Do you smile at people as you pass them by on the street. I smile at old people. At least I used to.

[applegrove]

They really appreciated it as it goes back to the days when a man always had a tip of the hat and a nod for a woman he passed by on the street. I smile back at people who smile at me. I try and not look down, like I have a tendency to, if I walk by someone who looks intimidating, if only so that they don't feel bad. But mostly these days I am day dreaming so I'm totally in my own head as I walk.

[haele]

1. I smile at everyone.

Gives encouragement to those who need it, relaxes those who are nervous, and scares those who might have bad intent...

Haele

[digonswine]

2. Having been raised in the country-

I tend to wave, smile, or in some other way acknowledge everyone I pass. Where that was, there was generally only a certain few people I would pass.

[Forkboy]

3. Depends on my mood.

I'm not a social guy, but I do try to be polite in public more often than not. Depends, I guess. There's the old saying "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you", but I kind of reverse that. I treat people exactly how I see them treat others. I'm an asshole to assholes, a bully to bullies. One friend calls me Mirror Man, which fits.

[csziggy]

12. I like to smile at assholes - it throws them off

And confuses them.

But in general I tend to smile at people, even if I feel bad or irritable. It makes them happier, and often will make me feel better.

[rurallib]

4. We live in mall town Iowa

smile and wave at everybody.
I think we get reported to someone if we don't

[Kali]

15. yep

and no getting hostile at cashiers or tellers either!

[LaraMN]

5. As long as I don't get a creeper vibe from them!

Most people will smile back and it's nice. :)

[annabanana]

6. pretty much, yeah

I either get a smile back, or a distracted, puzzled look.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

7. for the most part, yes. n/t

[nolabear]

8. I do. In Seattle people don't and it's the loneliest feeling.

I was raised that it was polite to smile and say hello to people. If we didn't we were lacking in manners. Here, it seems everyone is grimly preoccupied with with being "nice" without actually liking interaction. Mind you, there's much to like but I kind of like it when people are all up in one another's business.

[elleng]

9. Years ago, I 'concluded' that tendency to 'greet' strangers

on the street is related to population density. Had lived in Chicago; not done there. Moved to Denver for a year; done there.

[Cannikin]

10. Where I live, it feels odd if you don't drop what you're doing to wave at every car that passes..

since so few pass this way.

[graywarrior]

11. John Prine wrote a song about that

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfwGkplB_sY

[Bake]

13. Stop and say "Hello in there ... hello"

:hi:

Bake

[RedCloud]

14. I smile, open doors for them, help them into the cannibal soup pot...

[bigwillq]

16. Sometimes.

Depends what kind of mood I am in.

[Taverner]

17. That or give the 'nod'

I work in Oakland - it's de reigeur!

[Kat45]

18. Sometimes. But I'm in the Boston area; nobody does it here.

People don't even look at you, never mind smile at you. Sometimes people you know don't even smile at you.

I sometimes smile at people and I tend to be friendly and converse with cashiers and such. Sometimes it's reciprocated; other times I get a stone wall in return.