Give me a hug or you're cold and unfriendly

[Roto13]

I live in Toronto these days. Toronto is Canada's largest city, so other Canadians like to complain about it, mostly because it gets more attention than any other Canadian city. (Also because the Leafs suck.)

One thing in particular people like to complain about is the "fact" that everyone is so cold an unfriendly here. Apparently, in other cities, random strangers say hi to each other and start up conversations in the street.

The hell? I've never seen anyone do that anywhere. Why would you? Who would want to? If a random stranger starts talking to me, it's probably because they're crazy, stoned out of their minds, or begging for something. (Or asking for directions, but that doesn't count.)

Is your city one of these mythical friendly cities where everyone is so super friendly? Does it drive you insane like it would me?

[Bunny]

Is your city one of these mythical friendly cities where everyone is so super friendly?

No, I live in America.

[Clo]

I live in Niagara Falls now, which is too crazy and ty to dare to describe, but I mainly grew up around Buffalo, and everyone is super friendly there. I've had loads of amazing conversations while walking around in that city. It's full of a bunch of really interesting people.

Is it really so hard to just have a pleasant conversation with someone while you're waiting around outside? In a line, or smoking?

[Freya]

I live in Oklahoma now and if you ask any of them they are southern. They have that southern Hospitality thing. They are super friendly (fake) but it gets creepy. Not hugging randomly but will sit and have a convo with you for a while.

When I lived in Wyoming they were more "cold". They just are very closed off.

[Vermachtnis]

You mean you don't go around randomly surprise hugging people in your town? But it's fun.

[escobert]

Here we all say hi to eachother and wave to strangers walking down the road here. Liz used to ask me how I knew everyone. and I said " I don't know any of these people but everyone here says Hi"

[Raistlin]

Is it really so hard to just have a pleasant conversation with someone while you're waiting around outside? In a line, or smoking?

Apparently. How dare a complete stranger say "hi, how's it going?" to me! Only creepy, horrible people would say something like that.

Silence doesn't bother me, so often I won't initiate these conversations, though I will if I notice something interesting (maybe they have an FSM shirt or are carrying around a book I like). I have no problem continuing them, though. Some random strangers have actually surprised me with their intelligence.

It's also much more common in smaller areas. I know my family at least says hi to everyone when walking around the street. I don't personally know everyone, but I will at least say "hi" when I'm outside there. In a lot of places it's a common courtesy not unlike holding the door open. You don't need to be BFFs with someone to do that.

[Shoeberto]

People in the midwest are pretty bad about it. In my experience, most will avoid starting up conversations. Sometimes if you're not too creepy they'll go with it, though. The south was a lot better about having random people just talk to you really friendly, though I think it also helps to be (or at least be perceived as) as WASP in those situations.

I talk to everyone about everything when I'm drinking. Maybe everyone should just be more drunk when they're in public.

[Miriel]

People in the SF Bay Area are pretty friendly. But I also often have conversation starters with me, my two gorgeous dogs. I get stopped almost every single day by people at the park or the walking trails or just around my neighborhood with people asking me about my dogs. So there's that. Also, random people seem to strike up conversations with me at the grocery store, I dunno if this is normal or not? Maybe cause I go to a hippie grocery store. :o

Generally people don't randomly say hi to strangers on the streets though. That's really strange.

[escobert]

I think it's strange to not say "hi" or "how are you?" to someone you walk by

[Peegee]

Roto is correct - Torontonians do not strike up convo unless they are insane or begging for money.

I find 'cold approaches' to girls is more appreciated in small towns rather than in Toronto. When I visited fayetteville I could easily imagine myself going up to people and asking them things.

When I was in Hong Kong, just talking to people in the street put them on edge.

[Roto13]

I live in Niagara Falls now, which is too crazy and ty to dare to describe, but I mainly grew up around Buffalo, and everyone is super friendly there. I've had loads of amazing conversations while walking around in that city. It's full of a bunch of really interesting people.

Is it really so hard to just have a pleasant conversation with someone while you're waiting around outside? In a line, or smoking?

It's certainly not smurfing pleasant for me. I don't have anything to say to a random stranger and I don't particularly care about whatever small talk they have to make at me. When a stranger starts talking to me, my first thought is always "Oh, great, what the hell does this asstard want?" (SPOILER)It's money.

I think it's strange to not say "hi" or "how are you?" to someone you walk by

If I said "hi" to everyone I walked past, I'd never get a chance to breathe. I live downtown.

[Miriel]

I think it's strange to not say "hi" or "how are you?" to someone you walk by

Jesus christ, how would that even be possible unless you're on a completely abandoned street and it's just you and maybe 1-2 other people. I say hello to people who live in my apartment buildings when we pass each other in the halls or in the mail room. But I can't even imagine doing that while I'm out and about. Do you do this everywhere? At the mall? In the subway? If I'm walking around in downtown San Francisco, I'm passing by dozens and dozens of people at any given moment. Do you just shout out "hello!!" as people pass you by?

[Jessweeee♪]

People in the midwest are pretty bad about it. In my experience, most will avoid starting up conversations. Sometimes if you're not too creepy they'll go with it, though. The south was a lot better about having random people just talk to you really friendly, though I think it also helps to be (or at least be perceived as) as WASP in those situations.

I talk to everyone about everything when I'm drinking. Maybe everyone should just be more drunk when they're in public.

This is what I've generally noticed.

[escobert]

I think it's strange to not say "hi" or "how are you?" to someone you walk by

Jesus christ, how would that even be possible unless you're on a completely abandoned street and it's just you and maybe 1-2 other people. I say hello to people who live in my apartment buildings when we pass each other in the halls or in the mail room. But I can't even imagine doing that while I'm out and about. Do you do this everywhere? At the mall? In the subway? If I'm walking around in downtown San Francisco, I'm passing by dozens and dozens of people at any given moment. Do you just shout out "hello!!" as people pass you by?

I live in a ghetto there aren't tons of people wandering around most of the time unless it's mid day or something. so yes most streets are empty
No, I wouldn't do it everywhere. I mainly do it around here because most people that I see walking are either my friends or old people and they're all scared I'm gonna rob them or something so I say hi and how are you and it makes them feel safer.