I BELIEVE : When you get an encounter, you create this radius on World map where you can be encountered by other players. Doesn't matter what zone you're in or what coordinate as long as they touch that radius, they can get you.
AFAIK with my dual log, it can be 2-3 zones big
as i said this is happening without me getting taged.
He meant use both modes (real time and TB). As Drot said, stop hanging around populated areas like Hub, Boneyard, pretty much all south. San Fran and New Reno there are players there too so be careful, but everywhere else doesn't seem so much.