Are you a friendly runner/walker?

Lynn M.

Lynn M.

Cathlete
Hi there-

For those of you who run or walk outside...do you wave and/or smile at the other people you pass by?

I always do, and it is suprising to me how unfriendly the majority of people I see won't even acknowledge it. This is my neighborhood too, in a reasonably small midwest town so its not like I'm in a large urban metro park. It kind of bugs me so if it is somebody I pass frequently, I make a point of waving and greeting even louder and bigger. ( I know. My world is small! ;)

What is it like in your neck of the woods?

Lynn M.
 
Hi Lynn! People usually nod or wave here, although there are a rare few that avoid eye contact. I live in Ohio and that seems pretty in line with what people do in this area for greeting strangers. Interesting that you have a lot of snobby walkers near you. Hmm.
 
Hey Lynn! For me it varies. Some days, people acknowledge me, other times no eye contact, nothin'. I am a very friendly runner/walker as well as neighbor-I'll say hi and chat with people who walk by my house whether I know them or not. I live in a northeast suburb of Detroit and am suprised by the unfriendliness I encounter, too.
 
I almost always smile and greet people when I pass people, I can't help it! :D I usually will get a smile back or a "hi! how are ya'" from whoever I smile at, even when I don't know them. There are times I don't get a response, and usually it is just because they aren't paying attention to anything but just trying to get one foot in front of the other. We live in a suburb of Indianapolis, so I am also in the midwest, but I have heard from most people that move in here from other states (even those from northern IN, the Chicagoland area) say that people around here are much more friendly. Don't know why that is ???

Missy
 
I live in a small town in Kansas where people feel safe enough to walk and run late at night and early in the morning. Friendly, right? Nope. Most people won't return a smile or wave unless they know you. I don't get it.

Shari
 
I wave at each car that passes, and they wave back. If they are on foot too, we always exchange greetings. I'm in a pretty large neighborhood, and everyone is friendly!
 
It depends what kind of mood I'm in & how long I've been running. I run out on the rural roads, so not too many walkers, ...but an occasional car...
 
If I'm walking I'll smile and say hi. Most people say hi back. If I am running, I have headphones on, so I can't hear what anyone else may say. But I will smile at them.

What gets me are those who are inconsiderate of us walkers/runners. Those that keep mowing the grass all the way up to the sidewalk as you go by, even though they clearly see you. Or those that keep spraying the hose to wash the car. I don't need a shower til I get home thanks. People who walk together across the sidewalk and clearly see you running at them and don't scoot to one side. And the dog walkers who keep coming at you. If I am out with the dog, we step out into the parkway and give the walker/runner room. If we are out on a family walk and people are coming at us, we single file and share the sidewalk. Luckily, we don't have too many of those around here. Most people are friendly.

Nan
 
I'm a smiler!

Most people usually will return a wave or smile...usually pretty friendly around here. I have always been surprised by the apparently extremely focused and semicrabby people I have come across during recent running events. and that was before the race! I figure that a smile can help boost endorphins :D (when I first moved back to my hometown after undergrad, I would usually have lotsa people stop and ask if I needed a ride when I was running along the town's streets or the county road many of my family live along! so friendly!)
julie
 
When I'm out walking I usually have all 3 of my dogs with me and they are friendly-too friendly and they get too excited around people so I tend to just keep my head down and keep the girls moving. I've had little kids stop and they want to pet my dogs and they usually end up getting scratched and pawed, and the leashes get all tangled-it's quite a spectable really, so it's just better if I rush past. :)

If I'm driving my car we all make eye contact and wave. My Dh and I are loners. the neighbours have had a block party for the past 4 years. We've never gone. partly because I don't want to go by myself and DH works nights but mostly cuz I just don't want to go:eek:. Once 4 years ago I gave out halloween candy but since then I shut off all the lights and watch TV in my bedroom.
 
Well, since Texas is known as the "Friendly State", I guess I better say that I smile and wave when running and walking and others do the same here, right? Actually, my running buddies and I are a pretty friendly group and even say "Good Morning" in the wee hour before the sun comes up (5:30am). And I do live in a large city.
 
