Seeing people in public

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This always proves awkward for me. Passing by or spotting people I know in public. Unless they approach me, I never know whether to say hi or whatever. I always wonder if maybe they don't remember me, or will think I'm weird for speaking to them.

It's either that or I don't realize who it was until after they're gone, and I feel rude.

I'm also afraid of those awkward moments where you think someone's speaking to or waving at you, and you respond, just to find out they were addressing the person behind you.


Does anybody else have these issues, or is it yet another something I'm making more complicated?

Yes, I used to feel pretty much the same as you.

Took me a while, but I seem to have grown out of it. I'm 41 mind you. It did take a while, and I still sometimes pretend to be looking at my watch or in my bag for something to avoid these types of encounter.

Actually, I maybe haven't really grown out of it at all. I've just worked out strategies to deal with it.

I always expect people not to know me, as if my face was a blank.

I find it weird to see people I know in public, too. I never quite know how to behave. It's like they're out of place, somehow.

Regards,

Patricia

I've certainly been there many times. I sometimes give them eye contact and see if they say anything and if they don't it gets really awkward. I have the mentality of only greeting those who say it first.

Oh, yes... I used to think that I had one of those "familiar faces," because all those strange people kept greeting me. By a "familiar face" I mean, that I resemble someone famous they think they recognise.

Only yesterday it hit me: perhaps they were not strangers.

If I see someone I know, I never acknowledge them unless I'm friendly with them. Usually in that case, we'll have a conversation. If someone that doesn't matter to me acknowledges me, I just wave and keep on walking (rarely do they ever try to start a conversation with me).


If someone waves in my direction, but I'm unsure if it's directed at me, I'll usually wait a moment to see if someone else responds. If nobody does, I can be pretty sure they're trying to get my attention.

Sometimes I imagine seeing people I know in public and have in-depth made-up conversations with them to myself even if I don't even know the person that well. Sometimes I end up liking that person a bit more, but when I actually see them I have no idea what to do. Strange.

i think it's awkward too. i often don't know whether to say hi or not--and often, i don't recognize people well out of context. but even when i do--recognize them--unless they're someone i've known for years and years, i'm really not sure what to do.

I do this too. Almost like preparation, I guess.

i do this too and its not good, just rehearsing the basic points of what you want to say is good but planning the whole conversation upfront is what i want to get rid of.

I'll look at them and keep walking if they don't catch my eye, but if they do I'll smile and nod. If they start slowing or start to approch I do the same in order to talk. It doesn't happen heaps though, because I don't know many people in my area.

Yeah, it's really hard when I see people in public. Even if they're talking to my parents, I'm expected to say hi or something, and that can be very hard for me.

[quote="Aimless"]I always expect people not to know me, as if my face was a blank.[/quote

I wish I were that lucky. I'm too noticeable and easily identifiable that I have to run away from people I know before they see me.

This has happened to me on several occasions:

- Saw ex boyfriend (who was always constantly picking on me and belittling me) at a Pizza Hut. Turned and ran the f**k outta there the moment I spotted.

- Just a week ago I noticed some old college friends of mine were eating outside the DQ. No dealing with that. I had no real quarrels with them...I just didnt want to deal with the social anxiety of saying hi catching up with stuff and all. Plus my fellow aspie friend was with me and he wouldnt have been comfortable with the situation either.

- Pulled into a parking lot once and just one row ahead of mine I see my old best friend from college (one who ended up screwing me over and hurting me) step out of her car. Dove my head inside my car and had the biggest panic attack in my life. I dont think she noticed I was there or else she would have confronted me. I dont think I wanna know if she did. Worse yet was that I never expected her to casually show up in my hometown in a billion years.

I hate the fact that everyone is actually still living in this state instead of doing the classic leaving-your-hometown-after-college thing. I would be fine still being stuck with my parents in my hometown IF I WAS THE ONLY ONE DOING IT!! !