All the old people out during the day

[MichaelB]

One striking memory I have from Latin America is the absence of older folks in the cities. It's not that they don't live long, it's just the cities aren't designed for older people to go out. They aren't pedestrian friendly or easy to drive, seniors don't have the purchasing power found here (and in other developed countries) so shopping centers and retailers don't accommodate them. In restaurants they are often seen together with younger generation family members, but rarely alone.


I think it's a good thing to see old folks out and about, even if they do occasionally slow things down for the rest of us.

 

[scrabbler1]

One relatively common trait I've discovered in living in small towns that are disproportionately elderly: many of them will *not* travel after dark at all unless absolutely necessary. I suppose if it's because they no longer trust their eyesight to night driving, it's probably better for all concerned. Even I'm starting to avoid night driving as much as possible, and I won't even be 50 until late next year.

I turned 51 earlier this year and while I don't actively seek to avoid night driving (I drive little to begin with), I have recently become a little more uncomfortable driving at night under less than ideal conditions such as if it is raining or snowing or the rare time if I have been driving for a while already.

 

[AnIntentionalRoad]

I was sitting on the front porch on a weekday with my recently retired Dad and I said "gee, must be nice to sit outside in shorts and a t-shirt instead of being at work". He said "you mean like the wife next door on either side, the guy across the street and the 2 next two him". None of them are retired yet they were all home on a weekday. It's shocking how many people aren't working during the day during the week. Still, I do all my shopping during the week after morning rush but before lunch when it's the least busy. I've done that my entire adult life. I've never worked a mon-fri job so i've always done my errands during the week and avoid all shopping on weekends.

I was also surprised how many 30 and 40 something's are out and about in my suburban neighborhood during the week. Must be a lot of people "working from home."

 

[Cassie]

Probably by the Board's definition, I am old in years. But no grass is growing under my feet.

I don't "mall shop, etc" but I can tell you where old people (mostly men) go in the morning, at least around this affluent area

Yes! I joined a walking and go to the mall (1st Colony). There are clusters of groups, some walk, some do Tai Chi, some just meet for coffee. McDonald's is open and the coffee is .75c for seniors. The group invited me to join the once a month Denny's breakfast. Actually this group is part of the town's senior program, there's also a senior center that offers activities.

 

[ziggy29]

I turned 51 earlier this year and while I don't actively seek to avoid night driving (I drive little to begin with), I have recently become a little more uncomfortable driving at night under less than ideal conditions such as if it is raining or snowing or the rare time if I have been driving for a while already.

Not to mention that it can be a lot more unpleasant to drive in the dark and/or under poor weather conditions, so when you aren't on a schedule and it's easy to avoid, why not avoid it?

 

[aaronc879]

I turned 51 earlier this year and while I don't actively seek to avoid night driving (I drive little to begin with), I have recently become a little more uncomfortable driving at night under less than ideal conditions such as if it is raining or snowing or the rare time if I have been driving for a while already.

Driving at night in rain can be even worse than driving in snow. There's so little visibility. Also, the days of driving all night are long past and i'm only 34. If I drive from Wisconsin to Florida I stop at a hotel twice instead of driving 24 straight hours.

 

[aaronc879]

I was also surprised how many 30 and 40 something's are out and about in my suburban neighborhood during the week. Must be a lot of people "working from home."

I'm in that age range. I do contract work(of sorts) and only plan to work about 70 days per year so i'm home A LOT. There are lots of reasons people could be home during the day other than being unemployed.

 

[Amethyst]

Aaron - this sounds like a cool arrangement. I remember when you were job-hunting - sounds like things have worked out pretty well.

Amethyst

I'm in that age range. I do contract work(of sorts) and only plan to work about 70 days per year so i'm home A LOT. There are lots of reasons people could be home during the day other than being unemployed.

 

[aaronc879]

Aaron - this sounds like a cool arrangement. I remember when you were job-hunting - sounds like things have worked out pretty well.

