

It's not being taken personally. It's not because of me, its just being seen to be exercising triggers that response, its been covered already being shouted at, banter, name calling is nothing but being hit, spat on or knocked in public by complete strangers is eer a bit of a ah ffs here now kind of thing, it doesnt really matter how its being received.

Tonyandthewhale

Kwak.ie wrote: »

Put a call out in the cycling page or main page for someone who might tag along with u. Loads of people go for casual cycles in these long summer evenings. Even try finding a running/cycling group on meetup.ie, safety by numbers.

This is good advice, finding some friends to run or cycle with or joining a club is a good way to reduce the number of people brave enough to spit on you.
I've never had any real hassle while cycling (although I'm not a woman, I'm one of the other ones) but I do get the occassional beeping and shouting and which can be quite aggravating and occassionally slightly intimidating when I'm on my own but when I'm out with the lads from the club and someone starts acting the dick we just make jokes about it and laugh it off. Strenght in numbers really makes things more relaxed.
There are a lot of cycling clubs around Dublin and most if not all of them have training sessions for both serious racers and more relaxed individuals and/or newbies so you don't have to worry about finding the appropriate pace.

LegacyUser

Reading this thread has brought back a lot of memories for me.

I left Ireland for the UK three years ago and I am telling you now, this stuff would never, ever happen where I live now, and it is not a great area by any means.

There is some small-minded mentality at work over there. I remember many times going to the Omni shopping centre in Santry, near where I lived just to do some shopping, and having people shouting sh*t over at me. Usually groups of wasters hanging around with nothing to do all day but abuse normal people going about their business.

Also happened on the street, with cowards roaring stuff out of car windows too.

I had forgotten all about it until now. Thank God I no longer have to put up with that. Life is way too short to get abused for no reason at all.

LegacyUser

saa wrote: »

In short....been noticing a fair amount of more incidents when I'm cycling of people taking the having a laugh which isnt a big deal to being spat on the other day, pushed and kicked etc. etc. I thought it would be interesting to hear from the ladies as my female friends have a weird attitude about being out in public exercising anyway and my male friends never really see anything other than minor annoyances out on the road. I thought of LL as well seeing as we seem to have a lot of couch to 5k'ers.

Just move out of that country, honestly, just move if you can.

There are a thousand cities in the world where you can run dressed as a chicken, and no one will bat an eyelid.

Ireland grinds you down every day, honestly take it from someone who has moved and feels the freedom every day. People will say you should toughen up, fight back, blah blah blah.

You're cycling a bike along the road and people are spitting on you for a laugh?

Seriously, if you can, just leave.

panda100

Exx Pat wrote: »

Reading this thread has brought back a lot of memories for me.

I left Ireland for the UK three years ago and I am telling you now, this stuff would never, ever happen where I live now, and it is not a great area by any means.

There is some small-minded mentality at work over there. I remember many times going to the Omni shopping centre in Santry, near where I lived just to do some shopping, and having people shouting sh*t over at me. Usually groups of wasters hanging around with nothing to do all day but abuse normal people going about their business.

Also happened on the street, with cowards roaring stuff out of car windows too.

I had forgotten all about it until now. Thank God I no longer have to put up with that. Life is way too short to get abused for no reason at all.

Completely disagree. This type of behaviour could happen in any part of the world. Too say there is a 'small minded mentality' in ireland is quite frankly insulting to Irish people.

I grew up in London,moved back to Ireland later in life, and there was several incidents of kids shouting abuse at me when living in London. Usually its bored young people whose self esteem is so low that they have to get their kciks out of abusing and taunting others, and looking 'cool' in front of their 'friends'.


