This topic is fast becoming the new iPod thread. On balance I'd rather be "ignorant" than needy. I rarely acknowledge someone unless there are exceptional circumstances. If someone says something to me I will normally respond.
This topic is fast becoming the new iPod thread. On balance I'd rather be "ignorant" than needy. I rarely acknowledge someone unless there are exceptional circumstances. If someone says something to me I will normally respond.
I always nod or smile (if I can), and some runners acknowlege back, others don't. Either way it doesn't really bother me, I just assume that if they don't acknowledge me they are a) tired b) focussing on breathing, foot strike etc or c) they don't like the look of me
And I see no need to acknowledge someone just because they're running. They might also vote Tory, read the Sun, own a dog, drive a large German car, be vegetarian, support Chelsea, like Coldplay, work for a bank, use a mobile phone with a bluetooth earpiece etc etc for all I know ...
I must admit I smile and greet everyone I meet (pedestrians, runners, cyclists, farmers, tractor drivers etc)... I guess I'm common like that
I'd rather give just a smile and a 'good morning' regardless if I get anything in return. It makes me feel like I'm putting some good karma into the world every morning
I normally try to catch other runners' eyes, and smile and nod to say hello if they look over. Most run past without even glancing my way. Doesn't really bothers if they don't tho.
I did once entertain myself on an 18m run round Richmond park by keeping track of how many runners I could get to say hello. I reached a count of 30 or so but it was only about 10% of the runners I passed.
I do think it's sad however that I wouldn't get a hello from muttley as I wear an iPod. Maybe I should experiment and see if I get more hellos if I leave it at home.
Finally I think it is partly a city thing, I found I never got acknowledged by runners when I ran on the Brighton sea front, but did if I went on the downs or on the cliff tops beyond Brighton marina (including once being high fived by a runner!)
I find that if I am running at a good pace, then other runners do nod, or grunt a greeting. If, however, I am doing a recovery run at a slow pace, then they tend to ignore me, probably thinking "another elderly jogger."
@big g - my original post said that if people don't acknowledge me after a nod or wave I find that ignorant, especially if we have made eye contact a few yards away and when we pass they avert their gaze after i give them a nod. If you held a door open for someone and they didn't say thanks what would you think about that person ? Do you think it's them being ignorant ? As I said before I find it ignorant and wanted to know how other people felt about it. And now I know
@big g - my original post said that if people don't acknowledge me after a nod or wave I find that ignorant, especially if we have made eye contact a few yards away and when we pass they avert their gaze after i give them a nod.
Maybe the prolonged eye contact is creeping them out?
Not that it is prolonged but maybe they don't like the look of me, which I can understand. Maybe I should stop waving that machete around as I run towards other runners, unless they are wearing an mp3.....
No it doesn't. As I said I live in a village. It applies to that. We tend to be friendly
Ah well there you go. If I was running through your village I'd be saying hello to everyone too, partly because I'd be expecting mutual acknowledgement but also because it wouldn't be as mentally fatigiung as trying to acknowledge everyone on London Bridge. I don't think urbanites are inherently less friendly, they just react to their environment. When there are so many people around, I'm probably more likely to say hello to the squirrels.
Comments
Pesky iPod runners and their Rocky theme tunes...
This topic is fast becoming the new iPod thread. On balance I'd rather be "ignorant" than needy. I rarely acknowledge someone unless there are exceptional circumstances. If someone says something to me I will normally respond.
ditto on your sentiments.
I always nod or smile (if I can), and some runners acknowlege back, others don't. Either way it doesn't really bother me, I just assume that if they don't acknowledge me they are a) tired b) focussing on breathing, foot strike etc or c) they don't like the look of me
I always ignore runners with mp3 players
And I see no need to acknowledge someone just because they're running. They might also vote Tory, read the Sun, own a dog, drive a large German car, be vegetarian, support Chelsea, like Coldplay, work for a bank, use a mobile phone with a bluetooth earpiece etc etc for all I know ...
Muttley - nothing wrong with driving a large German car! (But I don't acknowledge other German car drivers as I drive around..) Are you carist?
I'd rather give just a smile and a 'good morning' regardless if I get anything in return. It makes me feel like I'm putting some good karma into the world every morning
I really don't understand why anyone would feel slighted because a stranger chooses not to respond.
If I smile or nod to another runner and they don't smile back, I really, really don't mind - why would I? It has no impact on my life at all.
I did once entertain myself on an 18m run round Richmond park by keeping track of how many runners I could get to say hello. I reached a count of 30 or so but it was only about 10% of the runners I passed.
I do think it's sad however that I wouldn't get a hello from muttley as I wear an iPod. Maybe I should experiment and see if I get more hellos if I leave it at home.
Finally I think it is partly a city thing, I found I never got acknowledged by runners when I ran on the Brighton sea front, but did if I went on the downs or on the cliff tops beyond Brighton marina (including once being high fived by a runner!)
I find that if I am running at a good pace, then other runners do nod, or grunt a greeting. If, however, I am doing a recovery run at a slow pace, then they tend to ignore me, probably thinking "another elderly jogger."
I say hello or 'bonjour' to everyone i meet whilst running...that said, i don't actually meet many people where i run...in fact only the odd Marmot!
No it doesn't. As I said I live in a village. It applies to that. We tend to be friendly
Same here, KK. Police wave at me too if I'm running with the dogs
I think there is a big difference between holding door open for someone and nodding at them.
It would be impolite to not say thank you if someone holds the door.
Someone not returning a nod is hardly the same thing.
Maybe the prolonged eye contact is creeping them out?
Ah well there you go. If I was running through your village I'd be saying hello to everyone too, partly because I'd be expecting mutual acknowledgement but also because it wouldn't be as mentally fatigiung as trying to acknowledge everyone on London Bridge. I don't think urbanites are inherently less friendly, they just react to their environment. When there are so many people around, I'm probably more likely to say hello to the squirrels.
Maybe just as there saying hello they just stop talking and carry on running? How are you tod..........
i tend to acknowledge greetings so i suppose i am a responder rather than greeter.
some people time it badly though saying hello just as we pass so then i feel bad for not acknowledging the greeting in time.
i am an early morning runner though which means i don't pass too many people on the way round.
I am a serial greeter. Most people tend to reply
I've just got back from a run where I passed a man and a woman wearing a Hi CarterUSM running shirt each. Imagine my delight.....
Are you sure it wasn't a 20 year old gig t-shirt?