bumping into someone you know.

[Aussie_Lad]

You know the feeling, where you pop down to the shops for something or go to an event and you see someone there that you recognize. Should be a pleasant experience right? If my mum sees someone she knows they exchange pleasantries and have a little small talk for a couple of minutes. That is the way most people handle the situation.

Me, I dread running into someone that I know. I feel all nervous and anxious. It is easier to interact with a complete stranger than someone I know even if I am completely comfortable interacting with them in the situation that we would normally cross paths in (example: at work). The fact that I see them in a situation where I wouldn't normally see them, scares me to death for whatever reason. If it's a planned meetup it's fine, but unplanned and it's a case of "try and hide as quickly as possible".

Anyone else relate to this?

 

[EscapeArtist]

Yes! There are many more expectations when you bump into somebody. ESPECIALLY if you have not seen them for a long time! More time passes, more expectations! I don't go back to my old town because I'm too afraid I will see people who will point out my weight gain, as well as the fact that I've dropped out of highschool, and that I'm depressed and that most people know it....

Did you bump into somebody today?

 

[agoraphobickatie]

ughh i hate this, too! i more so hate bumping into people that i know but haven't seen since high school or for a while.. it's just so awkward and annoying. if i see someone i 'used to know' i usually pretend i don't see them so that we don't have to be all "hi, how are you? how have things been?" and give the same generic answers before awkwardly saying "byeeee" with a cheesy smile, lol.. i dunno, it's just annoying and uncomfortable for me..

 

[twiggle]

Ahahaha last time this happened to me was in a clothes shop and me and this girl from school were in the same corner but then both, all of a sudden, began to get more interested and focused on the clothes.

I think there are a lot of people who hate this kind of encounter. It depends on who it is but usually I just can't be bothered to be honest, and neither can they!

 

[RolloTomasi]

This is why I'm glad I look nearly completely different than I did 10 or 15 years ago. No one from high school or even college for that matter would ever recognize me.

A few years ago, I was at the bar with a couple of friends and some people we all knew in high school came in. They were all forced to exchange the standard pleasantries and I went by totally unrecognized. They even introduced themselves to me, completely clueless. Getting older has its benefits.

 

[Aussie_Lad]

Did you bump into somebody today?

I did actually, although this topic was made as more of a general thing.

couple of examples:

1) Went to the shops one day and saw someone that was in the same car club that I was in. We had spent many a time hanging out as a group, and I knew him quite well. Nothing could stop my heart racing and the sweat pouring off me, from my nervousness. This was only because I hadn't expected to run into him.

2) Went to this fair, and knew that there would be people there that I knew. I saw this kid that I know on this ride, don't think he saw me, and I didn't want him to see me. I saw someone else there that I thought I know but wasn't close enough to see for sure, and I didn't want anything to do with him. If I spotted someone in the distance and made the decision to approach I would have been okay. If someone spots me first, or I am in a tricky situation where I can't escape easily without being seen then it terrifies me.

 

[Hottie]

Awww something that i hate. When see someoe who i knew for a while, and hadnt seen them in a while too, usually i can make small talk. When i begin to feel things becoming a struggle for me i simply say "okay, sure ill let you go" or "i better leg it coz im in a bit of a rush".

This means i stopped, i said hello, some small talk, and moved on...(however anxious i am, wouldnt be rude!)

What i hate to is walking towards someone and i know there will be no stopping but there will be a "heya" whilst walking by. when i walking towards them and see them in the distance, the level of anxiety keeps building until i have passed by.

 

[HH]

I hate it when this happens. In fact it happened the other week, I saw someone from years gone by (last time I saw him he said he was moving down south but now he's back)....the same old questions cropped up and I gave the same answers as I did the last time I saw him

 

[LonelyWonders]

Completely. I avoid as much as possible anybody I know outside of "planned meetings". I spend a lot of my time while in an area scanning it for people I may even just recognise o.o

 

[Pacific_Loner]

I don't mind when it's a friend (I mean someone I care about) because then I know what to say and what to ask and I really care about the answer. But aquaintances or people from work or things like that, I will try to avoid them at all cost .
As someone said already, I think lots of people do that.

