Anybody ever get heckled while running or biking?

13

Replies

  • Josh_lol
    Josh_lol Posts: 317 Member
    It's happened to me before. People seem to think that because I'm overweight, they can make fun of me for wanting to run. It's pretty demotivating so I tend to just stick to the treadmill.
  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
    Ignore and keep on pushing!

  • tabbyblack13
    tabbyblack13 Posts: 299 Member
    I get heckled walking my dog, because I have a small dog. He's a Chihuahua and French Bulldog mix that weighs about 12 pounds. So yeah, it's not "manly" to have a small dog.

    I have an 18 lb French Bulldog/Chihuahua mix. I only get stopped so people can pet him and ask what breed he is. I'm a woman so there is a different attitude.

    I tend to do most of my walking out in the hills so I don't have to worry about it too much. The worst things I've dealt with was ATVs and they usually stay on their side. I sometimes have to deal with horses but since I usually have a dog with me they give me a lot of room. Horses can spook for the weirdest reasons and a dog can set them off.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    edited July 2016
    The only time I tend to say, or do anything to said riders/runners (other than give them as much room as possible) is when they are being total *kitten*, riding in the center of the lane (making it impossible to safely pass them on two-lane roads).

    ETA: Don't do this. It makes people angry. Angry people are prone to doing stupid things. They are in something that weighs 20x what you and your bike do. That, plus angry and stupid, could equal runner/rider dead.

    I'm sorry. I believe the law gives you the right to the lane on a bike. At least in California, it does.
    Most riders would not hog the center of the lane if so many angry drivers weren't so impatient to squeeze thru. I cannot tell you how many times drivers have passed mere inches from my handle bars, when they could have been more polite and waited to swing out into the other lane a bit to give the bike room.
    Talk about pissed. You might be 15-20 seconds late because I am in the center of the lane. I might be maimed or dead because you are so inconsiderate.
  • ElleMuffin
    ElleMuffin Posts: 7 Member
    CATCALLS! it doesn't matter what you're running in, how crazy your hair looks or what shape you're in. It seems like there are a bunch of guys hanging around the park for no other reason than to make you uncomfortable/unsafe.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    A-holes, teens. You repeat yourself.
  • KDar1988
    KDar1988 Posts: 648 Member
    I get heckled walking my dog, because I have a small dog. He's a Chihuahua and French Bulldog mix that weighs about 12 pounds. So yeah, it's not "manly" to have a small dog.

    I have an 18 lb French Bulldog/Chihuahua mix. I only get stopped so people can pet him and ask what breed he is. I'm a woman so there is a different attitude.

    I tend to do most of my walking out in the hills so I don't have to worry about it too much. The worst things I've dealt with was ATVs and they usually stay on their side. I sometimes have to deal with horses but since I usually have a dog with me they give me a lot of room. Horses can spook for the weirdest reasons and a dog can set them off.

    Speaking of horses. One night I was out on a backroad and an Amish carriage was coming towards me. The horse crossed the center lane of the road and was coming for me! I had to slam on the breaks, skidded the tires and prayed to God that the dad was able to stop it. Good thing dad was driving because around here 7 year olds drive those carriages and if they had been driving, I'd be dead now.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    I hate when you have the "walk" sign as a pedestrian to cross the street but people don't even look and make right on red turns. A few times someone almost hit me!
  • CMB1979
    CMB1979 Posts: 588 Member
    edited July 2016
    It happens. I got the occasional "Move it fat-@$$" when I was in the USA. In Korea, people try to take pictures with you or just stare until you're out of sight.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    I hate when you have the "walk" sign as a pedestrian to cross the street but people don't even look and make right on red turns.

    Me too, but the question was whether you have gotten heckled. ;) About crosswalks, motorists tend to look for walkers, not runners, so expect to be invisible if you run across.

    OP - try wearing camo clothes & hat. See if that gets you more respect. :+1:
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    KDar1988 wrote: »
    Happened to me today when I was out on my bike for a long ride. It's really frustrating that people have to be such a-holes. Sounded like a carload of teens. I shouldn't have let it bother me but it makes me feel like crap that people have to be that way especially when I'm trying to do something good for me.

    What exactly did they say? How do you know they weren't cheering or just talking about something else?

