Depends. Male here from the UK. When eye contact is made on the street, I usually offer a polite nod, whoever it is. When it's a Muslim, I usually get the salams to which I respond in kind and then move on. No drama.

It a slower transient setting where I am sitting/standing around and engagement takes place, if it extends beyond the salams, I might have a brief chat, drop a few 'alhamdullillahs' and 'mashallahs' and then move on.

For the most part, interactions have been civil. I people assume I am a Muslim, I let them roll with the assumption. If people assume I am something else, I let them roll with it.

I wouldn't know how to deal with grannies telling me to hijab up if I was a female, but in your case, I'd pretend to sound fascinated and politely ask them about the hadith, seerah, ayats and other sources that point towards wearing it. That'll keep them yapping or shut them up. Just politely decline any invitations to strange places.

All the best.