High Fives in Queue Lines

[Banshee Back VII]

People in the Midwest are so "about themselves" that the idea of interacting with strangers sends them to near panic if not pure aggression! I am not saying this is true for everyone ( I will assume these people starting this "high five" business are Midwestern folk ) but hey. Nothing wrong with a little friendly harmless interaction. When you step away from the Midwest for awhile, you see that there are regions and places where people are far more friendly and strangers will talk to you and shoot the breeze or wave a hand or what have you.

I just say, loosen up and have fun. If you are that afraid of germs I suggest you get a bubble.

Unless that person wanting to high five specifically has something suspicious on their hands, I would not mind the friendly playful gesture that steps away from the stuffy Midwestern atmosphere.

Really? Midwest stuffy? Try Atlanta or the Northeast. Or even Los Angeles. That's stuffy.

Try open social interaction with random strangers in New England. Let me know how THAT goes.

I was going to say something like this, too. I've found the Midwest to be one of the friendlier areas in the country that I've been to, with the South being the only friendlier area I can think of right now. (Of course, I'm from the Midwest, so perhaps I'm a little biased.) The only exception to this that I've experienced is the western Pennsylvania area, and especially Erie. (No offense, Browntggr!) The times I've visited Erie recently, I think just about everyone I've met has been really unfriendly.

On the subject of high fives in line: one of my friends is a germaphobe, so I understand the aversion to high fiving random strangers. Like others have said, you're going to experience other people's germs at an amusement park whether you want to or not; people touch EVERYTHING there. Think about it. For me, it brightens my day a little to high five people, so I'm always down for a high five if someone offers.

Pennsylvania isn't in the Midwest.

BB7, who knows his geography.

[Ride On_17]

I always high five them back. I think it's a fun thing to do and it gets everyone excited and pumped up in line around the people doing it. And I am very germ consious, but I do not let my fun get hindered by it. Amusement parks are filthy and there are so many germs between everything I touch, and giving high fives to a couple people won't kill me. It makes my day better and I'm sure if makes the people giving the high fives have a better day too. I think find it fun and amusing.

[TombRaiderFTW]

People in the Midwest are so "about themselves" that the idea of interacting with strangers sends them to near panic if not pure aggression! I am not saying this is true for everyone ( I will assume these people starting this "high five" business are Midwestern folk ) but hey. Nothing wrong with a little friendly harmless interaction. When you step away from the Midwest for awhile, you see that there are regions and places where people are far more friendly and strangers will talk to you and shoot the breeze or wave a hand or what have you.

I just say, loosen up and have fun. If you are that afraid of germs I suggest you get a bubble.

Unless that person wanting to high five specifically has something suspicious on their hands, I would not mind the friendly playful gesture that steps away from the stuffy Midwestern atmosphere.

Really? Midwest stuffy? Try Atlanta or the Northeast. Or even Los Angeles. That's stuffy.

Try open social interaction with random strangers in New England. Let me know how THAT goes.

I was going to say something like this, too. I've found the Midwest to be one of the friendlier areas in the country that I've been to, with the South being the only friendlier area I can think of right now. (Of course, I'm from the Midwest, so perhaps I'm a little biased.) The only exception to this that I've experienced is the western Pennsylvania area, and especially Erie. (No offense, Browntggr!) The times I've visited Erie recently, I think just about everyone I've met has been really unfriendly.

On the subject of high fives in line: one of my friends is a germaphobe, so I understand the aversion to high fiving random strangers. Like others have said, you're going to experience other people's germs at an amusement park whether you want to or not; people touch EVERYTHING there. Think about it. For me, it brightens my day a little to high five people, so I'm always down for a high five if someone offers.

Pennsylvania isn't in the Midwest.

BB7, who knows his geography.

I'm not really saying all of Pennsylvania is in the Midwest--just the western part of it, including Pittsburgh and Erie. In my opinion, that area has more in common with the Midwest than it does the East.

[The Interpreter]

Just as Northern and Northeastern Kentucky is more Midwestern than Southern...

[shark6495]

Well I am one of those random high fivers. I am a 28 year old kid my buddy and I are usually having a good time and we like to have fun with others. If I can make a little kid or an old lady or a 17 year teen laugh or smile by giving them a random high five, then I feel we did a great job

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[BeastForever]

It's not the germs or the fact of interacting with a stranger that bugs me; I just personally find it to be annoying.

[jcgoble3]

^ Good point. Allow me to add to what I said earlier:

I find that creepy and annoying.

[shark6495]

My buddy and I have a communication degree and one of our professors taught us about unspoken conversation between people. One of those most unsettling things to people, from a study, was interaction with strangers

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[Diamondback FOF]

I sometimes high five or fist bump, other times I don't. It depends on how obnoxious the group is being.

[Ride On_17]

My buddy and I have a communication degree and one of our professors taught us about unspoken conversation between people. One of those most unsettling things to people, from a study, was interaction with strangers

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This reminds me of a project my mom did for her Psychology class in college. For those of you familiar with Ohio State, she did this little experiment in the center of the Oval (a large grassy area with various crisscrossing paths) where sidewalks and paths would cross each other. She did a study on how people reacted when they approached other people at the crosses. Would they stop and gesture for the other person to proceed in front of them? Would they make eye contact and smile? Would they look down and try to avoid eye contact? Would they speed up and try to cross first before meeting with the other person? She said that this was one of the most interesting things she has ever done. I do feel like for the most part, people try to avoid contact with strangers, although this is not always the case.

