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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU people staring into my house

190 replies

Wheredidallmytreesgo · 03/06/2020 18:16

Having the front garden wall redone. Living room at the front of the house, exposed. Fairly sizeable driveway but still, several times a day (and worse, evening when I’ve got my slobs on and stuffing my face with snacks 😁), people stop outside my house, gawping and pointing at the work being done and shamelessly staring into my living room/at me. For actually what’s a very uncomfortable amount of time.

AIBU? I feel like I’m in a zoo. Don’t people realise that this is quite rude?!

Any ideas of how to respond? I usually duck and hide but this evening tried just hard staring at one couple, as they were really pointing and discussing the house/looking straight at me. Didn’t seem to do anything though. Maybe walking around naked should scare them off.

PS, we don’t have any curtains because it’s a great window with a window seat, and there was/will be a nice high wall so this problem won’t last forever. But just to say we can’t draw the curtains 😭

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
starfishmummy · 03/06/2020 18:43

Buy curtains or blinds. Roman blinds seem v It will still be a nice big window with a window seat but you will be able to have privacy when you want it.

A few houses in my street have window seats for their dogs in their bay windows and have roman blinds which are pull up well out of the way of the seat.

Catsrus · 03/06/2020 18:43

just tape some sheets of newspaper up until the wall is finished

Legoandloldolls · 03/06/2020 18:43

Stick on plastic frosting over the bottom part of the window? That's what I have got over the bottom 1/4 of mine. We have a long front garden ( well a car length at least) but I was worried when BF so put it up. Didnt take it down when dd got a bit older either as it's a good security measure. But in the meantime a Bush has grown in between the path and the front door so you have to walk into the garden, past a tree and a Bush to nose in.

My neighbours dont have anything up so better options either side to check out

Ravenclawgirl · 03/06/2020 18:41

Get temporary blinds or one-way window film, both available from amazon.

Original poster
Wheredidallmytreesgo · 03/06/2020 18:41

@Bluntness100

I do think mostly it’s a put up and shut up, as you say. But wanted to have a moan/see if other people think it’s ok to stare in at houses

OP posts:
Original poster
Wheredidallmytreesgo · 03/06/2020 18:40

@PanamaPattie

Isn’t windolene just a clear spray?!

@NameChange84

Yes!!! I was taught it’s rude to stare. I think a cursory glance walking past is fine, but standing and stopping/pointing etc is too much.

@Windyatthebeach

Maybe just a classical “if you can read this sign kindly stop fucking staring at my house” ?

OP posts:
Laaalaaaa · 03/06/2020 18:39

Flip them the bird? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Original poster
Wheredidallmytreesgo · 03/06/2020 18:38

@DNAwrangler

Very good idea will test this out this evening

@IntermittentParps

Also great idea with the screen! Much less permanent than blinds etc or even privacy film which isn’t always easy to get off

@Zeusthemoose

Glad someone else understands 😂 maybe she just wanted to be friends! 🤦🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
PanamaPattie · 03/06/2020 18:37

As pp have said, Windolene works a treat and you will have clean windows when you wash it off.

NameChange84 · 03/06/2020 18:36

YADNBU

We aren’t having any work done but live on a main road. People make a real point of stopping and staring in through the main windows these days. It’s like a people zoo.

We can’t sit in the garden due to being in the Shielding category and not able to maintain an adequate amount of distance as the garden is at the front of the house and we aren’t allowed to put a high wall/fencing up (it wouldn’t be in keeping with the period of the house and neighbourhood). Life would a
be more miserable and claustrophobic than it already is if we had to sit with our living room curtains shut all day.

I’ve very pointedly stared back at some of the starts and they just grin inanely like they don’t care it’s an invasion of privacy.

Was I the only one who was taught “it’s rude to stare” growing up.

Windyatthebeach · 03/06/2020 18:35

Make some A4 signs.
Have some fun here..
'hey you- buggar off'
'smile you are on cctv'
'boo!'
'do you want a photo?'

'

strugglingwithdeciding · 03/06/2020 18:35

Think that's why blinds and net curtains were invented

Itsnotalwaysme · 03/06/2020 18:34

I have to admit, a window across from my flat reflects onto my front door, so if my buzzer goes and I'm not expecting anyone/ or if I am specifically waiting on someone my eyes do not leave the window.

It was a storage room for an office but has been converted into flats so I'm worried about when new people move in they will hate me Grin

DNAwrangler · 03/06/2020 18:33

Go and stand where the people are, in the evening and have your DH sit where you usually are.

Can you even see your DH? Anything else of interest?!

IntermittentParps · 03/06/2020 18:33

Where, and PeppaisaBitch. For heaven's sake, read the thread, people!

How about a free-standing screen? A paperJapanese-type thing maybe? Then when it's not needed for the window any more you've still got it to partition off one room from another or parts of the room or all the mess in the alcove like I use mine for

Zeusthemoose · 03/06/2020 18:32

Lol I get this alot! Our kitchen window looks straight onto the pavement and I'm often gawped at while I'm in my dressing gown with terrible hair. I've stopped caring and could get a blind but haven't got round to it. One woman kept staring in for ages to try and catch my eye and say hello. My DH said I'm unfriendly for blanking her but for god's sake I'm not in a zoo!!

Original poster
Wheredidallmytreesgo · 03/06/2020 18:30

@simonisnotme

Your comprehension skills need work 😁

@SparkyTheCat

Cross post! Glad to hear it works!

OP posts:
LunaLoveFood · 03/06/2020 18:29

Can people actually see you? Or is the sunlight reflecting on the glass so they don't realise there is someone in the room while they are being nosy at the work being done and looking at a garden then don't usually see.

HauntedGoatFart · 03/06/2020 18:29

Put up privacy film - it's cheap and doesn't block the light.

People are always going to look at movement and activity. If you don't want to be looked at, you need to block the view.

Original poster
Wheredidallmytreesgo · 03/06/2020 18:29

Also I appreciate maybe it’s interesting seeing a front wall in process of being built but still... I might start smiling and waving

OP posts:
SparkyTheCat · 03/06/2020 18:28

I have a large front window (when the blinds are up) and find that smiling and waving is a very effective way of getting the starers to move on!

simonisnotme · 03/06/2020 18:28

close the curtains, it aint rocket science
nowt to look at apart from the garden then

Original poster
Wheredidallmytreesgo · 03/06/2020 18:27

People didn't just stare in they'd also bang on the window, all the bloody time

What?!? Why bang on the window?!

I’m
Not doing a thing to attract attention. I’m in the last stage of pregnancy so could be that they think I’m a beached whale and that’s interesting? 😬 not getting curtains because it will only be a few weeks. I know maybe I’m unreasonable I just don’t know why people think it’s ok to be so obvious!

Old wall covered it totally and new wall will too

OP posts:
Sexnotgender · 03/06/2020 18:27

We put net curtain up, I hate net curtains but we have people stand and stare and point at our house and I like a little bit of privacy!

WindsorBlues · 03/06/2020 18:26

This used to happen to my friend when we where teens she lived on a main road, and people just used to stare in all the time.

She used to shout to them "Oi do you want to come in and look out the window too?" they always put there head down and scuttled off rather quickly.