Would you talk to a random person on a street if they approached you?

whiskeyman

There's a thread over in the Dublin forum about a con man who approaches folk with a sob story:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057545632

If I'm ever in town (Dublin / any built up area), I'd probably have headphones in and would ignore anyone I didn't know as would probably think they are a chugger / con person / weirdo.

Very rarely would I make a quick judgement, and maybe it may be someone who needs directions etc... but it depends on the location / time.

When back where I live (suburban setting), I've no trouble with people coming up to me as I guess the likelihood of con people / sales person is a lot lower.

So, would you ever speak to a stranger that approaches you on the street?
(doesn't include random people chatting in pubs or more 'social settings')

Maybe you have funny / odd stories of strangers who approached you for some reason and one thing led to another?
Maybe you're now married to them?
Maybe they led you onto a new life?

Mesrine65

Probably not, sure I hardly talk to family/friends etc.

gimmick

Some knobhead approached me a few years ago telling me he was an urban poet and would I give him €1 to hear his rhymes. I politely declined, at which point he started spouting some utter shíte and told me I was now cursed.

Later that week I won free flights on a Ryanair flight, got bumped up to a suite in my London hotel and found £80stg on Oxford St.

He really did suck at curses

osarusan

It would all depend on the situation, but it would be at the back of my mind that they might be a scammer of some kind.

Ruu

My sister is very chatty. We were on the tube last week and she said hello to a chap who sat down. He said hello back and had a long conversation with us about Christmas, shopping, etc. Then towards the end of the conversation he said 'I'm sorry, I am trying to remember how I know you'. My sister replied 'You don't, I just felt like a chat'.

There was another lad with headphones that gone on at the next stop and they were very quiet (no tsh tsh tsh noises). My sister tapped on his headphones and asked him what he was listening to and commented on them being so quiet from the outside. He was very friendly.

I could never be like that.

the_pen_turner

if they came up to me I would probably ignore or tell them im too busy unless they wanted directions. if they have any motives like sales, religious nut, con artist, chugger they I treat them like weirdo's
if we were both in the same situation like waiting for a bus or train then I would make small talk.

drake70

A few months ago at lunchtime, a bloke walked up to me on Talbot Street and started talking to me about Thin Lizzy (I was wearing a Lizzy tshirt at the time).

He was really hammered but seemed like a nice guy.

So Yeah

Agricola

In Ireland, it wouldn't cross me a thought to talk to anyone, but out foren is a different matter. Anytime I've been approached by strangers abroad, it's either been lads trying to sell me tat, scam artists coming up with convoluted stories to part me from my money or otherwise benign looking people who start out ok but then start asking you where you are staying in the city, how many people are in your party, etc. I'm too nice to blank anyone, so I just point at my imaginery watch, then point in the direction I'm going and mine the words "Terrible hurry altogether"

Sky King

"Hi - do you know how to get to the airport? See - I've got these Armani suits, and I am late for a flight so I need to get rid of them"

the evasion_kid

id talk the legs off them.....infact theyd probably be running to get away from me....

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

Mesrine65

I especially hate the yappy fuckers in hospital waiting rooms that give you their whole health issues report...

Last time I had a man boring the tits off of me with his medical history, as soon as he'd finished explaining all his maladies to me, he asked me what I was here for? WTF???

I told him my fella was inside getting tested for HIV & I'd be going in next...problem solved :eek:

lazybones32

Yeah, I'll listen to anyone who speaks to me but that doesn't mean I'll be giving them money or entertaining them if they're nuts/boring/drunk/annoying.
I've had some very nice chats with random people, in random situations but I've met my share of regrettable scenarios too. Said hello to a young woman in a supermarket once and turns out she was living in the same building as me. Cue unwelcome visits, which my flatmates were only too happy to encourage.

Agricola

Sky King wrote: »

"Hi - do you know how to get to the airport? See - I've got these Armani suits, and I am late for a flight so I need to get rid of them"

My Armani suit salesman was getting on a train..... A train? You're no Armani salesman Sir, Good day!

SEPT 23 1989

Never too busy to have a chat or sign an autograph

cajonlardo

Told this before on boards, I think.

Was sitting out on a sunny day having a meal outside a Wicklow pub.

