Anonymous
Post 02/26/2025 10:47     Subject: Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm laughing at the image of a runner who can't slow down and just plows through packs of dogs. Sounds like an SNL sketch.




This was hilarious, thank you for sharing.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2025 10:46     Subject: Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’ve been a runner and city dweller for 30 years and a dog owner for 10 and have literally never encountered any of the problems in this thread. Sidewalks are shared community resources, open to runners and walkers, slow or fast, and to dogs on leashes, people wearing headphones, and little kids on bikes. It’s really not that hard to have a little patience and the tiniest bit of a sense of humor. Both will help you avoid the dramatic events you’re describing. Get a grip.


I mean "run in place until they're off the bridge, then cross the bridge" is a fair options. Runners often have to stop at red lights. Same deal.

Still, you shouldn't be taking up more than your share of space just because you have a dog, and you definitely shouldn't be taking up more than your share of space while also wearing headphones, messing with your phone, or otherwise being difficult to directly engage when people point out that you're in the way. It's not your private space. Stay aware of your surroundings, as a safety precaution.


This is the real problem. There are signs on these trails that say something like "Give notice when passing" which OP did, but also, you shouldn't be a distracted walker OR runner OR cyclist. If you have headphones on, it's on you to make sure you aren't going to get hurt. You need to be able to hear when you are a driver or a pedestrian. Distracted people on their phones are a major issue and causing a lot of injury and death.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 17:56     Subject: Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You are going faster so it is on you to go around them. Or slow down. Running up and startling a dog is a good way to get bitten.


There was no place to go around them. It was a bridge. It's on me to yell out that I'm approaching, which I did, multiple times. It's on the walker to pay attention and not take up the whole sidewalk.

This was on a trail used by walkers, runners and bikers. Think Capital Crescent Trail or GW Trail. - OP.

There’s no doubt they’re being rude and not sharing the sidewalk the way they’re supposed to, but oblivious people are everywhere. Sometimes they’re going to block you. You’ve made a good PSA. That’s really all you can do.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 17:44     Subject: Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:I’ve been a runner and city dweller for 30 years and a dog owner for 10 and have literally never encountered any of the problems in this thread. Sidewalks are shared community resources, open to runners and walkers, slow or fast, and to dogs on leashes, people wearing headphones, and little kids on bikes. It’s really not that hard to have a little patience and the tiniest bit of a sense of humor. Both will help you avoid the dramatic events you’re describing. Get a grip.


I mean "run in place until they're off the bridge, then cross the bridge" is a fair options. Runners often have to stop at red lights. Same deal.

Still, you shouldn't be taking up more than your share of space just because you have a dog, and you definitely shouldn't be taking up more than your share of space while also wearing headphones, messing with your phone, or otherwise being difficult to directly engage when people point out that you're in the way. It's not your private space. Stay aware of your surroundings, as a safety precaution.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 17:19     Subject: Pay attention on public sidewalks!
I’ve been a runner and city dweller for 30 years and a dog owner for 10 and have literally never encountered any of the problems in this thread. Sidewalks are shared community resources, open to runners and walkers, slow or fast, and to dogs on leashes, people wearing headphones, and little kids on bikes. It’s really not that hard to have a little patience and the tiniest bit of a sense of humor. Both will help you avoid the dramatic events you’re describing. Get a grip.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 17:08     Subject: Re:Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sorry man, this is a you thing. You do not get right of way because you're faster. If you are running on a trail or sidewalk or something, and you come up on someone moving slowly, walking a dog, taking up the whole sidewalk, and you can't get around them, then YOU need to slow down or fully stop and wait for them to proceed. They have just as much of a right to the sidewalk as you do and the solution is right there in front of you: Stop or slow down. It's not like they're blocking the whole trail taking a nap for 30 mins. Stop, say excuse me, and get around them as you're able. Then you can keep running. If your workout is too precious for that, then go run on a track somewhere.


