Forums >Running 101>Audible Warning?
I'm wondering if I'm committing some kind of running faux-pas... Are runners supposed to give an audible warnings when passing other runners or pedestrians? I usually don't. I will if the runner/ped is walking in the middle of the sidewalk or seems to be weaving from side-to-side. I'll say something like, "Coming up on your left" in hopes that they'll move over or walk straight. But, if I feel I can pass them on one side or the other, I just run by. It seems like, more often than not, when I give the warning, it startles them. I've wondered this from time to time, but I ask because a few days ago, I squeeked past a pedestrian and he wasn't happy with me. I'm sure I startled him and I probably should have warned him, but... What do you all do?
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Good Bad & The Monkey
I usually only give warnings in the following two situations:
- I am passing another runner or walker on a narrow trail
- I am running up a hill and passing a biker, in which case I am sure always to call out "on your left". They dig that.
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Poor baby
Feeling the growl again
For some reason I've found a cough or something similar is less startling than yelling a warning to someone. If I have to pass close to a clueless pedestrian I will often fake cough to give them a clue someone is coming up behind. Otherwise running up on someone can freak them out at the last moment (especially in the city) and they may jump in front of you or something.
Basically, I just want to be loud enough to be heard to avoid surprise. With everyone having an iPod headphone stuck in their ears these days, I find myself surprising people more and more (and somehow it is my fault when they are surprised by tuning out the world?).
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I bet they don't dig being passed by a runner. Keep up the good work!
Otherwise running up on someone can freak them out at the last moment (especially in the city) and they may jump in front of you or something.
Yeah, I feel like this is what usually happens. They get all squirrel-like and either scatter or freeze.
With everyone having an iPod headphone stuck in their ears these days, I find myself surprising people more and more (and somehow it is my fault when they are surprised by tuning out the world?).
I run with my iPod a lot, so I'm guilty of this myself. FWIW, on the rare occasions I am surprised (I stay to the right religiously and shoulder check constantly), I usually apologize to the other person or in some way let them know it was my fault.
(Edited because I think it's shoulder checking; not head checking).
I drag my feet once or twice when I feel like I'm close enough they'll hear me.
Runners run
I do a couple things that have been said already...cough/clear my throat and drag my feet. I'll yell on your left or right when the person is on their cell phone and weaving back and forth and has no clue they are on a somewhat narrow bike trail. I've found that the people I've encountered get pretty scared when you run by them and they don't know you're coming.
About 3 months ago or so I was coming up on a guy walking who turned around, put his fists up, and said, "You coming up on me bro, you want a piece of me"? I'm not sure if he wasn't all there upstairs or what, but I just took out my pepper spray, showed it to him, and he started backpeddling sideways very quickly with his fists still up. I guess that's the kind of weirdos you encounter when you're out early in the morning.
Imminent Catastrophe
Yeah, when I'm doing a trail run and come up behind a runner with earphones blasting so loud I can hear them, and they can't hear my warning, I understand why some RDs ban those things. Not that I pass a lot of runners but it's been known to happen.
In these cases I recommend an air horn
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not bad for mile 25
Yeah, I think it's a judgment call (so to speak). You can often tell in advance by the appearance of the person how they're going to react to being warned or to being approached silently. If they've got a couple of 20' dog lines crossing the path in both directions, I tend to yell rather loudly, as early as possible.
I tend to give them a "passing on your left", but from far enough away that even if they're startled they have time to react and don't jump in your path.
I use to do the left/right thing and realized that people can't comprehend which way is right or left half the time. Maybe it's because they got startled when I yelled, but I now go with the cough/drag feet and they turn around to see where I'm at and move accordingly.
One day at a time
As a very slow runner, I appreciate it when faster people let me know they're coming. Otherwise, they startle the heck out of me.
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With pedestrians, I usually give a greeting (good morning, hello, whatever), which doubles as a warning. With runners I might do that, or the deliberate foot noise, or a cough.
If they are wearing headphones/earpieces, and are surprised, I really don't have too much pity.
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
I use to do the left/right thing and realized that people can't comprehend which way is right or left half the time.
+1
Even on the track sometimes, which is more surprising