Old guy said hello as he walked by and the wife and I said Hi and exchanged a few words. Then he said thought my wife was familiar.
Turned out he was a retired bus driver and could remember my wife's aunt on his bus route back in the '60's on the Northside Dublin. Long time to remember a face.

Another time I was cycling down a lane with a junction to a busy footpath. I knew pedestrians often stepped out without looking and knew caution was required, so I was going a bit above walking pace. This old guy steps out and I stop. no problem at all. But he goes ape**** accusing me of being a maniac etc. So I apologise for upsetting him but point out I did absolutely nothing wrong. He then says " I served my country in the Army" So I say coincidence so did I. So he tells me about this horrific spinal cord injury he has suffered Coincidence - I have had the identical injury and surgeries. Landed up being really late for work as this poor guy just needed a chat. Haven't seen him in ages now and wonder is he still around.

So yeah, I'll talk to anyone so long as they aren't abusive or ignorant

csallmighty

I don't approach random people but don't mind if someone approaches me.

Conversation ends the second they want something from me.

I love chats with strangers

Everlong1

I live in Dublin and have a well practiced routine of marching straight ahead now in the city centre and not making eye contact with anyone. Terrible to have to live like that but that's the times we live in.

Any mutt who tries to talk to me just gets ignored. Anyone who tried being aggressive with me would get an appropriate response, escalated to physical action if necessary.

Like all bullies, they will target anyone who appears to be vulnerable or a soft touch.

These toe rags need to be at best ignored utterly and if possible reported to the Guards.

There's a shyster who used to do the rounds regularly on Grafton Street claiming to be a deaf mute. He may have been or may have been a con artist as well. His act was to march up to you with a bit of paper in his hand which I assume recounted his particular sob story. He'd thrust it in your face and stand there gesticulating at his ear to indicate that he was deaf.

The problem is that too many people are a soft touch and will stop and pander to these mutts, which of course encorauges them to continue their antics. A lot of people have genuine sympathy for the homeless etc. which is understandable but there's a reason we're encouraged to donate to official charities rather than individuals on the street.

whiskeyman

Everlong1 wrote: »

There's a shyster who used to do the rounds regularly on Grafton Street claiming to be a deaf mute. He may have been or may have been a con artist as well. His act was to march up to you with a bit of paper in his hand which I assume recounted his particular sob story. He'd thrust it in your face and stand there gesticulating at his ear to indicate that he was deaf.

I was thinking of that guy as I started this thread!
Came across him lots of times. Always around Grafton St or just off it.

The_Valeyard

STRANGER DANGER

Calahonda52

No as there is no chance of a ride from a random

Medusa22

I'd always stop and listen to what they have to say, unless the person seemed off their head or dangerous in some way. They might just need directions or the time. If they are looking to ask me to donate to something then I might listen and donate but usually I just say "sorry" and keep on walking. I always give to animal charities when I see them though

kfallon

It depends, sometimes you know someone is a headbanger so in that case, no (and I often attract them for some reason)

If the person appears sane then I would have no problem with it. It can be nice to have a quick chat with a stranger. Few times people have stopped and asked directions from me and if it was on the way to where I was going I'd say, "I'm heading that direction, just follow me!" and a small chat would ensue. Tis nice

dr.fuzzenstein

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I love chats with strangers

Hi stranger! How's things?

Samaris

I'll usually give someone a few minutes to explain, although with my sense of direction, God only knows how many people have regretted asking me and getting my well-meant attempts at explaining where the post office is and ending up two townlands away. I'll sometimes talk with someone in a queue or at a bus-stop, particularly if they start it, but then again, I quite often have a book, kindle or music with me.

I was making an Epic Journey Home from England a couple of Christmases ago during the bad snow winter in...2012, wasn't it? And I made lots of random friends along the way with people also in the same boat. There was a young lad who had made the attempt at Heathrow twice, a group that, along with me, was mentally cursing the Bus services that were just not arriving.

