> I want to walk up to a person and they don't know.

That’s usually not cool.

nancyminusone 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I never do this on purpose but it happens. People are usually baffled at how a 6'4 person can "appear" out of nowhere, and I'm always wondering how I could have possibly be hidden.

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cainxinth 9 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I had an old bike that was fairly noisy. I got a new bike that is remarkably silent. I try to use my bell or my voice but I still end up sneaking up on people all the time and, as you said, they don’t enjoy it.

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AaronAPU 2 hours ago | parent [-]

From my experience even if you have a loud bike and yell “on your left” 3 times many on a shared use trail will be surprised as you pass them.

Then there are the people who for whatever reason need giant over the ear headphones and also need to walk right in the middle of a bidirectional trail.

	▲	plaguuuuuu an hour ago \| parent [-]
		water pistol

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wccrawford 13 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

As someone who constantly does this to people, I can confirm that it is both amusing and, as you say, "not cool".

To that point, I used to wear my keys on a chain, and let the chain dangle to make noise as I walked.

It still didn't work very well, though, so I eventually gave up on that. Now I have no solution for it except that I'm more careful to try to approach people from the side or scuff my feet or something as I approach.

Also...

I was recently diagnosed as having Autism, and I distinctly remember just after high school someone approaching me and tell me that I still "walk funny". They didn't mean anything cruel by it, it was just a fact.

And I realized that I do walk funny, and I can even correct at least some of it if I think about it, but generally, I like how I walk for the advantages it brings, like balance and agility. Which is probably why I taught my self to walk like that in the first place.