What do you do when you make eye contact with somebody you barely know?

Deus Ex Machina

What do you do when you make eye contact with somebody you barely know while your walking towards them? People you barely know are, as a rule, above average looking, appear introspective and somewhat intelligent, and albeit very awkward they seem to manage it a lot better than you. You see them and they see you and yet it will take at least another ten seconds of walking for you to get sufficiently close to each other in order to allow the void to be filled with small talk. My response varies:

Sometimes I look away instantly in absolute denial of that initial eye contact.

Or, if the surroundings allow for it, I alter my course so that we are not walking towards each other directly. Not much use on narrow paths or corridors, where these kind of meetings inevitably occur.

Occasionally I will nod at them from a distance, but this is not advisable as it often results in the dreaded double nod, where you can only fill the eternity between the first nod of recognition and your eventual meeting with...another nod.

On rare occasions I might try to shout a hello to them, just to start the conversation instead of this weird enforced voyeurism, but this can make one appear mentally unstable, a maniac shouting hellos at somebody they barely know from a great distance.

Once in a blue moon I might turn on my heal and take it up to a slow jog, but that can appear odd, especially when your the only other person in the narrow corridor...

prinz

Wink.

lil'bug

i ask them "can I help you please?" and show them where the masking tape is

starbelgrade

Just focus on their cleavage.

xoxyx

Deus Ex Machina wrote: »

What do you do when you make eye contact with somebody you barely know...

I bet you're a real hit at parties!

Snakeblood

Headbutt, then I shout 'Stay out my grill *****'

Or I smile and go 'hey'.


God I'm so weak.

rednik

Get all sticky.

--Kaiser--

I kick em in the face

Wazdakka

- Whip out my junk
- Furiously masturbate

They always break eye contact first..

PandyAndy

Douglas Adams covered some of these scenarios in 'The Meaning of Liff'

CORRIEARKLET (n.)

The moment at which two people approaching from opposite ends of a long
passageway, recognice each other and immediately pretend they haven't. This
is to avoid the ghastly embarrassment of having to continue recognising each
other the whole length of the corridor.

CORRIECRAVIE (n.)

To avert the horrors of corrievorrie (q.v.) corriecravie is usually
employed. This is the cowardly but highly skilled process by which both
protagonists continue to approach while keeping up the pretence that they
haven't noticed each other - by staring furiously at their feet, grimacing
into a notebook, or studying the walls closely as if in a mood of deep
irritation.

CORRIEDOO (n.)

The crucial moment of false recognition in a long passageway encouter.
Though both people are perfectly well aware that the other is approaching,
they must eventually pretend sudden recognition. They now look up with a
glassy smile, as if having spotted each other for the firt time, (and are
particulary delighted to have done so) shouting out 'Haaaaaallllloooo!' as
if to say 'Good grief!! You!! Here!! Of all people! Will I never. Coo. Stap
me vitals, etc.'

CORRIEMOILLIE (n.)

The dreadful sinking sensation in a long passageway encounter when both
protagonists immediately realise they have plumped for the corriedoo (q.v.)
mutch too early as they are still a good thirty yards apart. They were
embarrased by the pretence of corriecravie (q.v.) and decided to make use of
the corriedoo because they felt silly. This was a mistake as corrievorrie
(q.v.) will make them seem far sillier.

CORRIEVORRIE (n.)

Corridor etiquette demans that one a corriedoo (q.v.) has been
declared, corrievorrie must be employed. Both protagonists must now
embellish their approach with an embarrassing combination of waving,
grinning, making idiot faces, doing pirate impressions, and waggling the
head from side to side while holding the other person's eyes as the smile
drips off their face, until with great relief, they pass each other.

CORRIEMUCHLOCH (n.)

Word describing the kind of person who can make a complete mess of a
simple job like walking down a corridor.

phill106

Motorboat

gonedrinking

my eyes just dart about the place, as if I'm taking in new surroundings for the first time, but conveniently my eyes never dart in the direction of the person approaching me

Sea Sharp

Give an initial smile or nod if you see them from afar, then break eye contact until you are in talking distance then say "Howaya, how's your Ma's gee?".

CrazyRabbit

I try to look evil & sinister. Actually, I look like that all the time.

AnonoBoy

They normally make visitors walk along the opposite side to the cells so I don't make eye contact with people I don't know all that often but when I do I make a kind of slithering sound combined with a hiss. It normally goes down well.

bonerm

I just nonchalantly exclaim "wassup nigga!" , unless of course it's an African American in which case I will greet with "wassup chocolate face!"

(can't be too PC these days)