This is true, but it's a higher hurdle. I went to bars through college, but made no progress socially.

To learn, you need to be able to try a lot, in a consistent environment, and get feedback. Bars made it difficult to try small things, and they're a complex environment where you can't repeat the same interaction so easily.

Whereas, saying "hi" to a stranger is never that different, in terms of how it goes initially.