You silly ass, dirty Indian... I said hello.
 

So, what´s your neighborhood like in terms of people response when you´re walking down the road and greet someone with a hello or a good morning? Do they tend to respond back? Do they ignore you? How do you feel about this? Or do you say nothing... Even worse, do YOU not respond? If so, you´re the worst grade of bottlenose and Gamingforce doesn´t need you.

Me, I´m a friendly greeting type. And that friendliness turns to bitter anger when I get shunted. Especially by a pack of Indians who resent me for no fucking reason. Well, they have their reasons, but they´re just not fucking valid in my book. Hell, I´ve greeted up to a pack of ten Mayans at a time and not ONE of them said anything to me. Like they either all suck shit or had a prearranged agreement to ignore me. Fucking ridiculous. Even the kids look at me with scorn. I´m not sure if it´s my hair, my tattoos, my family, or some connection they see between me and Spain.

Not counting the Mayans, people in this town just about always say hello back. Much better than I can say from the time I made this same thread a few years ago about Vegas.

You know, I notice that some Asians don't normally greet random strangers in the streets that they don't know. Even among Asians, normally they'd just walk by minding their own business. Just an observation though.

I don't know many people around where I live...so most of them don't say anything to me and I don't say anything to them(unless they say something to me).

I used to greet people when I walked on the canal and it annoyed me greatly when they didn't respond...and made me happy when they did respond...

Yeah. Fortunately the one person out of five that responds seems to make up for it.

I always say hi whenever I walk by someone. It's just friendly. People normally respond around here in the city, but out in the suburbs I find people don't respond as frequently. It's weird.

Around here, or where I live, if a stranger comes up to you and says hello for no reason, they're under suspicion of being up to something like robbing from you or just being a little crazy in the head. This is mostly because its the city and people are always paranoid and tend to mind their own business.

As for the Asian thing, my relatives often ignore people who greet them because they dont know English and wouldnt wanna complicate themselves in a matter where they have to make a conversation. That is, unless the stranger is Asian themself. (But then again when I happen to pass by a family member while commuting, they tend to ignore me too which is a little annoying)

There is also the thing we were taught when we were little; Dont talk to strangers.

But I dunno it's probably different in different places, or people are just too afraid/paranoid these days. Things happen lol.

I can understand avoiding awkward conversations you might not be ready/wanting for, but there´s no commitment when the fucker that just greeted you is going past in the opposite direction. That goes the same for the ol´ don´t talk to strangers bit... Unless you´re five.

That's not entirely true, but that's true .

I normally say "Hi" and/or smile at people when I'm walking around. Most of them will respond in a similar manner, but there are a few that give me dirty looks (I guess because I have piercings and I live in a mainly conservative town?). People are typically pretty friendly around here.

I'm a big-ugly-bearded-biker-looking guy, and I find smiling and/or saying hi to people creates a little trust between you, so they relax a bit and stop thinking "this is one big-ugly-bearded-biker-looking guy". If you seem nice to people, people will act nice to you. Overall, I live in a pretty friendly city. I don't think I've ever seen a simple hello ignored here. Hell, we have the word "friendly" on our license plates.

They don't give a damn. Heck, they'd look at you weird and start walking faster.

Unless there's interaction, saying hi to complete strangers or talking to them out of nowhere sounds weird to me.

Example of not weird (to me): Two people that are strangers to eachother are taking out the trash and they see the garbage man doing a double somersault and they start talking about it, because it's totally hilarious.

Example of weird (to me): You're walking down the street and someone says "Hi! ^_^" out of nowhere and keeps on walking.


Unless the latter is an acquaintance or something, I would of course say "Hi!" back or something. Both examples never happened to me, though. I'd probably say "Hi!" back to a stranger, but wonder afterwards why a stranger would say "Hi!" to me.

I will usually smile and nod if a stranger acknowledges me in the street, but I never initiate anything like that.

If I'm pissed off and someone is staring at me I will stare right back at them until they look away. Having people stare is worse than if they ignore you when you're saying hello. Call me finicky but I just think it is.

I normally smile or nod at someone as I walk by or return the acknowledgement if they do the same to me. Just common courtesy, I guess.

