The city is full of scary scary people

Why is it that I'm more comfortable approaching a tattooed, slightly dishevelled, possibly drunk, possibly homeless, possibly mentally unstable man, who swears at me and tells me about the fight he was in last night, than approaching a neatly dressed city worker who is quietly having their lunch on the grass?
Maybe it is because I can imagine how I could get there.
Getting on and then getting off drugs, I can see how that happens, so I feel at home with people on methadone. Mental illness, well, I know how that works, soI can talk with crazypeople.But could I imagine myself in an office?
Hmm maybe.
So maybe it is just I know the rules for getting respect in those communities. You don't have to be like a 'done guy to win his respect (in fact, probably better if you aren't).
I don't know the rules for office people, and I'm not one of them, so enlighten me.
How does a city worker respect someone who isn't a city worker?