I have no idea why, but some people seem to think that if they see someone on their own on a run they have a right to yell something at them, beep their horn or make some idiotic joke to their mates within the hearing of the runner, writes Hannah Webster.

I have lost count of the number of times this has happened to me, and whether it happens to me more as I’m female and possibly seen as an easier target, I don’t know. But what is wrong with people who think it’s ok to yell at someone they don’t know in the street?

A few months ago I was running along, minding my own business, and someone yelled at me “Run faster – you’re still fat!” From a previous post you’ll probably realise I’m not worried about my weight, but it made me so angry that someone honestly felt they had the right to yell something so derogatory at someone they had never set eyes on before.

I ran past a couple of teenage girls once and one of them did a prissy impression of someone running and both burst out laughing. And I thought Brits were supposed to be known for their manners.

The most common thing is drivers who beep their horns at you as they pass. And no, I am not in their way, I am usually running on the pavement, and there is no one else around. This seems to be the only time it happens – when the area is deserted and a driver is just bored so they think it’s funny to beep at an innocent runner to make them jump. Hilarious.

The other day another guy was standing on the pavement, saw me coming and deliberately stood in my way, looked me up and down and said “Yeah, you keep running darlin’”. I’m not being big-headed, I don’t look remotely attractive when I’m red and sweaty like most people don’t. This was just an idiot trying to intimidate me to get a reaction. Luckily there were no cars coming so I crossed to the other side of the road sharp-ish and turned my music up to drown out whatever rubbish came out of his mouth as I did so.

The thing is, that is all I can do – keep running. I’m not going to lower myself to their level and yell something back or give them any satisfaction of getting a reaction out of me. Quite simply none of them are worth the time of day.

But I do wish someone, somewhere, would educate these pillocks that they are just showing themselves up for the amazingly insecure people they are.