Ok, so there’s a local garden about a 5 minute drive from my house. I have a membership there, and for years now I have a routine after work and on weekends where I’ll walk a few miles and read while I do it. Pretty leisurely pace, and I just lap the place.
Now to be clear, I don’t deeply care what others think about this in terms of like…impacting my self esteem or whatever. I know it’s not usual, but that’s fine, I enjoy it. The reason I ask is that in the last few months, I have been on the receiving end of some incendiary looks and even direct comments. One mother told me it was dangerous to do in a place with kids (I walk like…2 mph and always look up). Another person called me Cinderella (my guy, you’re thinking of Belle).
It just got me thinking about why something so harmless is seemingly impacting people so much? Does NOBODY else do this? Is it seemingly more dangerous than I realize, or like… bizarre to the point of being socially intimidating? People walk and text/scroll all the time, I guess I don’t see a major difference there?
by TheLazyLounger
28 Comments
Definitely gives off “oblivious” vibes.
Not at all weird, as long as you pay attention to what’s around you and don’t walk into people.
Isn’t it just like looking at your phone whilst you’re walking? Your attention is diverted and possibly you’re not fully aware of your surroundings. If you’re near people, or traffic or other things which may need your attention then there is the potential for problems.
If I see someone reading a book while walking I assume they’re much less likely to pay attention to their surroundings and that is annoying. It’s the same way I feel when people are lost in their cell phones while walking. You’re offloading your responsibility as a pedestrian to other people.
And whether you think you are or not, you definitely are less observant of your surroundings and less careful than you think you are. It’s like people who text and drive and think it has no impact on their safety (though obviously with walking the consequences are far less severe).
I have read while walking on my treadmill, but I wouldn’t do it in a public garden. I would either not retain anything I read because I’d be paying too much attention to where I was going, or not pay attention to where I was going and run into something/someone.
You do you though, if you’ve never ran into anyone or anything and you enjoy it, ignore the haters
When going for a walk I prefer either an audiobook or use the assistive reader on my kindle.
How are you always looking up, while reading? I think people would be upset because you’re not paying attention to where you’re going.
Personally I read to escape reality, having to pay attention to where I’m going and what’s going on in a book would lead me to do both badly.
I was going to say people are always walking scrolling on their phones and have no idea what’s going on around them
I don’t see anything wrong with what you are doing . If you were walking down a busy packed street bumping into everyone yeah it might not be the best idea but if it’s a local garden you know well no issue
I used to be able to do this when I was a teenager. I did it during a free period I had in the middle of my day, I’d walk to the nearest convenient store and read on my way. I only did it cause I was mostly walking through neighborhoods and I knew I didn’t need to be as alert. But I don’t think I could do it now with my motion sickness, lol. And now I live in an area with terrible sidewalks so that would be a terrible tripping hazard waiting to happen.
When I’ve tried to do this on my treadmill, I stumble.
As a parent, if you’re so oblivious to your surroundings that you nearly walk into my child, I would get upset and maybe even say something.
But, maybe if you’re really into it, there’s a time and place that you just have to figure out.
Yes. But to be fair, I also think it’s weird that people walk around glued to their phones.
We get it you can do two things at once there’s no need to brag about it. Just kidding, but this gives some serious British period piece portrayal of women walking in their garden reading something so good for you for keeping that up in 2025. Hey, if you enjoy it fuck everybody else you keep doing it!! Personally I can hardly make the letters on the page stand still while I sit down to read so I am not a walking reader (not on my phone either I do not text and walk).
I have twisted my ankle multiple times doing this. It’s possible but unwise.
One of my old coworkers told me once she was jealous that she would always see me reading on my lunch break and that she wish she read “because it makes you look smart” so people might just be staring cause they’re insecure
I have done it before a few times. No one ever said anything to me, I find the comments to you weird. And it’s definitely not dangerous, lol what? I agree, no difference between a book and a phone.
Its very weird. But I do it too so 🤷♀️
I also bring my kindle to the gym for cardio. It keeps me motivated longer.
its the same as being on your phone.
I do this all the time when I’m the only one around, but I can totally see people wanting you to pay attention to what’s going on around you if there are people, particularly kids, around.
This isn’t weird…keep doing it.
This is what audiobooks are for. It’s literally the reason I always have a print book and an audiobook going.
Back when I was reading around 3-4 books a month I would read while walking to and from work, read on the bus, go out for a few drinks, read while heading there/ Always walking and reading, now I have audio books and have got lazy lol
Only if you don’t walk in front of a bus.
Ah when i was in elementary school I would always read on my walk to school! This was back before I had an mp3 player or ipod or anything to listen to. I had to dodge trash cans and stuff every so often and it was always fine, I never walking into anything. I will admit nobody was ever one the street so the only one who would suffer if I was distracted would be me with a barked shin or something. Maybe if there were a lot of people around I would have had to stop. But idk I feel like if you’ve got a good track record so far you’re probably fine.
you wanna know what i think? i think people are **idiots** with nothing important going on in their own lives 🤷🏼♂️
My last year of high school, I had lessons starting late in the morning or even at noon some days, so on these days I would choose to walk 1.5 hours along a bicycle path to get to school. I read so many books that year! It was really a great use of that time and in my opinion, much safer than e.g. wearing headphones and listening to music or audiobooks. I don’t really do that now that I live in the city, there are too many people in the streets and I feel like I need to pay attention constantly.
I’m far more likely to judge you for what you’re reading than for the fact that you’re doing so.
There are purpose built places you can do walking and reading, usually a round kind of building with roof but otherwise all open. You’re supposed to walk there.
lol no not at all! my mom taught me to do this when reading really boring books for school to help me get through reading them