How often do you say "hi" to stangers when walking around?

[Jamaal510]

I usually don't make eye contact with passers-by and I don't really talk to strangers unless they talk to me first.

18 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Always
	4 (22%)
	Sometimes
	10 (56%)
	Rarely
	2 (11%)
	Never
	2 (11%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[AsahinaKimi]

1. I am happy to say hello to people on line..

and in chat rooms, but you never know who you will bump into in the The City by the bay..it may not be someone you want stalking you later.

[rurallib]

2. the midwest - I have always said Hi and smiled at people

used to drive my kids nuts.

[mrmpa]

3. I always do....................

it's a Pittsburgh thing. I usually nod toward a person and say hi. Very seldom do I not get a response. Last Christmas season, I was downtown and I said hi to a man. The conversation continued for the next half hour. He was from Philadelphia, in town visiting friends. I'm not afraid to say hi to another person, just acknowledging someone with a hi, or nod of the head puts me at ease and the person I've contacted

I lived in Baltimore for a year & did a lot of walking. I couldn't stand it that people didn't say hello, it was as though people were afraid and thought that ignoring others was what they needed to do. When I did say hi, people sped up, walked sideways, it was crazy.

[femmocrat]

18. I do too. It's a very Pittsburgh thing!

I usually strike up a conversation with someone at the mall.... waiting in line or on the elevator, etc. I don't go around saying HI to everyone, just occasionally! LOL

[arely staircase]

4. yes, we Southerners are tought to be polite from birth nt

[840high]

5. Always.

[elleng]

6. Largely depends on population size, imo.

I 'wave' often at strangers on the road to the cottage; the road intersects corn and soy fields, and pasture land, low population in the area. Wave less often in 'town,' DC and close-in suburbs.

[Cadfael]

7. I'm one of those annoying people

who makes small talk in the grocery store line....

[redwitch]

15. Me too!

[Cadfael]

27. A kindred spirit!

[Walk away]

26. I just go through my life chatting away with anyone I see.

Sometimes folks look a little askance but I can usually turn on enough charm to get them pulled in.

[Cadfael]

28. I usually try to get a smile or a chuckle

But around here there is a fair sized minority of people who just kinda give me a look like I might be something suspiciously unsavory that they might have to scrape off the bottom of their shoe. Must suck for them to go through life with a perpetually sour and suspicious outlook.

[Walk away]

30. That's the up and down side of living in NJ....people are generally nuts...

So we are all pretty accepting of each other's eccentricities. It's how so many diverse people can live a small area.

[applegrove]

8. I often say hi to people who look like they need a pick me up. I often say hello to older people.

[nolabear]

9. All the time unless they actively avoid eye contact.

Where I grew up, unless you're on a highway or city street you're like as not to wave at everybody you meet on the road too.

[hrmjustin]

10. Never unless they say hello first.

[Ron Obvious]

11. Sometimes

When I'm in a small town, and I get the vibe that it's a friendly place.

Oddly enough, I just had a conversation about this the other day and about cultural norms. I don't think it's always a friendly gesture. I tend to walk around lost in my own thoughts much of the time, and the "Hi"s I get from strangers often seems almost aggressive to me: "Hey you! Acknowledge me!"

I was sitting on a park bench the other day reading my book, and every damn teenager passing by said Hi to me. Even repeating it more aggressively when I ignored them. I'm sorry, but that's just rude.

[Arugula Latte]

22. Young women often get an aggressive "Hey -- smile!" thrown at them.

There was a thread about this on the old DU: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x8292065

[Art_from_Ark]

12. That's one thing that bothers me about living in Japan

Back in Arkansas, people will often say "Hi" or "How're you doing?" to me on the street, even if they don't know me, but here (in the Kanto/Tokyo area at least, I've heard it may be different in other regions of the country) people will go out of their way to avoid looking at me as they pass me on the sidewalk or wherever.

[mnhtnbb]

13. Definitely a small town custom. Can't imagine saying 'hi' to every stranger on the street in NY.

But I definitely say 'hi' or nod to everyone here in Chapel Hill when I'm out walking
the dog.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

14. Often,

because being a stranger is part of my psychological makeup, and also I hate to see anyone feel excluded or sub-respected. Because I don't expect (or want) it directed to me, it strengthens my resolve to acknowledge others.

[auntAgonist]

16. always. I am Canadian, need I say more?

[laundry_queen]

25. Ditto nt

[Iggo]

17. Whenever I catch eye-contact with a passerby.

A nod, a raised eyebrow, a smile, a hello.

Makes me feel good.

[LadyHawkAZ]

19. Depends on my mood

If I'm feeling chatty I'll greet just about everyone.

