Need feedback on this

[oldtrig]

Late in the day I walk miles in our neighborhood. My wife and dog go with me. The problem is this. Many of my neighbors want to stop us and talk. I keep walking but my wife said I am rude. She stops and chats. I say I cannot get exercise if I stop every 1/2 mile and talk. Anybody here ever dealt with this annoying problem. Today I left my wife while she stopped and talked. The older lady never shuts up and I knew if I stopped I would never get the walk in. When she got home she told me again I was rude. I told her if I wanted to visit I would go to their house. I told her the people that stop me are rude. I could care less what others think about me. When I start doing something I like to finish. I will not walk in this neighborhood again unless its dark. oldtrig

 

[73ss454]

Get a treadmill, problem solved.

 

[Alan]

Keep the dog, get rid of the wife.





Change your route, or drive to another neighborhood to do your walking for exercise.

 

[oldtrig]

get rid of the wife, are you kidding me
I will just wear a headset and pretend I do not hear anyone.
I think now I should have not asked such a silly question. I will just eat donuts and stay home

 

[Alan]

I will just wear a headset and pretend I do not hear anyone.

Now you're thinking

 

[LOL!]

I walk often twice a day. I like to stop and chat, but I know some folks have their "game face" on and do not want to stop and chat. So I would not stop you ... just a quick hello or wave is all that is needed.

In your case, I would train your dog to jump up on people and bark. My dog will "speak" on command, so I can make folks not want to be around us on command.

 

[bbbamI]

Have a t-shirt made with this on the front........

 

[oldtrig]

I walk often twice a day. I like to stop and chat, but I know some folks have their "game face" on and do not want to stop and chat. So I would not stop you ... just a quick hello or wave is all that is needed.

In your case, I would train your dog to jump up on people and bark. My dog will "speak" on command, so I can make folks not want to be around us on command.

My dog does jump up on people but she is so dang cute they love it
I will just eat lots of garlic from now on just before I walk.

 

[oldtrig]

Have a t-shirt made with this on the front........

Now thats a great idea. I will copy and paste that to my old shirt

 

[easysurfer]

It's kinda like when you plop yourself in front of the TV set to watch your favorite game on TV then you get bombarded with questions and chit chat

 

[oldtrig]

It's kinda like when you plop yourself in front of the TV set to watch your favorite game on TV then you get bombarded with questions and chit chat

That what I am talking about

 

[oldtrig]

It's kinda like when you plop yourself in front of the TV set to watch your favorite game on TV then you get bombarded with questions and chit chat

How about just starting to watch a movie you rented for 24 hours and your buddy calls and goes over every golf shot he hit today. When he asks what you are doing you tell him watching a movie and he still goes over all 18 holes
and my wife thinks I am rude. I am changing my name to RickyRude

 

[TromboneAl]

Walk separately and neighbors will soon understand that your wife stops to talk and you don't. If you want to walk with DW, you can do it in a different neighborhood.

 

[Nords]

The problem is this. Many of my neighbors want to stop us and talk. I keep walking but my wife said I am rude.

Maybe you could walk a different route where the homeowners already know that you're rude and won't stop to talk to you?

Or maybe you could drive to a new neighborhood for a new walking route.

 

[MichaelB]

Hi [-]RickyRude[/-] Oldtrig. Some good suggestions here, especially bbbamI and Alan's. That's a nice shirt. What you're missing is the game face. When approaching someone, before they have a chance to talk, stretch out your arm and give a short wave, say Hi, can't stop, gotta keep going, Bye now" and make a face as if you were exercising.

Sounds like you're going to have to walk alone, or find a new path. I'd watch out with the garlic thing. It might help keep people away while you walk, but won't stop when you get back home again. Might help with the tv watching, but it'll also keep the grandkids away, and that's not good.

 

[Zathras]

If you are not wanting to be social, why put yourself in the situation where you decide to snub people to get an uninterrupted walk?
Find a park trail, YMCA, treadmill or just a different neighborhood.
I would certainly agree with you if people were coming over and knocking on your door. But you are the one putting yourself in this situation.

