# Walking past strangers outside ?? Its another what do you do poll!!!



## KILOBRAVO (Sep 17, 2011)

So , as you walk along the street, pavement( sidewalk) etc ,and you pass strangers. What do you do.???

I almost always look down / away, to avoid their gaze, whether they are looking or not.......I cant help it, its like an inbuilt response,and until the pass is complete It feels a bit awkward. 

What do you guys all do.....???????


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## applesauce5482 (Apr 26, 2012)

I used to look away, but I realized that (I think) it makes me appear weak, so I usually look directly at them and they end up looking away. I think I also start walking weird.

argh, i wish I didn't even think about small things like this


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## Lmatic3030 (Nov 3, 2011)

_Ignore them completely and look away, look down etc....

_


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## Cletis (Oct 10, 2011)

I usually look at them but never say anything unless they say something to me first.


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## Mirror (Mar 16, 2012)

I usually just walk looking straight ahead, and glance their way when they pass by. I might smile a little bit if I think they're going to smile back.


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## MoonlightSky (Mar 24, 2012)

Sometimes smile, sometimes just walk straight past them, sometimes speak but only if they do first. It depends on really what type of mood I'm in.


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## Shauna The Dead (Jun 16, 2005)

Ignore. I ignore everyone.


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## Tentative (Dec 27, 2011)

I do all of those, except for look down. I try to say hi when the person looks reasonably friendly.


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## coeur_brise (Oct 7, 2004)

I look down, always look down. or maybe just look straight ahead like, "Oh hey, I'm not nervous at all!"


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## Pandemic (Jan 6, 2012)

I have a very specific strategy. I will wait for then to get close, use my peripheral vision to determine when they are looking, glance at them, mirror facial expression, then pretend to look behind them to see if there are any other obstacles or people. 
I don't want them to think I'm nervous, but I feel guilty if I don't acknowledge that they're right in front of me. 
I must look so strange.

Probably one of the more obsessive aspects of my SA.


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## Elixir (Jun 19, 2012)

I just ignore them and carry on. I just can't talk to every bloody stranger I meet on the street lol.


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## Jinxx (May 10, 2011)

Pass in silence, ignore & feel awkward.


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## Secretaz (Sep 10, 2011)

Wtf does some people really say hi/smile to strangers?

I just stare at them.


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## One Man Wolfpack (Aug 11, 2011)

I do all of these except cross the road, depending on my mood and how the other person looks, If they look friendly I might smile or say something but usually I'll just ignore them or make eye contact but not say anything.


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## WalkingDisaster (Nov 27, 2010)

It's worse when I have to walk past one or more people that I sort of know but I'm not sure if I know them well enough to say Hi to, so I just avoid eye contact.


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## WalkingDisaster (Nov 27, 2010)

Secretaz said:


> Wtf does some people really say hi/smile to strangers?
> 
> I just stare at them.


I think older generations do this more. There's an old man who says hi to me if I pass him while walking to college. I have no idea who he is, he just does it and then I do it back.


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## Parcius (Jun 3, 2012)

I smile if I am not busy. To give a stranger my smile might be the only sunshine he sees all day


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## Lmatic3030 (Nov 3, 2011)

WalkingDisaster said:


> It's worse when I have to walk past one or more people that I sort of know but I'm not sure if I know them well enough to say Hi to, so I just avoid eye contact.


Same.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Wow, I am in the minority.
I actually nod, say hi or smile. It took me a long time to be able to do that. There are people in positions of authority who can't do that!


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## Jcgrey (Feb 5, 2011)

If I have enough time I will cross the street, then cross back after they pass. If they are close, I will just nod and keep going.


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## Kascheritt (Mar 7, 2012)

Ignore -__-


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## Cletis (Oct 10, 2011)

Once I was walking along the sidewalk when I noticed a woman up ahead look at me, stop, cross the street, and then cross the street back again after she had passed me. I thought, geeze, do I look _THAT_ scary. :con :afr


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## windchimes (Jun 26, 2012)

I usually try to avoid people at all costs, however if someone seems nice and not too arrogant, I will attempt to say hello if i cant avoid them and sometimes they are nice and reply hello back, a few times I got a dirty look, and that is what keeps me from trying to be social in the first place., I live in a very upper class community which has a high number of snobs assoicated with it, but I am in a safe clean area and I got a awesome deal on a home, so that is why i stay...


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## straightarrows (Jun 18, 2010)

I only say Hi when there is eye contact (we all do that)..... still we don't smile to each other!.... won't lie I don't like greeting others!



millenniumman75 said:


> Wow, I am in the minority.
> I actually nod, say hi or smile. It took me a long time to be able to do that. There are people in positions of authority who can't do that!


shoulod be a small town! try to smile in a big city!!!!


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## Bbpuff (Sep 1, 2010)

I either look down, or straight ahead. I hate it when they can't pick a side. Whenever I see someone coming towards me I distinctively move my body on either the very left or very right of the sidewalk. Sometimes they decide to copy me, and pick the same side, it drives me insane!


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## GreatHeartly (Jun 13, 2012)

I usually look at them very briefly and decide if they look friendly then I'll smile at them. (If they don't look back then I ignore them). If they are elderly then I'll greet them. Older people are usually friendlier than younger ones anyway.


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## aloneanddizzy (Jul 1, 2012)

For me it depends upon their gender. When I encounter other guys, I will sometimes make brief eye contact and give a small nod as a gesture of (hopefully) mutual respect, and then look somewhere else … unless the guy seems unfriendly or dangerous, in which case I completely avoid eye contact.

When I encounter women, I always avoid any eye contact and do my best to exit the area as soon as is possible. Evidently I consider all women to be unfriendly and/or dangerous.


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