Out In Public: The Social Scene (Survey)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’m talking about parties, clubs, bars, restaurants, etc.

  1. Do you start conversations with random people or do you only talk to your friends?

  2. How much do you normally drink? Do you stay sober, have a few, or go all out?

  3. Do you hang out with only guys, girls, or as a mixed group?

  4. How often do guys/girls hit on you out in public? (Catcalling, flirting, etc.) How do you deal with it?

  5. How do you handle peer pressure, (especially for college students), when it comes to people asking you to drink, party, do drugs, etc.

  6. Do you tend to overeat at restaurants, or do you keep it easy/eat normally?

  7. On a date or with a group of friends, do you go dutch, split the bill, or does everyone pay for their own meal, depending on how big the group is?

  8. Do you use public restrooms, or do you wait until you get home?

  9. How often do you witness young children complaining to their parents out in public? Because they were told “No”?

  10. Do you have any crazy stories relating to this thread? Examples: The people of Walmart, something that you don’t see on an everyday basis, etc.

2

Apologies in advance: I may skew this toward “Sober, but still stupid”.

  1. I ALWAYS start conversations with random people. Drives my shy wife crazy, but I have a group of friends who deputize me to go over and ask strangers things like (real situation) “We saw you talking to that old guy. We decided it was a job interview. How’d it go?”

  2. I usually have one drink, maybe two. Cheaper that way (or it means I can splurge on good Scotch). Barmaid at usual haunt will be taking drink orders, and asks me “And what’re you going to nurse all night?”
    Unless we’re drinking pitchers, then I just pace myself.

  3. Usually just guys, though sometimes a spouse, fellow teacher or mature student. In a good conversation, gender doesn’t usually matter.

  4. How often do guys/girls hit on you out in public?
    (Do negative numbers count? My flirtin’ days are behind me… and I avoid “pick up bars”)

  5. Anyone who tries peer pressure in my crowd gets shouted down as an idiot. Got one friend who’s always trying to get us to all drive to “the titty bar”. We just laugh at him.

  6. Don’t overeat more than usual at restaurants, but it can be impossible to find healthy fare at a pub. My favorite place deep-fries everything. Hey, they have green beans! (but even those are breaded and fried…)

  7. With a group of friends, the usual thing is to run a tab, then all throw our credit cards at the barmaid, who splits it evenly. Exception is when someone’s drinking a lot more, then they’ll say “Put the last pitcher on my card.”
    Even one on one with women, we’ll both pull out cards and split it.

  8. I always use public restrooms, what am I, a nervous nellie? Keepin’ my immune system up, mate! Same if an onion ring falls on the table.

  9. Children complaining would be all the excuse I’d need to growl at them, and glare at the parents… on my way out the door.

  10. Hmmm, crazy stories? Naah, but I do get to talk to fun characters. Like the guy who nailed the job interview (because it was his uncle’s company). Or the guy who said “I’ve already lost $1500 betting on football this weekend.” This was a Saturday night, so just the college games. Still had ‘a couple thou’ on NFL games to go.

3
  1. No, don’t talk much. I smile, nod and listen.
  2. Always sober
  3. Mixed
  4. It has happened. Usually when my gregarious friend Sophie is with me.
  5. Never needed to.
  6. Eat normally, as my diet is restricting.
  7. Pay my own way.
  8. I hate public restrooms. I’m a bit of a germaphobe. I will if I REALLY have to.
  9. Every freakin’ where I go there’s a whiny kid or 2. Drives me crazy. I avoid kid type places. Doesn’t matter, I still run into them.
  10. My most out&about time is with a volunteer group of mixed aged and gender adults. It astounds me how quickly they can dissolve into childish behavior. Most times it’s hilarious. Sometimes it gets alittle close to the knuckle, folks!
4

1. Do you start conversations with random people or do you only talk to your friends?

I don’t start conversations.

2. How much do you normally drink? Do you stay sober, have a few, or go all out?

Enough to lose count but not so much as to become incapable of counting to ten.

3. Do you hang out with only guys, girls, or as a mixed group?

Mixed

4. How often do guys/girls hit on you out in public? (Catcalling, flirting, etc.) How do you deal with it?

At least once every five years or so. OK, more often if you count catcalling and bird-dogging and whatnot. I don’t think of those as serious hit-on attempts. If I like where it’s coming from, I show amusement and joy and encourage them to do more. Otherwise I pretend like I don’t notice.

5. How do you handle peer pressure, (especially for college students), when it comes to people asking you to drink, party, do drugs, etc.

Drinking, partying, doing drugs :slight_smile: Umm, seriously, peer pressure wouldn’t get me doing things I wasn’t already disposed to do.

6. Do you tend to overeat at restaurants, or do you keep it easy/eat normally?

I eat normally but restaurant food is richer and butterier and puts on more pounds, so I’ve learned to eat sub-normally and cautiously in restaurants.

