Are You A Friendly Person?

If I say hello to someone and they don't respond or stare blankly, it bothers me longer than it should and makes me reluctant to do it again

No, I'm unbearably shy and often try to stay silent and in my own lane, which ironically makes people think I'm rude and standoffish.

As I've gotten older I will greet people if they look at me when passing on the street.

I'm from Minnesota, famous for "Minnesota Nice", which means we mind our own business and don't intrude on strangers. In our culture, it's more friendly that way.

Friendly as a flower but if you cross me unprovoked I will cut you a mean one.

I greet people if we pass in close proximity. I think it pleases (most of) them. It pleases me when I’m greeted by strangers. But no offense taken when people don’t respond to my greeting.

Nope.

Just let me have my coffee. I'll be civil after it kicks in.

No in generally actually.

While walking my dog, sometimes I dread for an entire block passing a seemingly aggressive couple or person and they will end up being VERY friendly and animated and I would have felt bad ignoring them

I only greet others if my gaydar signals lgbt, otherwise I am on “do not disturb.”

Let's just say I enjoy social distancing and wish the distance were greater.

Yes, more so than years ago. I used to be so quiet and shy but have managed to come out of my shell. But still working on it.

I’m not as sweet as I used to be…

If i know the person (like back in the days when we had to work in the office), i will definitely say hello or good morning.

If someone makes eye contact (shudder the thought!), I feel obligated to at least nod or half-smile to acknowledge their existence.

For the most part, i stay in my own lane. But i'm not unfriendly, i just tend to be a bit on the shy side. i wouldn't ever not respond if someone actually greeted me or nodded hello.

I am cordial towards most people unless you are an obnoxious asshole (or annoying Frau).

Yes, I'm friendly when I first meet people. I like to start off on a good foot. If things go bad, I have no problem changing my M.O. with that person. Call me petty, but I always remember it when people are not friendly to me when we meet. I hate it when people think you have to prove something in order to be on friendly terms.

It's confusing when (straight) people will be really outgoing and friendly one day and cold and aloof the next.

I'd rather not play the daily mood guessing game and just set to ignore all the time.

R14 I'm the same way, I'll greet people I know if I run into them in public.

I like to be polite but I can also be shy which due to being quite good looking could come across as being rude

It doesn't come naturally to me responding based on the time of day, like Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening. and I awkwardly respond with "HI!"

Me too, r20. Part of the reason I may not always initiate a greeting is because I sometimes fumble with what to actually say.

Fuck off OP. You fucking little worthless piece of shit.

If I make eye contact first, I usually just do a head check.

But if they say something I'll definitely say something bad.

There's nothing worse than an approaching straight couple making unyielding eye contact

No

Honestly it depends on my mood. Have I had coffee, yet? Have I gotten enough sleep? Do I like the person? A lot of different variables come into play. On average, though? I am pretty friendly.

I’m from the south so I greet everyone, friend or stranger, with “Well good morning, sweetheart!” And if they fail to respond I follow up with “Well what the fuck is wrong with you, sugar?’

And I lean in.

Yes, very. But *do NOT* poke the bear.

Good morning, Miss Davis!

[quote] I’m from the south so I greet everyone, friend or stranger, with “Well good morning, sweetheart!”

And then HR writes you up.

My mother was a very cold private person, “aloof” is a good word to describe her- and discouraged me making any friendships while growing up. She had postpartum depression and cut off all communication with her own friends. Before she wound up in a nursing home, she sat in anguish all alone snd she had been left forgotten by many of her old friends, She only had a homecare person three times a week and spent all week in isolation in her apartment.

It’s the primary reason I decided to put her in a home- so she’d have people around.

I went 180 as a teen and became a club kid in the mid 80’s . By the late 90’s I was a bartender in a club. Here’s what I’lll say- I’m friendly but reserved in my old age. It takes two to be friendly, and if someone is warm to me, I’ll be warm to them. I can count on. One hand how many true friends I have nowadays and keep them close. I’ve had my heart broken and had coworkers become vengeful.

