Bumping into people

[LadyS]

Have you ever spotted someone you know in public from a distance but they pretend like they don't notice you back. Like they're trying to avoid having to speak with you at all costs?

Regular occurrence with me it seems. Hm.

But then again I do the same too depending on the person though....

 

[Tony Ramirez]

I try to avoid couples since they are usually the only ones who talk to me this is at Church and Church events but it does not work.

 

[_eri_bellehumeur]

I do this all the time, and more often than not to people I don't actually have any problem with- I'm just not in the mood to talk, or I'm feeling like I wouldn't have the energy I'd want to give them. I wouldn't take it personally

 

[Kalinychta]

I wouldn’t take it personally either. If the person is an acquaintance, such as a co-worker, it can be really awkward having a conversation outside of the environment you usually interact with them in. I’d say this is probably the main reason why someone would pretend not to notice someone they know.

 

[LadyS]

I don't mind it so much when it's an acquaintance, but most of the time it's a distant relative, usually someone older, then it's super awkward. Then again the whole experience is awkward by itself.

 

[unperson]

recognise people, what is that? how does that work?

-I have very poor face recognition, so although it rings a bell - the avoid/be avoided thing, it's a long time ago for me that I was part of that world. With aging, it all gets more blurry.

 

[Misery]

I'm usually the one doing the pretending.

Or, if that doesnt work, coming up with any conceivable reason to get away.

"Sorry, I cant talk right now, dont have time, I have to go iron the cat"

 

[Sherlock77]

Everyone does it

Sometimes I might pass by someone without a greeting because I don't really have the time, although I often try to at least do a basic greeting even if it's just a simple "Hi"

But you aren't a mind reader, there are many reasons why people might simply pass by you, often really nothing, maybe sometimes because they don't want to to talk, but most often it is other reasons

Today, I had a couple hours to myself outside after work, walking through a downtown park I spotted a guy I know reasonably well and I know he can be a time consumer sometimes, 45 minutes later I had scrubbed away almost half of that two hours... I could have easily walked past (around) him and he probably wouldn't have even seen me, instead I wasted 45 minutes , but still an interesting conversation ...

 

[Luca]

I have a few neighbor/friends that I really do like and enjoy talking to, and I feel bad saying this, but they tend to go on and on and on... not that I really mind sometimes because I do the same thing, but this usually happens when I'm in a hurry to get somewhere, or in the process of trying to take my dogs for a walk. I sometimes end up spending over an hour talking with them when I am trying to go somewhere else. In these situations, when I'm in a hurry and don't feel like having a long talk, I just smile and wave from a distance and might give them a quick "Hi, how are you?" but I indicate that I'm on my way to do something else. Or I give the (legitimate) excuse of "The dogs haven't been out all day, we're on our way to (insert location here)." I'd say they're almost always respectful of this.
So if someone does the same thing to me, I hardly ever take it personally because they're probably in a similar situation and just don't want to be bothered at the moment. But if they're actually a jerk about it, then I feel bad...

 

[Rasputin]

Have you ever spotted someone you know in public from a distance but they pretend like they don't notice you back. Like they're trying to avoid having to speak with you at all costs?

Regular occurrence with me it seems. Hm.

But then again I do the same too depending on the person though....

Unless it is a friend, I don’t want to speak with acquaintances I bump into anyway.

 

[Fino]

Seeing someone you know in public is an actual nightmare. I feel like I've dreamt that before. It was a nightmare.

 

[Suzanne]

I am guilty, so cannot pass judgement on others doing the same. However, perhaps I can be a little bit too trusting in some areas, because I just put it down to not actually seeing me and feel relieved. Unless the person is a particular favourite of mine, then, I am ok with bumping into that person.

 

[SDRSpark]

They may actually not notice or recognize you. Especially if it's at a distance. You saw them, they looked in your general direction, but did they see you? Did they look at you, or were they looking at something else in your general vicinity? If they did see you, did they know who you are?

When I was a kid, especially, but even now, I would go for frequent walks and have people calling out to me or waving at me. Many times they called me by name and I had no idea who they were, but they apparently knew who I was. I felt really strange, like I was weirdly famous (everyone knows ME!!!) but I had no idea how or why all these strangers would know who I am.

Years later I found out that face blindness exists. I was supposed to know who they were, and probably, they thought me rude for not responding appropriately. Whoops.

 

[Suzette]

This is why I prefer to live where I am anonymous. I grew up in a small town. It is absolutely exhausting to go out when everyone knows you.

 

[SDRSpark]

This is why I prefer to live where I am anonymous. I grew up in a small town. It is absolutely exhausting to go out when everyone knows you.

Oh gosh yes. I just want to run to the store to grab a few things and get home. I do NOT want (what should be) a 20 minute trip to the store to turn into an hour long social event.

My mother drove me nuts (she was an extrovert) because she would stop and talk to EVERYONE. Anywhere we went, if it was local, would take 3x as long with me just wanting to get HOME already and her gabbing away...lol. I'm sure I was seen as rude for not enjoying that. I saw others as rude for inflicting it on me in the first place. I came out here to do a quick errand, not talk for an hour.