What the hell is wrong with Boston? One of the only places I've been where no one acknowledges you on a run...

Boston sucks ,-)

I lived in Boston in 1984/85 and found it a great, friendly place to run and I ran a lot at that time. There is a scary degree of conformity in politics and culture but the area at that time was to distance running what Eugene is now to track and field. Any Bostonians out there who can comment and confirm a drastic change?

I live and run in the Boston area and feel that way more people wave than almost anywhere else I've been. Recently went to Philly and ran along the Schuylkill, for example. Great run, passed tons of people and experienced literally zero love, brotherly or otherwise.

I think the Boston running scene is incredibly welcoming. Sorry it wasn't for you!

Why do you want people saying "hi" to you when you're running? Do you say "hi" to everyone you pass while walking? When I'm running I like to be left alone.

What are the other places besides Bkston?

smile wrote:

Why do you want people saying "hi" to you when you're running? Do you say "hi" to everyone you pass while walking? When I'm running I like to be left alone.

Same here. If someone gives a little wave or says hey I'll give them the same gesture back. I don't initiate the interaction though.

smile wrote:

Why do you want people saying "hi" to you when you're running? Do you say "hi" to everyone you pass while walking? When I'm running I like to be left alone.

I don't want a hi. Just a nod. It's nice, makes it feel like a community.

Maybe you come from somewhere where you don't expect to be in close proximity to strangers all day. I pass thousands of people a day on the sidewalks, on the subway, or running on the Charles. Am I going to acknowledge all of them? Any of them? Why? They're part of the scenery just as I am to them. I have other things to concern myself with just as I assume they do.

However, if I'm out on the Charles at a time of day, like before dawn, or under conditions, like a blizzard, where I expect to run into few if any people I'll give a nod.

Yes, people in the boston area are unfriendly pricks, even worse driving.

Have lived in many areas of the country and this is the least friendly most hostile environment out there.

Boston and the surrounding areas suck.

Moved to Boston area 30 years ago. Noticed what you said. Probably just a cultural thing - people here are always on the run (no pun intended) and fitting in exercise when they can. They are focused and accustomed to avoiding eye contact.

I still try to give acknowledgment and try to get eye contact first. Only about 1 out of 10 will look my way, and almost no one ever will initiate a nod or wave if I don't.

CRANKY YANKEES, I say.

NY, Philly, Boston all the same. Lived in Boston for 14 years. Ran along the Charles several times a week. It was rare to acknowledge or be acknowledged.

People are different. Asking "What the hell is wrong with [insert group here]?" just shows *your* ignorance.

Openess to strangers varies from west to east. I grew up in Boston so it was quite a shock to me the first time I ever flew to Denver and a stranger actually spoke to me in the airport! Already in Ohio people are much more reserved than in Colorado. After my time in Colorado I now greet Ohio runners more often than they greet me. If you think it's everywhere the same except in Boston, you weren't paying attention.

Nope. Everybody can do whatever they want. Personally, I hate nodding. For runners and bikers I like to give the "pickup-driver's wave" (just open the hand). For walkers I say "good morning/afternoon". (I have a reason for the difference but I won't bore you with it.) The key for me is no pressure. The other person should not feel obligated in any way. I give a low-key greeting so they are free to ignore me if they wish.

Drivers everywhere are bad. In Boston the traffic is bad, and the city streets are something special.

I do not acknowledge slower runners.

This thread should be entitled "What is RIGHT with Boston". There are tons and tons of sub-elite, competitive, non-competitive, and hobby joggers in the area. If everyone acknowledged one another their arms would fall off. Once school gets back in late August the amount on the Charles will probably double or more.

I don't live there, but if I see someone with a road race shirt or doing a fast pace, or the weather is bad, I acknowledge them. Others, not usually.

Why would I want to wave to a hobby-jogger?

have a day wrote:

Maybe you come from somewhere where you don't expect to be in close proximity to strangers all day. I pass thousands of people a day on the sidewalks, on the subway, or running on the Charles. Am I going to acknowledge all of them? Any of them? Why? They're part of the scenery just as I am to them. I have other things to concern myself with just as I assume they do.

However, if I'm out on the Charles at a time of day, like before dawn, or under conditions, like a blizzard, where I expect to run into few if any people I'll give a nod.

This is more or less true for me, especially the adverse conditions part. Any time I am running by someone on the Charles in a blizzard, I always wave.

Way too many people to say hi to everyone on a normal day though. When I'm running somewhere outside of the city (when I'd be less likely to pass 100s of runners), I almost always say hello.

I would imagine this isn't just true of Boston, but of any major city. I have recently run in LA, San Francisco, and Philly, and had no one wave in any of them.

I'm from Boston and have been running on the Charles for 15 years. I always give a nod or hello (maybe quick nod when doing fartlek/workout) and promise I will say hello if we run into each other this week. Some people, regardless of where you are in the world, are just dicks and have no personality.

On another subject, watch out when approaching the area where people sunbathe along the Lagoon. On multiple occasions during this heat wave, I have found myself getting excited about the "women" in bikinis only to realize it's actually a dude from Bay Village wearing a Speedo.

Oh, and please never refer to anybody from Boston as a Yankee. We hate all things associated with that word.

LOVE the username!!

LarryOlsenLives wrote:

I'm from Boston and have been running on the Charles for 15 years. I always give a nod or hello (maybe quick nod when doing fartlek/workout) and promise I will say hello if we run into each other this week. Some people, regardless of where you are in the world, are just dicks and have no personality.

On another subject, watch out when approaching the area where people sunbathe along the Lagoon. On multiple occasions during this heat wave, I have found myself getting excited about the "women" in bikinis only to realize it's actually a dude from Bay Village wearing a Speedo.

Oh, and please never refer to anybody from Boston as a Yankee. We hate all things associated with that word.

I live in the burbs of Boston. I wave (hold out my hand, not an actual "wave") to every runner/walker. I'd say 9/10 people respond back.

An Indian couple I see frequently (who live in 1.5M home, never look or acknowledge me) and sometimes women pretend they don't see me (I attribute that to their fear of rape and men). I always want to yell back C*U*N*T, but don't have the guts.

But depending on the time of day, I will only see 5-10 people. Mornings I can see 15, afternoons I could see 2-3. Running along the Charles would be a different experience, with many more runners.

In NYC not Boston but agree with the poster who said there is acknowledgement among fast runners or days with bad conditions. Most of the people running are women. It is the same as the gym. Most of them are deathly afraid of being hit on. Fast women are some of the least friendly. Fast guys I find get excited when coming across another fast guy. I am using fast rather loosely to include me. But people on bikes sometimes come up to me and start talking to me. I don't mind it but lots of random people talk to me (in general not just while running) for some reason and I try to be friendly.