The woman who was emigrating to Spain (I bet she was glad to get out of there!) who I ended up sharing a cloak across our laps when, after we finally got a bus late at night from Stansted (where all flights were cancelled or else filled up) to Leicester (where I had kindly relatives) and it was so cold that it was announced to us that not only was smoking in the bus toilets forbidden, but there was no point trying to use it anyway, because it was frozen solid. We had a great natter. And the group on the last flight that got out of England to Ireland before Christmas from B'ham who ended up clustering together as every flight around ours got cancelled. A couple amongst them were anxiously following the news about the disappearance of a young woman a few days previously that they knew and we all ended up watching the news with them, as anxious for their sakes as we were for our steadily-delayed flight to actually happen. I don't remember any of their names anymore, but I remember their stories and sometimes wonder what happened to them.

Generally I'll only strike up a conversation if we're sharing some sort of aggravating circumstance - it's bucketing rain at a bus-stop and the damn thing is late for instance. But I'll generally reply if someone talks to me.

maudgonner

Yup, I normally would, depending on their demeanor and my mood. I'd normally stay away from the dodgy characters, but some days the stranger the better.

I was in Dealz in Galway before Christmas and a woman was rifling through the displays, declaring "Shíte! There's nothing but shíte in here! Look at the state of that!", picking stuff up and showing it to me. I didn't have an easy escape route, so wound up chatting to her. She was highly entertaining and she ran (verbal) rings around the staff when they tried to get her to tone it down. Finally she left, announcing haughtily that she was going to go off the the 2 Euro shop instead. It took all my willpower not to follow her there for further amusement.

gravityisalie

Don't know if this counts , it was in a shop not on the street.
It was around October 5 years ago
I travelled from Ennis to Limerick city to do some shopping. Got a cheap hotel deal so stayed over for the night.
After dumping my rucksack I headed for HMV.
I was looking through the dvds when next thing a guy walks over , comments on the dvd i'm holding and next thing we are chatting like two old friends who had known each other for years.
We continued walking around the shop , swopping reccomendations and opinions.
When done we both paid for our stuff , walked down the stairs and out the door.
I'm very shy but it was really like we had known each other for ages. The usual awkwardness i feel when thinking of something to say just was not there.
It was only afterwards that this all dawned on me.
We kept walking and talking , checking out different shops and ended up spending the whole day together.
He walked me back to my hotel that evening.
I bought him a pint and a glass of wine for myself.
I like when a guy doesn't mind accepting a drink.
We hugged , swapped e-mails and said goodbye.
We e-mailed each other a couple of times but I'm just too awkward , I stopped replying.
Russell I had a lovely day.
Thank you ☺
Sorry for everyone expecting this to end in sextime 😋

Sky King

gravityisalie wrote: »

Sorry for everyone expecting this to end in sextime 😋

I'd say Russell is who you should be most apologetic to in fairness.

Andre 3000

All our friends and people we know were once strangers. You gave them a chance, right? Then why not other strangers. You never know who a stranger might be, and where the relationship might go so I always give every stranger the utmost respect and talk to anyone...if they're a c*nt or sketchy I'm not afraid to tell people jog on but the vast majority of people, strangers or not are decent.

murpho999

Everlong1 wrote: »

I live in Dublin and have a well practiced routine of marching straight ahead now in the city centre and not making eye contact with anyone. Terrible to have to live like that but that's the times we live in.

Any mutt who tries to talk to me just gets ignored. Anyone who tried being aggressive with me would get an appropriate response, escalated to physical action if necessary.

Like all bullies, they will target anyone who appears to be vulnerable or a soft touch.

These toe rags need to be at best ignored utterly and if possible reported to the Guards.

There's a shyster who used to do the rounds regularly on Grafton Street claiming to be a deaf mute. He may have been or may have been a con artist as well. His act was to march up to you with a bit of paper in his hand which I assume recounted his particular sob story. He'd thrust it in your face and stand there gesticulating at his ear to indicate that he was deaf.

The problem is that too many people are a soft touch and will stop and pander to these mutts, which of course encorauges them to continue their antics. A lot of people have genuine sympathy for the homeless etc. which is understandable but there's a reason we're encouraged to donate to official charities rather than individuals on the street.

I really find your post quite depressing.

Going around like you do is just what makes other cities appear cold and unfriendly.
Calling people 'mutts' says more about your attitude to people to be honest. Judging them instantly.
Walked around Dublin for years at different times of days and night and never had a hint of trouble.
Not everyone who approaches you is an aggressive shyster /drug addict or homeless person.
Could be tourist looking for directions for example.

