Do you run to the right, to the left, do you move, do you stay, or do you smash?

5 watchers

Dvorak Apr 2016 2:45pm, 6 Apr 2016 11,614 posts	0 Dvorak I tend to the left because we drive on the left, but as Bazoaxe says towpath users seem to have a strange habit of heading right, though in certain nearby sections it's very possible they are tourists or other foreigners (though it's not just them). Most people actually stand aside and a surprising number apologise. I don't think I'm that scary.
UsedToRunaBit Apr 2016 2:50pm, 6 Apr 2016 105 posts	0 UsedToRunaBit Was joking about the wrong side, there are no rules are there? Suppose we are all meant to use a bit of common sense, can't legislate for everything hey?
Badger Apr 2016 3:05pm, 6 Apr 2016 7,152 posts	0 Badger Well, there's a convention in New York at least, that pedestrians move to their right to avoid jostling each other. It's great. Makes running and walking much less confrontational than in the UK. It isn't legislation, though.
duo Apr 2016 3:05pm, 6 Apr 2016 223 posts	0 duo I tend to stick to the left well away from the pavement edge (roadside) if I can as I normally run along the coast it's too easy to be shunted onto the road with fast moving (60mph) traffic approaching from the rear. I find dog walkers with extendable leads to be a pain as they'll move (as mentioned before) but let the lead run so you have a good chance of being tripped.
Lemon10 Apr 2016 3:21pm, 6 Apr 2016 1,933 posts	0 Lemon10 This actually happens to me constantly, not just running but when I walk around - in town and in supermarkets especially. People just walk straight at me like I don't exist. I dodge whichever way is easiest and mutter something like "I must be fucking invisible".
Red Squirrel Apr 2016 3:45pm, 6 Apr 2016 19,084 posts	0 Red Squirrel I stick to the left except in cases, such as Duchess mentions, where I will go far right for small kids or someone with a pram to put myself between them and the road/river/canal. I've been known to do a left indication with my hand on several occasions when on a shared MTB/run path and have been thanked for it.
ryanwynne Apr 2016 4:57pm, 6 Apr 2016 4 posts	0 ryanwynne smash
Velociraptor Apr 2016 5:15pm, 6 Apr 2016 33,657 posts	0 Velociraptor I bare my teeth and flex my foreclaws. I don't understand why anyone ever has trouble with other pavement-users (I tend to let large agricultural vehicles have right of way.)
McGoohan Apr 2016 5:39pm, 6 Apr 2016 22,728 posts	0 McGoohan I try to make early eye contact and then scream "yaaaaaagh. Grrrr. Fuck!" over and over. I have no problem getting pavement space.
Garfield Apr 2016 8:33pm, 6 Apr 2016 6,558 posts	0 Garfield I swerve around people when running on the canal paths, though I tend to stay on the side away from the water, no matter which direction I'm going in. Hubby suffers from confusion as to which side to cycle on when we're cycling together on the canal path...I'll be on the left of the path and ring a bell or whistle very loudly...I can whistle louder than my bell at times!