Running etiquette is not a subject I planned to spend a whole episode on. After 2,130 consecutive days of running outside, though, I have seen enough to know that small courtesies change how a run feels for everyone involved. That includes the runner, the person walking, the cyclist and the driver.

I am on Day 2130 of my daily running streak. I have covered 16,369.16km so far, which leaves 23,705.84km of the 40,075km lap of the world. I run barefoot-style, mostly in Vibram FiveFingers, and I film every run as part of a mission to raise £1M for children's causes. Running every day in different towns and countries has shown me how runners, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers get along, or do not.

Here is what I have learned.

Give people space, especially at night

This is the one I most want other runners to take on, and men in particular. If you come up behind a woman, or two women, or a group of young people or children, on a quiet path or after dark, you can frighten them without meaning to. Someone pounding up from behind and passing with a few inches to spare is intimidating.

My footwear adds to this. Barefoot-style shoes do not make the heavy sound a pair of cushioned trainers makes. People often do not hear me until I am close. That means the responsibility to be noticed sits with me.

On the run I filmed for this episode, I came up behind two young women on a narrow farmland track. I waited until I judged they could hear me, said "excuse me", moved over as far as the track allowed and passed with a friendly greeting. I did not want to be the reason anyone felt uneasy. Where I can, I cross the road before I reach people. Quite often they say thank you.

I know how it feels from the other side. In a place I did not know, I ran past a group of young men outside a pub. They were drinking, and one of them stepped into my path and shouldered me towards a busy road. I kept my balance, smiled and carried on. There were six or seven of them and I had no wish to make it worse. My heart rate on that run was well above normal, and it was fear, not effort. Since then I have not forgotten how a run can change when you feel unsafe.

Say hello

This costs nothing. Say morning, afternoon or evening to the people you pass. Raise a hand to other runners. Most of us know what the others are going through, and that gives a quiet mutual respect.

It is not the same everywhere. Some of the best running I have done has been in the Netherlands. The land is flat, people love being outdoors and almost everyone greets you. It makes the whole place feel better. Parts of the UK are far less friendly, and I have passed runners who would not acknowledge me at all. I find that sad, so I keep greeting people anyway.

Share paths with cyclists

On a shared path, keep to the side of the path your country drives on. Faster traffic then has a lane to overtake in. Cyclists should ring a bell or call out "coming past", and most do. A runner who steps out at the wrong moment will come off worse, but the cyclist can also be thrown from the bike. Predictable positioning protects both of you.

Run towards traffic on country roads

Keep off main roads where you can and use paths and pavements. On single carriageway country lanes with no pavement, I run on the side facing oncoming traffic. It feels odd at first. You can see vehicles coming, and drivers can see you and give you more room than they would if they came up behind you unseen.

At a bend, cross to the side that gives the longest view past it, and stay aware of what is behind you as you do. If there is a flat grass verge, step onto it and let the vehicle through. That is easier for the driver than running in the road and being hooted at. When it passes, give a thank you and a wave. Drivers notice, and it helps them feel the road is safe to share.

In my experience, drivers give runners less trouble than they give cyclists. When I cycled, the abuse from traffic put me off. I do not take the tolerance runners get for granted.

The lesson

None of this takes effort or fitness. It takes attention. Daily running has taught me that consistency is mostly made of small, repeated choices. Moving over, saying hello and waving to a driver are the same kind of choice as putting my shoes on every morning. I make them without drama, and over 2,130 days they add up to a way of running I am comfortable with.

The mission behind the streak

I run every day because I want to complete a lap of the world, 40,075km, and raise £1M for children's causes. The more people who watch these episodes, the more good the project can do. Running etiquette has little to do with distance, but being a decent presence on the road is part of doing this properly. I spend a lot of time in other people's towns, and I want to leave a good impression.

If you run, or are thinking about starting, try one thing this week. Say hello to everyone you pass, or give someone more room than you think they need. Notice how it feels.

If you would like to follow the journey, watch the full episode, subscribe and share it with a runner you know. I will be out again tomorrow.

Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/DRu3hKm8xcw