Amethyst

It's debatable whether things have worked out well or not. No one should want to do what i'm doing for a living. I get a lot of time off but i'm only going to be making around $18K/yr. I never was able to find a "real" job. I only have a very small 6 figure net worth so making $18K/yr isn't going to lead to a very nice retirement. On the plus side, I may have a lot of years with very part time work(opposed to full time). Not many people are able or willing to stop full time work at age 31 like I did.

 

[Kabekew]

I am not in a hurry to get somewhere. I don't need to rush home. I don't need to speed through shopping lines. I have time. Yes time, the one thing that is more precious than money, and I have slowed down to enjoy it.

That's a good thought, thanks...

As a 40-something though, we still have children and places to go even if we're retired. Can you guys please not block the aisles in the grocery store?

 

[FUEGO]

I know tons of people that are 30-something and are out and about during the day. Most still work full time or close to it, many earning $100k+ salaries.

One neighbor is a programmer and works from home for a silicon valley firm, and I see him out late into the morning and sometimes in the afternoon going out for a jog. He's able to volunteer at our kid's school whenever he wants (my kid is a classmate of his kid). I think he's full time, but very flexible.

Another friend in the neighborhood works from 10 to 7 pm at a firm on the edge of the neighborhood. So he's free in the mornings, and normally takes a late lunch around 2-3 pm so he's out walking to/from school to get his kid many days of the week. His commute is about 1-2 minutes (maybe 3 if he bikes) so popping home for lunch is no problem.

Another friend with six figure income works 12 hour rotating shifts and is off for 3 to 6 days at a time, so we'll hang out at my house in the middle of the week (when his wife is working). He's also not working during the day half the time (works at night often), so he probably goes grocery shopping and runs errands during the week in the middle of the day after a shift.

That same friend's wife (attorney, six figure income) works Monday through Thursday (officially) at an 80% schedule and takes Friday off (when she can).

Another friend working in the pharma factory doing QA/QC (biochem stuff) works Sun-Thurs and is off Fri and Saturday. We hang out occasionally on Fridays with him, his wife and kids and my kids.

Another friend in the neighborhood is law enforcement and rotates day shift and night shift. So he's free during the weekdays all day half of the time.

Another friend in the neighborhood works from home most of the time doing TV station stuff (graphics, coordination, programming).

Another friend in the neighborhood does shift work at the grocery store and is home during the week half of the time.

Many other friends/neighbors work from home or "work from home" (artists, musicians, architects, landlords) and are out and about during the day.

All of these people (save the 50-something year old architect) are 30- and 40-somethings.

Come to think of it, I don't really know that many people that have straight 9 to 5 type jobs (other than former coworkers when I worked at a 9 to 5 job). They obviously exist (see, for example, rush hours that occur every day around 7-8 am and again 5-6 pm). I may have also self-selected myself into friendships with non-traditional people.

 

[robnplunder]

Still, old folks (now including me per Mulligan ) vastly outnumber 30 & 40 somethings during weekday daytime even in Bay Area.

 

[FUEGO]

Still, old folks (now including me per Mulligan ) vastly outnumber 30 & 40 somethings during weekday daytime even in Bay Area.

I'm going to have to bring my smartphone with data collection app and do a scientific inventory of young vs old people I see out and about during weekday daytime.

Can it be possible that I'm completely ignoring my elders? Maybe once they hit 60 and switch from walking to walkers, they aren't out as much?

 

[robnplunder]

I'm going to have to bring my smartphone with data collection app and do a scientific inventory of young vs old people I see out and about during weekday daytime.

Can it be possible that I'm completely ignoring my elders? Maybe once they hit 60 and switch from walking to walkers, they aren't out as much?

You know those 60, 70 somethings look like 40 & 50 somethings with better taking care of their bodies, cosmetic surgeries, dying their hair, .... Just look for those without smartphones .

