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[themagicalkitsune]

I honestly hate when people try to shake my hand... it's like... I don't want to touch you... Lol. But yes, most people still like to do this when I first meet them for some reason.

People touch each other. Amazing right?

 

[John Kowalski]

Please don't touch me.

 

[inm8num2]

I do the politician handshake, using the left hand to grab the person's forearm.

 

[ffdgh]

Only if it's required. Not a fan of touching other's hands.

 

[rbenchley]

Yes, of course I shake people's hands when I meet them. I'm not a goddamn savage or mysophobe.

 

[Jezbollah]

Yes, of course I shake people's hands when I meet them. I'm not a goddamn savage or mysophobe.

^^ pretty much. And a firm handshake at that.

 

[JCX]

Yeah people my age (mid 20s) seem weirded out by handshakes. Hugging has taken over handhshakes for some people.

 

[drugstore_cowboy]

I never initiate it but always shake when the hand is offered.

 

[BPoole]

It's more of a squeeze nowadays. Rarely do I get the shake

 

[SDCowboy]

Of course I shake hands when meeting someone new. That's what adults tend to do.

 

[crazyprac]

I shake in both formal and informal occasions. I think it's a sign of respect no matter the occasion. Also you can extract a lot from a handshake; the grip, the softness/hardness, the length of time, what they do after the handshake, etc.

 

[SDCowboy]

Always go for it. Most people are receptive, I always judge a little from the quality of a handshake, or it can at least tell you pretty quickly how chatty/social they're gonna be.

Admittedly I think it's girls that tend to find it weirdest.

I've yet to meet a girl that found shaking hands weird. At least that I've noticed.

 

[Kama_1082]

I always shake hands.

 

[DoktorEvil]

Hand shaking is the norm in the US. I do the hand shake while touching the elbow/arm.

Dealing with some European clients, we were trained to do the whole side air kiss thing.

Some Asian clients, a bow is considered a hand shake.

 

[machemachete]

In my country (Peru) we always shake hands with every man we meet and kiss the cheek of every woman we meet.

When I traveled to america It was very weird for me not to kiss the cheek of every girl I met, they would probably be scared if I did that.

 

[Poetic.Injustice]

I do this instead.

 

[stilgar]

I kiss

I kiss so much

 

[LiK]

depends on the situation. shaking hands in a casual setting is kinda odd to me.

 

[nhlducks35]

I wish more people didn't have shitty handshakes

Like at least try and be firm

 

[eXistor]

I prefer not to, but for work meetings and such I do and if a person obviously wants to shake hands I have no problem with that. I don't usually instigate it myself though.

 

[Arjen]

Professional; handshake.
Friends; handshake or fist bump. Women I know three kisses.

 

[Parch]

Not shaking hands when you meet someone new is rude as fuck.

Yes. Or at least some form of greeting suitable to the culture, like a bow.
To leave a guy hanging would be very disrespectful. If you find it disgusting, suck it up and get with the program. They'll have a very low opinion of you if you refuse.

 

[HardRojo]

Shake those hands yo! I still do it. Regular handshake in a professional meeting and a different one with my friends and people I meet at parties and stuff.

 

[Ganzlinger]

Of course.

 

[Sephzilla]

In a professional environment I always handshake. For personal matters it varies.

 

[Hella Lugosi]

If it's for a job interview or something yeah sure.

Any other context feels weird.

 

[Into]

Us foreigners here spend 22% of our time shaking hands with everyone, all the time.

You better start working out, or ill rip your whole arm off

 

[keuja]

Professional: handshakes.
Casual: kiss on the cheeks for all ladies (even the ones you don't know) and close buddies, handshake for guys you dont know.

 

[Victarion]

Absolutely no physical contact here in Finland.

 

[MrFortyFive]

I work in the south (US) in an industry largely dominated by old, white men. If I didn't shake their hand with nothing short of an iron grip, it would likely mean career suicide.

