TODAY’S POLL

LAST POLL RESULTS

35.4% of you voted I’m comfortable both approaching others and being approached in yesterday’s poll: How do you feel about interacting with strangers in public?

“I’m always striking up conversations with strangers!”

“It’s at the root of my business and how people network with each other.”

“Friendly greetings are good for them and good for me.”

“I have no problem interacting with strangers in public — that’s how you meet new friends! I’ve always been somewhat extroverted, and yes, sometimes I make a fool of myself. But that just gives me something to laugh about later.”

“I’d say I’m pretty good at reading body language, which makes it easier to interact with people. I had to overcome being shy, so it took a while. I like people, but I try to be sensitive to others’ space. Even so, I don’t always get it right, but that doesn’t keep me from being friendly.”

“I’m a friendly person, but I try not to be intrusive — I read the feedback cues I get. My husband, on the other hand, can’t wait to yak away with everyone around him whether they like it or not. His sister’s motto is, ‘There are two kinds of people in the world: friends I’ve met and friends I haven’t met yet.’ Somehow, every stranger she talks to is delighted by the interaction!”

“I’m a real talker — I could talk to rocks. Sometimes my wife even tells me I share too much with strangers.”

“My mom said that when I was 3, I’d wander off, and she’d find me three aisles over talking to strangers. I’m a social butterfly — always have been, always will be. My wife loves it and hates it at the same time.”

“My friends call me the social butterfly because I’m always striking up conversations with people I don’t know. Sometimes it’s just a brief encounter, and other times we become friends.”

“I love helping people out if they’re looking for a place, a street, or anything like that, because I may need to go up to someone for directions, too.”

“In the city where I live, I don’t mind either approaching or being approached by almost anyone. But obviously, it’s situational — even in a city I’m familiar with. My comfort level would change drastically in places I’m unfamiliar with.”

“Where I live and work, in my region, it’s not an issue. But in urban centers, I have no interest in engaging with strangers.”

“I live in a destination with lots of visitors, so I’m happy to interact when approached — often by people who want to say hi to my 🐕 dog.”

“Most of the time, I really enjoy friendly interactions with strangers! Having a cute dog means it happens daily.”

“I am the master of my time, so if I’m approached, I stay in the conversation only as long as I want to. I’m not obligated to give my time if it was not a prescheduled appointment. This makes me welcome interactions with strangers.”

“I don’t mind someone asking a question, but I really don’t care for solicitations, and I dislike when people don’t accept my first response in those situations. I understand they’re trying to make a sale, but if I say I’m not interested, and they persist, I’ll never be interested.”

“It always depends on the situation. I’m very short, and if I’m shopping, I don’t hesitate to ask a taller person for help when something is too high on a shelf for me to reach. I try to be respectful of any stranger I approach.”

“Out ‘in the wild,’ I’m more comfortable approaching people, but in a set-up social situation, I’m a little more reserved and tend to hang back. Weird, right? I think it’s the LACK of expectation.”

“I’m an introvert, so I don’t like approaching people.”

“Please don’t approach me in the gym, period.”

“I enjoy my solitude. Leave me alone, and I’ll leave you alone.”

“I’m an introvert, but I usually let chemistry decide for me!”

“My job and volunteer opportunities bring me in contact with many people I don’t know. Travel puts strangers together with a common interest. If I’m lost, I’ll engage with strangers to find my way. But walking quickly in the dark to my car, I’m much less likely to interact with strangers. Stranger danger, etc.”

“Different world now.”

“I used to approach people and was okay being approached. Times have changed — I’m definitely more leery now.”

“WE ALL NEED TO BE TOGETHER TO GET THROUGH THIS DISASTER.”

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