"The Absent Apology"

I this one is quite universal. I'm not always sure what goes on with the person who goes "I'm sorry" and then continues on their way when they almost ran into (with or without a shopping cart).

Are they really embarrassed at what they almost did and simply have to move away because they don't really know how to apologize and hope "I'm sorry" covers it? (Since people often don't even look at me when they do this, perhaps that is it.)

Perhaps they don't think it deserves more and that I should just accept what they did now because they said those couple of words and that makes it okay?

Since I moved to the South some 25 years ago, I have become more used to politeness as a social niceness rather than a sincerity.