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 😭

I hate being looked at so always have privacy film or draw the blinds/curtains. I also know how difficult it is to walk past a place that's basically on display - I always peek!! So yes, YABU and need to cover it up if it bothers you. As people have said, there's tons of temporary (and cheap/free) options. However, I also understand it's annoying. But I think if there's something you can do to stop it, do it.

Plants v good idea

YANBU OP, I moved into my house 6 months ago and it’s kind of on a bend with a huge back garden which you can see but recently with lockdown people are not only looking in the back garden but staring right in my window too! 1 guy and his son decided to take a wee walk down my driveway and when asked what they were doing they sheepishly said “ oh we knew the people that used to live here, just wanted to see what the garden was like “ the other one happened yesterday. I was having a wee nap on my couch ( I’m over 8 and a half months pregnant) and had the window open. The couple decided it was appropriate to come down the drive and put their head virtually in my window, when I popped up the couple got the fright of their life ( their head was pretty much on top of my TV!! ) I did nearly pee myself laughing though because they got so much of a fright hahaha!!! I don’t care what anyone says, DON’T BE RUDE AND STARE IN PEOPLES WINDOWS!!

Temporarily put up curtains? Even a bedsheet? if it bothers you that much - do something. Because it is unreasonable to expect people not to look - we're not racehorses with blinkers, people do look around them when they are walking by.

You can get cheap stick on paper blinds that are really easy to take off- we got them as a temp fix when we moved in, ended up keeping them up for 3 years 😂

@ProfYaffle
Lol, I thought that was a sideways picture of those ruched curtains. Not seen them in ages.

People can't help but look if you have no curtains, especially if the light is on inside and it's dark out - it draws your attention even if you try not to look. Could you cover the windows with film or something just while you do the wall?

Stand up and take their photos through the window, preferably with a proper camera rather than your phone or they won't realise what you're doing.

For greater effect, print them out and paste them facing outwards on your window 😂

@Coffeecak3 I don't think it eats people but its "arms" are long enough that I think it could grab someone and crush them. The terrible thing is one of her limbs fell off and we potted it and and now we have another one that is already about 4 ft tall. I wouldn't mind but anyone who knows me would tell you I'm not good with plants. God knows what it would be like if someone who was good with plants had it.

Take photo's of them and post on here so we can all see them

My kitchen window is directly by a fairly busy pavement (no front garden) and I never have issues with people looking in.

I did however have the reverse of this the other day when I was washing up in the evening, daydreaming staring out of the window, but with the kitchen light on when it’s dark outside all I can see is the reflection of the kitchen in the window. Suddenly noticed movement and someone outside was waving awkwardly, clearly they’d made eye contact not knowing I couldn’t actually see them and thought I was just staring

I'll try, I'm not very technical so I can't promise.

I think some people aren’t understanding the level of staring! Cursory glance, fine. One man just walked past, just slowly, slowly staring at every aspect of the wall/driveway/house. He stopped to look. He looked back again. It’s not just normal walking past and having a glance.

Also STOP SUGGESTING FUCKING CURTAINS 🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪

@SummerBaby2020

HA! Since you’re also heavily pregnant perhaps it’s a beached whale thing for you too?

People can't help but look if you have no curtains, especially if the light is on inside and it's dark out - it draws your attention even if you try not to look

They can help it. AND, again, we aren’t talking about the lights on in the evening. I mean all day. All early evening. No lights on.

I think your right @Wheredidallmytreesgo they also like to stare when I’m on my pregnancy ball too which is the right colour bright blue ha ha 🤣 I now wave to them.....no one has waved back yet....I don’t know what I’ll do if someone does lol!!

@SummerBaby2020

Maybe we use the front rooms
For home birth and see who is brave enough to watch? Maybe sell some tickets and popcorn? 🤩

@Wheredidallmytreesgo

I think some people aren’t understanding the level of staring! Cursory glance, fine. One man just walked past, just slowly, slowly staring at every aspect of the wall/driveway/house. He stopped to look. He looked back again. It’s not just normal walking past and having a glance.

Also STOP SUGGESTING FUCKING CURTAINS 🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪

What exactly are you building? A wall or a scale model of the Sistine Chapel? Surely to God a brick wall can't have people doubling back for a second look, as if they couldn't credit what they'd seen the first time?!

I used to live on a main road. I had a big front garden which was below pavement level. I never found people staring in but every single time I was in the garden, either sitting in it or gardening, someone would stop and talk to me. I even had to switch off the mower as they would make conversation. I had a fence but that didn't stop them as they were always a higher level than me. Whatever I was doing someone would stop and strike up a conversation, it was bizarre.

Our brown dirt might just be turning to green grass ... it’s raining!! Mind you it’s keeping people in their homes - every cloud has a silver lining!!
Yep it’s definitely your post box - put a bin bag over it ... those nosy peeps will walk right on by looking for it.

What exactly are you building? A wall or a scale model of the Sistine Chapel?
Surely to God a brick wall can't have people doubling back for a second look, as if they couldn't credit what they'd seen the first time?!

I am in no way exaggerating about the amount of time and effort people are taking to examine my wall. It’s an incredibly bog standard wall. It’s a reasonably nice house but sandwiched between nicer houses! It makes not a lick of sense to me, which is part of the reason I find it so bloody annoying.

@emilybrontescorsett

How odd! What would they say?!

@Wheredidallmytreesgo I never even thought of that!! Roll up! Roll up! £5 a ticket that includes popcorn and a jug of diluting juice!! Alternatively BYOB......and one for me too for when I’m done a bottle of Gin please don’t care what kind

Curtains? Blinds? Shutters? Voiles? Or ( shudders) nets?
There’s semi opaque sticky backed plastic even.
Or ... ignore completely.

Op, they would typically stop, sometimes hold onto my fence and say something like "it's a nice day isn't it?"
Me; yes lovely.
Them: you've got your work cut out.
Me: yes I know
Them: is that a clematis?
Me: yes it is
Them: oh I like clematis, such a lovely flower.
Me: pauses wondering what else to say
Them: well I'll let you crack on then, bye.
I didnt know them either!