    Who can tell? I've never been able to discern what any of them are saying. Like I said earlier ... they all look like dogs with their heads out the window and gums flapping in the breeze! :lol:

  • thenewkayla
    thenewkayla Posts: 313 Member
    One word
    Headphones! At least for runners .
    I run on a trail behind my house. Mostly people walking there dogs or running. Pretty quiet. But I am self conscious I wonder what are they thinking. But then again fu)k them
  • niblue
    niblue Posts: 339 Member
    I've not really been heckled but have had a couple of teens try and impress their mates by starting to run alongside me. I'm faster than I look like I should be though - so just ask them if they can keep that pace up for 10K then accelerate!

    Not been heckled on the bike but been cut-up by drivers plenty of times. Quite often catch them in traffic as well - and have a quiet chat...
  • StephanieJane2
    StephanieJane2 Posts: 191 Member
    Here in france they are very respecful of cyclists, i wouldnt understand them if they shouted at me anyway !
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    Here in france they are very respecful of cyclists, i wouldnt understand them if they shouted at me anyway !

    I've always enjoyed cycling in France. :)
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    niblue wrote: »
    I've not really been heckled but have had a couple of teens try and impress their mates by starting to run alongside me. I'm faster than I look like I should be though - so just ask them if they can keep that pace up for 10K then accelerate!

    Not been heckled on the bike but been cut-up by drivers plenty of times. Quite often catch them in traffic as well - and have a quiet chat...

    You ditched teenagers who were inspired to run by you? :'( I always liked it when one of the little girls in the neighborhood would happily go all "hiiiiii" whenever she'd see me rounding the corner. Almost makes me want to take up jogging again. Almost :bigsmile:
  • niblue
    niblue Posts: 339 Member
    JaneiR36 wrote: »
    You ditched teenagers who were inspired to run by you? :'(

    I think you're getting the wrong impression - I should have said youths and it was more along the lines of "lets get a selfie with the fat person who's trying to run" while laughing at me with their mates!

  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    I was on my bike the other day and I had a truck behind me give me a hard time. I was in the right lane waiting for the light to go green. When I pulled up there was no one behind me and then he pulled up. I'm on a road bike with all my gear so it's obvious that I belong on the road. He honked at me and I ignored it. He inched closer to my back tire and I stood my ground. No way was this *kitten* going to chase me off the road. As the light went green I admit I took a few extra seconds to move forward, I did have to clip in after all :D As I pulled away from the intersection I was sure to let him know I thought he was number one in my book LOL Most people are very decent and understand we have to share the road but some are just d-bags! I also run but I've not had major problems with people when out running.
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,374 Member
    never been heckled but have been run off the road or passed within inches (usually rednecks in pickup trucks around here doing that *kitten*).
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Op- I'm sorry this happened to you. I know it sucks and can be upsetting.
    But just know this- these types of things will happen no matter what you weigh or what you look like.
    I had hecklers when I was obese and hecklers when I was thin. Some people are just mean spirited jerks. They would've laughed at anyone who happened to be running by that day. Ppl show off in front of one another and say stupid things sometimes. Don't let these things deter you from achieving your goals. Get some headphones and continue to work out.
  • RogerToo
    RogerToo Posts: 16,157 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    They were teens! They'll heckle anyone for anything. It means nothing. I've not been heckled, but I've had several people I don't know stop me and tell me how proud they are of my effort!

    Hi
    I have had similar things, I have had people jogging past me as I am doing my walking comment, Doing Good or Looking Good.

    As I see it there are good and bad people out there, You just need a mental kill file and ignore them. They are not happy with their lives and want to spread that around to feel better themselves IMO.

    Cheers
    Roger
  • CMB1979
    CMB1979 Posts: 588 Member
    newmeadow wrote: »
    CMB1979 wrote: »
    It happens. I got the occasional "Move it fat-@$$" when I was in the USA. In Korea, people try to take pictures with you or just stare until you're out of sight.