The amount of bashing Dublin gets on this forum is unreal, where the reality is that it's one of the safest cities in Europe.

Ulysses Gaze

Everlong1 wrote: »

There's a shyster who used to do the rounds regularly on Grafton Street claiming to be a deaf mute. He may have been or may have been a con artist as well. His act was to march up to you with a bit of paper in his hand which I assume recounted his particular sob story. He'd thrust it in your face and stand there gesticulating at his ear to indicate that he was deaf

Saw him coming out of Paddy Power on Lemon Street one day.

Lost all sympathy for him then.

Now he may have been begging in there but......

Figbiscuithead

Yeah I'd be very open to chatting to strangers out and about and when I'm home in Ireland, where I find this happens more often than anywhere else I've lived or travelled to, I'd be half keeping an eye out for it hoping it happens at bus stops, bars, cafes, waiting rooms etc. (that sounds a bit pathetic ).

Saying that, if someone is really out of it or acting in a threatening way or being sleazy, I'd understandably have my guard up and walk on.

KatW4

I don't usually like speaking to people I don't know on the street because I'm quite awkward and shy.

Once, after work, a woman asked me to text someone with her phone. She said she had forgotten her glasses and couldn't see. It seemed like I was texting her ex husband because I had to type something like "you think you're great sleeping in her bed but you'll never get over me." Very awkward!

Another time, waiting for a bus outside Ilford station (England) and a man came up to me looking for money. I told him I didn't have any and so he walked off. A few minutes later, he came back and asked again and I said I had told him already that I didn't have any. He absolutely lost the plot with me. Screamed at me to f**k off back to my own country! I was quite shaken after it and now I keep my head down when walking anywhere!

LittleMuppet

I'd talk to nearly anyone. I love a good oul chat, so I do!

Stheno

Generally no, I've no interest.

My OH would talk to the walls, we were out in Dublin City Centre a couple of years ago and some young fella in dire straits came up asking if he could have money for food. OH took him to a place where he had a sit down dinner and he was delighted.

Me I'd have walked on.

Pocoyo

Stheno wrote: »

Generally no, I've no interest.

My OH would talk to the walls, we were out in Dublin City Centre a couple of years ago and some young fella in dire straits came up asking if he could have money for food. OH took him to a place where he had a sit down dinner and he was delighted.

Me I'd have walked on.

He probably put the food in a doggy bag as soon as you left and sold it for drugs.

The other day i approached a guy for a chat and he looked at me as if i was mental or some kind of freak all i said was,
'I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.'

Ruu

Pocoyo wrote: »

He probably put the food in a doggy bag as soon as you left and sold it for drugs.

The other day i approached a guy for a chat and he looked at me as if i was mental or some kind of freak all i said was,
'I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.'

You shouldn't have been wielding that butcher knife!

Full Marx

Not in Dublin city but elsewhere yes.

smash

After a hectic night out I suddenly came to my senses and realised it was bright out and I was sitting in a doorway in Grafton St chatting to a homeless person. Drink is bad, m'kay...

JustAThought

Full Marx wrote: »

Not in Dublin city but elsewhere yes.

People with dogs tend to team up & talk with anyone around - especially if they look like they're out in the cold walking a ( ran-off) dog too! It seeps into your other life & you forget sometimes & just open a conversation with strangers - even if you don't have your dog with you that day!!

Chain Smoker

I pretty much always do, the times where I can actually be helpful in a way other than giving money make me feel good enough to keep at it. Somehow never seem to encounter much aggression from the ones who aren't obviously and immediately wanting to kick my head in.

It's pretty funny to look back on some of the incredibly lame excuses I give for not giving money/completing their survey/listening to the story of their divorce on the spot too. Had one dude ask me for $8.60 there a few weeks ago, the excuse I gave him was "sorry, you're not allowed ask for that much or that specific of an amount of money" in a tone as if it were some flat rule beyond my control.

lazybones32

Pocoyo wrote: »

He probably put the food in a doggy bag as soon as you left and sold it for drugs.

The other day i approached a guy for a chat and he looked at me as if i was mental or some kind of freak all i said was,
'I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.'

"You forgot to say 'please'."

mansize

Don't make me tap the sign.

Fcuk off.