 

[Nova]

Are you sure you are not my husband?! Same problem, here. DH will wave and say hi, then walk on. Sometimes I get stuck "visiting" with neighbors...well, sometimes it's stuck, other times it's a nice little visit. When I catch up to DH, he's usually miffed that I stopped. I have learned to stop for a moment or two, then explain that if I don't hurry on, I'll never catch up to DH. The lady across the street seems to always catch us just as we begin our walk. I've learned to get away from her by saying that the dog has to go and he can't lift a leg until we get to the common area...and that's true!

 

[donheff]

Maybe your wife is right -- you are just a rude old curmudgeon. Do your penance - talk to the neighbors and extend your walk.

 

[oldtrig]

If you are not wanting to be social, why put yourself in the situation where you decide to snub people to get an uninterrupted walk?
Find a park trail, YMCA, treadmill or just a different neighborhood.
I would certainly agree with you if people were coming over and knocking on your door. But you are the one putting yourself in this situation.

Please explain to me how I am not wanting to be social? I am walking for my health not visiting. Maybe I should start jogging. I never have any of these people over to my home. Most would drive me nuts listening to all the gossip anyway. 9 out of 10 times when we are stopped all they want is to know is about so and so. I have never once stopped anyone when they walk. I figure if they need me they will stop and ask. We have lived in this neighborhood for 40 years. I like to be left alone. I am not a rude person just like to be me and not be social. oldtrig

 

[Midpack]

Ideally you can find a way to do both. I walk every day in my neighborhood and I don't think you should have to buy anything or drive anywhere to walk. But could you walk at a different time? Or if you're just starting your walk just say 'hi there, can we talk on my way back when I'm done exercising?' (don't say walk, some people don't see it as exercise). Odds are they won't be there when you come back. And if they are, why not be neighborly for a few minutes?

Sounds like you don't want to talk to them anyway, which could be seen as rude as your DW says. But it sounds like you don't see it that way, so what difference does it make?

 

[Happyrick]

Walk with the wife (and dog) stop and chat. Then at another time walk for fitness on your own, my wife never goes at my pace, my dog is always wanting to water someone's lawn. Now I just go out twice, alone it's sometimes early, late or off the beaten path to avoid the every friendly neighbours.

"True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the
body; the two are united." - Alexander von Humboldt

 

[Ally]

Ours is the opposite. I don't like to stroll, and my husband does, meaning he talks to anyone who is out in their yard, he picks up recycling cans, etc. We solved our issue by usually walking at different times. We walk together on Sundays and he keeps up with me then.

I have 2-3 houses targeted, where I know talkers live, and I avoid those blocks. Unfortunately, these talkers are also board members where I work, so in essence they are my bosses. If I see them, I have to talk. Therefore, I avoid their blocks.

 

[Amethyst]

I agree that some people will natter on forever about topics of interest only to themselves, and this is a problem best solved by avoiding them, or making lots of "I'm not interested, and have other important things on my mind" body language.

It seems like the issue is that your wife is that sparkling jewel, a patient, interested listener - while you have other priorities. Yet you don't want to give up walking with your wife, which is understandable - since she is such a good listener. Have you asked her to help you work out a compromise?

To some extent, I wish I had your problem. I've always been a walker. When we first moved here, I stopped to talk with all the neighbors who happened to be outside. I learned all sorts of useful and/or amusing things, because I was willing to take the wheat with the chaff. Now I can walk for four miles straight and see almost no English-speaking people outdoors - and those folks are working hard and not in a position to chat, even if I spoke their language!

Amethyst

 

[W2R]

Get a treadmill, problem solved.

Good idea!

Or, join a gym with an indoor track for walking. Problem solved.

 

[grasshopper]

When Ms G go out for a neighborhood walk, we are lucky that the neighbors stop. Otherwise the dust from the dirt [-]path[/-] road would choke us for the next 1/2 mile. Most of the vehicles are Border Patrol.