i the point made by bringing examples was simply to say that you shouldn't be afraid that by going by the halacha, that you will transgress publicly embarrassing someone. Which was a reason given sometimes for allowing handshaking between genders in public (not the only one) That by acting similarly to the examples with brachot and personal warmth that people will not be offended in the least. That has generally been my experience in not shaking hands with men. He's saying the halacha is the halacha and this is how you implement it like a mentsch.

I don't think he's trying to strengthen the halacha at all through his personal examples. He's trying to strengthen and motivate people who might find following the halacha too difficult due to being worried about someone's reaction. Rav Yosef accomplishes this by mentioning that both he and his father successfully avoided any ill will despite not shaking hands.

I would posit that big famous rabbis not shaking hands, especially in public where they will be seen to be setting an example, is nothing like a businessman not shaking hands with a businesswoman or with the president of the company, for example.

Rafi...tou have tour history wrong.. the refusal to shake hands was NOT well recoeves

Parden the typing mistakes

he said it, not me. I dont remember the incident at all.