Striking Up a Conversation with Strangers

Just the other day, when I was on my way home via the train (some prefer to call it the subway), I saw a particularly hot female with fairly large breasts getting onto the same carriage as myself. She was wearing a white stretchable t-shirt and one could clearly tell she was wearing a blue lacey bra beneath.

Well then, you may ask, what does the above got to do with striking up a conversation with strangers? To tell the truth, nothing. I could continue ogling at her until I noticed a seated passenger, this time being an office lady, watching an episode of Lucky Star on her laptop.

I was tempted to go up and speak with her, since we do have something in common, namely anime. Unfortunately, I lacked the courage to do so. Furthermore, I am afraid that the other party may see me as a weirdo, or even a pervert, especially when said stranger is a female.

Which brings me to my question: Will you attempt to strike up a conversation with a stranger whom you believe has similar interests as that of yourself? It could be anime, manga, novel, or even a newly released technology gadget which serves as evidence of his/her interests.

Perhaps all of us could attempt to make new friends (or at least acquaintances) whenever possible and post our experiences here, be it whether we were successful or not.

Last but not least, the always relevant hentai images, which I believe is related to the busty female I mentioned earlier:

I TALK ABOUT SEX SO THAT THERE IS A SEXUAL TENSION BETWEEN ME AND THE BITCH RIGHT AWAY, HOPEFULLY SHE SHARES THE SAME INTEREST IN SEX

FROM THERE WE WOULD FUCK

I really wish I wasn't so shy, sometimes.
Unless I'm comfortable, I'm usually not very social so talking to strangers is something I'd normally avoid.

There have been many times when I've heard people talking or seen people that may have similar interests, and as much as I'd like to say something, I usually keep quiet... even online.
There have also been random times where I've actually had the balls to say something though, I've made some great friends by striking up a conversation with a stranger... I've also made many awkward moments.

Not on the subway, no. On the subway I want some goddamn peace. If I want to get to know new people, there's plenty of social occasions tailor-made for that.
And what's more, someone simply having one similar interest is not enough for me to want to talk to them. They ought to say something at least remotely intelligent before I consider someone worth talking to.


If someone came up to me on the subway to strike up a deep and meaningful conversation about my mp3 player or the book I'm reading, or something, I decidedly would file them under "nuisance".

Sometimes I do sometimes I don't. I have to "sense" that there is some desire between the two of us to converse or that we share some similar interest before I decide to say something to them, but otherwise I'm not afraid to randomly start talking with someone I don't know.

Before I talk to someone, I usually (and so do other people if they think about it) have a goal in mind. Do I want to be friends with this person? do I want to create attraction? Do I just want to make them laugh? Am I trying to get something from this person?
If I am trying to make a comment or just make them smile, I usually say or comment with an opening that is tried and rehearsed. Maybe a joke for certain situations, or pick on a little flaw i notice about them and then say "by the way I noticed you have/you were..." or "oh and I like that show you were watching/music you were listening too..."

If I am trying to get a number or date, I keep it short. It's usually best to say something that teases or is unusual to the person. I won't ever compliment a girl, because then they think your creepy. I'll pick out something, like a leopard purse, and say "did you have to hunt down that leopard yourself?" then I follow up with a throw away question, something unimportant. Next, I'll go back to picking on them a little, and maybe using self-depriciating humor. Lastly I'll act like I am busy so I have to leave but then turn and say "Hey do you have a phone number/email? We could meet up later and have a stimulating conversation..."

For almost all situations, I make sure I have good posture, speak clearly, use body language (hand gestures when I talk, be animated, smile) and most IMPORTANTLY I try to be cocky and funny. If it ever rubs someone the wrong way, I'll mimmic Triumph the dog and say "I kid, I kid". I'm not being an ass, I'm just teasing in a playful way.

I used to be nervous and shy around women, but when I learned not to act so quiet/unconfident and to not compliment and kiss women's asses, things really turned around.

I had to use public transportation for a long time due to not having a car. I always hated it because I never wanted to be bothered by guys.

Granted, depending on where you live, the subway might be much more common then a bus in some small city.

I used to loathe the days I'd have to ride the bus and my ipod's battery having died because I forgot to charge it. Once I even went out of my way to buy a jack for my phone (because the hole for headphones was too small <_<) Just so I would have a reason not to communicate with people.

Whenever I didn't, I always had at least one creepy guy compliment me on my hair. I've even gone as far as explaining to a person I wasn't of age. (Completely lying)

I had one guy tell me my hair was beautiful and that if I had been older he'd be wanting to marry me. What the fuck?
I explained I wasn't of age, but my god damn bag that day had my college logo on it. I just explained to him that I was rather young, and he goes 'no, really - I'm 14 at heart' Yea, because I want to date a 14 year old.

