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Touching strangers is always a bad idea (unless pulling them out from in front of the bus they just put themselves in the path of), but I see nothing wrong with attempting conversation. Perhaps if people were more clear about their lack of desire to engage? Nodding politely and putting your nose back in your book may feel to you (rhetorical you) like you've unambiguously announced your intentions to be left alone, but that's not the always the case. Especially in the case of non-readers--who probably have no idea they've interrupted a devout reader who was prostrating themselves at the altar of Reading.
So instead of silently raging about the audaciousness of a stranger who chose that moment to interrupt your private time; or grunting/nodding in pseudo-response to something they said (all the while hoping said grunt gets taken in the actual spirit of "leave me the hell alone" that your mind's ear so clearly heard you say it in), why not simply say, "I'm not interested in conversation right now. I'm trying to read this book." ? Or something similarly unambiguous? Why hint with body-language not everyone is fluent in?
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