Chatting to strangers - do you?

LadyHonoriaDedlock Mon 05-Oct-20 19:37:28
This being Glasgow it happens all the time. At the wee shop, at the bus stop, on the bus. No traditional British reserve here!
Brilliant, brilliant city, a fabulous place. We had a great night in The Old Fruit Market. It was difficult finding it, not being one for Satnavs, I asked a stranger for directions. He said something in the strongest Glaswegian you've ever heard. Not wishing to offend I said, "Thank you," and smiled. he smiled back. Not to worry, we found it eventually and had the most wonderful of nights.

LadyHonoriaDedlock you missed out the doctor's and Subway! ?

BlueSky you are not the only unsociable one here. I am extremely shy and have trouble striking up conversations with strangers. I have a close male friend and pre covid, we would go out and I would say to him, please can you not talk to other people in the queue!!
Now, standing in a queue, mask wearing, I just think, please let me get in without having to speak to anyone. Do I have a problem? Yes probably, how can I overcome this crippling shyness and the feeling that people are going to judge me

I seem to be the only unsociable on here!

This being Glasgow it happens all the time. At the wee shop, at the bus stop, on the bus. No traditional British reserve here!

Chatting to a stranger is the first step to a cherished friendship.

I talk to strangers too.
For some reason I have a huge interest in other people, their problems, their interests etc. Something I was born with.
Sadly now, with face masks etc, we could be losing the ability to create that kind of personal contact.
I think that's the worst result of this virus. We are social creatures.

I will speak to anyone and everyone, I’m not one to keep quiet for very long I’m afraid ?

According to my children I will talk to anyone and everyone and they find it embarrassing

Its a great feeling, isn't it, embarassing your children?

I remember shopping in Liverpool (not recently) and had a really sociable day discussing the clothes etc. with strangers.

I talk to anyone and everyone, people gardening, working on their allotments, walking their dogs, a chap painting his fence even a neighbour over the back wall, I couldn't see her or she me, we chatted for ages, but I wouldn't know her if I met her in the street.

I always talk to people. Always have done.

Going on a dog walk can take me a couple of hours rather than the 45 minutes it should take

Dog owners are wonderful fun to chat with

Yes all the time though some are clearly unsure how to react. Grandmabatty I think paying a compliment can really make someone's day and I do that too.

I do it all the time. You sound like a nice person, queengran and you're right, sometimes it could be the case that you are the only person that a stranger will have spoken to in days. I never fail to acknowledge someone who tries to make conversation - especially the very old. It must be quite terrible to be lonely and we are not meant to be always alone in society.

I'm afraid I'm also the one who makes tots in pushchairs laugh when their Mums stand in queues and gaze at their 'phones, and as my Doctor always says, I know when you are in the waiting room because I can hear laughter. Mmmm, wonder what he means?

Yes, I do. Always have. Especially if someone does look a bit lonely, or afraid, or confused, or frazzled (mums for instance).

I do it all the time and often hear people’s life stories while standing in a queue!

Yes absolutely! Although it is usually the stranger who starts a conversation with me first. Usually it is okay but some times when they start asking personal questions or giving me their life story then I am off! Once in a busy cafe a Lady came and sat at my table (without asking) and then starting asking me where I lived, what sort of property, how many bedrooms etc. Far to intrusive for me I just upped and left without finishing my lunch.

I have always talked to strangers and put it down to having an Irish mother who did the same. DS puts his professional success down in part to his ability to enjoy conversations was with absolutely anyone from a beggar to the CEO of a major international company!

Have always enjoyed chatting to people. Do not need to know them to have a chat. On buses, it passes the time to talk to the person sitting next to your (back when that did happen). A few people obviously do not like to chat to strangers, so then would not continue, but have really learned some interesting things from people, whom I am never likely to see again.

I talk to anyone and everyone. In shops, in queues, you name it. I compliment people too. I'll tell them that their garden is lovely, I'll ask where they got something because it's pretty etc. People are pleased if you say something nice.

I talk to everyone. I was chatting to someone in the supermarket on Saturday about his face visor. He had one of those with ‘glasses’ attached.
I have decided, on his recommendation, to get one. I have to wear one when I’m working and he says his doesn’t steam up.

It can be very useful to talk to strangers.

'On the pull'! No, I definitely hope no one thinks I'm ever trying to do that! You're right urmstongran, sometimes just a compliment or smile is a good starting point. You can usually read whether or not people want to engage. I remember being so embarrassed when my mum used to chat to absolutely everyone but now I see what a gift it is. Small talk doesn't come as easily to me as it does to her but I definitely think it's worth making the effort.

I rarely did before Lockdown eased but I noticed on my first trip out there was a general feeling of, 'Thank goodness.....another human being.'

I found myself chatting, at a distance, to people I wouldn't have even noticed before.

Yes! Guilty as charged!

It is an age thing though isn’t it?
I didn’t when I was younger but now somehow it seems so easy to strike up a conversation with strangers.

It certainly passed the time back in the Spring when we had to queue to get in supermarkets and I remember chatting to some interesting people.

All the time - it’s one of the advantages of age I think. Nobody can think you are “on the pull” and you can meet some really nice people!