But I’ll never forget how alone my mom became.

I’m described by my doctor as being extremely friendly

Yes. "It doesn't cost anything to be friendly" was drummed into me at an early age. Friendly doesn't automatically translate to an American sense of inordinate disclosure, or boring those around you. However, a kind word and some genuine pleasantries may well make someone's day. There are many lonely people who often feel invisible.

Just the other day I was in a wine shop I frequent, and there was a new cashier. I said hello, how are you...and that I hadn't seen him before... You must be knew I said. (I had noticed they had hung a help wanted sign on their door a week ago.) He had just begun working there, and said he was doing well, and thanked me for asking.

He asked about the wine I had selected, and we had a nice conversation. His entire demeanor brightened up when I asked about him. Take an interest in those around you, and at least attempt to be friendly to those whom you do business with regularly.

I'm friendly to honest people. If I detect an ounce of dishonesty in someone though, I'll cut you into pieces.

The risk of a rude response is too great

I'll mutter "Hi" if provoked, or at least nod in acknowledgment.

What I will never understand are people who greet you with "How's it going?" as they pass. The fuck? Why ask an open question as a greeting in passing? They obviously don't expect me to stop and elaborate on the current state of my life, so why?

R36 Why I never understand the passing "How are you?" that you everywhere

R36 Its pretty much unofficially agreed upon that "How's it going?" is just another form of "Hello".

R27 LMAO. You gave me a good laugh. I WW'ed you very hard.

A friendly pershon alwaysh wearsh a shmile!

R38 and how I'm supposed to response to that question? saying "How's it going" back?

The people around me say i am, but they all work for me.

Overly friendly and chatty. Sometimes it's good because it helps me make friends everywhere and it can be bad because you sort of become the one they all bring their problems to or the one people try to take advantage of. Some read it as weakness...the dense ones. However, most people respond positively and even some of the bitchiest queens I have met have become friends over time.

I'd like to think I'm friendly in general. I'm extremely friendly these days to anyone who works in a service industry. I always smile, ask how they're doing and make sure to thank them. The vast majority are thankful and smile back.

I do not care how anyone is doing and I don’t want to put out an opening for any further interaction.

Are you lost?

Am I a friendly person? Absolutely.

My roommate has an anti-harassment order against a younger gentleman. When I see him, I grab Mama’s Boy(painted club with rhinestones), and walk him two blocks from the house. This time is filled with me reciting the terms of his 7 restraining orders, “son, this isn’t 1,000 feet.” I threaten to smash his teeth in. While I walk back to the house, I greet my neighbors just like I’m on an early morning walk. “Howdy!”

^^^ well, my career as a thread killer is intact. Sorry, everyone.

I’m very outgoing, some say too outgoing.

Me, too, R50!

Yes, I prefer strangers over my family, they’re interesting because I don’t know them yet.

It's just common courtesy to say "hello," "good morning" and "have a great evening." I usually smile when I pass strangers and mouth or say "hello." Mean people suck as they say.

I’m a “three strikes and you’re out” person especially when it comes to work colleagues and people who live in my apartment building.

I will say hello and acknowledge people but if they don’t respond by the third time, they are DEAD TO ME.

Basically the same when holding a door or an elevator. If you don’t even bother to mumble a “thank you”, you can bet it’s never happening again.

It depends.

I can be. I work with the public and at work I'm very friendly but when I'm not working I tend to be introverted as this is my natural state. I enjoy talking to others in public sometimes, but other times I do not.

Fuck no!

[quote]What I will never understand are people who greet you with "How's it going?" as they pass. The fuck? Why ask an open question as a greeting in passing?

Hu? The proper response is I am doing good how about you? Not hard. It's not really a question. They don't really want to know that you have a head cold, constipated and just lost your job.

