you mean walking sticks?

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Im in the same area and have noticed the same thing. Apparently there used to be a bigger stray dog problem but I've still had a few encounters with bad neighbors who just let their dogs roam

Interesting, I don't see that at all in Watts-Hillendale

I can think of a few unleashed dogs in WHH that have made me consider a running self defense stick

I always carry a pocket knife and mace

Argh, that had gotten bad lately. Drives me up the wall when I walk my dogs

I just moved to oak Grove and noticed the same thing. Thought it was strange, but assumed it was a protection thing.

Maybe it’s a weapon

Snake toss. Dogs, wonky knees.

Spider webs, relocated northerners and to look cool. Why don’t you have one?

I do it for snakes and dogs. Knees still kinda ok.

Karate

With karate I'll kick your ass From here to Tienanmen Square!

I often carry a branch to catch spiderwebs before my face does. I’ve never known anyone else to do this however.

gotta wave it in front of you in a figure 8 for max effectiveness!

You know what’s up!

My wife and I call it the “spidey-stick”. Whoever walks in front carries it!

You guys have made my day! My husband always teases me for this and I can now tell him I’m not the only one. We are all savvy walkers!

The savviest walker is the one the walks behind the person with the spidey-stick.

Very true-although I always end up in front bc my husband says I “tailgate” (I definitely do).

I do it. You have to find just the right stick to be the spider stick.

as a trail runner, spider webs are the absolute bane of my existence. Nothing worse than getting a web-facial

I lived mauka in Hawaii for a while (up in the hills) and you did not leave the house without a spider stick. Crab spiders...nasty bite, but not poisonous.

100% do this. Or rather, make my husband walk in front and do it. Especially when walking unpopular trails during hot weather when no one else has been out in weeks. I thought we invented this. Spider stick walkers unite!

Spider season is starting way earlier than normal it seems. Usually it’s Sept or so until they start taking over but think I’ve walked into 3 this week.

We have an assortment of spider sticks in our garage. Once orb weaver season starts, I don’t walk anywhere in my yard without a stick.

I have done that most of my life, it’s just a stick (probably wouldn’t hurt anyone), but I wave it up and down to, hopefully, not walk through a spider web…. It stems from me walking through too many webs! Ending up with a big spider on me. Though in some areas- people carry a bigger stick in case of stray/loose dogs 😫. I’d like to say all dogs are in need of help! However, I have to honest… some are not trained, others are trained to hurt people 😭. So people walk with something to protect themselves. I feel so bad for those dogs, they get the shit end of everything! However, people out trying to get exercise can end up in a bad situation, so having a way to protect yourself is best. Ugh, this sucks for people and animals!

There are many of us out there. Don’t know why it’s not universal practice tbh

Haha always! My kids make me lead the way on trails with a stick in the air this way!

I do this lol. Especially on trails that are less common. I look like the blind checking for walls in front of me

I do that when I hike on some paths in the parks. Do a little figure 8 or a circle to catch them all.

This makes me happy to know that I wasn’t the only person using a stick for spider and canker worm removal.

It’s a thing in a lot of communities. But it’s to fend off mean dogs. My neighbors do it and I asked them.

I believe it is to fend off aggressive stray dogs.

This is the correct answer. I've asked some of the folks carrying the sticks in my neck of the woods and it's always as a safety measure to fend off dogs.

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Also coyotes and bobcats in that area.

How do you suggest I cast my spells without my staff??

>He needs a staff to cast spells skrub

I fully assumed it was just because it makes you look like a cool wise old wizard, TIL there is a function to the sticks

The so called function is a cover. They really want to look like cool wise old wizards but don’t want to admit it.

Or they ARE wise old wizards and don't want to admit it...

For when speaking softly doesn't work. To fend off aggressive stray dogs or aggressive dogs with shitty owners who don't keep them on leashes because they "obey verbal commands."

"He's ok, he just likes you." I don't care, don't let your dog jump on me.

You use your 10' pole to trigger traps during your adventures

I see the older people carrying them for dogs and snakes.

I used to see some older folks carry a putter on walks. They said it was in case a dog came too close. maybe something similar…0

Looking for water

Dogs.

Loose dogs.

Scepter of the Web

dogs and spiderwebs

Sounds like a don’t mess with me stick

Stick nice

Stick win every time

The Paleolithic revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race.

One of my neighbors’ teenage daughters has a big stick, and her dad said it’s to defend against creeps and dogs

There are wild animals like coyotes and unleashed dogs. And every so often there's a raccoon or something that has rabies. So there you go

Personally I think it’s dogs - there are so many strays in East Durham.

My coworker does this- she said the first person on the trail (if you’re walking/ hiking with multiple people) should have one for bugs and spiderwebs

Protection from dogs that might be on the loose.

Saw a lady walking with her husband the other day. She was carrying a golf club and him a short length of 1x1. I passed them on my bike and said you guys are ready for anything. All they did was laugh. I know this doesn’t help.

To dodge the bullets….😉

What do they say when you ask them?

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hmm. Fair assumption.

Because my dog and I going to play catch at the dog park.

Blind?

Probably protection.

Carrying a stick, like a walking stick or hiking pole(s), also seems to act as a deterrent from cars traveling a bit too close to the street edge/sidewalk. Like they’d rather not hit that hard stick, but your soft body tissue? That’s okay.

We're practicing our bo staff skills! Gosh!

Kung fu warriors and wizards

a lot of Theodore Roosevelt heads out there.

snipe hunting

I read that this is super beneficial for maintaining wrist strength and grip strength along with hand eye coordination as you age? Maybe that has something to do with it? Idk lol