[Magenta Lizard]

Since people who don't avoid contact with strangers are often out to get something (begging, mugging, etc) it probably is why many people are shy or offended when someone they don't know approaches their "space."

In an environment like KI, though, especially in a queue, I feel like we all have enough in common that we aren't strictly strangers. That's why I personally wouldn't find it odd or uncomfortable for someone to give me a high-five. It's very unlikely to be an approach to play-in to a sob story. It is most likely just sharing exhuberance to keep the excitement and joy going through what can otherwise be a little dreary time at the park.

[markr]

Everyone has their deal, some don't like bugs,heights,elevators, some don't like germs. I'm extremely outgoing and spark conversation with strangers often, yet I'm not big on touching strangers, something about the thought of people wiping their butts and not washing their hands or anything related to that nature makes me grossed out. I also don't touch bathroom doors if possible outside my home knowing half the people don't wash their hands and just had their hand on their- you get the point. If you introduce yourself and offer a handshake I'm not going to deny you or anything awkward, but I do wash my hands regularly and I try not to touch things I know everyone has had their hands on unless necessary. In general, some people are disgusting, and don't understand good hygiene.

Exactly my point. I know that you cannot avoid germs completely but you would be surprised at the amount of people I catch walking out of bathroom stalls and leaving without washing their hands. I do not think it is unreasonable to expect people to wash their hands after going to the bathroom-such a simple way to avoid germs. Until more people grow up and start performing this simple task, I will indeed be wary of touching others' hands.

[Dieseltech20]

Location, location, location.

If I am at a park loaded with people looking to have a good time, a high five and such is fine.

If I am walking through Target and some random stranger wants a high five it's not gonna happen.

[The Interpreter]

Even more so on a dark sidewalk two blocks removed from Times Square. Or in Over-the-Rhine at 2:30 AM. Or in southeast Atlanta at the same time. Or southeast DC. Or East St. Louis. Or Newark...

[CharleyTheDinosaur]

I've even done it at a store before. I was looking at some shoes minding my own business when a couple of teenagers came out of nowhere and said, "High five!" I didn't want to leave them hanging. They said I was they only person to give them a high five in two hours. We talked a little and it seemed like they were good kids just having some fun. Actually it sounds like something my friends and I would have done at that age.

[Vortex lover]

There are some days I feel like And somedays that I just want to stand in line waiting for a ride

Sent from my iPhone using... You get the point

[XGatorHead 8904]

I don't mind it. I figure I'm touching the handrails already, so by proxy I'm already touching eveyone else's hands that's been in line that day, and the day before, and so on, and so on... One more isn't going to hurt anything.

[Banshee Back VII]

For all the germ conscious who don't high-five: Why do you touch the restraints or sit down in the seats?

[harmony29]

Interesting the point brought up about stuffiness in the Midwest. I lived my entire life in Michigan until last year when I moved to Texas and now I'm in Kentucky. I was in culture shock when I left MI and found people saying hello on the streets and generally being friendly, it's just not something that happens where I'm from. I love my home state but I have to say I love the people here in Kentucky so much more, I don't ever feel like I'm alone and am not afraid to ask someone a question if needed. As for the high fives, I'm not really sure how I feel about it as I am a very shy person but I also love to have a good time, I am pretty claustrophobic so that is usually where I have problems. I see nothing wrong with people/teens being excited about being at the park as long as they aren't trying to start trouble.

[BB1]

Go down south, Lexington would be a good start of that good ole Southern Hospitality that BB1 himself has been taught and raised on.

[The Interpreter]

Lexington?

Are you kidding me?

Lexington is to the South about what Atlanta is...a largely transient community also stocked with those from the rural hinterlands of their respective states, who went, per chance, to university there, and, thinking they had found Mecca, stayed.

In different ways, the same is true of Columbus, Ohio and the District of Columbia.

Lexington, Southern?

Tee Hee.

There's a reason Kentucky is considered a border state.

You want Southern in Kentucky? See Louisville.

[harmony29]

Sorry I disagree slightly, I don't get to Lexington much but compared to Michigan, it's a huge difference and very Southern. I live in Frankfort, the capital, and it's such a nice small town feel, everyone is so friendly and seems quite Southern to me. I thought when I was in Texas that would be the most Southern, no way, that's a state all it's own and I just never saw the fascination with it. But no matter what you run into nice and not so nice people everywhere.

[OleShawn]

Southern in kentucky is like this. Here is a Map to help you i lived and worked in this area my whole life, you wont hear banjos but its the Southern part of the state.. Yes im at work and bored.

[markr]

Well, for all my hang ups about germs, I forgot about the tradition of high-fiving the people in the neighboring train on The Gemini. I must admit I do take part in that. I guess I am going to have to eat crow for starting this topic. On the other hand, high fiving on The Gemini just seems so much more natural to me than high fiving in line. At any rate will have to make sure I wash my hands after my Gemini rides in the future.

[fryoj]

I think if someone offers you an unwanted high five, you should counter with a down low, too slow. That'll teach them! lol