I live in Massachusetts / New Hampshire and I always try to make eye contact and do some form of greeting.

There's a particular thing that seems to be localized to this area of a smile that's really more like a grimace accompanied by the single head nod. It's weird but it works.

At DF's, which is a bit more rural, there's more actual "hi" going on and, once the folks in the neighborhood recognize you, you'll also get the New England wave from them in the car. This is all fingers lifted from the steering wheel while thumb stays attached. Movement is not permitted.

I'm a fool for doggies so I smile at every dog and dog walker grouping I pass either walking or in my car.
 
I live in a small southern town so it's common to say "hey" or wave to anyone that you pass by.

I grew up in a large metro area and most people there avoided eye contact at all costs so when I moved here it was weird to have strangers wave or say hello.
 
Absolutely a nice runner/walker. A wave, smile or a friendly good morning is a simple gesture. If I see someone approaching me I ususally remove one of my earbuds in case they speak more than hello.
 
I'm in New England, so the norm is rude and miserable! I do find that the ones that do respond are usually the elderly. The younger they are, the less friendly they are! Of course, here, you're usually dodging the "Tour de France" and trying not to get run over by bicycles! THEY are a whole other story . . .

Tricia
 
Maybe people are shy. Maybe they are preoccupied or simply don't want to talk with someone on their early morning walk/run. Some people come from areas where making eye contact is culturally inappropriate (and perhaps considered quite rude). In defense of New Englanders, I have found them to be no more rude or less polite than in other parts of the country.
 
I say hello or smile to all that I pass. Most give some sort of response back. My husband thinks I am too friendly because I "talk" to strangers. I just figure it is the good exercise endorphins!

Carrie
 
story1267 said:
At DF's, which is a bit more rural, there's more actual "hi" going on and, once the folks in the neighborhood recognize you, you'll also get the New England wave from them in the car. This is all fingers lifted from the steering wheel while thumb stays attached. Movement is not permitted.
Click to expand...

LOL!! I'm in rural VT and give/receive lots of these.

The thumb being attached to the steering wheel is a practical position...it allows you to wave without putting down your coffee...or spit cup. :p

I gotta disagree with the rude New Englander label...considering that New England is made up of six different states, maybe "rude" is more localized.
 
I'm a waver

Lynn M. said:
Hi there-

For those of you who run or walk outside...do you wave and/or smile at the other people you pass by?

I always do, and it is suprising to me how unfriendly the majority of people I see won't even acknowledge it. This is my neighborhood too, in a reasonably small midwest town so its not like I'm in a large urban metro park. It kind of bugs me so if it is somebody I pass frequently, I make a point of waving and greeting even louder and bigger. ( I know. My world is small! ;)

What is it like in your neck of the woods?

Lynn M.
Click to expand...

Most of the time I do the wave or smile. I don't wave at the jerk who said that because I waved at him that I was interested in him and then he politely told me that he was too good looking for someone like me. I ignore him completely. This was the same guy who said it was wrong for a person of my size to change my clothes in front of my window. I don't. I have curtains. But, just to be a b*tch I told him that I would tell the police that I have a peeping tom and I reminded him that there are laws against that :D
 
story1267 said:
At DF's, which is a bit more rural, there's more actual "hi" going on and, once the folks in the neighborhood recognize you, you'll also get the New England wave from them in the car. This is all fingers lifted from the steering wheel while thumb stays attached. Movement is not permitted.
Click to expand...

Hilarious! And, true. :D I live in rural CT and most people will wave or smile when they walk/run/drive past. We do have neighbors - the only ones we can see - who are somewhat unfriendly. She'll wave from the driveway but her husband never returns a wave or a "how are ya?" We aren't looking to be BFFs with them -DH and I like to keep to ourselves mostly - but still, geez, we've lived here 4 years and not exchanged 15 words with these folks. Ah well, I don't think it's the most happy home anyway.
 
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