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greet passerbys - yes, no, sometimes?

I usually greet most people that I walk past by saying "Hello," or "Good morning/afternoon". I feel bad if I don't acknowledge them, but people usually give me weird looks when I greet them anyways... lol

Some of my coworkers used to also give me weird looks, but since they see me everyday they've gotten used to it and now greet me when they see me, which is nice.
 
I struggle with this one A LOT. i have anxiety to begin with when i go out (too bright, so much noises), so i put on my headphones(i don't have noise canceling yet) because i assume this would be a simple signifier that i dont have it in me to talk to people. apparently its not. I hate talking to begin with as it exhausts me, let alone small talk. most of the time people dont bother me, but on occasion someone gets me out of my space to talk to me and all i want to do is be left alone. i end up talking for a few just to be polite. I have to use the bus as i cant drive so it can get rough.
 
Solution: Wear sunglasses. This creates a barrier that might passers not bother to greet at all, freeing you from the trouble. They won't stop ALL greetings, thoug. If you don't want eye contact, sunglasses will hide a gaze aversion. You can also wear a cap low over your forehead with the glasses. When I did this years ago in Chicago, it outright stopped seedy-looking men, whom I passed on the street, from making comments. There's something about a ball cap and sunglasses that makes people not want to greet.
 
Shaddock said:
and why exactly do you and many autists have to mask your traits and behaviors? : D
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I'm glad I found a poster who doesn't mask and doesn't really get why so many autists do it, as though there's a horrible consequence for coming off as quirky or odd. I don't mask much; very minimally; never did it enough to pass as NT. I wouldn't even KNOW HOW to do it that convincingly. If someone thinks I'm "off," so ****ing what. If someone has a problem with my different way of thinking and seeing the world, that's THEIR problem, NOT MINE. It's sad that so many autists place so much importance on impressing NTs, including NTs they know they'll never interact with again. Masking is not a critical requirement for survival. And yes, I've lost jobs due to people not liking me and thinking I'm weird. But I always found another job.

Can't say it enough: If people at a social function think I'm weird, that's ON THEM; NOT MY PROBLEM.

I found a way to make a living working from home, but prior to that, I had jobs where you could get away with being odd.
 
Autisticool said:
I'm glad I found a poster who doesn't mask and doesn't really get why so many autists do it, as though there's a horrible consequence for coming off as quirky or odd. I don't mask much; very minimally; never did it enough to pass as NT. I wouldn't even KNOW HOW to do it that convincingly. If someone thinks I'm "off," so ****ing what. If someone has a problem with my different way of thinking and seeing the world, that's THEIR problem, NOT MINE. It's sad that so many autists place so much importance on impressing NTs, including NTs they know they'll never interact with again. Masking is not a critical requirement for survival. And yes, I've lost jobs due to people not liking me and thinking I'm weird. But I always found another job.

Can't say it enough: If people at a social function think I'm weird, that's ON THEM; NOT MY PROBLEM.

I found a way to make a living working from home, but prior to that, I had jobs where you could get away with being odd.
Click to expand...

I agree adamantly! plus, why would i accommodate them if no one has ever accommodated me? :p
 
I don't understand social interactions, so I usually just follow the other person's lead. If they greet me, then I try to greet them back. Sometimes I don't though, either because I didn't hear them clearly (or it took a second to understand them) and don't realise what they said until it's too late, or I try to greet them but for whatever reason no sound comes out (really don't know why that happens). In which case I assume they think I'm rude and I obsess over it for a while.
Some people, especially coworkers, will greet me pretty much any time I see them, so I'll greet them first sometimes (a pattern of greeting each other has been established, so I know it's okay). If I'm walking along and accidentally look at someone's face while they seem to be looking at me, then I'll greet them so they don't think I'm being rude.

Generally I don't greet the people around me without reason, but I don't think it'd be too strange if someone did; they'd just seem friendly and sociable.
 
Some I do, some I don't. No real pattern to who I do. It strikes me to do it sometimes, others I am trying to get from A to B and don't
 
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