Do you consider it rude to be greeted with a nod instead of an audible "Hello"?

It’s an acknowledgment even if slightly less gregarious than a verbal “hello.”
I think men are more the nodding types, as a female I usually say ” Hello” or smile and say something like ” beautiful day.” Maybe head nodding is part of the strong and silent gig with some men. haha

No. If I knew them and it was closer quarters, for example, a work environment, I would find it a bit unfriendly.

Not at all…and often I accept that lack of engagement or recognition with relief as I am free to go on my merry way. Unexpected engagements with mere acquaintances/neighbors can be often derail a well planned schedule…that said I always will make time up to greet and acknowledged them….unless it is my ex neighbors Jodie and Scott where I will detonate my suicide vest full of explosives.

They’ve shown their acknowledgement of my presence. I don’t need them to do more.

^^Same as Cruiser. It’s mostly guys who do it, women seem to be more animated. That’s how I acknowledge guys mostly. I’m not real verbal anyway and people who know me know that. In real life, I use few words. I’m big on facial expression, body language and gestures. There’s already too much chatter and noise.

No. I’d hope the nod came with a smile. Any acknowledgment is sufficient.

I frequently just nod my chin up and smile. I don’t like to intrude and force an interaction if I see a casual acquaintance walking the other way. I also may not have time to stop and chit chat, and one never knows how a person may take me cutting short an interaction which may seem that I initiated in the first place.

I actually prefer a nod to “How are you?”
They don’t know me that well, so they don’t actually care I am.

Eye contact is more important than verbalization, in any case.

I’m such an introvert that I prefer a nod. I will nod if I’m not in the mood to chat, but I usually smile or say a quick hello.

I’ll take a nod anytime over no acknowledgement at all.

Ah, here we go. I moved to Norway some 13 years ago from one of the nicest, laid back, friendliest places on earth, New Zealand. I STILL come home feeling like I’m in a Kafkaesque altered reality. People have taken ignoring each other to a whole new level here. I’ve lived here 13 years and I’ve never had so few friends in my entire life. Not even when I went through that awkward stage in high school. Tonight, I went to bed bawling my eyes out because of something that happened, and I literally have no one to talk to. I’d take a nod. I’d take some minor eye contact for f’s sake.

I prefer silent interaction in most cases.

@cazzie – Skype?

@Seek Sorry, can’t. Kiddo sleeping next to me here, so I have to keep it quiet. He freaked himself out because he nearly killed my NEW computer last night, just to top my day off completely.

Here’s the kicker though. I think I’ve forgotten how. I’ve lived in this place for so long now, I may have gone native. Human contact and close relationships are so foreign to me, I think I recently found out that I’m broken beyond any nightmare I may have had. I have now internalised and digested and made the solace, and loneliness and isolation a part of me. I don’t think I could have a close, intimate relationship ever again, even if a very desirable one even dropped on my doorstep. At least I’m half way through my life expectancy, though. Looking on the bright side of things, I mean.

No, as long as they acknowledge the fact that I’ve said hello in some way, then it’s fine. Though I prefer at least a smile or eyebrow raise with the nod, instead of just a blank face which might make me think something’s wrong.

This sounds like a very British Problem. NerdyKeith, are you from Great Britain?

I am a nodder, it is a simple way to acknowledge someones existence. But say if I am walking downtown where there are hundreds of people on the sidewalk I will obviously not nod at everyone. It is more of a one guy per block thing. I don’t nod at females.

Actually, now that I try to figure out why I do it I have concluded it is some sort of alpha male bullshit. I don’t do it to people that I know I could beat the shit out of. I only do it to men were I want to mark my territory. This is my walking space so know your role.

@johnpowell That’s an interesting self observation.

@JLeslie :: That is why I like Fluther. It can be helpful to have to figure out why we do what we do and justify it.

If I know someone, I’d usually say hello, no matter where I saw them. If I don’t know them then I’d say hello if I saw them in my small village or in the countryside, otherwise I would ignore them.

If I know someone is chatty and I am in a hurry, I probably would still say hello but keep walking fast past them, turning only my head if needed.

(I am British and an introvert)

I’m with @dammitjanetfromvegas. Sometimes I can’t handle a verbal interaction and a nod is the best I can muster. But usually I smile and say hi, especially to seemingly marginalized people.

Not at all, that’s for sensitive, uptight fuckers who seek out offence to give their drab lives meaning.

Not in the least. A nod, combined with a pleasant facial expression, is a legitimate form of greeting. The person’s acknowledging me and giving a nonverbal greeting.

A nod is fine.

@ucme I agree!