Please smile at each other

[Snorkelface]

When I went into the supermarket this morning the security guard was very pointedly smiling or giving a little wave to every person going in or out. It was such a big (nice) deal. I'd noticed yesterday how no one was making eye contact or acknowledging each other when walking or jogging, we're all just worried about keeping our 2m distancing, eyes to the ground or straight ahead. Maybe it's worse where I am, big built up area, no one knows their neighbours, that type of thing, but it's as if we're locked off as well as locked down

We can't get near each other or even have those small interactions we take for granted. But a nod or a smile, eye contact, you can smile with your eyes if you're wearing a mask, a thumbs up, wave at someone in a window (especially if they're elderly) anything.

I will be doing this going forwards. I will be branded the local nutter.

Think it's a brilliant idea my mum was crying on the phone to me after going to asda because the atmosphere of severe doom and gloom no one talking or acknowledging each other triggered her paranoia it doesn't cost anything for a smile

Time to dig out that acid house smiley face T-shirt I think!

I’ve been doing that on walks but the supermarket felt different, somehow. I haven’t been since early last week though, so maybe the distancing measures have either reassured people they are marginally safer or made them fee even more under threat. There’s space out on a walk for a smile or a friendly hello but there might not be in the shops.
Definitely a friendlier atmosphere out walking.

I get what you mean but this does come across a bit like those blokes who tell you "Cheer up love!".

I am feeling a bit low and don't want to have to put on a performative smile for the sake of other people right now.

It is very strange isn’t it. Everyone is either avoiding eye contact or staring strangely at each other.

Sometimes I avoid eye contact. Other times I just glance and think I wonder if you’ve got it.

Maybe people are scared of attracting people closer to them if they send out any kind of greeting too. People are edgy round here at the best of times. I'll be smiling at everyone form now on, face muscles will get a work out if nothing else.

I've noticed this too and am trying my level best to smile at everyone I see. Which is not my default state!

I am making sure I smile and say thank you to any staff. Other people I smile at in the street but a lot are avoiding even looking at people.

I try to acknowledge people stood at a window too, that might be their only interaction.

I walked my dog this morning at a massive green space in West London - very easy to socially distance there. However found that people were smiling and saying "good morning" far more than they usually do, from 5-6 metres away obviously but still very nice.

It's not my default state either! I think it's literally neutral eye contact as much as anything. We usually look at each other all the time, even if we don't actually smile (or we're travelling on the tube where everyone studies each other's shoes instead). But it's stopped happening, as if we're not really there.

I always smile at anyone I had to cross the street to avoid on my walk.
I haven't been to the supermarket for a couple of weeks but I always smile at and thank the checkout person.
I always smile at and thank any delivery person.

@TheGreatWave - that it might be someone's only interaction is what really worries me about the whole thing. There are plenty of people who are alone and/or lonely at the best of times, that's going to increase massively now. Small interactions are really important in that situation.

I agree OP. I went out last thursday (for the first time in 10 days) and found my experience in Tesco more upsetting than when i went the last time and was squeezing through the panic buyers.

It's not logical, i know, because i managed to get 80% of what i went in for this time as opposed to 10% last time, which is the point of going shopping. But still i found the whole atmos very unsettling.

Most people were being careful to social distance. Some were in masks, some were in vinyl gloves (me) some were in both. Some were just pausing to let folk up and down the ailses without getting too close, some were flattening themselves against the shelves showing the whites of their eyes if anyone else was even within shouting distance.

Some were milling just around with the the same (bloody) lack of spacial awareness as usual, leaving their trollys in the middle of the aisle or coming right up to you and leaning round ect.

A woman was at the cabinet freezers looking at frozen roast potatos. I waited back a bit and on the other side of the aisle because i too wanted a bag. She turned around and saw me waiting, looked all painced and mouthed 'sorry' and started to scuttle away. I smiled and SAID ''it's fine, i'm fine to wait'' and she looked as if she was going to pass out with relief and pleasure at the only pleasant social interaction going on in the whole store.

The staff were grumpy and snappy and kept asking everyone if they were done yet - which added to the atmos - but i totally let them off because i wouldn't expect them to be anything less than pissed off to be there and pissed off with the public. So to them all :)

Shop staff have had a shite time and aren't getting much thanks. I notice a lot are finally wearing masks (for what they're worth). I've seen quite a few newbies being trained up as well. Apart from the security guard today and a few shop staff asking people to stand behind the line by the self services I haven't seen any interacting with anyone.

Off to a cracking start - waved (more of a raised hand to be fair) at a lady standing on her balcony staring into nothing. Got a smile back and a raised hand back. Smiled at a dog walker, got a smile back.

I know, someone said hello to me in the park yesterday. Maybe we can all keep this up.

@littlebitwooway - I hope so. Glad someone said hello to you.

I've said hello/good morning to every person I've seen while out running, I've waved at children in windows and said good morning dog to every dog (I did this one previously anyway)

I need human interaction! Most have responded.

Regretfully had to decline to scruffle a gorgeous Lab this morning, especially difficult as we lost our girl in Nov and I don’t mind at all if dogs come up to me to say hello and have a pat usually. I think a couple of the dogs we’ve seen are concerned we have dived into the bushes and are checking to see if we’re ok

Not many people out this morning, but the ones who were said cheery hellos.

I’m going to the supermarket tomorrow and I will smile at them as usual, and I won’t if I think it would be unwelcome.

No way am I smiling at customers!

I haven't been smiling at many people on my walk as round here I seem to be the only person who gives a fuck about keeping 2 metres distance.
So no, very little smiling.

Smiled at a delivery man this morning - nothing, waved at lady sitting on her balcony who waved back, but may have been waving away vape smoke, hard to tell. Kids, genius, frantic waving from two boys from another balcony.