Only last week a car full of young guys pulled up beside when I was cyclying. They started laughing at me and making fun of me, saying my helmet was on backwards. I was getting really pissed of with them in my head, trying to think of something witty and funny to shout back at them . Then I cycled pased a shop window, saw my reflection and realised my helmet was on backwards, Was totally embarrased beacuse I had been cyling like that for about 30 mins :o

Pembily

I cycle on a daily basis to and from work and go for longer cycles at the weekends. I also run in Dublin. I cycled and ran in Galway and Cork as well. I've only once gotten abuse shouted at me. I've never gotten abuse in Dublin but I wear headphones so maybe I just don't hear it.

The spitting is disgusting and throwing stuff is shocking dangerous :mad: I really don't understand the logic or reasons behind it

LittleBook

Holy cráp. This is all the encouragement I need to keep getting up at 6.00 in the morning to run before work. I'd been thinking about going out in the evenings now that it's brighter, but I'll stick to the mornings when the knackers are still in bed.

newport2

panda100 wrote: »

Completely disagree. This type of behaviour could happen in any part of the world. Too say there is a 'small minded mentality' in ireland is quite frankly insulting to Irish people.

I grew up in London,moved back to Ireland later in life, and there was several incidents of kids shouting abuse at me when living in London. Usually its bored young people whose self esteem is so low that they have to get their kciks out of abusing and taunting others, and looking 'cool' in front of their 'friends'.


Only last week a car full of young guys pulled up beside when I was cyclying. They started laughing at me and making fun of me, saying my helmet was on backwards. I was getting really pissed of with them in my head, trying to think of something witty and funny to shout back at them . Then I cycled pased a shop window, saw my reflection and realised my helmet was on backwards, Was totally embarrased beacuse I had been cyling like that for about 30 mins :o

+1

Ex-pats can be a bit like ex-smokers, painful to listen to if you're still where they left off.

hollypink

sharper wrote: »

The problem was that I imagined them to be otherwise normal people going about their day, then seeing me and that this was somehow the trigger for their nastiness. Naturally this made me feel pretty crappy since I must be awful to trigger that type of reaction in a stranger.

I've occasionally encountered similar verbal incidents while out running (nothing like spitting or anything like that - God that's so awful) and it often made me feel bad. I've just realised reading your post Sharper, that you've hit the nail on the head about why it made me feel that way. Of course they are idiots and you shouldn't mind them but I know it's not that easy sometimes.

I don't understand the mentality of someone shouting out a car at a person out running. One day I was running in the Phoenix Park on Chesterfield Avenue where the path is quite far from the road and still a guy in a van shouted at me something like "nice pace there" (which was I think slagging rather than a compliment because I'm slow at the best of times and I was on a long run that day). I was so far from the road that I barely heard him - what on earth was the point?

LittleBook

hollypink wrote: »

I was so far from the road that I barely heard him - what on earth was the point?

Well the point, for him, was that cheap thrill ássholes like him get from thinking they've made someone else miserable ... before they have to return to their own miserable and meaningless lives.

cynder

Ive never encountered any abuse while running/cycling in fact i was up in dublin at the weekend for the marathon and myself and my daughter were warming up with an early jog and taxi drivers/ passers by and others were wishing us good luck in the mini marathon, fellas were shouting out of their cars "good on ye ladies" even a guy hung his head out of the lorry window and shouted "good luck" to us and gave us a big wave.

Didnt see to many women around at that time (was around 10.30)

Even at home when we are out walking/jogging we get no insults. The fellas at kick boxing dont really talk that much but now they seem to smile at us when we go in, they never ever pull a face at us like we are doing something wrong or that we look stupid (thankfully, it would be harder to face them again if they did).

If someone did insult me they would get it back 10-fold, i would put them in there place.

Honey-ec

Jesus, that's unreal. I've had to deal with the wolf-whistles and odd bit of "banter" from (usually fat & ugly) men while out exercising/walking my dogs, but it's no skin off my nose. But spitting/having stuff thrown at you? I can't believe that. You just have to tell yourself that trying to understand the mentality of these people is an exercise in futility. They're the same kind of people who'll call an ambulance or the fire brigade just so they can throw stuff at them when they arrive. Troglodytes, the lot of them.

seamus

Exx Pat wrote: »

Just move out of that country, honestly, just move if you can.

