Somewhere on Nextdoor

(As seen on Nextdoor, the social network and website for nice neighbours)

 

 

Totally inconsiderate and selfish runners

 

I’m sorry but I cannot believe the sheer SELFISHNESS of people sometimes. I was walking back to my flat on [REDACTED] Hill about an hour ago when a very burly man suddenly flew past my right shoulder and came so close to me I could have easily been knocked down. I was so taken aback I didn’t even realise he was jogging. He made no attempt to stop afterwards or apologise and just carried on regardless. There was a young mother just ahead of me walking two young children and she looked as shocked and taken aback as I was. He could have easily collided with her too. When I called out to him that he might show a bit of concern, he shouted back: ‘I WOULD HAVE DONE IF YOU WEREN’T TAKING UP ALL THE SPACE ON THE PAVEMENT.’ Disgusting!! It’s proven that runners are ten to twenty times more likely to spread the virus than walkers and you can literally see the spray they emit when they breathe out. 

 

By the way before anyone tries to call me out on it, I was wearing a mask, but runners should always make sure they keep well clear of people and if they still feel the need to run outside, they should run in the road and give us normal road-users some peace of mind. I understand that gyms are closed but show a bit of consideration -- pavements are not under the exclusive ownership of runners. 

 

I am a sixty-eight year old woman living on her own and the least of my worries should be going out food-shopping and having to jump out of the way of inconsiderate people who are a law unto themselves. 

 

Please everyone be extra careful because clearly some people cannot be counted on to show a bit of decency and common sense, no matter how much you tell them.

 

 

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Guilty conscience: You’re disgusting. What type of person does that? Fucking grow up.

 

Runner: Does what?

 

GC: Runs close to old ladies and breathes on them. And then insults them just for pointing it out. 

 

Runner: Oh you mean on the road just now? I hardly even got close to her. That lady shouted at me first and called me an idiot.

 

GC: Liar.

 

Runner: I had nowhere to go on the pavement, plus there were cars on our side of the road otherwise I’d have obviously run by the kerb. I usually do.

 

GC: You probably ran extra close on purpose. You’re obstinate and difficult and you don’t give a fuck about people. You don’t put yourself in their shoes. You don’t care or understand what it’s like to be that other person. You’re so bloody self-absorbed. Imagine some huge bloke coming lumbering up at you in your face for a moment. Zero self-awareness.

 

Runner: I was actually worried I was going to trip. I’m not sure what happened but I think someone must have walked out of one of the block of flats at the last moment which meant that I had nowhere to go.

 

GC: What flats? You’re making it up as you go along. Why are you even running on busy streets in the first place? Run in the fucking park.

 

Runner: It’s that little bit of road you have to run on first to get to the park.

 

GC: Just walk to the park and then run.

 

Runner: I could, but it’s usually not that busy on the road.

 

GC: So if you’re not intentionally obtuse, you’re just not very pragmatic. 

 

Runner: It’s not a big deal. People get worked up for all sorts of reasons. She’s probably just venting. Maybe she was upset about something else, who knows. She’ll calm down.

 

GC: You should apologise to her.

 

Runner: How?

 

GC: On the post on Nextdoor.

 

Runner: Which one?

 

GC: The one about the burly runner.

 

Runner: That’s about me?? I was just reading it actually. I had no idea it was about me. 

 

GC: Proves my point.

 

Runner: I’m not burly, I’m svelte!

 

GC: Take a good hard look in the mirror, laddie!