WITHIN minutes, and that is no exaggeration, of being asked to share my thoughts about pavement clashes, I was involved in a frank exchange of views.
It was not a confrontation. It was all rather amicable, in the end.
Victoria Park in east Belfast is operating a trial one-way system to help people exercise while abiding by social distancing guidelines.
An excellent idea, if people actually followed the directional arrows.
Not that I make a habit of doing things like this when I run, but I counted 31 different people going the `wrong way' as I completed one lap of the lake, which is slightly more than one mile.
It may well be they cannot see the multiple, large, unambiguous signs that are placed at every entrance and dotted around the park. Or it may be that they simply do not care.
Either way, with walkers and runners moving in opposite directions, even on Vicky Park's wide paths, quite often the desired two metre gap is breached.
It is already hard enough to maintain when forced to weave around sprawling family groups with their bikes, scooters, dogs on flexi leads, hover boards and oblivious children.
Which brings me back to my introductory comments.
While trying to leave enough space when running around a quite large family, who did their best to take up the entire path, I found myself heading straight towards a walker.
They threw their hands out and muttered something, so I stopped and ran back to ask what had been said.
She pointed out that I had run too close. I pointed out that she was ignoring the one way system.
We both apologised to each other and agreed "everyone needs to do their little bit". She then continued to ignore the one way system.
The problem is, there are runners and walkers alike who do not feel they need to do their little bit. The sense of entitlement is alarming, from both.
What gives me the right to conclude this? Nothing, I suppose, but I either walk my dog or go running every day of the week and experience the best and worst behaviour from both sides.
During this lockdown, the etiquette of people interacting on footpaths has come under intense scrutiny.
There was already friction between these two groups before this crisis.
A lot of us are understandably panicky about the two metre rule. I'm a big fan. In fact it should be five metres, and should stay in force even after the lockdown ends.
But many are concerned about others getting too close on busy footpaths, greenways and parks.
I try to run in roads, bus lanes, car parks, industrial estates, as far away from people as is possible.
When I walk my dog, I try to do it early or late, when fewer people should be out.
In the last seven weeks I've witnessed some shocking behaviour.
I am baffled by joggers who make a point of moving only in a straight line and expect others to leap out of their way.
This bizarre notion that stopping means a run does not count has always puzzled me. Even if you need to come to a complete stop for a few seconds on a 10-mile run, so what, you still ran 10 miles.
I was told this week about a jogger who grunted "move over" as he brushed by a retired couple out walking on a narrow footpath. I was appalled, probably more than they were.
It would have been easy for him to move into the bus lane or stop for a few seconds if there was a bus or Glider in it. Confrontation avoided.
It is probably more a runner's responsibility to move out of the way of walking pedestrians, especially if moving at speed.
But, I am equally perplexed by couples and families out walking who spread their group out over as large an area as possible.
I consider myself a mannerly runner. I'll stop if I have to and if I need to pass I will say "excuse me please" or "passing on your right" and will always wave thank you.
However, even that does not stop muttering or comments, some quite aggressive.
There have been some left field suggestions about how to accommodate everyone in parks. Some good, some bad.
I have read that the council should ban bikes from parks - I'd file that under bad. Runners should be given their own `lanes' - that one isn't too bad actually.
Runners should wear masks - not sure of the science behind that one, but it would put walkers' minds at ease, possibly.
Author and runner Bella Mackie told BBC Radio 4 recently that the onus was on the runner to be extra-considerate.
I'd argue that both groups should show respect. Politeness breeds politeness.
