Out walking or running, do you stop when ...

sunglasses_and_ocean_waves
sunglasses_and_ocean_waves Posts: 2,757 Member
edited December 20 in Fitness and Exercise
people pull over to ask you directions? I walk at a very brisk pace up & down hilly roads. I no longer stop if someone pulls over for directions, and I get these horrified looks as though I am the rudest person in the world. I just wave & say sorry and keep walking. There are plenty of other people around to ask, and there are plenty of stores to go into. I think if someone's sweaty & breathing kinda hard, they're obviously not out for small talk. Oh yeah, an older man stopped me today to ask me why I walked the hills. He was sweet & clueless, so I told him it felt good. :)

Do you stop?

Replies

  • elizabethmae1214
    elizabethmae1214 Posts: 38
    I always stop, but I'm a crazy person who jumps at the opportunity to talk to new people.
  • sunglasses_and_ocean_waves
    sunglasses_and_ocean_waves Posts: 2,757 Member
    Heee! I'm that crazy person when out shopping or out for a casual stroll. But headphones, sweat & brisk movement should = reading a book on an airplane lol.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    I will stop if I'm just doing an easy run. If I am in the middle of a workout where I have to maintain a certain pace for a specific distance or time, I'll just give a "can't stop, sorry!" and keep on moving.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    Of course I'll stop. It will only take 2-3 minutes out of my whole life. I personally would have thought you were rude if you waved me off and continued walking. But to each their own. I don't consider my workout more important than being polite.
  • nwhitley
    nwhitley Posts: 619
    Depends. I stopped the other day because 2 ladies were looking for a runaway child in my neighborhood. So I stopped to talk to them for a minute. I run in my neighborhood a lot and people are constantly wanting to stop me and chit chat. I teach at a nearby school, so sometimes these are parents and students:( I keep my earbuds in, and wave and pretend like I can't hear them saying anything. Otherwise, I would never be able to run more than a mile. Just wave, say sorry can't stop, and keep going!
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    Depends. I stopped the other day because 2 ladies were looking for a runaway child in my neighborhood. So I stopped to talk to them for a minute. I run in my neighborhood a lot and people are constantly wanting to stop me and chit chat. I teach at a nearby school, so sometimes these are parents and students:( I keep my earbuds in, and wave and pretend like I can't hear them saying anything. Otherwise, I would never be able to run more than a mile. Just wave, say sorry can't stop, and keep going!

    See, I don't see that as rude at all. But for the occasional person who is asking directions, I don't see any reason not to stop. It's just common courtesy.
  • sunglasses_and_ocean_waves
    sunglasses_and_ocean_waves Posts: 2,757 Member
    Responding to the above poster who thinks I'm rude ...

    Because I'm working out, and there are plenty of other people to ask. There are also umpteen stores right in this block where the person can actually get out of their car and ask. I don't mind the occasional question (I thought the older guy was kind of sweet), but I'm not the one too lazy to get out of my car to figure out where I am.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    I always stop. Where I run I don't get asked very often though.
  • janahc09
    janahc09 Posts: 12
    I probably wouldn't have stopped. I live way out in the country, so unless it was someone I knew stopping to ask, I might take off running for my house. LOL. Then again, I have a half pit-bull/mutt dog and a huge Great Dane walking with me so they might not want to ask me for directions anyway, haha.
  • briebear77
    briebear77 Posts: 253 Member
    I stopped the other day when this happened to me. It was actually funny that they were asking me because it made me feel like a regular runner on this particular trail because I actually knew the answer! I almost didn't, then I realized that karma would get me back if I didn't and it was just the right thing to do. No regrets, even if it messed up my time a little bit.
  • stephyy4632
    stephyy4632 Posts: 947 Member
    I have gotten stopped a number of times and I always help them out not a biggie at all it only takes a second or two to explain directions (most of the time they are really close to where they are trying to go just new to the area and missed it) plus I live in the city so its pretty common
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
    Heee! I'm that crazy person when out shopping or out for a casual stroll. But headphones, sweat & brisk movement should = reading a book on an airplane lol.

