I walked faster so I wouldn’t have to talk to them

[Excitedformondayforonce]

Am I weird?

Was having a lovely relaxing dog walk in the woods after dinner with Dh & Dc. Had been gardening all day and in pjs, so just pulled a pair of leggings and top on, hair not really brushed properly and in a ponytail.
Where we go by our house, we never really see anyone, except neighbours we know well. We were halfway around and I was in front by quite a bit with Ddog on the lead, when I heard Dc chatting away and another family behind us. Dc ran up and fold me it was someone from her school. They then ran back to chat with them with Dh. Ddog was pulling on the lead and does need to walk at a quicker pace, but as I got down the hill, they wouldn’t have been able to see me, I thought do I go back/wait and walk with them on the walk and be sociable (never met them before) and ignore the fact I look a mess or just get home, so I walked home quicker as I just didn’t want to be sociable.
Dh asked where I went and I said I was desperate for the loo
Is this weird?

Seriously, this is why there's a loneliness epidemic.

Talking to people is slap bang in the spectrum of acceptable behaviour..

Yes. Weird. Not on Mumsnet, though, where any sort of social interaction is regarded with horror.

I think fair enough if you were tired or needed the loo.

If you avoided them actually because of what you were wearing then yes you are very odd. No one, ever, met someone walking their dog and thought "gosh she's dressed very casually isn't she! Comfy clothes for a dog walk, how standards are slipping!"

If anything it'd have been more remarkable if you'd done a glow up look just for a quick walk with the family

This would be me

Men don't torture themselves in this way do they. What was your dh wearing? I bet something roughly equivalent to what you were wearing, not an ironed shirt and chinos. No one cares or notices what you're wearing when you stop for a quick chit chat on a dog walk!

‘Accosting’?!

You sound like a delightful person.

Well aren’t you a nice person ? Lord help us if everyone were like you

What? So you're never allowed to talk to someone you know, unless you have pre-arranged a conversation with them? Bonkers.

This ALWAYS happens to me - when I look presentable I see no one 😂
OP - I would have done the same as you, needing the loo is a great excuse.

YANBU. I'm always friendly and smile and say hello to people on my dog walks, but live in constant fear they will take this as an invitation to start a conversation!

To return to OP's actual point - yes I think your behaviour was a bit weird.

I don't think you were obliged to stop and chat, but not even to say hello or wave or pass a message back with your DC ("can't stop, Dog desperate for walk" would be fine) was rather rude.

And I can pretty much guarantee that they would not have cared what you were wearing, and, if they did, you would know not to bother with them again.

From the other people's perspective, it would have looked like you didn't want to talk to them (which is clearly true, but normally people make social pretences).

How do you pre-arrange the conversation if you're not allowed to talk to them?

This reminds me of an anecdotal person who never answered the phone because "if it's important, they'll ring back".

My kid used to get quite upset when I cut the parents of his school friends. I didn't want to talk to them, but he wanted me to talk to them; he didn't want them, or their kid, to think I was weird.

You do you but your kids and husband will think you weird. It’s not exactly mirroring positive interactions for your kids either. Maybe explore it with a professional.

I have dogs,am 75,had dogs since I was a kid. I live on the outskirts of a village,there,are some dog walkers who dress up to the nines,they don't speak at all. I have a friend who is always dressed up,long coat,fancy pointed shoes,who had recently had a couple of bad falls. I don't look fabulous, but safely and comfort is paramount. I have border collies,one is very reactive onlead, they have warnings on their leads, but the people I generally want to avoid are the miseries who don't even say good morning etc. after over 60 years of dog ownership, I have found if the owner is not friendly, the dog isn't! My online name used to be pyjama gardener, I have already been out at 6.

Accosting? Her daughter was happily chatting to her friend from school that happened to be with her family. Christ, some people are weird.

Tbh OP, I do think its was odd and rude of you to hightail it home just because you had your leggings on. Not many people get dressed up for a Sunday dog walk. It wouldn't bother me in the slightest to have a quick chat under those circumstances. Your excuse is a valid one, though I expect your husband realises you're bullshitting him 😂

I’d call it “rude” rather than “weird”. It would have been polite to say a quick hello and explain “can’t stop, dog needs to walk quicker” or that you needed the toilet or something.

It’s very interesting that you care what they thought about how you were dressed, but you don’t care what they thought about your manners. And actually I suspect they wouldn’t have noticed/cared what you were wearing.

I guess maybe you'd have to email or text first? Or are unsolicited emails also rude?? Who knows anymore.

This thread is peak mn bingo! Good start to Monday 😆
with people speaking to you on a dog walk likened to accosting and ambushing!

This thread got hilarious so fast!
Who knew saying anything other than a quick hello was rudely accosting someone!

🤣🤣🤣🤣

This is a really good point haha!

1. No one cares what you looked like.
2. A quick hello is good manners.

So you garden in PJ's?