It is acceptable to avoid acknowledging people in public if you do not want to engage in a potentially long or uncomfortable conversation.

“Cuz it's like cuz obviously if they approach me then I'll be like, "Hey, what?" Having a conversation, but I know this is going to be a 15-minute conversation cuz the first 10 minutes of the conversation is me trying to bait you into giving me your name or where I might know you from.”