So it’s ok for a pedestrian to take up the whole sidewalk? Other pedestrians have to slow down or stop so the slower pedestrian doesn’t have to move to one side of the sidewalk? Do slower people have the right to the whole sidewalk? Why?



I'm the PP (and for what it's worth, I don't have a dog and never had, contrary to other posters assumptions).

Sometimes, pedestrians take up the whole sidewalk, yes. There are lots of sidewalk spots near my house where it narrows down and two people walking closely together would take up the whole sidewalk. So, a person in a wheelchair would take all the space. A person with a dog, even on a short leash, would take up all the space. A person pushing a stroller or a person holding a slow moving toddler's hand (those last two, yes, are often me) will take up the whole space. But as I noted in my post - they're not taking a nap! No, it's not okay to sit there and not move, sidewalks are for traveling on. But if some people are moving more slowly, and the appropriate thing to do in a society is to slow down, say "excuse me," (of course the other folks should move to the side if there is room) get past if possible, and wait your turn if it's not.

Why? Because they, by definition, were there first. They have just as much right to use the sidewalk slowly as you do to use it quickly. You have to wait your turn. You both have a right to use the sidewalk, but you DON'T have a right to yell ON YOUR LEFT and send everyone scampering out of the way so you can run at full speed. As I mentioned, the words you're looking for are "excuse me."


What should one do when the slower person is wearing headphones as in the OP and cannot hear you saying excuse me? Wait till the song is over? Tap the person on the shoulder? That would go over so well. Wave?




PP here. I will agree that someone with headphones on so loud that they cannot hear a person right next to them say "excuse me" loudly is also being rude (in addition to putting themselves in danger since they can't hear car horns, shouted warnings, etc).

In that case, if someone wearing headphones is moving slowly and taking up the whole sidewalk, you can either navigate carefully around them if possible, give them a chance to walk through to a wider section (if it's just a few feet away) or, yes, get their attention by tapping on the shoulder or waving at them. What's the alternative, hip checking them?

Someone else being rude doesn't give you a pass to also be rude.


In the OP, there was no room to maneuver around the person wearing headphones and taking up the whole sidewalk while they were both crossing on a bridge - so probably not just a few feet till a wider section. I would imagine touching a stranger unexpectedly would be considered rude or even aggressive by some. So we are down to waving?

Or the slower person could just keep their wits about them and not take up the entire sidewalk.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 16:39     Subject: Re:Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sorry man, this is a you thing. You do not get right of way because you're faster. If you are running on a trail or sidewalk or something, and you come up on someone moving slowly, walking a dog, taking up the whole sidewalk, and you can't get around them, then YOU need to slow down or fully stop and wait for them to proceed. They have just as much of a right to the sidewalk as you do and the solution is right there in front of you: Stop or slow down. It's not like they're blocking the whole trail taking a nap for 30 mins. Stop, say excuse me, and get around them as you're able. Then you can keep running. If your workout is too precious for that, then go run on a track somewhere.


So it’s ok for a pedestrian to take up the whole sidewalk? Other pedestrians have to slow down or stop so the slower pedestrian doesn’t have to move to one side of the sidewalk? Do slower people have the right to the whole sidewalk? Why?



I'm the PP (and for what it's worth, I don't have a dog and never had, contrary to other posters assumptions).

Sometimes, pedestrians take up the whole sidewalk, yes. There are lots of sidewalk spots near my house where it narrows down and two people walking closely together would take up the whole sidewalk. So, a person in a wheelchair would take all the space. A person with a dog, even on a short leash, would take up all the space. A person pushing a stroller or a person holding a slow moving toddler's hand (those last two, yes, are often me) will take up the whole space. But as I noted in my post - they're not taking a nap! No, it's not okay to sit there and not move, sidewalks are for traveling on. But if some people are moving more slowly, and the appropriate thing to do in a society is to slow down, say "excuse me," (of course the other folks should move to the side if there is room) get past if possible, and wait your turn if it's not.

