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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think I'd be the worst witness to a crime ever?

58 replies

Howallergic · 18/08/2020 23:11

I always can't remember whether people wear glasses or whether they have beards for e.g.
I see people, not their physical attributes.
I wouldn't have a clue what someone was wearing.
I'd be a useless witness.

Anyone else the same?

OP posts:
BlackSwan · 19/08/2020 00:04

Oneborneverydecade that’s so interesting, what’s a aphantasia like? Is it ever a problem?

BlackSwan · 19/08/2020 00:06

I have no idea how people assist the police with e-fit pictures. If I was asked the shape of an assailant’s nose for eg I’d be useless

Cissyandflora · 19/08/2020 00:08

Yes me too. Prosopagnosia. It’s so difficult to explain to people.

steff13 · 19/08/2020 00:09

Eye witness testimony is notoriously unreliable, anyway. So it's not just you.

pollyglot · 19/08/2020 01:38

I'd be the worst. But many years ago, my 8-year old son was able to give a perfect description of a drunk/drugged driver who killed a little girl in a head-on, even though he had only seen him briefly at the wheel. He recalled height, build, colouring, facial hair, nose shape, details of tattoo on wrist, (out the window, holding a joint), clothing. Enough to nail the bastard, who had denied that he was driving.

TheAdhesiveDuckDeficiency · 19/08/2020 04:26

I was thinking about this recently but in the context of those sketches that get made of a suspect for a crime.

There is no way I could describe someone I saw very briefly in such detail that someone could draw an accurate sketch. In fact, I’m not sure I could describe my own mother well enough for an accurate sketch. I know what she looks like but I don’t think I could describe her other than tall, blonde hair etc. You know, basic things.

Maybe they don’t rely on sketches much in real life but I do see them on the news sometimes and wonder how on earth someone could describe the person so well.

Shoxfordian · 19/08/2020 06:34

I wouldn't be too bad with describing people but if there was a getaway car then the most you'd get from me is the colour

lljkk · 19/08/2020 06:41

I can remember lots of details but I can't tell faces of strangers apart. [blushes]

Cassie71 · 19/08/2020 06:47

This is a fear of mine. In films when you see people talking to the sketch artist. "What shaped nose did he have? Can you describe his chin? How far apart are his eyes?". Me "I think he might of had a jacket on, but I'm not sure."

LioneIRichTea · 19/08/2020 07:31

I see people, not their physical attributes.

But physical attributes is the person. What do you see if not what they look like?

LioneIRichTea · 19/08/2020 07:33

Sorry OP I see you’ve answered this s as steady. I’m the opposite and never forget a face and it’s equally as annoying trust me Grin

Cocothefirst · 19/08/2020 07:35

A stranger who sat at my table in the pub told me in great detail how he was going to murder a named person.

I committed everything about him to memory including the colour and make of his jacket. When I called the police I was able to give them a good description.

Only years later did I remember the man had a distinct regional accent.

TeaAndStrumpets · 19/08/2020 07:48

I can remember faces very clearly, but only if I see them again. I couldn't recall enough details for an identikit sketch, but I could pick out the person from a line-up. I do recognise actors on TV, and can (usually) say where I've seen them before.

As for a detailed description, well.....I would be useless. I couldn't tell you what colour my friends' front doors are, or their cars. It just doesn't register with me.

TweeBree · 19/08/2020 07:57

I was the victim of a sex assault in broad daylight. I saw his face and thought for sure I could identify him. But when they put the photos of a dozen men looking just slightly different from each other in front of me I couldn't pick him out. It was so upsetting.

Nocaloriesinchocolate · 19/08/2020 08:03

It’s long been a dream of mine to have the following scene in a film. Suppose, that, for example Tom Cruise was the villain. The police are asking the victim to describe him. My hope for a fantasy scene is that the victim would say “he looked just like Tom Cruise”.

