While on my daily walks I encounter other people walking, running or cycling. They are usually on their own or in small groups. We can see each other coming from a way off. And yet some choose to pass me without looking at me or responding in any way when I greet them with a friendly “hello”.
Are they so lost in thought that they haven’t even noticed my existence? Are they so afraid of meeting someone without other people around that they don’t want to provoke me? Or have we got so used to living in our own little islands that we just can’t be bothered connecting?
The Obvious? 
I’ve wondered about this too… Perhaps they have some in-ear headphones that I haven’t noticed 🙂
Interestingly, when out on dog-walks in the early days of Covid, I realised I was going out of my way to be smiley and cheery to people, in an attempt to compensate for the fact that I was crossing to the far side of the path to stay away from them! What, I wonder, would the Good Samaritan make of Covid?…
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Even in my small town I see this often – quite unusual – maybe partly because so many city folks are here??
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Certainly there are a lot more people walking here than usually so it may be folks are new to it.
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Normally everyone nods or waves here. I recall visiting my son in Toronto when I lived on PEI I was saying hello to people on the street. Embarrassed James. “Dad, you’re in Toronto!” Townies in the country still behave like they are in their city
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And between different cities too. I remember being struck by the same thing moving from near Glasgow to London.
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When I hike along local trails, which offer fresh air and appropriate distance from others most of the time, I don’t greet those who don’t show me the respect of a mask when they pass. Passing, fortunately infrequent, is uncomfortable when trails narrow to a meter or so wide. I don mine in such circumstances and I feel others should do the same. That said, I do smile, wave, and greet those with masks, even though my smile is hidden.
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Interesting. There are a lot more people walking our local paths I pass people more frequently than usual but other than in towns few people wear masks outdoors here. We do give each other a wider berth than usual when passing and I do tend to to turn my face away as we pass if the path is enclosed and narrow.
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Of course, the selfish thing to do is to pass them on the upwind side 🙂
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