 

[aja8888]

I'm going to have to bring my smartphone with data collection app and do a scientific inventory of young vs old people I see out and about during weekday daytime.

Can it be possible that I'm completely ignoring my elders? Maybe once they hit 60 and switch from walking to walkers, they aren't out as much?

Why not get out just before the sun comes up and take your inventory when us old farts are running our 5 miles before breakfast?

 

[jimbo14]

Why not get out just before the sun comes up and take your inventory when us old farts are running our 5 miles before breakfast?

+1

 

[Tree-dweller]

I used to back out of a parking space with scarcely a look. Now, you would think I had fallen asleep, I back up so slowly. Age certainly has something to do with it. That and the fact that in the metroplex there is always someone coming. I figure no one will remember how long it takes me to get out, but if I hit something or somebody, it will never be forgotten.

I was just noticing that same thing about myself. I chalk it up to relying more on rear/side view mirrors than actually twisting around and looking back - too creaky. Might have to install a back-up beeper in my station wagon!

 

[Rustic23]

That's a good thought, thanks...

As a 40-something though, we still have children and places to go even if we're retired. Can you guys please not block the aisles in the grocery store?

While I do run into senior citizens in the grocery store the aisle are far more likely to be blocked by a mother and three kids or a cart with a car attached to the front that is crossway in the aisle.

 

[Which Roger]

What annoys me is all the school kids who get out at 1:30p or 2:00p. Just when I thought I could drive to the store with no traffic I encounter kids crossing the street and parents parked waiting to drive them home.

In my area, the traffic disappears at 9AM, and reappears at 2:30, when school gets out. I love riding my bike through deserted residential areas between those hours. The only thing to watch out for is the lawn care vehicles, who seem to hold bicyclists in low regard.

 

[ChicagoGal]

Sorry Rob, you are not in between, you are old... I got a letter from AARP this week. I thought it was sent to the wrong address, but nope my name was on it. I turn 50 this month and if you get letters from AARP you are old. So if I am old, you are old.

Well, I started getting AARP solicitations when I was around 18. My mom died when I was 15, so I'm guessing that because I was getting her social security benefits, I was on a "list" somewhere.

The upside is that 2 years ago when I actually became AARP eligible and the mailings increased, I didn't feel quite the trauma that others might if it was their first

 

[FUEGO]

Why not get out just before the sun comes up and take your inventory when us old farts are running our 5 miles before breakfast?

Screw that! I'm just getting comfortably to sleep a few hours before the sun comes up. If it's still dark when I awake, I've done something wrong (like booked an early flight).

 

[Amethyst]

It might even be fun to talk to some of them and learn about the young person who still lives inside that scary old exterior. Since there are so many old people where you go, there are bound to be a few outliers who can discuss something more exciting than grandkids and ailments

Amethyst

I'm going to have to bring my smartphone with data collection app and do a scientific inventory of young vs old people I see out and about during weekday daytime.

 

[NW-Bound]

I didn't understand their eerie similarity to one another. Besides men and women all being exactly the same ashy-gray color from head to toe, they were all about 5 feet 4 inches tall and built like little stout cookie jars. Even "shrinkage" due to age doesn't account for it. Maybe I was really seeing pod people, not old people....

... inside that scary old exterior...

I often say here that if I last till 70, that's already more than I expect.

But if I live longer, it means more chance for me to become one of those "scary little stout cookie jars". What a thing to look forward to!

 

[Sea Kayaker]

I am looking forward to this phenomenon, if it is true, because I prefer the presence of "old people" to those of my own age. To be honest I find my similarly aged peers to be insufferable.

 

[Amethyst]

Well, I fully intend to become as scary as possible, in hopes muggers will leave me alone! Hey, maybe that's why we become "invisible" with age...it's not invisibility; it's camouflage

I often say here that if I last till 70, that's already more than I expect.

But if I live longer, it means more chance for me to become one of those "scary little stout cookie jars". What a thing to look forward to!