Originally Posted by
railroadtycoon
... As for people running off, I can't speak for your situation, but I can tell you from numerous observations of obviously foreign people lost (and my own experiences) and asking a japanese person, the Japanese person would always stop, spend some time on the matter, even if they don't know where the place is at, study their phone, a map and attempt to communicate an answer. ...
Not only do I agree with everything in your post, I have had the experience of people coming up to me when I am not in any way, shape or form lost and offer help. Perhaps I just naturally have a "lost" expression
but this seems to happen a lot - almost to the point of occasionally being a nuisance. I think folks just see me as a "safe-looking" foreigner to approach and practice english on. Some of my best interactions with locals have started out this way.
I also seem to have lost, english-speaking foreigners hunt me down to ask directions, which is another thing entirely. More of that "safe" look, I guess.