Is there a protocol?

Curious.....

I was at a public function over the weekend and thought I might run into a lady I had seen as a provider.
She said she
was going to be there.
http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=416155
As it turned out we missed one another. But, it got me thinking as to what is the accepted
protocol for greeting or introducing fellow hobbyists, if you happen to see them in public. I know that hobbying is a business but I can't help consider ladies I've spent time with to be friends and would hate to just walk by without saying a word.

1. Totally ignore them?
2. Greet them by their hobby handle if you don't know their real name?
3 If you do know their real name, use it?
4. Introduce them to non hobbyist friends as "This is soandso, a friend of mine? and to fellow hobbiists "This is a friend of ours" (A la Donnie Brasco)?

Personally I would welcome being greeting by an acquaintance from this board, but I'm divorced now and have no problem with it. How do others feel about it? How do others handle the situation?

this has been discussed over and over many times.....
.....concensus usually ends with "non-recognition" in public

Most hobbyists would prefer nonrecognition...as they may have SOs or other family/friends with them. With that being said...if a hobbyist and provider are both unencumbered and have established a friendship, I don't see why a polite hello would hurt. I have made many friends through the years...we even go out together.

Things you should ALWAYS consider...is everyone's security...by not announcing exactly where you will be meeting, on public threads, etc. And, for both parties to have a discussion beforehand...about how to handle being out in public. Sometimes, we may mix civi-friends with hobby friends.

Thanks Dennisrn, I suspected this had been discussed before, in the past. But I guess I missed it or wasn't around at the time.

After I posted this I came to my own conclusion that it's an individual decision based on what is happening at that particular time. I'm sure that the collective intelligence of the board that non-recognition
in public is more correct. But every rule has it's exception and sometimes it would seem to be hurtful to just walk by a friend and say nothing. la verdad?


PS Thanks Nikki, I think we were posting at the same time.

agree and Nikki explained the acceptable parameters which always seem to work nicely.....

Well its me ur talking about and i am not the type of provider who would literally go up to u and SAY HI RAMOS .. how the heck are u .. and yada yada yada .. I dont have that type of a friendship with u outside the hobby world.. I tend to usually just look over everynow and then and smile just like any other person in a crowd.. I have seen 2 hobbyist out at different places and they can tell u that .. IM VERY DISCREET and even recieved an email on how crazy it was bc we had just discussed days before at my hse what one does when they see a fellow hobbyist.. He told me how i acted perfectly with a glitch .. im like oooh ok .. i would never go up to anyone .. and sorry i made u feel like i would compromise ur identity ..


here is an example # 32 http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=386315&page=3 #32


yes i agree maybe i shouldnt put where im gonna be at .. hmmm ???

" i would never go up to anyone .. and sorry i made u feel like i would compromise ur identity .".



Geeze Lexxi, no need to apologize. You provide a service and I take advantage of your services, but that does' mean we would have to ignore one another in
public. I was with an old friend that day and if I had seen you I could have said hello and introduced you as someone
I once worked with and I'm sure you, being with your friends, and being a very bright young lady, could have carried that ball without too much effort.
My own friend wouldn't have cared one way or another what our acquaintance was based on. That's why we're still friends after 40 years.
In my occupation, before I retired, I was involved with
people protected by federal confidentiality laws ( as are most people who are patients in hospitals, clinics, specialized institutions etc etc)
If I run into them on the street I at least acknowledge their existence with a smile or a nod. Sometimes
they choose to extend that acknowledgement by walking up and and shaking hands and even exchanging an embrace followed by small talk. Geeze, we're all human beings with feelings, need for affirmation. I personally would prefer that if you see me, at least say hello.
I don't broadcast what I do in my personal life, but I'm not ashamed of anything I do in the privacy of my home. I would never "out" anyone, but I wouldn't treat anyone like a pariah either. Lets lighten up.
This is 2012. People greeting one another in public happens all the time without disaster. If some folks, because of current arrangements, need to hide out from one another, that's unfortunate. I'll respect their need.
And I DO see why the general feeling about this is
non-recognition in public. I don't like it, but I'll conform. So, have no fear.

P.S. The big doggie got his tummy rub and says "arf"

I was in line, with my SO, at the Pallidium several months ago when I realized I was behind one of my favorite providers. I was thinking how do I get the hell away from here, and before I panicked she turned around as we made "eye contact" she smiled at me and said "excuse me" and walked by me on her way to the movie. As it turned out, we were there for the same movie.

Later in our future BCD encounters, "excuse me" became one of our favorite expressions. LOL.

What a small world it is................... I met Ms. Sweet Lexxxi about a month ago, a very beautiful person, super attitude, lovely person to talk to....... as we convo, I asked Sweet Lexxxi, have you ever met someone and see them in somewhere else??? what approch do you take ?........ well, she did not have to answere at all......... I saw sweet Lexxxi at the rodeo with my family and my beatifull other....... I looked up and there was Sweet Lexi at the Stock Show and Rodeo........ I looked at her and she looked at me....... Lexi did not say a word or looked at me again, and I was dying to find out if that was really her, I then texted her and asked "are you at the rodeo, ten minutes later, "yeah", I text her again, "are you sitting across from me? , ten minutes later again, "yeah", ........ anyway, I love you Ms. Lexxi, the way you handeled it, and acted, "you never put me in a predictiment, that I would have been worried" LOL!