Old-ish man on the route to the Co-op who keeps saying hello

[RogueFemale]

I moved house last week and already have noticed this man. He lives on the short (7m) walking route to the local Co-Op. He's maybe mid 60s, tall, heavy build. He is always standing outside his front door, and he loudly says hello every time I go past. I ignore him.

I'm 60 and am used to being invisible.

So it's not a leering hello. I also thought maybe it was accidental he was standing outside before, or something, and just a cheery 'local' hello.

But I went past twice today (to Co-Op) and he was there both times, hello-ing, and I'm finding it quite weird, that he's always standing outside his front door.

I'm going to be going to the local Co-Op a lot, so what do I do?

AIBU to continue to ignore him and just doggedly go past for years pretending he's not there?

Just say hello back?

How about you say hello?

Erm... you just say hello back?

What are you scared will happen if you just say hello back?

Because I think he might be mentally ill and don't want to get involved.

Either say hello, or stop going to the Co-Op.
Personally, I’d just say hello.

How can hello hurt?

Saying “hello” and moving on isn’t getting involved, is it?

Get involved?

Just say hello and move on with your day?

Just say hello 👋🏻

You are very rude.

Are you unwell yourself? You don't need to 'get involved' with someone if you just say hello. It's quite normal to say hello to someone.

Just say hello and continue on with your life.

Are we genuinely at the stage where male neighbours are scary when standing on their own doorstep?

How sad. Say hello ffs

That he will get creepy and think I'm interested. These are not normal hello. This is a man standing outside his house all day saying hello.

All day ,every day?

How rude of you. Just say hello and move on with your day. You think he’s mentally ill because he says hello? Goodness me.

Jeez. Just say hello back. It costs you nothing. No wonder society is in such a fucking mess.

Get over yourself and say hello !!

why would u not ??

I would think you are the weird one OP. The man is greeting you. Just greet him back.

In my country everyone just greets each other. It would be thought as VERY rude to not greet back.

My neighbour stands outside his house a lot, because he smokes.

Honestly, just say hello.and walk on. You’re being really odd.

He sounds lonely. It takes nothing away from you to say hello back. It does not mean wedding bells.

This is a ridiculous response.

There's a man on my street who very clearly has learning difficulties who spends all day in his front garden telling everyone who walks past "I like your trousers"

An unenthusiastic "Thanks" and then on with my day is fine.

An elderly neighbour of mine used do this, just to have a kind word with a passing stranger. She had no family, no visitors. You can’t possibly know whether he’s there all day every day. It doesn’t hurt to be kind.