Approaching women in public places

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Well, when I was younger and more hopeful, I had some success in starting conversations with strangers - I walked into a pub I'd never been in, and joined in with the conversation at the bar. Other times were chatting to passengers on trains. Though in spite of my practice, I've not felt able to sustain the effort. I think the best approach is to forget all about "asking them out" and just make the occasional small friendly gesture where it seems appropriate, regardless of partner potential. Just hanging about in bars with the intention of pulling by closing time, well I only ever knew of one who did that successfully, and he was a very troubled man.

This is good advice.

I think it is more difficult now with everyone glued to their phones, and answers to common questions now at your finger tips on that phone. But I still manage to engage occasionally in random conversations with strangers. Obviously not to date, since I'm married, but it isn't that different. The ice breaker shouldn't be an obvious "I'm trying to date you" kind of thing, anyway.

Some Aspies (like my son) are fine talking to strangers and some aren't. It think whether or not it can work depends on the person.

Neither of my kids internet date.

Some examples of when I've done random conversations:
1. Grocery store lines, if the person above is buying something I have interest in.
2. Waiting together somewhere when we aren't already on our phones.
3. Sitting next to someone on a busy bus, plane or train, if they aren't already reaching for an electronic device.
4. Sharing a table in a crowded coffee shop, if they aren't engaged with an electronic device.
5. Going over to the other stand alone person at some awkward school (for my kids) event.

I don't think you should ever approach someone to cold ask them out. You have to engage and allow each of you to get a sense of each other, and gauge each other's level of interest. I never "like" instantly, although I can "dislike" instantly (a judgement that can be overcome, by the way). That is because attraction for women involves a lot more than just looks. If someone wasn't willing to show me who they are, why would I feel safe dating them?

Did any of your male kids got a date via this approach?

My son has a girlfriend he met through a method I have often recommended: they are in a club together.

He actually hasn't reached the phase of life yet where he feels he should have a girlfriend, so he has never really gone out looking for dates. Because he comes across as accessible, they seem to happen anyway. He is someone who likes to talk, so he tends to engage with the people around him no matter where he is. That doesn't always go well but he really doesn't care; it goes well often enough.

Then your examples are all based on fantasy or maybe worked in the old days, not modern real life experiences.