Spanish Eyes

I'd talk to anyone as long as they are not threatening.

Anyways, was on the DART the other day and this lady was opposite.

Me being me said, "lovely day isn't it?" and it went from there. What a lovely person, and what a life story she had, amazing. Was sorry to get off at my stop. But that's life.

Two ships that meet..... and so on.

CFlat

I was in a railway station this evening and this guy started asking us what time a train was going to a particular location, I didn't know so went on my phone to check it out. I told him what I found out and he started talking about Irish Rail and comparing it to the UK, where I think he said he lives and we talked for a few minutes which was fine, then out of blue he asks, "so what do you lads do for a living?"

I don't mind shooting the breeze with someone but you can go f**k yourself if you think I'm going to tell you what I do for a living. That's the same as asking me how much I earn and that's none of your business.

But to answer the question I wouldn't be rude and ignore someone but in truth Id rather you didn't bother me.

BOHtox

You see... I have literally zero social skills

castletownman

I literally live of Hozier's lyrics: "Talk with every stranger. The stranger the better".

Bar chuggers. Feck them

R.D. aka MR.D

If I'm at home in Donegal then yes, i'll talk to anybody but 9 times out of 10, they aren't a stranger which is usually revealed shortly into the conversation. :rolleyes:

When I lived in Dublin, I absolutely avoided it. I went for a visit a few years ago and at bus aras, literally 2 mins from the door, i was approached. I took out my headphones and then I was like 'duh, what are you doing!?!' to myself. She was asking for money of course!!

I used to think Dublin was bad until I went to the US. Jesus, the homeless there are awful. The amount of abuse they give you when you don't give them money is unreal.Las Vegas was particularly bad. In San Francisco, one guy waked up to us and asked us for money and we declined and he just started screaming "**** you" at us. My OH used to make documentaries and he made one with some homeless people in the city that he was living in and they told him that the worse thing that you can do is give them money. So, he doesn't even entertain the idea. But the abuse is unreal.
Then when I was there, i learned about these people who are trust fund kids but they beg for money. In Portland, there were tons of them. It was very weird!

Also, at first I had a really hard time telling who was homeless/begging and who was just being friendly. My OH knew right away because he's from there. That's what upsets me about how things used to be (are?!?) in Dublin. For people not from Dublin, it's really hard to know who is genuine. Once you are there 6 months, it's totally obvious. Both my mother and best friend got hassled when they came to visit me. After I met my mum one evening she was telling me about a woman begging from her. I said, 'did you tell her to **** off?' and of course she hadn't. We were waiting on a bus and lo and behold who comes up to us but the same woman and I turned to her and said 'go away' in a really angry voice and she just walked off. My mum couldn't believe it, she said 'i told her to go away but she wouldn't'. They prey on people who aren't familiar. I'm sure your one knew that I wasn't going to take any of her ****e because I knew her game. It's really awful.

I've been living in Asia, people try to talk to you here all the damn time because they want to practice their English. In my first year, I'd be polite but now I just ignore them. It's my damn job to speak English and listen to students and try to decipher their broken sentences, I'm not gonna do it on the train ride home, for free. I'm more likely to speak to women though as every single man that has come up to talk to me in Asia, has been a creep. It's just so annoying, it would be like if I saw a bunch of Spanish people on Luas and marched up to them and started using broken Spanish, not with the intention of getting to know them but just to practice. Who would want to be bothered like that? If they were tourists they might think it was funny but if they lived there and were just on their way home or out or something...

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Generally I'd be good for chats as long as it's not on public transport because that's me time and I just need to relax, or as long as they're not looking for cash monies. Nearby where I work there's a homeless man that begs there and he's super nice and sometimes when I get out of work early and am not in a rush I'll go get him a tea or coffee and we chat for ages. I actually look forward to chatting him because apart from his situation now, he's had such an interesting life, he's a lovely positive person and the last time I spoke to him, he was days away from having really exciting and positive things ahead of him. He's never looked for money, he's happy enough with tea and cake and chats, and that suits me perfectly.
So, yeah I'll talk to anyone as long as it's not on the train

dr.fuzzenstein

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Hi stranger! How's things?

Creep.

dr.fuzzenstein

Deleted User wrote: »

Creep.

G'wan, giz a fiver, bud!