Eric, I just missed bumping into one rounding the corner of the house a couple years ago. I'd come back in the house from the shed out back to plug in an extension cord. Was headed back out when my wife saw the bear round the corner out of the kitchen window. If I'd been about 20 seconds faster we'd have definitely run into each other at that corner.
I know you're not supposed to look them in the eye if they're near, and you're not supposed to yell, but there's kind of a limit to presence of mind in those circumstances!
My favorite video on what to do in case of bear encounter is here: