Chatting with strangers

argosy2006 · 22-10-2011 10:08PM

I think its great they have a peasant wagon to talk on ,

Cee-Jay-Cee · 22-10-2011 10:33PM

I like talking with older people (pensioner age older, not just older than me) Theyre from a completely different generation and are friendlier and more down to earth.

I wouldnt strike up a conversation with a stranger my own age or younger as i couldnt be bothered.

My mum on the other hand (70yrs) will talk to anyone and everyone, 5minutes and she will know their name where theyre from, where they work, who their parents/husbands/wives are and various other items of info. She has an amazing memory and will be able to recall in great detail a conversation she had with some stranger 20yrs ago..i cant remember the beginning on my last sentence.

InkSlinger67 · 22-10-2011 10:37PM

Hey OP, if you don't like talking with strangers on public transport I would suggest staying away from the 123 route a.k.a. The Live at 3 bus. It is a chat show all on it's own.....all it needs is Derek Davis and some dodgy RTE sets built-in to complete the sh1te TV show experience.

22-10-2011 11:34PM

Sure most people do it in taxi's do they not, to the driver? If you're a cabbie ya might have heard some/all of the following.... 27 times... in the last two shifts.

''Ya busy tonight, pal?''
''Are ya out long?''
''Are ya local yourself?''

Actually, is sharing a taxi ever done over here? I suppose conversation would be a must in that instance.

beachbabe · 22-10-2011 11:39PM

Abi wrote: »

I try to avoid lifts where possible, especially when women with babies in those little car-seat-in-a-trolley-jobs. The babies always stare at you, it's awkward.

The mothers look like they want you to tell them their offspring is cute and ask how many weeks old, and what weight was he/she when they were born - while you're thinking, fuck me that's probably the ugliest baby I've ever seen in my life, and if only the lift was a moving car at least I could try get out.

LOL! I hate the fact that when you are walking around somewhere with baby in car-seat/buggy complete strangers think you are perfectly willing to chat to them and give them every detail about baby.

Leave me and baby alone people.

Thatnastyboy · 22-10-2011 11:42PM

I'd often chat away to random people, I have to do it quite a bit in work so I get used to saying hello to people etc.

I rarely use public transport (it's for peasants and townies) but when I do, i would often try spark up a conversation with someone.

Why not have a chat like, If people dont want to have a chat, they won't. If they do, the journey is much more enjoyable.

I'd often say hello to people when passing on a quiet road etc, especially older people as they can often seem quite nervous walking alone, (maybe cos i've a bit of a rough head on me :pac:)

I think that people are becoming more and more anti-social with regard to people outside of their "clique", and seem to depend on going drinking etc, to meet new people.

Abi · 22-10-2011 11:49PM

beachbabe wrote: »

LOL! I hate the fact that when you are walking around somewhere with baby in car-seat/buggy complete strangers think you are perfectly willing to chat to them and give them every detail about baby.

Leave me and baby alone people.

I would actually thank you by 1K if I could :pac:

Magill · 22-10-2011 11:56PM

I wouldn't really start a convo with a stranger but I did stand up and let an elderly woman take my seat on the way home from uni last week ! Because im awesome like that.. oh and my legs were getting cramped :P

Seriously tho.. theres nothing wierd with people talking to complete strangers, some people are just more chatty than others.

BadGirl · 22-10-2011 11:58PM

Magill wrote: »

I wouldn't really start a convo with a stranger but I did stand up and let an elderly woman take my seat on the way home from uni last week ! Because im awesome like that.. oh and my legs were getting cramped :P

Seriously tho.. theres nothing wierd with people talking to complete strangers, some people are just more chatty than others.

I am an AWFUL chatterbox, and would try to strike up a conversation with almost anyone around me. I love meeting new people and chatting about random stuff...

John_Rambo · 22-10-2011 11:59PM

BadGirl wrote: »

I am an AWFUL chatterbox

No, you're a normal confident Irish person.

I see the person that started this thread is in Dublin. It's a fairly common thing amongst Dubliners to chat on the Dart, bus, on a lift etc... just a comment on this that or the other. Some people get a little freaked and think the chatter is 'up to something' or up to no good, but it's just friendly banter. I lived in the inner city for a long time and there was a village attitude, people salute each other say "night" when meeting on the street in the evening, have a chat on the bus on the way home about anything and everything, it's a friendly thing.

Regarding Abi's comments on assuming young mothers wanting her to comment on their babies, or babies staring at here.... I think that's a bit bizarre, says more about her than the people she meets on the lift to be honest! I will always engage if someone want to chat. I guess some people are lacking in social skills and feel awkward in a closed space with people, kids, babies, elderly etc... It's a shame really, but some people can't handle normal interaction with strangers any more. I don't know how it evolved, it's not good though. I'm happy that I, like plenty of people here can engage, chat, have a laugh with almost anyone I meet in any part of the country, no matter what age they are.

GarIT · 23-10-2011 12:06AM

Being 18 I find it odd that the people that talk to you are generaly between 13-16 and 65+ nobody else seems to talk. I don't mind the odd chat but I hate when someone starts talking to me and then appears to think I'm rude to be texting or playing with apps and not answering properly.

Locker10a · 23-10-2011 12:10AM

rebel10 wrote: »

What I always find is when you have been out of the country for a few months, travelling around, people don't make eye contact or even attempt to talk to strangers but the minute I get on that bus from the terminal bringing me to that Aer Lingus flight home, I am guaranteed to have struck up a conversation with someone. Definitely the Irish are great for nattering away to complete strangers.

