I can make a pretty good guess as to why this creep decided to push things with you.
Self defense trainers usually have some spiel about "being a victim" and this is pretty much true... By not actively asserting yourself in your environment, you do give off these "victim" vibes.
In your original post, you actually mentioned that you will sometimes turn to the person, look them in the eye and say hello... By doing so, you have asserted yourself to that other person, and unless they are very agressive, they will back off.
So what should you do? When some one starts "sidle"ing up to you, turn and look them directly in the eye. If that doesn't work, turn yourself to face them square on and say something (like "hi" or "can I help you?").
Eye contact is probably the most powerful tool you have to use. Try to maintain eye contact until the other person looks away.
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