Smiling at strangers?

[pitchfork]

It's called being friendly. Maybe you don't do it in the big city but it's like they say, when you smile the whole world smiles with you.

Unless you have a moustache, then they assume you're a sexual deviant.

There's this one miserable **** who I see every day waiting for the bus just as I'm getting out of my car after work, I've walked past and said hello several times but he just looks right through me.

He's getting a bus, he's allowed to be miserable as sin.

 

[marc2003]

my whole town (cheltenham) is unfriendly and that suits me fine.

 

[K1LLSW1TCH]

Probably thinks you're a mentalist.

He's getting a bus, he's allowed to be miserable as sin.

Both good points.

 

[Feek]

I do it every day. I walk around town for exercise for an hour before I go into the office and as I see generally the same people, I've developed a smiling "good morning" relationship with many of them. That all starts from initial eye contact and a nod.

At weekends for my early morning walk, I see lots of dog walkers. Almost without exception they'll smile and say 'morning'.

 

[BigBoy]

As a nice bus driver I smile at eveyone, come Xmas I get lots of free stuff from my regulars or being a nice guy.

Also had many phone numbers handed to me as women have gotten off the bus MA s my job worth it at times.

 

[Yaayuh!]

If it's someone who i have never seen before then no, that's a little strange i think.
However, there are people i walk past on a regular basis by home and work who i don't know, i smile and say Mornin' to them.

 

[jas72]

there's a subtle difference between a casual smile and looking like a loon.

Sometimes I wonder if I got it right depending on the lack of return smile or a weird look.

 

[Atlas23]

Depends how far along the rapey-scale you are

 

[MooMoo444]

mommy talked me not to talk to strangers

so no eye contact and i pretend they are invisible

 

[elmarko]

Depends how far along the rapey-scale you are

This tbh.

 

[Skidder]

I do it every day. I walk around town for exercise for an hour before I go into the office and as I see generally the same people, I've developed a smiling "good morning" relationship with many of them. That all starts from initial eye contact and a nod.

At weekends for my early morning walk, I see lots of dog walkers. Almost without exception they'll smile and say 'morning'.

I have two dogs and have found my fellow dog walkers to be the friendliest people in our area. I have become quite good friends with a couple.

 

[AmyS]

I'd find it bizarre NOT to give a little smile to somebody I have made eye contact with, although I agree, if they look a little 'rapey', I'd avoid looking at them in the first instance.

 

[Theophany]

Depends how far along the rapey-scale you are

Definite 10/10 would try to avoid being banged by.

 

[Atlas23]

Definite 10/10 would try to avoid being banged by.

I'd say you were pretty far along the would-get-raped scale tbh


Also

 

[AmyS]

Its simple really if your in London you dont smile at people, if your outside of London then you smile at people.

When I go down to London I always make sure to talk to people on the tube and laugh as they recoil in utter fear that someone is talking on the tube lol

Londoners are a really strange bunch I find, in Manchester people DO seem to engage in random conversations in public places with strangers.

In London, no-one seems to even make eye contact with each other

 

[Freefaller]

Not all Londoners

 

[Orionaut]

I have two dogs and have found my fellow dog walkers to be the friendliest people in our area. I have become quite good friends with a couple.

All the most experienced rapey psycopaths have dogs with them!

 

[elmarko]

Oddly, the last few times I've been to London on my own (to get my sleeve done) I had about five or six girls randomly talk to me on the tube - this doesn't really happen on trains when around the south coast!

 

[Yaayuh!]

5UB:

Depends how far along the rapey-scale you are

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

HE MADE THEIR FACES GO AWAY