I just naturally talk to strangers, …I wouldn’t go straight up to them though…some people just love you talking to them, it brightens their day I believe…
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That’s usually the case with me too.
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Yep I’ve spoken to plenty of strangers, may be in the supermarket.
More generally it’s been when queuing to get into a gig. Chatting to people in the queue helps pass the time 
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When you think about, we speak to strangers on the forum, don’t we?
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I have always talked to strangers in RL, after all a stranger is just a friend you do not know, possibly anyway. 
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I did that a lot when waiting for a bus, makes the time go much quicker,
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I agree,Tiff, that’s how you can make friends…one way anyway.
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One of the easiest ways to meet people is with dogs. Usually a simple, single encounter is all it needs.
That said, I think I’m usually quite comfortable with strangers.
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I don’t mind passing the time of day, but I’m not interested in their life stories or problems. I don’t tell them about mine and their business isn’t my business.
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I do find it really awkward when people want to talk to you on the train
My journey is about half an hour, that’s a really long time to get stuck talking to a stranger 
And once they’ve started it’s hard to know when to stop without looking rude when really I’d much rather just read my book, listen to some music or play with my phone after a busy day at work
People to tend to tell me their life history to!
Sometimes I feel like a train carriage psycotherapist 
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I often talk to strangers, but only a passing comment like the weather etc, I certainly dont encourage their life history, nor would I offer mine.
Yes, I chat with people I’ve never met before all the time - it usually starts if we happen to catch each other’s eye and smile, then I make some general comment … and off it goes - it is usually me who starts the conversation but I usually end up doing most of the listening, just making the occasional encouraging comment while the person I’m chatting with tells me all about themselves or their career or their wonderful children or grandchildren or whatever is on their mind.
Like @MargaretF, I seem to have the kind of face that makes people chat and confide in me.
Every journey I make by public transport involves an interesting chat with someone. I love people and enjoy hearing about the people and things they take pride in, their hobbies, interests and whatever makes them tick.
It’s all part of life’s rich tapestry
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True - but on the forum we can click a button and end it when we’ve had enough. Not so easy to get away from someone on a train or bus.
Another way of looking at it also is, just because we might feel like passing the time or having a chat, it doesn’t always mean the other person wants to.
Like someone said earlier (was it Maree?) she finds it annyoing when she is on a train trying to read her book in peace, and someone wants to tell her their life story.
So there are two ways of looking at this to me. It’s not always just about what WE want to do.
That’s when I use my “ tuning in experience “…watch their body language and what it’s saying to you.
I can tell if someone doesn’t want to engage in conversation, unfortunately not everyone is tuned in, in that way…same as I can tell when someone is deliberately trying to bait me on a forum,(I’m a member of two other forums), ignore the bait…on the bus it’s difficult to ignore them, don’t get me wrong, there are days when I just want to be left alone, I try and think ,that they may live alone and have no one to speak to, i couldn’t possibly be rude, so sit and listen to what is being said.
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Ain’t that just the truth for some, 
…it was for both my exes, if I started talking to a guy,
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Oh yes, I’d never be rude or unkind, I might be the only person they’ve spoken to that day. Just have to put up with it and be kind
But that doesn’t stop me sighing in my head and thinking “why me?”
I think I must have a friendly face!
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Don’t stop me from praying either ,in my head,
…if you get my meaning,
I also think that when a member of the public does approach me and want to talk, it’s great to have that understanding that I may be the only person they have seen all day,…as we grow in maturity and understanding ,I think we also grow in patience…all about desiring to learn and understand where people are coming from, it’s a great tool if you possess it, …
…I’ve always prayed for that ,it’s important to me …tuning into people is a gift imo…can take a long time to develop mind…remain open minded and try not to take what people say personally…when having those conversations.and I’ve had a few, where they’ve got very personal…makes my hair stand on end sometimes.even on forums we are talking to complete strangers…
Yes often, I find people like to talk when your out with a huge dog like my Dageus, and also people at the pool can be quite chatty, too chatty at times as I’m there to swim not talk lol.
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