To ask if you make eye contact with others as you walk past them?

[RainyMonday]

When you are walking past others (in a street, in a corridor, walking past someone's desk, etc) do you make eye contact with them and smile? If so, do you do this with strangers and colleagues?

I only ask as recently I have realised that I avoid looking at others when I walk past them. I think it is fine in the street with strangers but I noticed when I was in a new environment for work which involves walking around my building lots (rather than just sitting still all day), I feel really awkward when I walk past colleagues. My default reaction is to look down to the floor or start fiddling with whatever I am holding or something and pretending I don't notice them but I realise that probably comes off as rude so I now make myself look up at others and smile. I was surprised to see that every person I looked at was already making eye contact with me and now I feel so rude and embarrassed for all the times I unintentionally brushed people off.

Sorry for the weird question. I grew up very shy and whilst I have largely grown out of that shyness I think this is perhaps a relic of that former self. Also where I grew up and at the secondary school I attended looking at others was seen as confrontational so that may have contributed to this a little too.

I tend to look at people both strangers in the street and work mates ,
It helps prevent that weird dance you tend to do when you are not sure if you should pass them on the left or the right .

I saw a person with the most amazing blue eyes a few days ago as we glanced at each other i would like to see them again too

On a dog walk passing other dog walkers, yes. In my street, yes. Otherwise generally in public, no. Work... Depends! My office has almost 1000 people in it, so usually people just breeze past each other.

Yes I do look people in the eyes

I do thinking i look friendly but in reality it probably looks like this.

I struggle with this, and had the "what you looking at" thing at school so kept my head down. I want to improve, but I find it awkward and think I end up staring rather than glancing and then people think I'm weird . I'm not good at reading cues, beyond the obvious smile/scowl. I need some tips.

Usually. Depends how tired and busy I am. I do like a passing smile and "good morning / afternoon" with a passer by (that word looks weird).

During lockdown I found that everyone nodded to each other as we were out for our daily exercise - in the same way as hillwalkers etc do. I thought it was a lovely touch in otherwise difficult times. I still try to do the same, especially in my neighbourhood.

If I’m passing someone in the village we live in (Midlands) then I always look them in the eye and smile. I would also usually say good morning/afternoon etc as this is what everyone does and I enjoy the friendly interaction and community feel. If I was walking through the city I work in, however or other busy And crowded places I wouldn’t do this at all. I might say excuse me to pass someone, or laugh and say sorry as we do the ‘which way shall we pass’ dance but other than that I don’t look people in the eye.

It really all depends on the situation. I think passing someone on a quiet street and not smiling or acknowledging them in some way can come across as rude, but I know this is different depending on where you live. I lived in the south east for a couple of years in my early twenties and the fact that I would chat to people at the bus stop or smile at people I walked past was something that people thought was really strange, but in the Yorkshire town DH went to uni it was a given that strangers would chat and pass the time of day.

If I’m in a good mood I tend to look at people and smile at them and maybe even greet them as I walk past. But I’ll only greet people in a smaller environment, like in the village or on a dog walk. Not when I’m in the city. But I often look and smile. That’s how I realised I’d walked past a famous person. They smiled back, too.

Yes I do. It is a confidence issue maybe I'd feel uncomfortable in a new environment. I use to feel awkward and nervous when I was younger. Practice and deep breathing makes perfect.

Neighbours and colleagues I look at directly and smile and say hi however anywhere else I keep my head down or focus on a spot past them. My dh still brings up me walking right past him in Glasgow when we had got separated while shopping.

Yes. In villages we tend to all stop and chat - including to ramblers or visitors. In town, if in a direct path I’d make eye contact and smile. Generally if out walking the dog I’d say ‘Good Afternoon or Evening’.

At work in the office I talk to everyone unless they’ve headphones in. On train, likewise if I sit adjacent or opposite anyone I’d usually smile or say hello.

I'm northern, I'll make eye contact, smile and occasionally chat even on the tube! Lol

I do, but hate doing it. I just feel compelled to. I find the whole thing excruciatingly awkward.

People in the office I do and say hello (when I go to the office that is).

Randoms in the street I don't pay attention to or ever look at.

I struggle with this, and had the "what you looking at" thing at school so kept my head down

This! I feel like people who walk around with open smiles and easy eye contact never went to a rough council estate comprehensive where being caught looking in someone's direction could be genuinely dangerous...

In an office, yes- head up, eye contact, warm smile on your lips,(or maybe eyebrows raised in a “hello” gesture these days as you’ll probably be in a mask!) If you get into a lift with someone (again, probably not allowed at the moment!) you should smile and say hello and possibly ask why what floor if you are closer to the buttons. It is OK not to make small talk though.

It does come across as standoffish and a bit rude not to make eye contact. I work in an environment with quite a few people who are a bit shy/geeky and find it rude when they put head down and walk past without acknowledging.

Im fine in the street but my goodness I'm awful at work. I really like my colleagues but people are busy and are either talking to someone else so I don't want to interrupt or they don't always stop if they're busy so i started feeling that I wouldn't be demanding so tried to create opportunities to walk on by. Only i think it's made me seem a bit weird....i think i need a new plan.... 😁

Yes. I do. I'm quite friendly and I like people. I'm always ready with a quick smile or "hello", if appropriate

No I usually walk around paying no attention to my surroundings or people I pass at all. I am always in my own world and also talk to myself quite loudly😯

I don't! It's nothing to do with rudeness either more to do with shyness/confidence for me. Before lockdown I was working in a busy place where you could walk past the same people multiple times a day who you didn't really know, I used to find it so awkward to keep saying hello or smiling all the time. Even if I see someone in a shop I know after saying hello once I find it awkward to keep bumping into them. I wish I was more natural and confident

In a village, I would make eye contact and say morning or such. In a city centre, packed train etc. I wouldn't

In work I would make eye contact and smile but I do prefer to avoid walking through large open plan office areas as it can be a bit more awkward.

@kedooo

I don't! It's nothing to do with rudeness either more to do with shyness/confidence for me. Before lockdown I was working in a busy place where you could walk past the same people multiple times a day who you didn't really know, I used to find it so awkward to keep saying hello or smiling all the time. Even if I see someone in a shop I know after saying hello once I find it awkward to keep bumping into them. I wish I was more natural and confident

Looking people in the eyes when you pass them at work shouldn’t depend on whether or not you know them. Smiling isn’t even really necessary, and definitely no need to say hello, just a brief non-grumpy look in their direction. It’s an acknowledgement that you are colleagues rather than total strangers.

In my village yes, outside of that, no.