Even better, just so happen to sneeze or cough with just enough distance between you two that there is nothing else to really say or acknowledge. ;)
The answer is never, regardless of context. You don't want people to think you're creepy and/or have a crush on the person.
But what if that person is my friend (or boss)?
Shoes are pretty interesting.
Or, especially with work, I like to stand next to them, facing the same direction while looking at a schematic or even looking off into the distance and discuss concepts rather than interpersonal issues. If I have to talk face to face, I will make it a point to look at parts of their face periodically, but primarily looking off to the side, "in thought."
I also look off to the side in thought, and people keep moving their whole ass head to see what I'm looking at.
THIS IS NOT A STRANGE CONCEPT! Let me not look at you while I'm talking it's distracting I can't form a sentence
Look down at their hip or knee. Though I suppose they could squat.
That's when I look vaguely downwards and try to look engaged in thought. That way, if they want to talk, I can look like I was paying more attention to my thoughts than my surroundings, which tbh isn't unrealistic. This technique is also fantastic when nearing someone you're not sure you know
Real friend will understand, for a boss, its same as pulling thr ol' teacher-nearly-caught-me-looking-at-Susie's-test. I am just oh so engrossed in whatever part of this job has me travelling. I got bullet train focus, no stops, no detours, no distractions.
Lmaooooo this is me. I do not make eye contact with middle aged or younger women unless they speak to me.
My customers, who I make eye contact with out of obligation, all think I’m in love with them because of my autistic (perceived as “endearing”) eyes.
Even older women like 55ish and the occasional man think I’m crushing on them when I make eye contact, I’m about to stop looking at everyone altogether.
You gotta adopt RBF, then they'll just think you want to fight.
I do want to fight but I smile so my enemies are lulled lol
True, or you could follow with a nod or the “what’s up” head back as well or a “smile” and hi. But this would require a lot of practice and putting yourself in awkward situations. The key in consistency and to let go of the feeling. 17 years and still practicing…
Why am I like this??
Shit, I've been doing it wrong by awkwardly making eye contact four times and giving the acknowledgement nod at least twice as many times just to be sure
i’m bi so this is literally doubly true and it’s so difficult lmao
It's simple really, all you have to do is pretend like you don't see them, look at the floor, the walls, maybe your phone, occasionally checking distance without looking like you're checking the distance, and making sure they haven't initiated a greeting, then judge the appropriate distance to initiate greeting, then begin eye contact but don't initiate greeting until they make eye contact, then give greeting with appropriate eye contact but not for too long then go look at something else but don't look like you're trying to avoid eye contact just casually passing them as the greeting is concluded.
Simple, really
The plague of every single walk I try to take, and I really don't want to make eye contact in the first place
look at the floor my fried, that's the only option
Wait, is this an autism thing? I thought this was an “everyone panics in this situation”kinda thing.
hahahahaha me too 🥲
Thank god for phones is all I can say for this one. 😆
Never. That's the moment you need to check the time on your phone.
Old job in hospitality it was 5 feet smile and make eye contact and 3 feet you had to greet them 😶
Aw shit I work in a hospital and this is the absolute worst
It depends on the distance you have along the corridor's width. If you're almost touching when passing, 5-7 feet feels quite okay for me. If there are 6 feet between you when passing, I'd rather aim for 10 feet. If they do not pick up eye contact, then I just look away. That's when considering strangers.
For acquaintances that I usually don't talk to, I still haven't figured out a good distance to check for eye contact.
I always just give a quick smile and Nod at exactly the halfway point between myself and them
Thank fuck that phones exist
Jokes on you i never make eye contact
On the sidewalk.
Awkward walking by with intense ignoring and looking straight
Or checking time far longer than should be
I dont, I never make eye contact if I don't want to, ppl can just deal with it
I love doing the awkward too-close wave
That's why i stare at the ground or at nothing in particular. I work at O'Reilley and I never make eye contact withr customers
I look dead head and only make eye contact if they make eye contact first
Uuuugh I hate it bc this is applicable in So many situations. I have a short but long enough walk from my apartment to my car that this is a constant problem. I feel like I end up making eye contact too early, freeze a bit when they look back, then do the quickest most awkward fraction of a smile and look down immediately. Do people say hi to each other in this situation normally? Is the protocol to smile fully and hold eye contact for a hot sec? Should I have avoided eye contact from the get-go?? All I know is autistic panic
the correct answer is: No.
I fluctuate between being completely unable to give eye contact and being fully locked in
I refuse to believe this has to do with being autistic. There's no way people can just know this kind of things. I don't believe anyone has that type of social autopilot to avoid awkward situations
I never thought I had a problem with eye contact until an asshole who hated me in high school made me self-conscious about it.
I HAAAATE THIS SHIT idk how ppl deal with this i absolutely cannot
what’s similar is when you pass by someone and they say hi at the last second but your brain doesn’t process it quickly enough to respond in the short time frame so you feel like you’ve just ignored the shit out of them
Solve this by never making eye contact.
1 missing reply
Pull out your phone and pretend to do something. You seem occupied, so no need for eye contact and being potentially awkward either way