 

[Kitsunebaby]

Always. It's the only greeting I'm comfortable with for people I'm not familiar with. It also gives me a little sense about their personality.

If I was introducing myself to someone I've never met and they went in for a hug or a kiss on the cheek, I'd be really weirded out.

 

[bchamba]

Hand shaking is the norm in the US. I do the hand shake while touching the elbow/arm.

Dealing with some European clients, we were trained to do the whole side air kiss thing.

Some Asian clients, a bow is considered a hand shake.

Touching the elbow/arm is a way of showing your dominance over whoever's hand your shaking. You are a higher rank than everybody you have ever shaked hands with.

 

[AnathemicOne]

Depends on the setting, if formal/professional then yeah shaking hands is the way to go. If social then for me I usually do hugs, half hugs, shake hands, or combination of the three

 

[Rayis]

I do if they initiate it, but I don't initiate, I don't like the custom for many reasons

 

[The Dutch Slayer]

First time YES after that only if I not seen someone for a long time.

Absolutely no physical contact here in Finland.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

Yes. Firmly while looking them in the eye.

Can't trust someone that shakes hands yet avoids eye contact....

 

[DoktorEvil]

Touching the elbow/arm is a way of showing your dominance over whoever's hand your shaking. You are a higher rank than everybody you have ever shaked hands with.

I am basically the President of the United States.

 

[Alx]

Hand shaking is the norm in the US. I do the hand shake while touching the elbow/arm.

Eh, I dislike when people do the elbow touching. I appreciate a nice handshake with a firm grip, but additional contact is usually more intimate than necessary.
There's also a frequent awkward situation when working with women here. Professional protocol is to shake hands, but close colleagues or friendly people would get cheek kisses. But there are always many women you don't know if you're close enough to kiss or shake hands instead.

 

[Sub_Level]

If it is someone older I shake hands. If it is someone my age or younger I slap their hand lightly and then fist bump.

 

[clearacell]

I shake hands, bow, hug, whatever when appropriate.

 

[ced]

Only when it's initiated, I personally find it stupid and unhygienic.

 

[Jakten]

I usually just read their body language and reciprocate; now-a-days people tend to prefer a hug it seems, even in a professional setting. Bow, hand-shake, fist bump, hug w/e. I usually go for a hand-shake myself though.

 

[shira]

Fist bump has become pretty standard around here. A lot less bacteria, pretty hip even with older people, good icebreaker

 

[Skiptastic]

I sometimes shake hands with people I've known for years.

Always shake hands in a business sense. Pretty much the same in a casual sense when meeting friends of friends.

Man or woman, still going in for the hand shake, unless they are across the room or something, then I just wave.

Oh, and I always try to be firm with my hand shakes. Nobody wants the dead fish hand shake. Better to be firm than flimsy.

 

[Dawg]

I shake hands with everybody at work in the morning. Or later in the day when I don't see them right away. Basically: first meeting of the day. Everyone does this. I can't imagine someone thinking it's weird.

I think it's basic human decency. It's the least you could do when you meet your co-workers. Personally, I do have some trouble with it because I suffer from OCD, but I make sure to still do it. Every now and then, I have to shake hands with someone that has filthy or sweaty hands, but in a way, it's a pretty good test to keep my obsessive thoughts at bay.

 

[Ocelotte]

It wasn't really the norm for me until I started university. Older students always offered a handshake when I first meet them (in casual settings), especially if we're being introduced to each other.

The younger students never did that though.

 

[Zen_Arcade]

Everyone I meet gets one of the three H's.

Handshake
High Five
Hug

All depends on what they're comfortable with.

 

[GifGafIsTheBestGaf]

yes i do it too op though sometimes women go for the kiss in the cheek instead but usually shaking hands is what i do

 

[kirby_fox]

Yep.

It lets me see how weak their handshake is. Limp handshake means I can't vote for them for president.

 

[davepoobond]

yeah, usually if its been a while since ive seen them or its the first time meeting them. if i see them everyday i wont do that