I spent the first 23 years of my life living in places where greeting other runners is standard (e.g. a nod, smile, "good morning"). But I live in Southern California now, and it's hard--sometimes impossible--to get other runners to acknowledge me, even when I say hi to them first. Other people I run with who are from this area think I'm weird to greet strangers on trails, which makes me think this is a regional thing.
Where do you live and is it standard to greet other runners while you are running?
Places where runners are friendly vs. places where runners are jerks?
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in Savannah, people'll say hello to everyone. in Florida, not much. In Northern California, people used to be very friendly, but not this ultra-rich tech crowd that's taken over.
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People from Southern California are jerks in general when compared to people from other regions of the country. I live in Los Angeles by the way.
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greeting runners is standard in new jersey
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I am lucky enough to live in London, where people leave you the hell alone.
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Buds in ears are now the norm when at one time they were the rarity. That may play into it.
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bill borris wrote:
greeting runners is standard in new jersey
for whom ? -
When I've run in Illinois, people make eye contact and nod or wave
In Minneapolis folks ignore each other -
anyone running w/ headphones will almost never acknowledge or greet you. If they have an mp3 strapped on their arm, it's a guaranteed no acknowledge, no greet. You can probably even stick your tongue out at them when you pass and not get a response.
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I live in Mid-Michigan and fellow runners are very friendly. Everyone always offers some form of acknowledgement.
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Texas has mostly friendly people. Nothing weird, just a wave or a nod, a good morning. Occasionally if someone is focused or just not friendly they wont return a greeting, but I've found people often greet me first and I'm saying "morning" about half way past them on the trail going the other way.
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In South-Eastern PA it's fairly common. OF course, when people are focused or listening to earbuds it's totally out of the question. Still, as with most things, it depends on the community.
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Iz iffy in eugene
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jjjjjjjjj wrote:
in Savannah, people'll say hello to everyone. in Florida, not much. In Northern California, people used to be very friendly, but not this ultra-rich tech crowd that's taken over.
In northern FL, such as Jacksonville and Gainesville, it is very friendly. It is normal to get nods and hellos from average joes, but even from elites who train in Gville and Gator team members if you happen to cross their path.
South FL, not so much. -
Seattle. Runners are pretty good about waving to other runners, with a couple of exceptions:
Obviously runners don't wave to each other if it's a popular running route (e.g. Greenlake or Alki). Otherwise, all you would be doing is waving to people. I've also noticed that hobby joggers don't wave to anyone. Guess they don't know the etiquette...which is to wave at other runners but not walkers or bicyclists. -
I trained with an Ethiopian lady for a while. We were about the same speed and did morning runs together. When I ran with her, everyone said "good morning" to us. When I ran alone in the morning ... past the same ladies that said "good morning" the previous 3 mornings ... not a damn peep out of them! They must have thought that I had strangled her and thrown her in the bushes. ;-) Maybe I had a crazed psycho look to me after the first 2 morning walkers didn't say good morning!
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Places were runners are friendly: The Real World
Places were runners are jerks: letsrun.com -
Insufferable Know-It-All wrote:
People from Southern California are jerks in general when compared to people from other regions of the country. I live in Los Angeles by the way.
This. I live in LA too and people just aren't as friendly here. I have family in Minnesota and I swear, every time I go running there, someone waves or says hi to me. Even going somewhere like a coffee shop there will result in a friendly conversation with someone. -
I'm a really nice person (honest), but I don't usually great people I see on the trail. If they acknowledge me, I ALWAYS respond with a smile or a greeting, but I don't care to initiate and I'd be content to just do my own thing and stay in the zone when I'm running by myself.
Why does that make someone a jerk? -
U-What!? U-VILLE!! wrote:
In South-Eastern PA it's fairly common. OF course, when people are focused or listening to earbuds it's totally out of the question. Still, as with most things, it depends on the community.
Agree with this assessment of the Phila area, but I do get a wave if it is a "regular" wearing ear buds. Also, men are more likely to wave/say good morning then women.
