Where you are, do strangers talk to each other?

[Newbaby110521]

Here in the UK we don’t really talk to strangers on public transportation apart from the occasional ‘excuse me’ or ‘my bad’. In some ways this is a good thing it means I don’t have to pretend to be interested in someone else’s sex life or favourite football team but there are times (normally instigated by mum God bless her) where we have had significant chats with people on public transport normally on a long coach journey or when we’re trying to ignore drunk football (soccer to you Americans) fans who seem to think they’re the late Pavarotti which have led to interesting discussions one I remember clearly was we were travelling home on the coach and mum got into conversation with a young woman who turned out to have a rather interesting job as a dancer on a cruise ship and as my mum was a trained dance teacher and I’d developed an interest in dance through watching ‘The Next Step’ (Kids TV is better than adults) we had a long interesting chat with her but this is rare. It’s not so much that British people can’t speak to each other we just choose not to.

 

[PaddedPonyboy]

I live in New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States, and yes, people are very friendly here! it's very easy to strike up a conversation with strangers, i usually have multiple folks stop to just chat with me whenever i'm out. i'm also the kind of person who likes to give compliments so often times i am that person who strikes up the conversation. where i'm from in Pennsylvania, people hate small talk of all kinds and will get very impatient and rude with you if you try to have a conversation in the grocery store or at the gas station or on public transit. people very much want to keep to themselves and be left alone out there. as someone who's very friendly, i find that type of atmosphere very depressing. i'd much rather strangers be kind and open than caged off and seeing a simple fleeting conversation as an "inconvenience" !

 

[stinkape]

Living south of the Mason Dixon line in Dixie most people are rather friendly and easy to talk to .Some can be a bit guarded and clannish in some parts.
Through the years things have been slowly changing as populations increase but things usually change slowly in the south and it is still a common occurrence for complete strangers to wave at one another ta say howdy which can lead to an open invitation to small talk if one is so inclined.

Love my Dixie Land

 

[dogboy]

As a kid growing up on the Jersey Shore, back in the day and being out with my mom and dad on our boat, when you passed by another boat, people usually waved at each other and this was New Jersey....haha.

 

[TeddyBearCowboy]

 

[LittleRobbie]

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.

We don't talk to strangers in the UK which is perfectly fine with me. In the rare occasion people have spoke to me, I don't know what to reply. I'm very socially awkward and always have my headphones on when out. I like the statement 'shut up and don't talk to me', I just want to get to my destination!
Although this does conflict with trying to find friends!

 

[Lethdale]

West Midlands and Staffordshire, England.
We're very chatty here..

 

[Lethdale]

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.

There's a reason why some many zombie movies are based in west coast American shopping malls...

 

[Lethdale]

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

I found Germans to be chatty on trains

 

[LittleRobbie]

We don't talk to strangers in the UK which is perfectly fine with me. In the rare occasion people have spoke to me, I don't know what to reply. I'm very socially awkward and always have my headphones on when out. I like the statement 'shut up and don't talk to me', I just want to get to my destination!
Although this does conflict with trying to find friends!

Also, find it very confusing - raised as a child 'don't talk to strangers', than as an adult 'why you not talk to people?' my autism makes me no more aware of dangers now than I was as a child!

 

[feetintrouble]

Also, find it very confusing - raised as a child 'don't talk to strangers', than as an adult 'why you not talk to people?' my autism makes me no more aware of dangers now than I was as a child!

Yes, I too was brought up on "don't talk to strangers", or "say no to strangers". However, I remember that older folks used to intervene quite a lot. I remember a old lady telling me off for playing with a chain attached to a park gate, saying "you see, metal's very dangerous".

More recently, I've heard discussions about the "don't talk to strangers" message being revised, in case children are afraid to ask for help. A new slogan is "Clever never goes", in that asking a stranger for help is OK, but never going with them, as soon as they start saying "would you like to come and see some puppies?" (That's the example that's often given.)

 

[BBBen]

in my area of germany people are more for themselves. They are very sceptic to people from elsewhere - its like: you dont know what they bring, it could only be bad
But if you here for longer time, than you could have very deep friendships here.
But there are also very openminded areas in germany, where you could find friends very fast. And in german trains it depends to the line. If you riding routes to Hamburg, then there are many tourists and older people going on cruise ship - they are very open in talking.

 

[LaLoneDigi]

More recently, I've heard discussions about the "don't talk to strangers" message being revised, in case children are afraid to ask for help. A new slogan is "Clever never goes", in that asking a stranger for help is OK, but never going with them, as soon as they start saying "would you like to come and see some puppies?" (That's the example that's often given.)

I've also seen a shift towards teaching children context when it comes to interacting with strangers. There have been some high profile cases of children needing help, but hiding from rescuers because they were taught not to talk to strangers, or were afraid to get in trouble. Unfortunately it has led to many tragedies. I think it's a good shift.

 

[KBoy]

I live in Florida, we are freindly, bi linguistic and pleasant
A stranger is just a Freind that you haven't met yet

 

[PrincessMonika]

Unfortunately not. I wish I lived in an area where people weren't afraid to interact with one another.

 

[LittleLuke]

I live in USA in Pennsylvania near Philadelphia. I'm always talking to people at stores, gas stations you name it. My kids call the people I talk to my 5 min. friends. People around here are always friendly

 

[LittleLuke]

We don't talk to strangers in the UK which is perfectly fine with me. In the rare occasion people have spoke to me, I don't know what to reply. I'm very socially awkward and always have my headphones on when out. I like the statement 'shut up and don't talk to me', I just want to get to my destination!
Although this does conflict with trying to find friends!

I feel bad for you I have had great talks with complete strangers. I've even made long time friends that way. There more good people out there then bad.

 

[Lethdale]

I feel bad for you I have had great talks with complete strangers. I've even made long time friends that way. There more good people out there then bad.

Yes, I think it all depends on what type of person one is oneself.
Life is a two way street!

 

[stinkape]

There's a reason why some many zombie movies are based in west coast American shopping malls...

Try Arkansas