Yes i find this too!! Was walking through an airport trying to find my gate for my flight home walked past a few boarding flights , next thing i hear the natter of Irish accents(very obvious when you are in a forrigen city) and it was the que for an Aer Lingus flight! Onboard the flight i heard a few Irish people asking the cabin crew "hello, how r ya? Hows the weather back home?" !! haha typical Irish topic of conversation !!

tommy2bad · 23-10-2011 12:10AM

I don't mind the odd chat but I hate when someone starts talking to me and then appears to think I'm rude to be texting or playing with apps and not answering properly.

Di ya think?

Eathrin · 23-10-2011 12:14AM

GarIT wrote: »

Being 18 I find it odd that the people that talk to you are generaly between 13-16 and 65+ nobody else seems to talk. I don't mind the odd chat but I hate when someone starts talking to me and then appears to think I'm rude to be texting or playing with apps and not answering properly.

I'm sorry but that is rude.

BadGirl · 23-10-2011 12:15AM

GarIT wrote: »

Being 18 I find it odd that the people that talk to you are generaly between 13-16 and 65+ nobody else seems to talk. I don't mind the odd chat but I hate when someone starts talking to me and then appears to think I'm rude to be texting or playing with apps and not answering properly.

Cian A wrote: »

I'm sorry but that is rude.

I agree....

GarIT · 23-10-2011 12:17AM

tommy2bad wrote: »

Di ya think?

I know it probably is rude but I was texting first, and didn't go looking to talk to them. If im halfway through something I shouldn't be expected to drop what I'm doing because someone wants to talk to me. Nobody have ever said anything but you get "the look".

GarIT · 23-10-2011 12:19AM

Cian A wrote: »

I'm sorry but that is rude.

It is in a way but do you expect me to drop my phone mid way though texting the gf because you decided to talk to me. Its actually interesting to hear peoples opnions on this.

John_Rambo · 23-10-2011 12:21AM

GarIT wrote: »

I know it probably is rude but I was texting first

A text can wait. It's not like you're textee is always going to read the text the second you send it, or you're playing with your app is usually very urgent.

Simple human interaction is simple.

Birdie086 · 23-10-2011 12:23AM

You have to also bear in mind that some people live completely alone with nobody to talk to all day long and not by choice but by circumstance, with me I have a knack for talking to people as if I know them all their lives, sometimes I even tell myself to shut the fook up

Eathrin · 23-10-2011 12:30AM

I would just like to reiterate that It's not that I see anything wrong with talking to strangers myself, it's more just that I worry people will think I'm a weirdo for trying to talk to them. I wouldn't think they were a weirdo for doing the same thing though! I suppose you could say I'm self-conscious:D

Aoifey! · 23-10-2011 12:32AM

Cian A wrote: »

I would just like to reiterate that It's not that I see anything wrong with talking to strangers myself, it's more just that I worry people will think I'm a weirdo for trying to talk to them. I wouldn't think they were a weirdo for doing the same thing though! I suppose you could say I'm self-conscious:D

I'm the exact same. I'll be unbelievably bored but don't want to seem like a creep starting a conversation.

Birdie086 · 23-10-2011 12:35AM

Aoifey! wrote: »

I'm the exact same. I'll be unbelievably bored but don't want to seem like a creep starting a conversation.

sure whats the harm, nothing like some friendly banter to pass the time, not like you are making a commitment to hang around with these people on a day to day basis..................now if only the same could be said for family

BadGirl · 23-10-2011 12:36AM

Birdie086 wrote: »

sure whats the harm, nothing like some friendly banter to pass the time, not like you are making a commitment to hang around with these people on a day to day basis..................now if only the same could be said for family

Wish i could thank this post more than once.....

Birdie086 · 23-10-2011 12:36AM

Cian A wrote: »

I would just like to reiterate that It's not that I see anything wrong with talking to strangers myself, it's more just that I worry people will think I'm a weirdo for trying to talk to them. I wouldn't think they were a weirdo for doing the same thing though! I suppose you could say I'm self-conscious:D

people in general arent really bothered about what you are doing, say hello etc and pass the time

eth0 · 23-10-2011 12:43AM

Aoifey! wrote: »

I'm the exact same. I'll be unbelievably bored but don't want to seem like a creep starting a conversation.

You won't seem like a creep unless you start feeling them up just after starting the conversation.

Meself I met some very interesting people I randomly talked to on public transport. Far more interesting than what a bloody App or boards.ie mobile could offer you

Aoifey! · 23-10-2011 12:45AM

eth0 wrote: »

You won't seem like a creep unless you start feeling them up just after starting the conversation.

Damn, knew I was doing something wrong :pac:

Eathrin · 23-10-2011 12:47AM

eth0 wrote: »

You won't seem like a creep unless you start feeling them up just after starting the conversation.

Meself I met some very interesting people I randomly talked to on public transport. Far more interesting than what a bloody App or boards.ie mobile could offer you

I met a load of birds through an app.

They were all angry though..

UglyBolloxFace · 23-10-2011 01:19AM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

about 10 years ago you could walk down a street on your own late at night, and if someone was walking the other way on their own, both of you would say hello. now if you do that you're a stalker/weirdo/rapist.

I still do that.

Micklaus · 23-10-2011 01:45AM

Aul fella gettin' his swag on. Respect.

StephenVB · 23-10-2011 01:50AM

Everything's too impersonal these days, as a wise man once said "Technology made it easy for us to stay in touch while keeping a distance, 'til we just stayed distant and never touched. Now all we do is text too much."

Chatting with strangers

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