didn't your mother ever tell you not to talk to strangers?

I've always felt that it was hard to talk to strangers. You know, striking up a conversation with people that are hanging out in your vicinity? I'm not talking about the difficulty I feel in starting it, I'm talking about the general willingness or ease of people to join you. What do you think?

I've also wondered if there is a difference from region to region. Today, I was talking to someone who is from here, but spent a couple of years in San Diego, and some time in various other places aroundthe country. She said that San Diegans are the most willing to talk with you that she had encountered, and midwesterners (Chicagoans, particularly) are the least likely to want to talk to others. Does anyone have an opinion about the regionality of this?

thanks for your input

on talking with people you don't know.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/low_delta/895502.html#comments

Seems there's a bit of difference of opinion. Maybe it's not as regional as I had guessed, but is more local.