Why? Because they, by definition, were there first. They have just as much right to use the sidewalk slowly as you do to use it quickly. You have to wait your turn. You both have a right to use the sidewalk, but you DON'T have a right to yell ON YOUR LEFT and send everyone scampering out of the way so you can run at full speed. As I mentioned, the words you're looking for are "excuse me."


What should one do when the slower person is wearing headphones as in the OP and cannot hear you saying excuse me? Wait till the song is over? Tap the person on the shoulder? That would go over so well. Wave?




PP here. I will agree that someone with headphones on so loud that they cannot hear a person right next to them say "excuse me" loudly is also being rude (in addition to putting themselves in danger since they can't hear car horns, shouted warnings, etc).

In that case, if someone wearing headphones is moving slowly and taking up the whole sidewalk, you can either navigate carefully around them if possible, give them a chance to walk through to a wider section (if it's just a few feet away) or, yes, get their attention by tapping on the shoulder or waving at them. What's the alternative, hip checking them?

Someone else being rude doesn't give you a pass to also be rude.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 16:35     Subject: Re:Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sorry man, this is a you thing. You do not get right of way because you're faster. If you are running on a trail or sidewalk or something, and you come up on someone moving slowly, walking a dog, taking up the whole sidewalk, and you can't get around them, then YOU need to slow down or fully stop and wait for them to proceed. They have just as much of a right to the sidewalk as you do and the solution is right there in front of you: Stop or slow down. It's not like they're blocking the whole trail taking a nap for 30 mins. Stop, say excuse me, and get around them as you're able. Then you can keep running. If your workout is too precious for that, then go run on a track somewhere.


So it’s ok for a pedestrian to take up the whole sidewalk? Other pedestrians have to slow down or stop so the slower pedestrian doesn’t have to move to one side of the sidewalk? Do slower people have the right to the whole sidewalk? Why?



I'm the PP (and for what it's worth, I don't have a dog and never had, contrary to other posters assumptions).

Sometimes, pedestrians take up the whole sidewalk, yes. There are lots of sidewalk spots near my house where it narrows down and two people walking closely together would take up the whole sidewalk. So, a person in a wheelchair would take all the space. A person with a dog, even on a short leash, would take up all the space. A person pushing a stroller or a person holding a slow moving toddler's hand (those last two, yes, are often me) will take up the whole space. But as I noted in my post - they're not taking a nap! No, it's not okay to sit there and not move, sidewalks are for traveling on. But if some people are moving more slowly, and the appropriate thing to do in a society is to slow down, say "excuse me," (of course the other folks should move to the side if there is room) get past if possible, and wait your turn if it's not.

Why? Because they, by definition, were there first. They have just as much right to use the sidewalk slowly as you do to use it quickly. You have to wait your turn. You both have a right to use the sidewalk, but you DON'T have a right to yell ON YOUR LEFT and send everyone scampering out of the way so you can run at full speed. As I mentioned, the words you're looking for are "excuse me."


What should one do when the slower person is wearing headphones as in the OP and cannot hear you saying excuse me? Wait till the song is over? Tap the person on the shoulder? That would go over so well. Wave?


Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 16:20     Subject: Re:Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sorry man, this is a you thing. You do not get right of way because you're faster. If you are running on a trail or sidewalk or something, and you come up on someone moving slowly, walking a dog, taking up the whole sidewalk, and you can't get around them, then YOU need to slow down or fully stop and wait for them to proceed. They have just as much of a right to the sidewalk as you do and the solution is right there in front of you: Stop or slow down. It's not like they're blocking the whole trail taking a nap for 30 mins. Stop, say excuse me, and get around them as you're able. Then you can keep running. If your workout is too precious for that, then go run on a track somewhere.


So it’s ok for a pedestrian to take up the whole sidewalk? Other pedestrians have to slow down or stop so the slower pedestrian doesn’t have to move to one side of the sidewalk? Do slower people have the right to the whole sidewalk? Why?