7. On a date or with a group of friends, do you go dutch, split the bill, or does everyone pay for their own meal, depending on how big the group is?

Dutch or alternating or taking into account who is and who is not gainfully employed and whatnot, but shooting for fairness.

8. Do you use public restrooms, or do you wait until you get home?

Of course I use public restrooms, yeesh!

9. How often do you witness young children complaining to their parents out in public? Because they were told “No”?

Somewhat often but probably not as often as I witness parents complaining to their young children because the children weren’t understanding “no” or whatever

10. Do you have any crazy stories relating to this thread? Examples: The people of Walmart, something that you don’t see on an everyday basis, etc.

None that I can think of. Yet, at any rate.

5

Hey, OP, what would YOU say if someone asked you these questions?

6

  1. Do you start conversations with random people or do you only talk to your friends?
    I have no problem talking to strangers. In fact, I have to remind myself that it’s not polite to join in on private conversations that happen to occur in my vicinity.

  2. How much do you normally drink? Do you stay sober, have a few, or go all out?
    Stay sober.

  3. Do you hang out with only guys, girls, or as a mixed group?
    Mixed groups but more men than women.

  4. How often do guys/girls hit on you out in public? (Catcalling, flirting, etc.) How do you deal with it?
    As far as I can tell, it’s virtually never. Or maybe I’m just really bad at reading the signals.

  5. How do you handle peer pressure, (especially for college students), when it comes to people asking you to drink, party, do drugs, etc.
    I have no problem saying no.

  6. Do you tend to overeat at restaurants, or do you keep it easy/eat normally?
    I tend to overeat. This is why I avoid buffets.

  7. On a date or with a group of friends, do you go dutch, split the bill, or does everyone pay for their own meal, depending on how big the group is?
    Generally everyone pays their own.

  8. Do you use public restrooms, or do you wait until you get home?
    Use public restrooms.

  9. How often do you witness young children complaining to their parents out in public? Because they were told “No”?
    Often enough that I notice it.

7

1. Do you start conversations with random people or do you only talk to your friends?

I’m usually by myself, and I don’t start conversations with people I don’t know.

2. How much do you normally drink? Do you stay sober, have a few, or go all out?

2 to 3.

3. Do you hang out with only guys, girls, or as a mixed group?

see #1. Don’t really “hang out” with anyone.

4. How often do guys/girls hit on you out in public? (Catcalling, flirting, etc.) How do you deal with it?

I have never in my life been hit on by anyone.

5. How do you handle peer pressure, (especially for college students), when it comes to people asking you to drink, party, do drugs, etc.

I’m in my 40s. “Peer pressure” doesn’t happen any more.

6. Do you tend to overeat at restaurants, or do you keep it easy/eat normally?

normally.

7. On a date or with a group of friends, do you go dutch, split the bill, or does everyone pay for their own meal, depending on how big the group is?

see #1

8. Do you use public restrooms, or do you wait until you get home?

public restrooms don’t bother me anymore.

9. How often do you witness young children complaining to their parents out in public? Because they were told “No”?

occasionally, but I don’t know exactly why they’re melting down.

8
  1. Do you start conversations with random people or do you only talk to your friends?

I try to meet new people/start conversations with random people, only if I feel like it.

  1. How much do you normally drink? Do you stay sober, have a few, or go all out?

I usually drink until I get tipsy/buzzed, but I never blacked out, even though I only got sick once.

  1. Do you hang out with only guys, girls, or as a mixed group?

I usually hang out with both guys & girls, but I normally pregame with all guys, unless if they bring their GF/friends over.

  1. How often do guys/girls hit on you out in public? (Catcalling, flirting, etc.) How do you deal with it?

I never got hit on in public, yet

  1. How do you handle peer pressure, (especially for college students), when it comes to people asking you to drink, party, do drugs, etc.

I just tell them “No” or “I don’t do that”

  1. Do you tend to overeat at restaurants, or do you keep it easy/eat normally?

It depends: I try to keep it easy, but sometimes, I make false assumptions by ordering more food than I can eat. So, that’s why I have leftovers in my fridge.

  1. On a date or with a group of friends, do you go dutch, split the bill, or does everyone pay for their own meal, depending on how big the group is?

I prefer going dutch or splitting the bill between a big group.

  1. Do you use public restrooms, or do you wait until you get home?

I use both

  1. How often do you witness young children complaining to their parents out in public? Because they were told “No”?

I rarely see it, but when I do, I just ignore it.

  1. Do you have any crazy stories relating to this thread? Examples: The people of Walmart, something that you don’t see on an everyday basis, etc.

Since I’m a college student, drunken behaviors can range from acting silly to dangerous situations. Outside of that, there’s really nothing else that I’d call “out of this world”.

