As the article says, you just take the risk. Maybe you will bother the person. It’s okay, you’ll be able to quickly tell if you do, and you just gracefully back away and go on with your day. It’ll probably happen much less than you think.
I concur. And would just add two points:
(1) Make it that you’re not asking for anything / don’t open with something that could be perceived as a setup to asking for money, or pushing a religion. :)
2) be sensitive to social cues or that they want to be left alone, like terse answers or shifting their attention away from you
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When the risk can involve lasting consequences (especially in places like work/school), it makes me not want to bother.
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