    Yep. Plus I frequently can't think clearly if I'm running hard, nor catch my breath enough to verbalize directions. It's not my fault people don't use a mobile GPS unit or know how to read a map or follow Google Maps directions. I've had people stop and ask me for directions when they are MILES away from where they think they are. How do people get THAT lost in our tiny community? If you go too far in 2 of 4 directions you'll hit a lake...that should be a clue. :laugh:

    I grew up in a REALLY touristy area and by the end of Summer I didn't want to talk to anyone with out of state plates, at all. As a local working in the restaurant industry I ended up on the receiving end of a lot of abuse and condescension. As a result I generally don't feel a lot of compassion towards "tourons."
  • patranus
    patranus Posts: 61 Member
    Yes. Its part of being a member of a civilized society.
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
    Nope. I'm wary of stopping for anyone. I don't care if random person thinks I'm rude. It's also a safety issue.
  • Venturin
    Venturin Posts: 244 Member
    Of course I'll stop. It will only take 2-3 minutes out of my whole life. I personally would have thought you were rude if you waved me off and continued walking. But to each their own. I don't consider my workout more important than being polite.

    This
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,759 Member
    The last time someone asked me for directions and I stopped to give them, he exposed himself to me. That was fun! :smile:

    But yeah, it may get annoying if I'm listening to a song that gets me walking fast but it only takes a minute or two to give the directions.
  • Doing_The_Unstruck
    Doing_The_Unstruck Posts: 241 Member
    I have never been in the situation, but I would probably say sorry, can't stop. To the people saying not stopping is rude, do you not consider interupting someones exercise time rude?
  • JulieH3art
    JulieH3art Posts: 293 Member
    Yeah, I stop.
  • Venturin
    Venturin Posts: 244 Member
    I have never been in the situation, but I would probably say sorry, can't stop. To the people saying not stopping is rude, do you not consider interupting someones exercise time rude?

    No I don't. Just last week I was finishing a long walk uphill, sweating and moving to my iPod and someone pulled over for directions. She needed help and I was happy to stop and lend a hand. And then after she pulled away I simply continued up the hill.
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
    Unless I am in the middle of a very important workout, I stop.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Yes, but I always give wrong directions.
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
    If i were walking i would stop for sure. If i were running, I would slow and jog in place. My legs lock up if i stop. Lol.
  • clehman71
    clehman71 Posts: 139 Member
    I always stop and give them direction to get them where they are trying to go. I have even been flagged down while cycling at a brisk speed. I keep in mind that I might need someone's help finding somewhere and I don't expect to get what I don't give.
  • McButtski
    McButtski Posts: 203 Member
    Of course I stop, I just don't necessarily give the correct directions.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
    If I'm actually running, I've never had anyone try to stop me, or seen it happen, it's kind of weird, but if I was walking, briskly or not I would stop. It's a walk, and unless you are in a super rush, your heartrate isn't really going to change all that much.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Yes, I always stop. The roads out where I live are actually fairly confusing so it's common for people to get turned around.

    Oddly enough though when I am in the city & get asked for directions, most times I'm unable to help people because I really only am familiar with what ever is on the route from my car to the office & that's it. I know people think I'm being rude, but 95% of the time, I honestly don't know how to get where they want to go.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    I have never been in the situation, but I would probably say sorry, can't stop. To the people saying not stopping is rude, do you not consider interupting someones exercise time rude?

    No, I don't consider it rude. Seriously, sometimes people are lost and need help and I personally would feel very badly about myself if I didn't try to help them out. Heck, when I am walking the dogs at the park, we are normally moving at 4 mph to get a decent workout in and I have people stop me to ask if they or their kids can pet the dogs. Of course I stop. Once they are done petting them, we push off and start moving again. I might burn 30 less calories that day. Not a big deal to me.
  • wahchile
    wahchile Posts: 19
    Yes. Its part of being a member of a civilized society.

    This.
  • Il_DaniD_lI
    Il_DaniD_lI Posts: 1,593 Member
    Nope. When I'm running I don't want to stop. It's not rude at all, it's more rude for someone to interrupt your workout.

    Plus.. safety reasons. Lots of creeps out there.
This discussion has been closed.

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