Where you are, do strangers talk to each other?

[feetintrouble]

I live in London, where it is well-known that people systematically ignore each other, especially on public transport. However, this rule has been broken occasionally: I've had strangers comment on my Hogwarts T-shirt, my sweater with a big cat on it, and somebody once asked me "why are you wearing girls' shoes?". I was wearing my shoes for netball, which happen to be white and pink. I said with a smile that they don't make netball shoes specifically for men, as it's still mostly a women's sport.

 

[elaleman]

Very much so. I am travelling across Germany by train today and had several interesting talks with complete strangers.

 

[Forced]

No, UK Home Counties and it’s very rare you get a good morning or even a smile from strangers in the street.
It happens on the golf courses though

 

[Zeke]

If you’re hoping to find yourself where strangers talk to one another you must first be willing to make the first move and say the first thing.

 

[Tomtomthedl]

I live in the south (USA). Everybody talks to everybody. sometimes this is a good thing sometimes it's not. you better open the door for the person behind you as you walk into a building. It's proper adequate around here. But to answer your question it's nothing to talk to strangers around here, happens all the time.

 

[mistykitty]

I'm in the US as well. I know that in some settings more than others people are more likely to talk to strangers. Like @Tomtomthedl said this can be good or bad thing. It is definitely typical to talk to others over here at least a little even if it's just good morning or good afternoon and the door bit is a an important part as well. I wouldn't say they become detailed conversations but aside from on public modes of travel talking to people you don't know is just part of things.

 

[JunkyardDog1]

I live in the south (USA). Everybody talks to everybody. sometimes this is a good thing sometimes it's not. you better open the door for the person behind you as you walk into a building. It's proper adequate around here. But to answer your question it's nothing to talk to strangers around here, happens all the time.

Anywhere below the Mason Dixon ive found to be a much nicer atmosphere lol. Wva and Maryland are decent. Oklahoma was awesome. Tennessee although touristy ( Gatlinburg) i enjoyed meeting people too

 

[ade]

Yep. Northern England, here.
It can be annoying at times, though.
And I seem to attract all kinds of 'strangers'

 

[BigAl1]

Folks here will talk to each other.

 

[messydiaper]

New England states in the US get a bad rap and southerners sometimes report that Bostonians and New Yorkers are rude. I live in the "northern most southern state," Indiana. We are also called midwest, but probably have more in common with Kentucky than with Michigan.

People here are fairly friendly and will start up conversations, but what really surprised me were my visits to the east coast, specifically Boston, New York, and Maine. By far the friendliest people I've encountered! I could move there and I think I'd be very happy with the friendliness.

 

[thatoneoddball]

California here, I don’t usually meet up with strangers but I’ll definitely talk to them. I don’t get out of my apartment much, since I have a hard time making friends. I did have a crazy lady tell me my skin was to red and I needed to fix it (my skin is very reactive and I was placing face cleaning stuff on it). And then I had another lady give me a recipe on the bus for ten minutes. Then after that, this was all this week I had an old lady tell me her aparment got robbed and she was upset and she just ranted until she went to her bus. This was all at my local bus station

 

[dogboy]

I live in Virginia and strangers will occasionally talk to you. Often I'm the one starting a conversation and I'm from New Jersey...haha, so who knows.

 

[ianwee]

During 2020 and 2021 when we were in lockdown because of covid, I found that when I was walking our dog in the park, total strangers were quite happy to make conversation with me (keeping 2 metres apart of course). It might, of course, just have just been because of my lovely dog!

 

[Cottontail]

We live in a world where it’s become normal to go out in public in a technological bubble. I often feel like I’m surrounded by ghosts. We tell our kids that their headphones have to stay at home or in the car, as otherwise it’s like walking around with a Shut Up/Don’t Talk To Me t-shirt on. Having been a tech worker for so long, I guess I feel slightly responsible for this tech-zombie apocalypse, heh. Sigh…

My living situation is a little unique: I live on an island in northwest Washington. There’s no bridge to the mainland, so I often find myself riding a ferry with other islanders. When you see the same faces every day, or every couple of days, conversations eventually happen, and I’ve made a lot of friends by essentially riding public transit.

Unfortunately that’s the high point. In most other public places or situations, where people are free to simply go about their personal business and ignore one another, that’s what seems to happen.

 

[Gwendolyn]

I've lived up and down the east coast of the U.S. my whole life. I grew up in the south, and currently live in New England. I agree that there are some real pros and cons to the talkative parts of the country.

I'm in a bit of a more unique situation because I have a very visible disability. If you want people to talk to you, try going out in a wheelchair. I much prefer living up north where people are much more reserved about being friendly. Whenever I go down south to visit family I always wear a very obvious pentacle necklace to keep the overly friendly religious crowd at arms length.

 

[Kirisin]

I think it's a law in Montana USA or something lol. Traditionally anytime you pass someone weather you know them or not it is customary to wave. As you can see number 14 on the list.

15 Things to Know Before Moving to Montana - SmartAsset | SmartAsset

Thinking of moving to Montana? Whether you're planning on settling in a city or in a rural area, be prepared for the state's low population density and...

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[LaLoneDigi]

People in my area are pretty chatty. Not so much at hospital or at a bank, but stores and parks, sure.

Generally if someone approaches me it's because of my clothes or my dog. If only my dog was friendlier... My recent Care Bear shirts have received a ton of compliments.

 

[Teddy02]

I find, as a 70+ year old that young people don’t want to talk to you. But I recently went to Sydney and the kids were really at ease speaking with me and my wife.
It’s nice to hear so many Americans saying that they talk to strangers. When I have been in the USA they have been very rude, New York-never again, LA-not a hope but maybe other places I might try again.
For me New Zealand and Australia are the best.

 

[PaddedCub]

I live in rural Australia. Everyone talks to everyone, it’s a small town

 

[Diaperman95]

Very seldom. Most the time if you tell them hello.. they give you a go to hell look and act like you just threatened to burn their first born baby at the stake!!!!! Personally I just like to see their response!!!!!!!!!!!Lol