 

[Looking_in105]

I COMPLETELY relate to this. This is seriously one of my biggest fears I have. Its so strange that I feel awkward around people I know e.g. work mates. I always tend to bump into people when I'm 'off my guard'. Sometimes when I talk to them I shake, start sweating, lips tremble, stumble over words etc etc. Its horrible

 

[Phoenixx]

I definitely know what you mean. I hate running into people I know at the store or something. I'm not sure why. I guess it's because when I see them, I think they want to stop and have a complete conversation with me, which attracts other people's attentions. If it's a friend, I don't totally mind as much.

 

[JosephG]

Yeah I relate to this a lot.
When I see someone I know in the street (especially in the morning or when I'm not mentally prepared for social interaction) I try and avoid them. This is because it feels like there is so much pressure to perform and produce an interesting conversation.
But when I absolutely can't avoid someone it is usually an awkward experience. Exchanging "pleasantries" and attempts at small talk. I hate it - it feels so false and awkward and I'd just rather not have to go through the experience.

Wish I was more flexible sometimes...

 

[layeazy]

yeah lol i can concur with you hate it mate especially being an aussie small population we always bump into each other lol. My answer is i went south most of ppl i know stayed where they are or went north lol so it solved alot of that...

also got the same symptoms of heart racing lol

 

[WeirdyMcGee]

We have a saying in the town where I spent most of my childhood... it goes like this;
"no matter where in the world you go- you will always run into someone else from (home town)"

And it's completely true. No matter where I've gone, I've always run into someone from the town I grew up in. They are everywhere- it seems. haha

The last time I left the house, I went to the bank and I ran into a guy who had graduated from my highschool 2 years before me. We recognize eachother and were like; 'hey!'
Overall, though--- it's always very annoying. People assume they know me because they hear rumors about me all the time... or they know one of my cousins or they grew up with my older sister or something; but I am not my cousins or my sister- I am me, and I'm much different from the rest of my family.

At any rate-- it's always irritating to run into someone I 'know'- or someone who 'knows' me; as there are many assumptions made on either of our parts, I think. It always makes me so nervous because I assume they're thinking horrible things about me based on what they think they know about the rest of my family.

...panic attacks, overall awkwardness and such...

 

[NewtoThis]

Just now I went to a store and saw someone from work. I wanted to bolt the whole time but I had accidentally wandered into the check out line and I thought it would be obvious and rude if I had moved at that point.

Luckily it was someone who is good at conversation, but it was still very awkward and I just left before I finished shopping.

 

[Rembrandt Broam]

Yes I can absolutely relate to this. ::

The worst for me is when I bump into someone I haven't seen for a considerable time and thought I would never see again, like someone from a former workplace. I know it sounds bad, but it feels like a bit of my life I thought I'd left behind has suddenly jumped up and slapped me across the face. Then there's the "what are you doing now?" question which I dread, because it always feels like they want to do a comparison of how successfully your lives have turned out. I know that isn't what it is, and people just like to find out how others are doing, but that's how it always feels to me.

And there's that moment when you first spot them, and you wonder if you can just pretend you didn't notice or recognise them, but you get that sinking feeling because you know that you can't. Or maybe that's just me.

 

[leave_me_alone]

And i thought i am the only one doing this... You guys have very similar feelings as me in this regard.

Meeting an old friend (i dont have any friends, so all of them are "old") is one the biggest fears of mine as well. I am afraid they will judge me as someone who is selfish, doesnt pick up the phone calls or just hides home for some strange reason. It really scares me and it would make my life even more miserable, so i try to avoid them at all costs.

Like for example my old "best" friend is now working as security guy at one of the biggest shopping center in my town (I havent seen him for couple of years). Since i learn this, i avoid going shopping there at all costs. When i absolutely have to go, i am always very nervous and just looking around, so i can avoid him in case he's there.. How pathetic is that.

For some reason, i just have this feeling, that all my old friends think that i am a weirdo, a looser and it would be very awkward to talk to them, almost like a torture.. So when i run into someone i know, i quickly look elsewhere and "run".

So yeah This is one of the biggest problems of mine...

 

[NewtoThis]

I pretend not to recognize them and expect them to say 'hi' first. Because when I attempt to say 'hi' first, they don't even notice me and I feel so weird.

Yeah, I don't even say "hi" to people anymore (or waving, because people almost never wave to me) so instead I do a barely imperceptible head nod and smile. Probably makes me look weird to strangers but that way I feel less rejected when people weren't addressing me. Nods feel safer than waves.

 

[Heekaru]

I am constantly on the lookout for people I might know.. just so I can avoid them.