    That sounds sweeter than move it fat @ss! :smile: Maybe the gawking reaction isn't completely sweet and innocent over there in Korea but I'd prefer it over the sound of shouting insults. :pensive:

    True. I prefer it over the Georgian (country not state) way of people saying "Don't you know you're quite fat" because they were trying to help or thought I wasn't aware. Random strangers haven't shouted names at me since I left the USA in 2010.
  • tmac8902
    tmac8902 Posts: 2 Member
    Wow, that is ridiculous! Some people just plain suck! It's all about their insecurities and self doubts defiantly nothing to do with or about you.
  • Frankenbarbie01
    Frankenbarbie01 Posts: 432 Member
    I used to run at night when it was dark so people wouldn't see me. Even then in my hick town, full grown men would drive past in their junky old crummy 4x4 and yell things like "RUN FATTY!!" at which point they got the double fingers!! Another time after I stopped running at night because it scared me too much, during an early morning run... I was running with my dog and she was leashed around my waist a guy said "Oh poor dog!!....that's f@cked up" He got a stern "mind your own FN business" then a very dramatic recoil and OMG reaction when I actually ran past and smelled him (he had been drinking A LOT the night before). He was horribly embarrassed that I had heard him (I had headphones in) AND called him on it.
    People like that think you aren't going to question them on how they are treating you, when you confront their poor and abusive behavior they really don't have much more to say.....go figure?
  • BlondeTheHardWay
    BlondeTheHardWay Posts: 48 Member
    Oh Jesus yes! I had one very trim pretty lady examine how my hips hung over the edge of a chair by a couple inches. I asked her if she had lost something ( like her mind). My hips now hang over a whole lot less! I was 272 not too long ago. 231 is real progress. 175 will be my goal. You know, it would have been nice if she could seen past whatever her mental block was and give me a compliment. I'm not at all bad looking!! Nice hair. Great face. Talented. Easy to be friends with and tolerant.....to a point. Hey...let's all get out there and be strong in our convictions to get healthy. The stronger we are the Less the Jerks will hurt us!
  • MarkusDarwath
    MarkusDarwath Posts: 393 Member
    Oddly enough, I never get heckled when riding on the road. We have a great bike path here, and occasionally I've been heckled by the spandex clad racing bikers (Who actually aren't supposed to be doing time trials on the path anyway...it's for recreational riding, not speed riding). It's my pet peeve when cyclists heckle other cyclists.

    That said....if anyone wants to be friends with an old, slow cyclist, I'd welcome a request! :)


    That type is why bicyclists catch so much prejudice from drivers around here. The Lance Armstrong wannabes tend to be so discourteous when riding on the road and ignoring traffic laws that their reputation smears everyone on a bicycle.
  • MarkusDarwath
    MarkusDarwath Posts: 393 Member
    JohnONE29 wrote: »
    Yes, I was called Fat-Boy back in 2012 while running. I went on to lose 100 pounds through running. But even still, I still get heckled by teens every once in a while.

    I've been tempted to yell, "Run Fat Boy!" a few times, but I didn't because I didn't know those people and they might not understand/appreciate my twisted sense of humor and back-handed camaraderie.

  • ItsyBitsy246
    ItsyBitsy246 Posts: 307 Member
    Oddly enough, I never get heckled when riding on the road. We have a great bike path here, and occasionally I've been heckled by the spandex clad racing bikers (Who actually aren't supposed to be doing time trials on the path anyway...it's for recreational riding, not speed riding). It's my pet peeve when cyclists heckle other cyclists.

    That said....if anyone wants to be friends with an old, slow cyclist, I'd welcome a request! :)

    Sounds like the Arlington loop where I live. Awesome paved trails. Great for biking and walking... until Lance and company come blowing through. I've seen so many cringe-worthy near misses. Really takes some of the fun out of it!

  • Acidique
    Acidique Posts: 119 Member
    Oh yes, heckled all the time. I don't think it even matters if you're fit or out of shape. Hecklers just heckle. I was heckled at 100lbs over weight, and I'm still occasionally heckled now that I only have about 20lbs to lose. It bothered me at first, but then I got angry and decided I was doing this for me, not them, and I refused to give them any significance on my radar.

    Now it wouldn't bother me in the least. I love what I do, I love being outside, and now comments (positive or negative) don't affect me in the least.
  • cschafer2016
    cschafer2016 Posts: 9 Member
    The only times I want to yell at bikers are when they insist on riding abreast and block the lane. That really irritates me.