AIBU people staring into my house

[Wheredidallmytreesgo]

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 😭

What about spraying water on the windows and putting tin foil on the top? That should last for six weeks, just for some privacy!

The babestation thing: do you have to pay for that? Maybe he was doing a service to the street - people who didn’t want to pay could also watch?

@CuppaZa

It would take me too long to scoop them out of my trousers 🤣

As previously said, old fashioned pink windowless in the windows, it dries to an opaque white .

You could always try waving at them (apologies if this has been suggested already)

"Isn’t windolene just a clear spray?!" - No, it's the old fashioned cream you need. It dries an opaque white. Years ago people used to put it on their windows while they were decorating and the curtains were down as it stops others staring in.

Defo moon them

Also have you thought about getting curtains, I can’t imagine anyone else has suggested it...

Like this

I live by the beach and lots of people go for a leisurely walk past our front and causally look in the front garden. It doesn’t bother me - I do it too!

I also love looking into people’s front rooms in winter when it’s dark and cold outside and cosy looking inside, as I rush past.

Side note: in the evening do you not feel uneasy/cold never having curtains up? That black glass staring back at you when you’re inside with the lights on makes me feel freaked out!

@ProfYaffle

THIS IS GENIUS!!!!!!!!!

Sorry OP. I've no real advice other than what has already been said, but this thread has really made me laugh.
Someone banging on the window finished me off.

Just wave enthusiastically at them - I find it unsettles people if they don't know you.

You can temporarily cover the glass with a cheap 'frosted window film'. If you google it, lots of options will come up. It's a sticky back plastic - you peel the back off and stick it to the window. Once your wall is built, you can peel the film off without marking your windows.

My sister used to have this problem at her previous house. We couldn't understand why people would stare in so blatantly, but in the end we did wonder actually how well they could see in from where they were stood. We could see them clearly but maybe the glare from the window meant that they actually couldn't see in to the house much at all and therefore couldn't see us staring back at them!

I feel your pain OP we have no front garden at all we step from our front door straight onto public footpath and there's always people walking by gasping in, sometimes directly into our eyes! So flipping rude, I don't know why they think it's ok to do that.

@Batshittery

Yes! I want to know WHY someone was banging on that person’s window?!

@RedRed9

No, I didn’t mind not having curtains because we aren’t overlooked and when the wall was up no one could see in!! Now I mind

@Wheredidallmytreesgo

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 😭

Put up a cheap voile until the wall is redone.

*gawping in

Walk to the front window and ask if you can help them.

put a cctv and "you are being recorded" sign?

Have you looked into your living from outside where the passers by are staring? Chances are, with window reflection and sun glare, they can't see you as clearly as you think.
If they can, I'd stick some temporary net curtains up, even if they do look naff.

I’d find something to cover it up if it annoys you. While we are waiting for our shutters being fitted we leave the curtains open during the day and close in the evening. A lot of people pass and can’t help but glance in when I’m playing with my son. I usually smile and give them a big wave, and they quickly look away!

Do people really do this? I’m also having my front garden done and apart from someone having a glance as they walk past no one stands and gawps in. And I live in a city centre so it’s busy!

OP, get the most horrific halloween mask that you can find. keep it close by. Anyone who you find looking in at you, turn away and pop it on, then stand up and approach the window in a menacing fashion.

Actually the sun shines round the back of the house so not at all at the front. DH went out and took a photo to show me, tbf you can’t see loads inside BUT I think it’s because it’s grey and miserable. I reckon when it’s bright and sunny, without sun shining directly in, they can see more.

I don’t know if I can comment on nets/voiles/curtains anymore without having an internal explosion BUT we do not have a curtain pole up. Because we do not want curtains. Becuase we do not need curtains when we have a wall. So we do not have anything to put curtains on. And we are not putting up curtain pole on nice newly painted wall for a matter of weeks. Eye twitching a bit now