Walking past strangers - Protocol

fryup

You're out having a walk, walking the dog whatever on a country road or in a park..you approach a stranger walking the other way do you say......

Hello, Hi, How ya, Hows the going or do you nod your head in they're direction or are you one of those cold cards who look straight ahead not registering a look or a word.

what do you do.....

RachaelVO

Just smile, say howya doing? and keep going!

stovelid

I live in a fairly quiet suburb so would generally say hello to most people who walk by. Wouldn't do it anywhere else though.

tallaghtmick

I just nod the head,you know you are no longer a teen scrote and old people have accepted you when they look you in the eye and say hello:D

kfallon

Just walk on by, same way when I sit on a bus/train I don't make conversation with somebody I don't know!

Look whos talking

Smile at them but walk a little faster

EverEvolving

I usually just smile, wait to see what they do and then do the same.

stephen_k

Take my hand out of my pockets and ask them if my fingers smell of cheese......

Dermo

kfallon wrote: »

I don't make conversation with somebody I don't know!

Forever alone

Frank Black

I usually go for the full on embrace and kiss on both cheeks. The I’ll hold their face up close to mine and peer meaningfully into their eyes for a few seconds in silence before continuing on my way.

Essien

Strangers are grand. It gets tricky when you're walking by someone who you think you kind of know but you're not sure how well they know you.

Jaysus the awkwardness.

Kev_ps3

Dermo wrote: »

Forever alone

You make conversation with everyone you walk past?!

fryup

I think the whole look straight ahead not registering a look or a word thingy is getting more common a sign that we're getting less friendly as a nation.

I mean i just hate it when you say hello to someone and they just walk bye without so much as a nod ggggrrrrr!!

wild_cat

Bit of a shock to the system when you return to your local town after living in a large city for a while and every Tom, Dick and Harry is saying Hello as they walk past you on the street. Brought a smile to my face though as I usually walk around with an angry get the feck out of my way head on me.

Dermo

Kev_ps3 wrote: »

You make conversation with everyone you walk past?!

No, but I do talk to some people I don't know. I use it as a way of meeting new people and building friendships.

Orando Broom

fryup wrote: »

You're out having a walk, walking the dog whatever on a country road or in a park..you approach a stranger walking the other way do you say......

Hello, Hi, How ya, Hows the going or do you nod your head in they're direction or are you one of those cold cards who look straight ahead not registering a look or a word.

what do you do.....

AHOW!!!!!

Or

SQUAW!!!!!!

Alter-Ego

*Nod* "How's things?"

WindSock

I scream, spray them with mace then run off.

fryup

black francis wrote: »

I usually go for the full on embrace and kiss on both cheeks. The I’ll hold their face up close to mine and peer meaningfully into their eyes for a few seconds in silence before continuing on my way.

are you David Norris?

deman

This is a very Irish thing. When I first moved here to Finland, I'd often be walking on a small forest path between the shopping centre and where we lived at the time. I'd always say hello or give them a nod like I always did when living in Ireland. The looks that I got from people thinking I was completely away in the head for actually acknowledging that they existed!

Agricola

Apart from the country/city thing, it depends on county as well. Some are far more open to it than others. For example, you cant go anywhere in wexford without people saying "howsa goin", while in waterford you might get a nod but more usually get ignored.

I usually see if they're making eye contact on the approach, if not then I just do the same. If they are, then I make this weird closed mouth smile, raise my eyebrows fully and say something slightly incoherent, often inaudibly like "Hower....ello"

the_syco

A nod and a how'r'ya/bonjour/hello, how's it going. In Ireland, England, France, and the USA.

In France most people give a response. In England, the same.

The only place I don't do as much whilst walking around the one street on Belfast city (where Auntie Annies and the cinema is located). I get a bad vibe, with people ignoring everyone else. Do it everywhere else (in both sections of the community), and in/near the metal pubs.

Vicxas

I nod in places like dublin, in smaller towns i say hi.

prinz

Depends where I am. Say hello in some places, not in others depending on the vibe of the area I'm in. Have gotten a few funny looks in Dublin for it, but some places down the country it would be second nature.

jme2010

Dont nod at a junkie. He'll come over and try to get a euro for a hostel.

TouchingVirus

Depends on how I'm feeling and what they're doing. For example, if they're walking with the head down and iPod on I'm not going to attempt to do anything to gain their attention. But if they're walking along, make eye contact I might smile, nod, say "Hi", "Hello" or on the very rare occasion "How's it going?". It's just a nice, friendly thing to do

darrcow

i say hello then blast um with p*ss

Kojak

I just blatently ignore them - I didn't go for a walk so I could start talking to some weirdo.

Seachmall

I nod or smile at women, I cup the men's balls.