I'm the PP (and for what it's worth, I don't have a dog and never had, contrary to other posters assumptions).

Sometimes, pedestrians take up the whole sidewalk, yes. There are lots of sidewalk spots near my house where it narrows down and two people walking closely together would take up the whole sidewalk. So, a person in a wheelchair would take all the space. A person with a dog, even on a short leash, would take up all the space. A person pushing a stroller or a person holding a slow moving toddler's hand (those last two, yes, are often me) will take up the whole space. But as I noted in my post - they're not taking a nap! No, it's not okay to sit there and not move, sidewalks are for traveling on. But if some people are moving more slowly, and the appropriate thing to do in a society is to slow down, say "excuse me," (of course the other folks should move to the side if there is room) get past if possible, and wait your turn if it's not.

Why? Because they, by definition, were there first. They have just as much right to use the sidewalk slowly as you do to use it quickly. You have to wait your turn. You both have a right to use the sidewalk, but you DON'T have a right to yell ON YOUR LEFT and send everyone scampering out of the way so you can run at full speed. As I mentioned, the words you're looking for are "excuse me."
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 15:34     Subject: Re:Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:Sorry man, this is a you thing. You do not get right of way because you're faster. If you are running on a trail or sidewalk or something, and you come up on someone moving slowly, walking a dog, taking up the whole sidewalk, and you can't get around them, then YOU need to slow down or fully stop and wait for them to proceed. They have just as much of a right to the sidewalk as you do and the solution is right there in front of you: Stop or slow down. It's not like they're blocking the whole trail taking a nap for 30 mins. Stop, say excuse me, and get around them as you're able. Then you can keep running. If your workout is too precious for that, then go run on a track somewhere.


So it’s ok for a pedestrian to take up the whole sidewalk? Other pedestrians have to slow down or stop so the slower pedestrian doesn’t have to move to one side of the sidewalk? Do slower people have the right to the whole sidewalk? Why?

Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 13:41     Subject: Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:I'm laughing at the image of a runner who can't slow down and just plows through packs of dogs. Sounds like an SNL sketch.


Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 13:37     Subject: Pay attention on public sidewalks!
I'm laughing at the image of a runner who can't slow down and just plows through packs of dogs. Sounds like an SNL sketch.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 13:33     Subject: Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should do your recreational activities in a designated space rather than complain about other people using the sidewalk for it’s intended purpose? Why do runners and bikers think that public roads and walkways are their personal gym?


Nah to this mess. I don't run, and I love walking my dog, and I'm 100% behind OP's point. Some of y'all let your dogs walk you at the very end of their leash, and you have zero control.

Shared space is for everyone. Leash your dog, control it correctly, and stay alert so that others don't encounter your animal.


Oh my... let your dog have a little bit of control.


No. My dog is my responsibility, not my partner. She can have all the "control" she wants at liberty in her home. When we are on walks in common space, she gets to practice responsive behavior at heel. If I think she needs a break, we leave the walkway. We don't expect other people to accommodate our spacehogging rudeness.

Control yourself, since you clearly can't/won't control your animal(s).
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 13:32     Subject: Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:I'm with you on paying attention with your dogs but you're losing me with bikes on the sidewalk. Those people are a scourge. Unless it's a toddler on a tricycle they all deserve to fly over their handlebars.


I lol'd but I also get it. Have you seen how people drive around here? Cars share the street with bikes about as well as dogwalkers do with other pedestrians.

Stay safe out there!
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 13:31     Subject: Pay attention on public sidewalks!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should do your recreational activities in a designated space rather than complain about other people using the sidewalk for it’s intended purpose? Why do runners and bikers think that public roads and walkways are their personal gym?


Nah to this mess. I don't run, and I love walking my dog, and I'm 100% behind OP's point. Some of y'all let your dogs walk you at the very end of their leash, and you have zero control.

Shared space is for everyone. Leash your dog, control it correctly, and stay alert so that others don't encounter your animal.


Oh my... let your dog have a little bit of control.