9

  1. Do you start conversations with random people or do you only talk to your friends?
    Sometimes. If the person has a dog I’ll talk to the dog first then chat with the person.

  2. How much do you normally drink? Do you stay sober, have a few, or go all out?
    5-6 pints typically

  3. Do you hang out with only guys, girls, or as a mixed group?
    Fairly mixed, slightly biased towards men.

  4. How often do guys/girls hit on you out in public? (Catcalling, flirting, etc.) How do you deal with it?
    Too old for that.

  5. How do you handle peer pressure, (especially for college students), when it comes to people asking you to drink, party, do drugs, etc.
    Too old for that too.

  6. Do you tend to overeat at restaurants, or do you keep it easy/eat normally?
    Normally

  7. On a date or with a group of friends, do you go dutch, split the bill, or does everyone pay for their own meal, depending on how big the group is?
    If I’m out with my GF we take turns buying, as a group just split it evenly.

  8. Do you use public restrooms, or do you wait until you get home?
    When ya gotta go ya gotta go.

  9. How often do you witness young children complaining to their parents out in public? Because they were told “No”?
    Don’t get kids in the pub too often but the ones that come in are mostly OK.

  10. Do you have any crazy stories relating to this thread? Examples: The people of Walmart, something that you don’t see on an everyday basis, etc.
    In Blackpool there is a pub that does karaoke pretty much all hours they are open. The typical clientele is aged 50+ so the songs are pretty old-school. Think Frank Sinatra, Glen Campell, show tunes, etc. Once a year a huge punk music festival rolls into town and the pub does punk-aoke. This year saw a shirtless guy wearing shorts and DMs standing on the railing around the stage belting out a very good rendition of “Anarchy in the UK”.

10
  1. Do you start conversations with random people or do you only talk to your friends?

I don’t bother people.

  1. How much do you normally drink? Do you stay sober, have a few, or go all out?

Drink a few, pen hits in the men’s.

  1. Do you hang out with only guys, girls, or as a mixed group?

Mixed

  1. How often do guys/girls hit on you out in public? (Catcalling, flirting, etc.) How do you deal with it?

Strangers? Never.

  1. How do you handle peer pressure, (especially for college students), when it comes to people asking you to drink, party, do drugs, etc.

I succumb.

  1. Do you tend to overeat at restaurants, or do you keep it easy/eat normally?

I don’t overeat, but I order enough to need a to-go box. Our African Grey gets loves leftovers.

  1. On a date or with a group of friends, do you go dutch, split the bill, or does everyone pay for their own meal, depending on how big the group is?

We rotate who grabs the check.

  1. Do you use public restrooms, or do you wait until you get home?

Restrooms.

  1. How often do you witness young children complaining to their parents out in public? Because they were told “No”?

Not many kids in the places I frequent.

  1. Do you have any crazy stories relating to this thread? Examples: The people of Walmart, something that you don’t see on an everyday basis, etc.

Crazy? Are you nuts?

11

Prefacing to say that I really, really don’t get out much, discounting a weekly dinner out with a old buddy.

I’m also male and in my forties.

1. Do you start conversations with random people or do you only talk to your friends?
I never start conversations with random people.

2. How much do you normally drink? Do you stay sober, have a few, or go all out?
I never drink.

3. Do you hang out with only guys, girls, or as a mixed group?
I’ve usually found myself either with a group, on the fringes of a group, or abandoned by the group. I’m not particularly concerned about the demographics of the group I’m adjacent to, providing they’re people I at least vaguely know.

4. How often do guys/girls hit on you out in public? (Catcalling, flirting, etc.) How do you deal with it?
Never. I’m fat and while perhaps not ugly I’m certainly not handsome.

5. How do you handle peer pressure, (especially for college students), when it comes to people asking you to drink, party, do drugs, etc.
It hasn’t come up much, but a simple no has sufficed.

6. Do you tend to overeat at restaurants, or do you keep it easy/eat normally?
Depends on how you define “overeat”, doesn’t it? I order a meal, eat it, and that’s usually it. I usually finish it, and only very very rarely get a desert.

7. On a date or with a group of friends, do you go dutch, split the bill, or does everyone pay for their own meal, depending on how big the group is?
I haven’t dated in over a decade, though when I did I paid for everything. When I’m out with friends we each pay our own part, unless somebody is explicitly paying for somebody else or the whole group for some reason.

8. Do you use public restrooms, or do you wait until you get home?
When you gotta go, you gotta go.

9. How often do you witness young children complaining to their parents out in public? Because they were told “No”?
Not often at all - though that may be partly blinders on my part. I just don’t pay attention to the other people around; they’re not my problem or business.

10. Do you have any crazy stories relating to this thread? Examples: The people of Walmart, something that you don’t see on an everyday basis, etc.
Nope. I’m an extraordinarily boring person.