|
To try and stay in shape; I go to a nice park to run about 31/4 miles 3 times a week. The park is in a rural setting with clear defined gravel/dirt paths, surrounded by wide open grass areas, (maybe 30%) mixed open/light congestion of trees/established picnic tables, and covered group areas, ( another 30%) and finally heavily wooded up and down elevation dirt trail. (40%)
For the most part; all of these paths/trails are VERY user friendly with a width where 4 people could walk side by side.
Here's my rub! I realize that people come to the park to relax, and should not have to be intensely alert; but some are like dead to senses.
In the general American traffic pattern, I try to stay on the right, and pass on the left. 98% of the time, I have no trouble.
Once in a while though; three people will stand in a circle blocking the path in an area of wide flat grass right next to them. From 70 yards away, you can see that one of them sees you coming. But they won't interupt the conversation to warn the others, so at the last second, chaos wins. I don't mind going by on the grass, but when I'm going down the right side of the path/trail; I think it should be obvious to all what my intended routing is!! It's like they don't have a clue!
In Portland, and particularly in Eugene, Oregon; which has about the longest established bicycle highway in the USA; you had better know the prodical, or you will be run down like a squirrel in the middle of the freeway! Walkers/joggers are welcome there, but you watch your positioning well.
Other humorous events I find, are two women walking side by side. You've been running (faster than a jog) some 3 miles,already so you have an established wheezing of air in/out, plus the gravel compressed under foot coming fast sound, yet they are so oblivious to your arrival, that you have to pass on the right, and one woman jumps a foot off the ground in shocked surprise that you are even there when all of this happens between 10AM-1PM!!!!
Another fun one is the dog owners. ( I do like dogs/cats:but not roosters!!!!!!)
The dog has pulled their way to the full length of the leash. The human may be on the far right with the dog sniffing the grass off to the far left, or vice/versa. I always try to run around the human rather than the dog to avoid surprised lunges and leash conflicts.
It's kind of fun to approach these circumstances. It's like you are a NASCAR racer; there might be a weird spin in front of you; and you must pick a hole to try to drive through whatever mess as cleanly as possible.
I don't even want to talk about the kid factor. A few have manners, and have been taught some; but so many are "anything goes, we own the world chaos"!!!
|