Some cultures are just rude. I live in a high-rise building in Los Angels. It's kind of an unwritten custom in the building to say hello to anyone who enters the elevator because basically you are neighbors even if you never met before. It's a pretty divers group of people. There's people from other countries like the UK, Japan, Australia etc. For the most part, everyone plays along except for Russian immigrants for some reason. Always rude, no response when you say hello to them. They just keep talking to each other like you are not even there.

People always ask me for directions or is this right train to take so I must be a friendly person.

When I am shopping in a department store which is rare I have had woman in stores ask me to try on a shirt or sweater for them because they say they a son my size. It's happened more than once. I guess I look that friendly?

R58, even when passing a stranger in a hallway?

No, it’s moronic.

It's not moronic R62, if you are the only two in the hallway not to ignore each other its actually odd to PRETEND you dont see each other. If I am taking out the trash down the hallway to the trash shoot and pass by someone I dont know who lives on the same floor it's still common courtesy to at least say hello. If they say how is it going, I just say "fine thanks". It's not that hard. You never know when you might actually need to rely on each other in an emergency like a fire for example.

You sound more like the moron.

My building is brand new, so no existing cliques. So far, everyone makes eye contact with at least a perfunctory greeting.

I cuss out Jehovah’s witnesses who keep showing up at my door, so nope.

Yea whenever people ask me for directions I don't know if it's because of my good looks or whether I seem like a non threatening, friendly person.

I am fine with a greeting. However, when it turns into a small talk situation, I regret saying anything at all.

GET OFF MY LAWN!

I am friendly. I also tended bar for a decade, so when I say hello, it actually means “I am aware of you being here, and if you fuck around I am going to kick yer fucking teeth in.”

No, but I'm English so it doesn't really mean anything if I totally ignore you or look at like you as if you're a deranged stalker.

It's normal for us.

R58 you've illustrated the pointlessness of the entire exchange

[quote]Yea whenever people ask me for directions

This old man once stopped me and asked for directions. I told him I didn't know where he was trying to go and said sorry couldn't help him. That old fucker yelled at me and said "don't you know where you are going!"

So call me jaded when people stop me for directions.

Yes, in public. I smile and wave, always say thank you cheerily or nod in appreciation if I am wearing a mask. I have to fake being friendly with strangers, perfectly perfected in all the preferred political views and terminology. Then I get home, put on my red hat and log into Q Anon.

R70 - that's odd. I have found the opposite to be true. The English are more likely to be friendly. Everytime I have met an English person, be it at the gym or in travels or even by consequence (as in my roommate's cousin's husband with whom I talk to now every week about news, travel, music), we become pals right away. Oh well, guess blood it thicker than water.

No, I'm quite an anxious person. I was bullied a lot at school so I think all people are evil.

R75 - there must have been at least one nice person.

Saying hello to strangers you pass by is stupid and kind of creepy when it’s old or ugly guys doing it.

I greet most people but not if I am walking in the city. I am not offended if they don't respond, but usually they do.

[quote]the trash shoot

Messy.

Finger guns and a wink for all who cross my path.

I've never considered myself particularly outgoing, but people trust me. When something has gone sideways in the lives of certain friends and acquaintances, I'm the one who hears confessions - in person, by phone, or even online. Two o'clock in the morning stuff. I've dealt with two threatened suicides, when I actually had to call in the police.

I present hole to every stranger I meet. Does that count?

In some ways yes, in others no.

I'm pretty shy (always have been) so I rarely speak to someone I don't know unless they do to me first. If they do I'll respond and even have a conversation with them for a bit if that was what they were wanting. I'm not one of those smiley people always happy (so not me!).

I do try to be polite and say things like "thank you" and "have a nice day" to service workers. And I try to do little acts of kindness when I can. Holding doors open for people, especially older or disabled people, helping random people out with things if they ask if and can, ect.

I like to model myself after Kate Middleton. Smile, shake a hand and then move quickly on. Always stay above the fray.

R84 - she can pull that off based on who she is, whoever grooms her to the nines and her dental glamour.