I'm probably like a lot of women in the fact that the public transit is the one place I don't want to talk to guys. It's just the stigma of the guys are creepy. Even if it was an attractive guy, then I'd just feel like he was mocking me or making fun of me.

I don't mind talking to guys in other places. Just not the transit.
At school or whatnot - if someone saw me looking at anime, or I saw them and they were in my class I wouldn't mind talking to them at all about it.

I know in high school sometimes I'd see someone reading a manga and if I've read it I'd tell them I also enjoyed that manga.

probably yes, but the most important thing you should consider is your way of talking... you might give off a bad impression by your way of opening up a conversation... they might even think your a pervert and is trying to make a move on her (if you're approaching a girl that is)...

be polite as possible, keep your distance, try not to say anything flirty (or something like that) and definitely do not stare...

No, don't think I would, and I certainly never have. I take the bus everyday so I'm used to being around random strangers on a fairly regular basis. Why not strike up a conversation? There are two main reasons. One, I live in El Paso. I don't speak spanish. Hence, most of the people I run into barely speak my language. When it comes to being friendly with others, running into this constant language barrier gets pretty frustrating and makes me not want to bother. Two, I don't much care for other people to begin with, especially the ones in this town, so why the hell would I want to talk to them?

Really depends on the atomosphere. As i have worked in customer service for a few years i find it easy to go up to talk to strangers or new people. A place with little people, with friends or at night is the most comfortable time/place to get your mojo started.

I have made friends or had light conversations with strangers wheither it was because of a common interest in art, anime, cooking or even the new Iphone 3g. You learn alot about the person from a first conversation. Alot of people espically women i find are very talkitave and don't mind having a light conversation about a common interest.

Finding more then one common interest keeps the converation fresh and makes it look like your not just there to get a quick fuck either. Interests usually intertwine with each other also.

I inadvertently talk to strangers all the time. I don't mean to, but it happens I guess. Then again, I usually only go into stores where some sort of connection is inevitable, i.e. book stores, or places where I go to indulge in the purchase of tools for a hobby. So, I go from asking some bland question about a consumer product to talking about something personal, then asking the offending party about themselves. It really is fun to participate in the act of social engineering.

Comment on it with no intellect like, hey I know that, then what ever you thought of, me it's like, "you know, that Konata just male in a loli's body". Then conversation. Afterwards, show a sign of attraction, "hey you're cute, what's your name".

Now this part is untested. The next thing is getting the loving part, is being able to meet her again. That's what I fall short of ideas, me, getting contact detail or chance to contact again, I only get it from relying on going on the same place like work or school or even online game. In your case, it's not. Maybe, sacrifice your own destination and make her show where she's going to while you pretend to be just curious. Me, my excuse is, "I wonder where a woman who watch anime works into" with curious tone.

A large part of success depends on how good looking you are depending in your culture. In Philippines, a woman dissing an ugly courtier is rude as I observe.

I feel like pimp telling this, but my big interest is brainstorming. That's about it. Specially, I've heard Gambler is analytic.

well, honestly before I strike up a conversation with a stanger, I always do some simple "math" in my head.

-Is it really worth it?
-Is the person really has the same preferences as I do?
-Is the person has the same level of thought?
-Will I keep in touch with them?
-Do they look like accepting a conversation now?

After all that questions is answered I can easily strike a conversation based on all the facts that I gathered. :)

I'm an easy to talk to guy.

I wouldn't. I mean, I don't. I'm too socially retracted/inexperienced to do that. I'd rather go on with my life than risking an awkward time.

Well, we're strangers here and I feel comfortable to with any member who don't flame.

That's different though. Here you're safely in front of a computer able to keep you as anonymous as you please. You have control over how much information can be released about yourself. You can also put on a persona of anybody you wish you could be.

That's right. Well, we're also strangers to merchants and school/work people but we communicate with them. What bad will happen if a sexy girl knows your identity?

Oh? So you put your trust in people simply because you qualify them as sexy? Seems a bit careless. And talking to merchants isn't really the same thing, they provide a service and then they leave you be...yeah, there may be small talk, but it isn't really the same as striking up a conversation with a random stranger.

Unfortunately, no. Reason being is that I wouldn't want to talk to someone and risk being labeled as a "nuisance" as Gibbous so aptly described. It's not easy to tell if the person you're trying to talk to even wants to have a conversation with you.