How would you start the conversation with a stranger on a bus seated next to you ? What things will you notice and what will be the topics of discussion ?
Re: Starting with Strangers
Best is to ask the person “What is their Name” first, and then their destination, these are the best ice breaker, it is usually smooth sailing after that!
Re: Starting with Strangers
Hi , Can i sit here next to you ?
yaa sure .
You sit there and turn on your mobile : hook up your head phones and play some nice music and relax.
Re: Starting with Strangers
Its a good topic. I think the best starting topic is either weather, or talk about surroundings. May be give them a compliment on something they have. Like their shirt, stuff they hv, their pet etc.
I’m an introvert but sometimes I feel these extroverts are lucky they have this special thing to break the ice and continue a conversation forever lol
Re: Starting with Strangers
If a stranger ever asked my name, I would never answer or even talk to them any further ! 
You really dont need ice breaking techniques to get some small talk initiation. Just talk about casual stuff , start with the weather or something like " Isnt this road beautiful , its got awesome cherry trees on it" etc ..
Just something very casual about your surroundings . If the other person is a friendly one , they will smile back and respond. If they are not , then its your cue to stop trying to talk chat with them !
Re: Starting with Strangers
Likewise. Even if I really want to talk to a stranger, I find it extremely difficult to. When I try very hard, i get 3-4 sentences of talk and then my mind is blank. I’m not a small talk person normally. Gimme discussion topics and I will talk non stop, but no small talk.
Re: Starting with Strangers
-mausam
a good starter!
Re: Starting with Strangers
Interesting buddies :k:
I guess greeting nicely will do the work.. because smile is the first thing to win anyone’s heart and make them comfortable.. So be a smiling face
PS: agar itna bara mou khol ke smile deingay then you’ll definitely win a punch on your face 
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Re: Starting with Strangers
I do the smile thing. I’ve always done it unintentionally. But just a smile isn’t an icebreaker. It simply gets you a return smile.
Re: Starting with Strangers
It depends also on what level of conversation are you wanting to strike with the stanger, is it someone you keep coming across on your way to work or study? and so you want to prepare yourself for small talk?
Is your question targetted towards a different person every time?
Coz there is a difference in the way you deal with small talk .
Re: Starting with Strangers
Our father had sent us from Africa to Karachi to get educated there and to instill some Islamic values in us, we were in grade 6. A bunch of us boys would take the public bus to school in grade 6, one boy named Badar was very good looking and his interaction in the bus involved in saying regularly Khan Sahib zara door hokar kharray hoan, One time he told this Pathan, Khan Sahib bus toa ruuk gai hai aab kyoon hill rahe ho. I guess starting with strangers would depend on situation.
Re: Starting with Strangers
It depends on the circumstances. In general if I guess someone is Muslim, I’ll greet them with Salam. Apart from that, it depends on what I see that I have in common with them and I can start something on that basis.
Re: Starting with Strangers
Smile is the gateway to start conversation I guess…
good one.. that’s what I was thinking.. Things in common makes us comfortable to start a talk.. Do you think same personality, standard and costumes as yours plays a role too ??
Re: Starting with Strangers
Chicken 
you are right though depends on the situation…in my case talking to my gender folks works always! and opposite gender …never even tried to do that Name approach! unless I am wearing a helmet or have an escape route available
Re: Starting with Strangers
Well in most cases, something like personality and standards might not be apparent just like that. If by costume you mean uniform or clothing, perhaps in exceptional cases. This could include wearing a sports jersey or other clothing related to a particular event but apart from that I wouldn’t really see similar clothes alone as a basis to start an interaction.
Some example of similar circumstances that I have come across were when waiting in line to get into the walk in clinic or going to the store to pick up my XBox 360 with Halo 3 around its launch time.
Re: Starting with Strangers
Hmmm, thank you 