Also... If, let's say, I'm going to the post office and someone else is going there I do the same and I open the door. Most times I get the expected, "Thank you" but every once in a while (and it's always a guy that I get this from) I get a look of horrified disgust like I just tried to jump his bones wearing only a black leather mask and a 12" strap-on. Oh get over it "dude"! I don't wanna fuck you and either does your wife / girlfriend / goat (Circle one please), I'm just being curteous. Fuck!

I really only say "Hi" or whatever to people I know. If someone says it to me though, I'll usually just give a light smile and nod to acknowledge them and go about my business.

If eye contact is made, people tend to say hello or smile politely. I find myself doing the same with my neighbors or people who I encounter when going to public places in general. I don't initiate greetings and only respond when another person says something first though.

The Jews in my neighborhood don't greet me. They'll look right at me but if I say hi they're like shocked I guess and hardly say anything or just nod. What's up with that, I'm just trying to be friendly to everyone and I'm not going to disclude Jews but they disclude me. BECAUSE I'M BLACK.

I don't talk to people I don't know unless I have to - like if I'm in a store or something, in which case I'm polite as possible, because I worked in retail for a year and I know how bad it can be.

I can't remember the last time someone randomly greeted me or anything, but I probably would pretend I didn't hear them. I'm not anti-social or anything, but I'm a lousy talker. So I keep my mouth shut and try not to make an ass out of myself.

Maybe other folks who aren't especially friendly are the same way. Or maybe I'm just one nebbish motherfucker.

I smile and nod, but that's about as far as my greetings typically go. Then again, if they initiate a conversation, and it's moderately interesting I might be fairly talkative. I'm not very sociable, admittedly, but I at least give people a response in recognition for their interaction.

Actually it makes perfect sense. Suburban living fits with "I am an island" mentality. I drive home, remote open the garage, drive in, close the garage, do my thing, wake up, open garage, close garage remotely, drive to work, drive home, repeat ad nauseam.

I say hi. People sometimes reply.

I also hate the suburbs. People are so damn fake.

Here in Los Angeles, the only reason a random guy comes up to you is to ask for money, give you some stupid brochure, or to mug you.

I occasionally greet strangers with "Hi". Of course sometimes you get no response and I hate that. I always respond back when someone else says "Hi".

In my neighborhood, people will usually say "Hi," "Howdy," etc, and I respond with a hello of my own and a possible wave, depending how far away they are.

Downtown, however, is different. Everyone automatically assumes that, when I greet them, I'm either asking for money or directions, and they give me a look and walk away as if they don't have the time to deal with me. Cold shoulder, piff...

The random greetings only take place in my street and not usually where there's actually business going on. Whenever I'm outside in my garage and the door is opened up, people can walk by walking their dog or whatever and usually say hi or something. Usually I'll nod or wave or something. Similarly we just nod and say hi to our neighbours - nothing to the extent of the next door neighbour type conversations as seen in "Home Improvement". My usual response is at least a nod and a smile, and sometimes a sheeply "hi" if I'm just walking around my neighbourhood.

Well, for me, I usually just try and mind my own business. If someone I don't know says "hi" out of nowhere to me, then I may say it back, or smile (unless they caught me at a bad time and I'm not in a good mood at the time). But yes, I too would find it kind of awkward.

It probably stems from people being suspicious of anyone who seems too overly friendly, suspecting that they probably have something else in mind (like the intention to rob you). Most people are used to the idea of not making much eye contact with strangers, and bypassing anyone you don't know unless you have to talk to someone for a reason (like if you get lost, and ask for directions, usually people won't mind, unless they don't know, or are in a hurry. But some will just straight up be jerks, so you'll just have to accept that).

When I'm at work however, my attitude completely changes. I say hi to customers I see, and if they're in my area looking around, I ask them if they need any help, or are looking for a particular item (some say they're just browsing, but usually people will say "yeah, I need "x" item, do you have that?"). I also go into "cheery happy mode" as well, smiling like mad at customers, and striking up some casual conversation while ringing up their contract (I rent out tools at Home Depot), usually about their project, or something at my expense.

For example, sometimes I mess up their name (to make sure I have the right name on file when they give me their phone number), and then joke and tell them that my name gets butchered all the time as well, and I hope I didn't mess their name up too badly. People usually laugh. Other times I find that something was screwed up, so I tell the customer that the associate responsible for the screwup will receive 10 lashes as punishment (even if it's my fault). Again, that usually gets laughter out of them. And since I'm still relatively new there, sometimes I may screw up on something, then jokingly beg them to let the slip-up slide by, which usually works, unless they're pissed off or something (although I probably won't joke around if they look/sound mad). In those cases, I just try to be professional about the situation.

