What would you do in this situation?

United States
September 3, 2009 8:31pm CST
Okay, it has happened to everyone! Your walking down the street and you, of course, pass someone walking the opposite way. Do you look them in the eye and smile and say high? Do you stare straight ahead as if they aren't there? Or do you sheepishly look down on the ground not quite sure what you should do?? So I would have to pick the third one. I always bow my eyes to the ground as I pass someone mainly because I don't know if I should look at them or not? And if I look at them, do I have to smile and say hi?? Its a delema I've been facing and I'm not sure what to do. So mylotters, what do you do in this situaiton?
4 people like this
19 responses
@ladyhope (377)
• Canada
4 Sep 09
I am a super shy person but I always try to smile at people when I walk by because you never know what kind of day they had. Some people look at me like I'm nuts, but I am sure that someone must appreciate the smile from a random stranger. (I don't say hi, though)
1 person likes this
• Malaysia
4 Sep 09
I will just look up and straight ahead. It is very seldom for me to look down when walking pass by somebody, i felt not safe for not aware with strangers around me. We never know people bad intention right? I will only look down if i walk pass by somebody that i know, but i don't want to talk to them.
1 person likes this
@EliteUser (3964)
• Australia
20 Sep 09
Hey, I have done this so many times, I just look straight down ahead as if they aren't their, and I still do it. Some of the time I look down on the ground, not knowing what exactly to do. But if I'm with my bro, we always say 'hi' to a pedestrian if we walk past them. Make sure you have a good day, God bless and Happy Lotting!!
@prinzcy (32326)
• Malaysia
4 Sep 09
If he/she is someone I know (even not close with), I'll just smile back and just walk. It's not necessary to stop and chat. Besides, I think it's a good thing for someone to smile at you. If it's someone that I don't know, I just walk past and keep my head high. I don't know that person, he/she might mistaken me for someone or greet other person that me.
• India
4 Sep 09
I agree with you. . Smiling is a Good thing and even smiling at unknown person also make us give confident in our day. If they give us back smile, then we get a good feel and hope that we have a good day.
4 Sep 09
If I am walking along and there is someone walking the other way and we are the only people walking past wherever we are then I usually look at them and if they look at me in the same way then I usually say Hi, sometimes I recognise them but don't actually no them. If this happens then I will usually say hi.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
4 Sep 09
Sometimes I think when we see someone on the street that we don't know, we tend to make a judgment about them. If the person looks harmless to us we are not intimidated by them. If they seem frightening to us, we try to avoid contact. How do you tell if you made the right judgment?
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
4 Sep 09
Unless I am in a hurry, then yes, I look at someone and smile and say Hi. Sometimes just smile and nod & keep walking. If I'm in a hurry, I just walk and really don't pay attention to people around me unless someone speaks first. I'm shy and I've never found it awkward to smile or greet someone whether or not they are a stranger.
• United States
4 Sep 09
I guess for me it depends on what they look like, u can usually tell the creeps from the average person, I either look away or I'll look at them and smile and say hi. Liz
• Brazil
4 Sep 09
I am a shy person, even to people I know i prefer to look down and if they say hi I answer for sure, but usually I am not the first one to smile and say hi. But sometimes I smile and if the person says hi i do reply.
@flzmlady (418)
• China
4 Sep 09
i often walk by them as nothing is there but sometimes when i am in a really bad mood i stare them straight.
@dbabcook (388)
• United States
4 Sep 09
Well, first of all we are all different and how we each handle something will also be different. I have learned over the years that it is always a good idea to make eye contact with people in passing as you never know what could happen after you pass one another. I knew a woman who was out walking and passed a gentleman walking the opposite direction. Within 5 minutes of passing each other he turned, grabbed her, pulled her into some bushes and raped her. My theory behind always making that initial eye contact is that you will atleast see the person so that in the event something like this shold ever happen to you or someone you know and love, you will be able to give some sort of description to your local law enforcement. This is just my suggestion but also for good reason.
• China
4 Sep 09
the first state is my situation. it 's normal situation. not including special situation,if the opposite one is the one I don't like,of course i don't look at her.")
@elenyae (388)
• Australia
4 Sep 09
I'm definitely one of those people who walks looking down at the ground. Or I kinda stare off into the distance not making eye contact with anyone. What I find especially awkward is when you're walking and you kinda see someone that you sort of know, but aren't really good friends with - should you acknowledge them or kinda just pass by? I often find myself doing the pull out the mobile and pretend to be reading a text. :P
@rlliam71 (34)
• United Arab Emirates
4 Sep 09
I strongly believe in aura. So, I respond to this situation according to the aura that person approaching me is projecting. And my response comes out of me like automatically like a reflex.
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
4 Sep 09
i don't look them straight in the eye cause sometimes it is just plain impolite. people don't like it being looked at cause they dont know what other people are thinking when they look at them. so i too don't want to be looked at not unless i know that it does not mean anything .
• China
4 Sep 09
I usually check out first if that is a beauty, if she really is, I will look at her and smile, but not say hi, I think that would make her think me abnormal. But it really depends. If the one is a male, I just look forward and go ahead.
@taztheone (1721)
• India
4 Sep 09
I would not stare into the eyes, but definitely look into their eyes with my head straight up. After all its really fun talking to someone new!
@voldrox (7191)
• India
4 Sep 09
Hi phoenix . . . hmm well you know it depends with who the other person is...if the person happens to be my nice friend then i like to greet him/her and always stare in the eye for a exchange of greetings.. but there are other people i know and don't exactly want to meet so what i do is fix my eyes straight forward not paying attention to the person, just pretend you are thinking something very deeply and don't at all move your eyes, let them stay fixed to the front, i don't look down cause most people tend to make out that i am trying to avoid them... well it is your choice now, if you don't want the person to let them know that you are ignoring them look straight forward as if you are thinking and going forward and pretend like that until the person passes away.... hope i have been helpful someway or the other... have a nice weekend phoenix!
• United States
4 Sep 09
I will acknowledge someone with a smile or nod as I pass. If they say hello I will. But as soon as I make eye contact I will drop my eyes again, I won't launch into a conversation! I think this is very much a cultural thing. When I moved to America Ihad the impression that it was way more friendly - you know that image of the Brits being reserved (we're not really when you know us) and America having the really effusive customer service? Well apparently this does not apply to Massachusetts, possibly the unfriendliest place I have ever been to! I am told this is different in other parts of the country, though! I went to Ireland onceand they are really friendly, everyone will wave as they drive past you!