Not sure when or how to end a conversation

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Have moved area which is great I don't know anyone I love anonymity but if someone does try to start a conversation with me I won't just ignore them.

A woman who lives on the same street has started chatting to me. I find it really awkward. I want to chat to seem friendly but find it hard to know how long a casual chat in the street should last and what to say when I want to get away. I've no idea when the chat has come to a natural end.

I'm the same when I visit someone which happens rarely. I wish they'd say I had to leave at a certain time because I don't know how long to stay. I get really uneasy thinking about whether I should be going yet.

Anyone else?

I sometimes find it awkward to end conversations too. I get that kind of awkward silence. Then I just kind of go, "Okay, Bye"

A pronounced lull in conversation from the person you're talking to is a good rule of thumb.
Also look for subtle signs of them losing interest in the conversation (e.g. responses becoming noticeably shorter and reduced contribution to the conversation, beginning to look around more, glancing at their watch or cell phone for the time, etc.).
I used to be totally oblivious to those signs.

I have problems with this too. I kind of know in theory what to say, but I don't consistently manage to "pull it out of the bag" when put on the spot in the situation.

But some helpful things are stuff like saying, when there's a pause in the chat:

"Well, I'd better let you get on -- lovely talking to you!" (Nod and smile and move off toward where you were going.

"Well, time for my tea, see you around!"

Or make use of a topic she's been talking about, something like:

"Speaking of food, just off to the shops now and I better get cracking, you take care until next time!"

It usually works to start your sentence with the words "Well..." or "Anyway....I'd better (etc etc)"

"Well" and "anyway" tend to be words people start using to signal that the conversation is about to wrap up, if they are used after a pause in the chat and someone begins the next thing they're saying with one of those words.

Also the phrase "I'll let you go now" or "I'd better let you go/ let you get on" are good because they politely suggest it's you who have been keeping the person too long, even though you feel like it's them who are keeping hold of you too long!

Hope any of that helps.

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I tend to utilize the "major medical crisis" ploy to break away from a conservation. One I'm fond of is, "Oh, crap! I think my spleen just burst! I'm off to the ER. Talk to you later!"

Another way to break off a conversation is just pretend that your cell phone is on vibrate and you're being called. Pretend to be talking on the phone about something important and the person you were trying to break contact with will usually move along.

I have the same problem. I just don't know when I'm allowed to go. I can often sense that the other person also wants to go but we are stuck with each other. I tend to get stuck in an awkward conversation where both want to end it and go but can't. I feel I must be causing it. I often use the usual, "well, I better let you go" to make it sound that I understand that the other person needs to go and I'm letting him/her go. The problem is I can't say it naturally and end up sounding like trying to force the conversation to end. It's so awkward. It must be my disability.

I'm terrible at this, I never know when to end a conversation and I've tried most of the things people suggest in this thread and it still never looks like I said the right thing to the person, saying goodbye is awkward enough but it's even more awkward when you can't read people at all.

Duplicate post

AmethystRose, I guess I should have posted it in my "Really Bad Advice" thread. Still, I'm not so sure it wouldn't be worth trying.

Going to the bar or the toilet are always good ways of exiting a conversation.

I easily end one when my train comes or I get off the bus or when I have to get back to work or when I have to be somewhere. Online I easily end one when I am getting off the computer.