Teddy455

I say Howya Keeeed!(They usually give me some strange look.) and then take a water balloon out of my ass pocket and chivalrously discard it in to the back of there head and I scatter as quick as possible.

robman60

I always just say "hiya" in a kind of half-hearted way. When I get no reply I wonder if I'm even heard!

few cans?

'story bud, have yez got a spare smoke?'

enda1

I'm always reminded of Crocodile Dundee tipping his hat and saying G'day to everyone in New York when I see the country lads up in Dublin.

Hannibal Smith

EverEvolving wrote: »

I usually just smile, wait to see what they do and then do the same.

me too

viota

i have my head down and listen to my ipod so noone pays me any attention so i dont say anything but if i know them they say hello to me and i smile and say hello back.Most people think im a freak for having pink hair and mostly stare at me.

WindSock

viota wrote: »

i have my head down and listen to my ipod so noone pays me any attention so i dont say anything but if i know them they say hello to me and i smile and say hello back.Most people think im a freak for having pink hair and mostly stare at me.

I see. And when did you first realise you had emo?


I usually gauge subtly whether the approaching party is up for the oul greet. It's nice to be nice.

viota

people usually just glare at me.im a very shy person and it seems intimidating to me.Not many people say hello to each other here.its just not done.I live in a town.

WindSock

viota wrote: »

people usually just glare at me.im a very shy person and it seems intimidating to me.Not many people say hello to each other here.its just not done.I live in a town.

Disarm them with a smile

viota

yeah that would throw them off i have many piercings and tattoos.They think im a scumbag but im not.

Abi

fryup wrote: »

You're out having a walk, walking the dog whatever on a country road or in a park..you approach a stranger walking the other way do you say......

Hello, Hi, How ya, Hows the going or do you nod your head in they're direction or are you one of those cold cards who look straight ahead not registering a look or a word.

what do you do.....

Always give the nod and say hello out where I live, if driving past someone on foot, they wave etc. No way in hell would I say anything to anyone in Dublin city, or make eye contact with anyone for that matter. Scared of thems

Latchy

If the person looks friendly enough in appearence I smile , might say hello or use that well know Irish trait of just tilting the head in a friendly gesture , sort of way . I avoid eye contact if they look dodgy

Kevin Duffy

Depends, I may mutter incoherently, make eye contact and accuse them of something if the tinfoil hat is not working. Or a tilt of the head and "howya" if it is.

Azureus

I always just acknowledge someone I walk past with a smile, sometimes a 'good morning' or whatever if theres very few people around.

Went to a rural part of Roscommon to visit friends once though and found it hilarious-in a lovely way. Everyone stops and says hello how are you, whether you know them or not. Even people driving will lean out of the window and give ya a hello and a wave! Got so frequent it was comical after a couple of hours, after being used to Dublin folk who rarely to never greet people they dont know.

Snowie

stevie wonder was on the other night while i was out and i was doing my jive ass dacning and some girl was walking towards me she went right i went left `that orward shuffel useually turned into a fancy spin she laughed i laughed and punched the air with delight hoo ra


cool story ?

deman

I'm just glad we're not American...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSumZ4qBltA

Little Acorn

Unless they are preoccupied with something, or staring directly ahead not glancing at me, then I always smile and say hello or hiya. 9 times out of ten, I receive a big smile and friendly hello back from the person.
I'd often have a small bit of conversation with strangers too, usually about the weather. I'd often have someone say "lovely day we're having", or "dreadful weather isn't it", or "you look like a girl in a mad rush ha ha", I always respond with a wee bit of friendly chit chat. Kind of talking whilst still walking but glancing back to them.
I'd hate to be in a place where nobody greeted anybody unless they knew them.
Some people have mentioned Dublin is like this, I don't live there but anytime I've been up there, I've said hi to people and they always replied in a friendly way, such as a smile and hello back, or "howyadoin lovie", even the odd bit of weather comments too!:pac:
Some did seem a wee bit surprised but mumbled hello and smiled too.
I find middle aged, and older people are usually [not always]the most friendly and chatty in every place I've been.

easyeason3

I say hello & hope the dog doesn't cock his arse to take a dump in front of them. It usually means I get a look of disgust off them while he's squeezing one out which is followed by a look of horror when they realise I have a little plastic bag to pick up the poop

aligator_am

I reckon "just how ye doin'?", unlikely to get in to a drawn out conversation and it seems like good manners to me.

stevejr

few cans? wrote: »

'story bud, have yez got a spare smoke?'

...and why do people always ask you if you've a "spare" smoke. It's not like you'd ever buy a packet and think, grand 17 smokes and 3 to spare for any poor unfortunate smokeless people.

Leftyflip

...Shtory budddd, have yih gorra bih o' chaange?

Joe10000

I always say hello and have scored a couple of birds who I first saw passing them on the street.

Casually say hello to every woman whose eye you catch in the street pub or wherever is scoring rule number one in my book.

As for everyone else it's just nice to be nice.