Park sharing (aka grumpy runner's rant)

The weather is beautiful.  It feels awesome to run at a comfortable temperature but it also means that runners are no longer the only people in the park.  I typically run laps around Brooklyn Bridge Park and on nice, spring Sunday afternoons it gets a little crowded.  I'm happy to see other people in the park. Unless they are annoying.   Annoying comes in several varieties:

• Parents:
• You love your kids.  I don't.  When they decide to ride their scooter directly toward me, its very not cute.  
• If your child can barely walk, please keep her near you.  I have no desire to trample her when she falls (same holds if it's a boy).
• If the trail is wide enough for two, please don't continue walking side by side once you  see someone running toward you.
• If your child crosses closely in front of me to kick a pigeon, I've just decided that your child is demonspawn.  You know what that makes you?
• Groups and tourists:
• I understand you're out with your 5 bffs. You cannot walk 5 abreast.  Many people are trying to use the park.
• If you're taking a photo of someone on the other side of the path, I'm not stopping.  Sorry.  Leave room behind yourself otherwise you'll have my sweaty self ruining your shot.
• If I run past you looking miserable, its probably because I've been running for 2 hours.  Don't stop me to ask if the creature that just crossed in front of you was a rat.  Of course it was a rat.  You're in New York, genius.
• Dog owners:
• Pick up after your dog.  Seriously.
• Keep the dog close.  You + dog + extended leash = tripwire of death for me and your dog.
• If you choose not to keep your dog on a leash and he decides he'd rather run with me than you, I'm not stopping.  I do like dogs, and I'll do my best to keep him safe.  You need to have a plan for getting him to come back to you though.
• Bicyclists:
• If there is a "Dismount Bikes" sign when you enter the park, it means that you need to stay off the bike in that area of the park.  Your half apologetic smile when you almost swerve into me is not ok.
• If there are signs indicating that the path is divided for bikes on one side and people on foot on the other side, stay off the people side (runners and walkers, you should stay to your side too!)

As it gets warmer, I'll just start running later on weekends to avoid many of these problems.