It's not an Irish thing alone. It happens in most countries where exercising in public hasn't been the norm. It's even worse in Oz where drivers are known for simply running bikes off the road because they're stuck behind them.

Here's a blog from a UK woman detailing the idiots she encounters in London on her cycle:
http://101wankers.tumblr.com/
Granted she didn't manage to keep updating it, but you can see how frequently she came into contact with **** while cycling.

So this happens in all countries. It's not an Irish phenomenon.

Unfortunately this seems to be a cluster thing. Maybe it's just pure luck, maybe it's down to the individual sticking out or looking like a "prime target", but from speaking to people this is something that seems to happen to some people all the time and never or very rarely to other people.
The only incident I've had in five years cycling was being pushed off by a group of scumbags as they drove by. Outside of that, nothing. Even during the snow when you'd think a cyclist would be a prime target, a group of young lads specifically held fire as I passed.
And I've cycled through some dodgy places past big groups of lads.

Out running I've had nothing, ever.

hdowney

Firstly it's been years since I have been on a bike (not since I was hit by a car - which is not to say I am too scared, just the bike got mangled and I canni afford a replacement ). Anywho I do get attitude when I am out walking sometimes and it is horrible. I hate walking!!!! as a form of exercise, so if I have got up off my lazy butt and gone out and someone shouts at me it puts me right off. And the wnkrs who soak me with the pishin puddles deliberately... I will hunt you down and chop off your balls :mad:

username123

I used to cycle to and from work and regularly suffered abuse. On one occasion a teenager ran behind me on the bike and started trying to pull my bag off my back. I actually stopped doing it because it was too dangerous on the roads, the cars did not see me most of the time, the cycle paths were covered in glass, I felt like I was taking my life in my hands on that cycle. I gave it up and took up swimming!

Out walking I have suffered hassle from travellers - I live near a halting site - its usually the teenage boys who will start mouthing off or trying to intimidate a woman alone. Its never gone beyond verbal intimidation.
Ive also had abuse from idle teenagers and young men in cars shouting obscenities from the road.

I am doing a couch to 5k and I deliberately go to a nice park nearby to do it. There are other people exercising, people walking dogs, older people, park rangers etc.. I feel safer there. I do not feel safe out jogging (especially at the beginning when I was having trouble with it - old knee injuries causing some limping etc..) on public roads or paths, especially round my local area where there are travellers and gangs of idle teenagers hanging around.

eviltwin

Last weekend I was out jogging and heard someone shouting "keep running fatty" behind me. I turned around expecting it to be some teenager but it was a woman about my age - mid 30's - with two small kids :eek: Couldn't believe it, I don't know how I kept going, I just wanted the ground to open up. The park was packed too just to compound my shame :mad:

eviltwin

eviltwin wrote: »

Last weekend I was out jogging and heard someone shouting "keep running fatty" behind me. I turned around expecting it to be some teenager but it was a woman about my age - mid 30's - with two small kids :eek: Couldn't believe it, I don't know how I kept going, I just wanted the ground to open up. The park was packed too just to compound my shame :mad:

Jaysus, I'd be embarrassed FOR her, no shame for you!
good example for the kids

mood

I was going to start couch to 5k and this is making me reconsider!

A camera would be great for people. At least some people would be caught abusing/assulting and could be convicted or at least get a visit form the Guards. Until they know they could/will get into trouble this behaviour will continue.

The suggestion of running with friends or a club is good or exercising in parks that have a high volume of runners and dog walkers. Where can I find such a place?

username123

mood wrote: »

The suggestion of running with friends or a club is good or exercising in parks that have a high volume of runners and dog walkers. Where can I find such a place?

Well where are you?

I use Marlay Park in Rathfarnham, Dublin. Its a 10/15 minute drive for me but I feel safer exercising there than I ever have anywhere outdoors.