If I'm listening to music and thinking, not feeling very chatty, I'll ignore just about everyone.

[HipChick]

20. No...and I avoid all eye contact too..

Just too many weirdo's walking around..

[Arugula Latte]

21. It depends on the situation.

Walking around my neighborhood, yes, I always say Hi and give a hand raise (I always hope they aren't saying something more to me because I always have music playing in my earbuds). But in a more crowded situation, no.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

23. I spent a lot of my youth in Europe and my mother is French

and the custom was not to address strangers in a familiar manner. My father was American, of Irish descent, but had also lived in Europe and, although quite gregarious with people he knew, would generally not address strangers. In America, I even find it strange when telephone solicitors call and address me by my first name without ever having introduced themselves. When I've worked in offices, I've also found it unusual for everyone to use first names, even when addressing the boss. In France, this would not be done. On occasion, I've noted in public places such as at a bus stop or lunch counter, for example, that perfect strangers will begin speaking to me in familiar terms without introducing themselves, as if they've known me all their lives and then depart without so much as a 'good-bye'. I've wondered if this tendency to treat strangers with instant familiarity may not stem from the way the country was founded, with strangers having to quickly pull together on the frontier in order to survive. It may not be limited to the United States, either. I speak Spanish and I find it extremely strange when Latin Americans address perfect strangers in the familiar form "tu" and advertisers even incorporate this usage in their ads. In France or Spain, the "tu" form is still only used between friends or family members and the formal "vous" or "usted" is used when addressing others, as a sign of respect.

[Paladin]

24. Not nearly often enough, in all probability..... (nt)

[Arkansas Granny]

29. Pretty often, actually. It's not unusual in this part of the country

to speak to strangers when you make eye contact. When you're driving on country roads, you can always spot the locals. They wave at every vehicle they pass. Maybe it's a Southern thing, like "Bless her heart".

[MrScorpio]

31. Up here, being polite to strangers is a matter of survival...

And not just a matter of basic politeness

[HereSince1628]

32. Howdy or Hi, almost always. I spent 4 years at Texas A&M

IMO, the howdy thing is one of aggieland's better traditions.

[ConcernedCanuk]

33. I voted always - "almost always" would be more accurate

.
.
.

"sometimes" seemed too little.

I live in a small town of 2,000 - been in this area for 30 years, had businesses here dealing with the public, so know well over half the people.

I can think of only one person I do not say hello to, and that is an older local woman who will talk you to death if you so much as make eye contact with her. She is quite a pleasant person, but topics wander off into neverlands I can't fathom, and feel sort of rude if I break off the conversation - so my solution was to not get them started.

On average - my time spent in shopping trips to town are spent more in conversation than shopping - a quite enjoyable diversion from scheduled living.

After living in cities like Toronto and Hamilton, where eye contact alone can be frikken dangerous -

I love living near my wee town of 2,000 souls.



CC

[JonLP24]

34. I have social anxiety

I usually avoid saying "hi" to non-strangers. Or saying "bye" and if I do, it usually comes out in an unnatural tone. Easier with someone I know or someone that can carry a conversation until I have more things to say.

Often times I receive comments that I'm an asshole but I'm really not and I show it by actions or being helpful. Sociopaths usually have excellent social skills so don't always use that as an indicator whether someone is good or not, can be trusted or not.

[rppper]

35. Anyone who's look I catch...

It disarms people...even with just a smile and a head nod...I do so in the hopes that it is passed on...I still believe in humanity.

[ms liberty]

36. I'm southern, its a rule. Everyone gets a courteous greeting...

Even the people you pass while driving, which is known as "speaking" in the local vernacular. It would best be described as lifting the fingers of whichever hand is topmost on the steering wheel as you meet a car on the road or alternatively lifting your hand as you meet said car. Of course, being southern requires being able to strike up a conversation with anyone anywhere as well, lol!

[Xyzse]

37. I generally do a head bob/bow to everyone I pass by.

A hello now and then, but I generally breeze through people, so nothing more than a head bob, eye contact and a smile.

[Sissyk]

38. It's pretty much second nature here

to say hi, hello, good day, etc. when you pass someone on the street, entering or exiting a door.

Friends of ours had friends from California visit here last summer. They said they could never get anything done if they lived in Tennessee because you have to talk to everybody. lol! They said it was so fun standing in line at the market and listening to everyone ahead of them tell the cashier all about their day. haha!

[struggle4progress]

39. It depends on cultural setting. I was raised in big-city north-east, where

you didn't talk to strangers. I lived for a while in rural-ranchland west, where you usually but not always did. Now I live in a liberal southern town: in a lot of contexts, I say hi to strangers, but if I'm walking downtown I don't