I almost entirely avoid the main quest and dragons and use Live another life for an alternative start, to be honest I hate Skyrim's main quest and Bethesda's story execution of the Dovahkiin so I prefer non-Dragonborn characters myself.

I'm afraid that's not the case. You can run all around that Watchtower.

I always have a similiar problem, but with Jeorlund Gray-Mane in Whiterun. Every character I've played, he's died to a dragon or vampire attack. So annoying >.<

I'm gonna side with the people saying 'don't give the stone to Farengar'. I KNOW it's not the FINAL trigger for dragons, but it feels 'odd' restricting myself to not walking up that ramp. Call it OCD, whatever, I like to know that I can go anywhere. All of the steps people listed are equally valid, because people have different play styles. My hunter might want to go up that tower and snipe wild animals, for example.

One of the disappointing parts of the game for me is the lack of recognition or change after Alduin's defeat. Consequently, I actually do the MQ as the final adventure of each PC. The PC defeats Alduin, saves the world, goes home and retires with the kids and spouse. Then I start another PC. This feels satisfying personally but because I put off the MQ for so long, most of the game is dragon-free. When they do show up, there's a tangible sense of change/danger which really adds to the fun.

I've stopped doing the main quest with my last few characters and I haven't really missed the Dragons at all. At most they just add a bit of variation to what you encounter in the wilderness but they inevitably get boring sooner or later.

I've only done the main quest once. Aside from the Helgen beginning, I haven't seen a Dragon since November, 2011. That adds up to about 2,500 hours of Dragon-less Skyrim.

I have attempted this a couple of times but my main problem isn't the dragons, it's the word walls. I usually go ahead and start the main quest after a while. I know, it's a really trivial thing and there's probably a mod for that. Word walls are like those unusual gems, just begging to be interacted with.

I just never go get that stone for the wizard. He acts so arrogant I just can't stand his attitude. Warning the Jarl was all I felt I needed to do. I'm not doing the gruntwork for some snobby wizard.

I did play one Khajiit that would never entered a walled city, thus the MQ never got started. It was actually kind of interesting since it forced me to explore villages and towns I generally overlooked. Very fun role-play. Course I could never make any dragon weapons or armor, but those weren't this guys style anyway.

yea I feel like the dragon armor / weapons is something that draws players in right off the bat, but you start to realize you can become pretty powerful without having the dragon armor and that it's more aesthetic than anything.