So, to sum up, when I'm going out and what not, I usually try to just mind my own business, unless something happens where talking to complete strangers would be okay (such as if an accident occurred nearby), and I'd find people greeting me to be a little weird.

But at work, I reverse this process and try to help out as best as I can, and try to make the customer's time with me a little more relaxing (blaming the computer is always a good one, cause it's slow sometimes lol).

Once upon a time in China, some believe around the year, one double-ought three.

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/848...illvol2yd5.jpg

...head priest of The White Lotus Clan, Pai Mei, was walking down the road, contemplating whatever a man with Pai Mei's infinite power would contemplate -- Which is another way of saying, who knows. When a Shaolin monk appeared on the road traveling in the opposite direction. As the monk and the priest crossed paths...Pai Mei -- in a practically unfathomable display of generosity, gave the monk the slightest of nods. The nod, was not returned.

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Was it the intention of the Shaolin monk to insult Pai Mei? Or, did he just fail to see the generous social gesture? The motives of the monk remain unknown. What is known, were the consequences.

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/848...illvol2yd5.jpg

The next morning Pai Mei appeared at the Shaolin Temple, and demanded that the temple's head Abbot offer Pai Mei his neck, to repay the insult. The Abbot, at first, tried to console Pai Mei, only to find, Pai Mei was inconsolable.

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/848...illvol2yd5.jpg

So began, the massacre of the Shaolin Temple, and all sixty of the monks inside, at the fists of the White Lotus. And so began, the legend of Pai Mei's Ten-Point Palm - Exploding Heart Technique.

This is a tricky subject for me, because I have something of a social anxiety issue. So whenever I see that I'm about to pass by another person, I start thinking to myself, trying to decide what would be the most appropriate thing to do. However, my mind's defense mechanism against other humans immediately starts coming up with plans of action in case that person decides to attack, heckle, or become aggressive in some way. This makes me nervous, and I usually decide the best thing I can do is to pretend I'm so caught up in my business (remembering a shopping list or some bullshit) that I don't even notice them. Because I'm so neurotic though, I keep checking to see if the other person is smiling, nodding, or looking like they might say "Hi". I do want to respond if that happens, of course; I'm a nice guy. But since I'm trying to pretend not to notice them at the same time as I'm anticipating and preparing for possible interaction, I probably look like I'm being rude. Sometimes I think that other people think I'm blatantly snubbing them, as if I want them to know that I'm too cool to deign myself to greet them.

If someone actually does say "Hi" or nods to me, I'll usually intend to say "Hi" back, but mostly all I manage is a "Hey" under my breath or a sort of half-smile. I probably creep most people out.

So yeah, if someone acts crazy like that when you greet them, you shouldn't assume that they're a dick. They might just be neurotic and/or have self-esteem issues.

Also, I'll cosign what everyone said about cultural differences. In some parts of the world it's considered a sign of respect to not make eye contact.

I never get it, and I'll admit - I'm weirded out by people giving me a hello while I walk. I guess I'm quite paranoid. I always hold doors open for people, though. I need to stop that shit, because people NEVER say a word of thanks for it.

And what, pray tell, is the Ten-Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique?

I always hold doors open for people, and quite often get thanked for it, although it does annoy me when people don't say thanks or something...although that rarely happens...

I don't say anything unless someone says something first, but I always look up and offer a smile or nod when walking past someone ... unless they are talking to someone else, then I don't interrupt.

When strangers greet or talk to me I'll respond as politely as possible, never making eye-contact, and afterwards I'll wonder if that person is somebody I know or am supposed to know and--

The area in our town I live in is not such a close-knit neighbourhood that you can randomly walk about and toss out "hi" to people, nor is it the safest place to do so (central downtown).

Within my apartment though, a random "hi" is always sufficient in the elevator, on the way to the laundry room/mailbox/recycling bins. I'll always either smile or respond likewise only if someone initiates the greeting. Although with some of the wheelchair bound people and sometimes the neighbours, I'll say "hi" first (my apartment is half-occupied by disabled people) depending on the person. Within the building, no one seems to be anti-"hi", save for visitors who don't live here.