Wave/nod at other runners - yes or no?

Big Thinker as it right, I believe.

Depends where I am. At home, I run on an urban path where you are passing other runners every 2-3 mins. No waves unless I know the person, or they greet me (I'd be spending all my time waving).

If I encounter someone out on a trail or in an area where I don't expect to see someone else, I usually greet them.

So basically....tons of runners around = no greet. Few runners around = greet.

albeq wrote:

Runners nod/wave back - usually

Joggers - occasionally

Cyclist - very rarely What's with this? Will it make them crash if they do a simple nod back?

This is true. And usually the faster the runner, the more likely he/she is to wave....or at least acknowledege.

How often do you run up behind (particularly a female) and scare the dickens out of her (unintentionally) as you float by.

How often do females run up to you and (make you feel terrible) as they float by?

Sorry, your post just sounded so arrogant.

Tre1nt wrote:

How often do females run up to you and (make you feel terrible) as they float by?

Sorry, your post just sounded so arrogant.

What am I supposed to do? - sound a bullhorn. What part of "unintentional" don't you understand? I'm not the one wearing the I-Pod.

I've noticed it as a much more female reaction than a male one.

Big Thinker wrote:

Depends where I am. At home, I run on an urban path where you are passing other runners every 2-3 mins. No waves unless I know the person, or they greet me (I'd be spending all my time waving).

If I encounter someone out on a trail or in an area where I don't expect to see someone else, I usually greet them.

So basically....tons of runners around = no greet. Few runners around = greet.

Absolutely true. It's definitely an urban vs. suburban thing, at least around here. In my neighborhood, most runners will wave, whereas in Manhattan, say Central Park,

no one waves, for the reasons Big Thinker mentioned.

While we're on the subject, what's the deal with runners wearing headphones? Most of them act like they can't see anyone. I'll try to wave, and they will look straight ahead, like they're saying, "Sorry, I can't see you. I have my headphones on." I often feel like shouting, "Can you hear me now, a-hole?" I guess that's just me being my occasional grumpy self.

rebel wrote:

If by "institutionalized" politeness, you really mean "fake", than I would say that is true of the South.

Yes. That's basically what I took "institutionalized" to mean. Southern politeness is usually fake. It's simply a learned behavior and is not necessarily genuine. I have lived in the southeastern US since the day I was born, and that is my take on the "polite southerner" after 27 years of observation. Of course, it is not true of every single southerner, but generally speaking....

OldXCguy wrote:

I'll try to wave, and they will look straight ahead, like they're saying, "Sorry, I can't see you. I have my headphones on."

After the 1987 World Series one of the St. Louis Cardinals said, "The Metrodome was so loud I couldn't see." He compared it to driving up to a car accident and saying, "Turn down the radio, I can't see." There is something to it, one sense being overwhelmed and the others being less able to focus in response. (Actually, I have no idea, but it sounds good.) It's like the opposite of a blind or deaf person whose other senses become more sensitive in response.

skotte wrote: I've just recently arrived in Oslo too and am concious of the same phenomenon, i.e. most runners choose to igore you as you pass them.

It makes perfect sense. If I have the radio blasting in my ears, it makes it harder for me to focus visually. The sense work together.

Pete wrote: ...I'll be the short, stocky (5'7", 145 lb) guy with wavy dark hair and a short beard.

I make a point of acknowleding other runners with a nod/smile/wave, unless they appear to be deep into their music or are otherwise giving off a self-absorbed vibe. Most hereabouts (the midwestern U.S.) nod/smile/wave back. Other women almost always do. I'll occasionally run into guys who are huffing and puffing and pushing themselves way too hard to spare a nod.

When approaching someone from behind, I always try to call out when I'm still a few strides away, rather than just "floating" by.

I greet people when running in other cities, too (unless we're talking about a heavily-trafficked route like the Central Park reservoir), and generally get a like response. I can't say I've ever run anywhere where I felt consistently rebuffed.

Of course, I've never been to Oslo.

I run on a path that goes from the urban fringe to more suburban/neighborhoody part of the city that I live in. I've noticed that the people that wave to me are the ones that look like more serious runners - i.e. proper running shorts, physiques that look as if they run often, travelling at a good clip. the penguins usually don't make eye contact.

I live in Austin, Texas. I run Town Lake (now Lady Bird Lake) Trial all the time. I like to wave, but it is impossible, people are streaming by the dozens every minute. On a good weather weekend, it is not uncommon to pass 25-30 people a minute (I actually counted 28 people once).

Humbled wrote: Of course, I've never been to Oslo.

Don't get me wrong.... I'm not badmouthing Oslo. It's a nice place. Just most runners don't seem to wave.

Perhaps they can recognize me as a Canadian.... maybe they wave to other Norwegians. :-)

Completely unrelated tangent - I was running up a long hill yesterday on the left hand sidewalk, and there was a fairly attractive blond woman on a bicycle riding up the other side of the road, which I'll admit made the uphill running a little more enjoyable. Anyway, after maybe 5 minutes, she leaned over and blew a snot rocket. Seriously! I don't think I've ever seem a good looking blond woman - other than a serious runner in a race - blow a snot rocket. I couldn't decide whether to be a little disgusted or a little aroused. Hahahaha

i kinda like running wrote:

pumpkin wrote:

I live in the South so there is ALWAYS a greeting. We've institutionalized politeness here to aptly be able to discern when we have a Yankee in our midst.

LOL. "Institutionalized" politeness. That's the best way to describe it.

And yes, I also live in the South, so I'm always giving a little wave or nod on runs. Interestingly enough, now that I think about it, I only passed one other person on an 8 mile run yesterday. Strange.

The same goes for driving. My wife is from California, and she thinks it's weird how other motorists and myself will exchange waves on the road. She'll say, "Did you know that person?". I reply, "Nope".

Same here but not so much growing up in the South as to just growing up in the country. Even walking down the streets if I make eye contact with people I say Hi. I've noticed that this opens me up to bums and homeless who see this as an opportunity to ask for money. Sorry, but I'm not that friendly.

Pete wrote:

Completely unrelated tangent - I was running up a long hill yesterday on the left hand sidewalk, and there was a fairly attractive blond woman on a bicycle riding up the other side of the road, which I'll admit made the uphill running a little more enjoyable. Anyway, after maybe 5 minutes, she leaned over and blew a snot rocket. Seriously! I don't think I've ever seem a good looking blond woman - other than a serious runner in a race - blow a snot rocket. I couldn't decide whether to be a little disgusted or a little aroused. Hahahaha

Gotta be aroused at that. Heck, I'd blow my top if she farted at the same time...

I was in the radio the other day (okay, I was listening to the radio) and one of the DJs was on the Katy trail disguised as a guy in a wheelchair. The DJs at the studio were giving him directions on what to say and do when people would pass by. For example, when a runner would pass by, he shouted things like "Oh, it must be nice to have legs! I used to run, but now I'm CRIPPLED!" Then a slightly fat woman jogged by and he said "Yeah you better be running because it looks like you need to lose some weight. I used to run, but now I'm CRIPPLED!"

The Wabash Trace in Omaha/CB are is very busy on Sunday mornings and 9 out of 10 people at least acknowledge others in some fasion. I usually try and say something, morning, hey, etc. and get a nod or something in return.