Oryxx · 19/08/2020 08:09

I’d be dreadful. A while ago I witnessed a car crash where one driver drove off (luckily no one was hurt). As it was happening, I remember thinking that I must pay attention as it would be important later. When I came to give my statement, I couldn’t remember the colour of the car, anything about the registration or even what the weather was like. Totally crap.

StCharlotte · 19/08/2020 08:14

@Nocaloriesinchocolate

It’s long been a dream of mine to have the following scene in a film. Suppose, that, for example Tom Cruise was the villain. The police are asking the victim to describe him. My hope for a fantasy scene is that the victim would say “he looked just like Tom Cruise”.
Grin

I have an incredible memory but my problem is I'm completely unobservant so unless the perpetrator tapped me on the shoulder and said "Watch closely, I'm about to commit a crime", it could totally pass me by.

I had a car accident last year and the other driver and I were swapping details by text later in the evening. She sent a message saying she was just putting her little girl to bed and I was thinking "Shit! Was there a child in the car???".

testing987654321 · 19/08/2020 08:24

I am hopeless with faces unless they are particularly distinctive, I rely mostly on hairstyles. The number of times I have apologised for not recognising someone is ridiculous.

I am much better at voices, and how a person moves.

I am also liable to get colours completely wrong, but will remember the tone, so how bright or gentle it was.

Getting reported speech correct is another challenge. After incidents at school I would put "they said something along the lines of ..."

P0lO · 19/08/2020 08:26

@Howallergic

Jamie - I'm the same with films. If they've two white actors, I can't tell the difference so I can't follow the storyline as I can't tell who is doing what!
I've always had this problem. I now use audio-description for all TV (as I'm now severely sight impaired) and everything is suddenly easier to understand despite being unable to see! It used to drive fellow TV watchers daft as I couldn't follow a plot because of this.
Mycatismadeofstringcheese · 19/08/2020 08:33

I’m the same. If an actor has even slightly different hair in a different programme then the chances are I won’t recognise them.

Even really famous actors I look at and think “that person is vaguely familiar” rather than recognising them. I use IMDb quite a lot when watching things!

Husband is the type to recognise an actor who played a silent bit part in a film we watched once twenty years ago so doesn’t understand why I can’t recognise a main actor wearing a different hat from something we watched last week!

I would be a terrible eyewitness too.

TwentyViginti · 19/08/2020 08:41

@JamieLeeCurtains

I can't tell most people apart in most recent films.

I think they should have to wear hats with their names on.

One day there will be hovering 'Nan' subtitles for people like me. Massive arrows pointing down to actors' heads at the click of a button, saying, 'This one's her off of the Boleyn Girl, you know, the one who isn't the other one, the one who did that film you like.'

OMG I soooo need this! Grin
TwentyViginti · 19/08/2020 08:46

@Cassie71

This is a fear of mine. In films when you see people talking to the sketch artist. "What shaped nose did he have? Can you describe his chin? How far apart are his eyes?". Me "I think he might of had a jacket on, but I'm not sure."
Grin

Can relate!

Branleuse · 19/08/2020 08:56

Me too. I am so bad with faces, that its hard to follow films sometimes, especially american ones due to their identikit actresses and actors who all have same style

Soubriquet · 19/08/2020 09:03

I’m terrible at faces. Really bad

Due to the pandemic, my work place has had a big recruitment drive to get new staff in to cover the orders

Lots of new people including a set of identical twins.

I can’t remember all of the people! I have to make sure I read their badge for their name or I don’t refer to them by a name as I can’t remember who they are.

It’s awful

Chanjer · 19/08/2020 09:12

I can perfectly forget what people look like, and if I see people out of context of where I know them then there's gonna be a noticeable processing time until recognition clicks in

However I've had to give quite a few witness statements and have been able to check how accurate my memory was (seeing CCTV) and I've been surprisingly good at it. I remember clothing and details but nothing beyond a general description of what they looked like