How friendly are you?

G

greenfreak

New Member
To strangers, I mean.

Typically, I've considered NY'ers to be less friendly to strangers. We have this way of ignoring people to avoid making eye contact or -God Forbid- talking to them.

But at the same time, I've noticed a change in that lately. The people who walk their dogs past my house as I'm leaving for work saying good morning. The man I met in the plant nursery yesterday who is a photographer too and invited me to his camera club's meeting. The people I met on the nature trail last weekend who discussed birding and what they had seen that day. The people who I see at Blockbuster, striking up a conversation about the lack of movies on the shelves.

I don't know if I noticed it more lately, or I've just been largely oblivious. I always considered strangers outside NY to be much more genuinely friendly than most people I know here.

So what do you think? Are you friendly to strangers? Do you routinely talk to people you don't know in daily travels?
 
I'm about as friendly as a trod-on rattler. Comes from living in a population who thinks that an accent makes a political statement.
 
If somebody asks me for directions I gently point him/her in the right direction and wish a nice day. Other than that I don't try to talk to strangers, unless I'm involved in a situation.
 
Luis G said:
If somebody asks me for directions I gently point him/her in the right direction and wish a nice day. Other than that I don't try to talk to strangers, unless I'm involved in a situation.
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For me it depends on where I meat the person, and under what circumstances.
I'm pretty good at PR work, and sales. :D
On the other hand, if someone comes up to my car while I'm waiting at the
burger place on my order, and ask for change, it might get ugly.
 
I'm polite to a tee, and that's the extent of it. I'll answer questions and respond, but I generally will not initiate a conversation with a stranger.
 
it is my job to be nice to strangers. and i also try to be nice to people whenever i come across them in public, i carried an old ladies rug to the counter for her today...shit that i hope better will do for me when i need help.
 
I've got enough friends, thanks. I've helped many a lost visitor to the city though... if they're looking stunned and have a map open on the corner of a street and are doing the 'am I holding this map right?' shuffle. :D

I have opened conversations in book-stores with people perusing a book that I've read...see if they can recommend anything new. Kinda like flirting-light. All of the fun with only half the intent :D
 
I'm one of those people that strike up conversations --- standing in grocery lines, in bookstores, wandering around at Wally-World because they've moved the dog food--AGAIN! LOL

Some of the nicest strangers I've ever met have been in London. I'm doing the "I don't know where I am" shuffle, and invaribly someone will introduce themselves and help.

My grandparents, with whom I traveled extensively in the US, were people who never met a stranger. We'd stop at a cafe in a small town, and by the time we left, my grandfather would know everyone in the place. Guess some rubbed off on me.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
wandering around at Wally-World because they've moved the dog food--AGAIN! LOL
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hehe, I moved our store's pet department just a few weeks ago.

I'm like tonks, it's my job to be friendly. They 'secret shop' us to make sure, too. That means I end up biting my tongue a lot when I have to help the nasty regular customers, though. I never let them get away with crap, though, and if they still don't agree with me (such as price discrepancies, clearances, etc.) then they can go to hell as 98% of the time someone doesn't agree with me it's cause they're trying a scam. Overall, I'd say I'm really nice and won't stray from quick jokes unless they're Inky-like bad. :D
 
SouthernN'Proud said:
I'm usually pretty friendly until someone pisses me off. Or I hear a Yankee accent. Same diff.
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:disgust: :finger: :laugh3:

at work, yes.
on my days off, it really depends how work has been. some days i'm just too drained to bother being friendly to people.
 
SouthernN'Proud said:
I'm usually pretty friendly until someone pisses me off. Or I hear a Yankee accent. Same diff.
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I am about the same but accents dont upset me. Hopefully you wont hold it against me that I dont have an accent
 
Well, unlike TRL I don't strike up a conversation standing in line, but I will participate if someone else does. I am generally quite polite to people until they show they don't deserve it. Then I can be incredibly rude (so my wife says, anyway).
 
depends...do you have something i want? I'm a big believer in the 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer' approach, strangers either get polite attention or ignored altogether.
 
I'm pathetically friendly. I love people. All kinds. I love to help anyone, anytime. I'll talk freely to any one who strikes up a conversation - but I won't drag anyone in to one if they appear to be the type who doesn't like it.

Sorry folks - I'm probably the one you love to hate :D But I'm also the one parents love having thier kids around - so atleast there's some balance :D
 
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