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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
imaflutteringkite · 19/08/2020 09:16

I'm the same. When I'm talking gossiping about someone to my husband he'll say things like "yeah, him with the glasses" and I have no idea. If I see someone out of context from where they normally are I don't recognise them at all

Chanjer · 19/08/2020 09:16

Also meant to add, even with a picture in front of me I find it very hard to describe what people look like

I'm also quite short sighted so if I want to know what anyone standing more than about 6 feet away actually looks like I have to peer at people

HappydaysArehere · 19/08/2020 09:31

This is me to a T. Unless I see a neighbour regularly I will not recognise them when I am out. I always tell people this and ask them to say “hello” as I would never purposely ignore them. The strange thing is that my favourite hobby is painting portraits which actually do look like those I paint. An artist told me once that was why I could do it because I was forced to look at a subject really closely and never assumed anything.

longwayoff · 20/08/2020 10:18

Oh , just reminded me, years ago, travelled a couple of miles, bus and half mile walk, with a man giving me occasional glances on bus, then on the walk to home, a few steps behind me. Took exact same journey as me. Increasingly unnerved, I reached my front door only to see him turn into next door pathway. Yes, unrecognised next door neighbour. I was young. Absolutely no chance of that happening now, chills me to think how I couldn't think how else to act at the time, all I could focus on was getting to my house feeling I might be in danger. Clueless.

Iwasonceabrownie · 20/08/2020 10:24

I can be with someone all day but if asked that evening what had they been wearing, I wouldn't have a clue.

sociallydistained · 20/08/2020 10:26

I have always said this. I'm so unobservant it's quite a worry!

ItWorriesMeThisKindofThing · 20/08/2020 10:52

I am poor at remembering faces but I think I know why, and it’s because I am shy and avoid eye contact and casual chit chat. I don’t think I look at people properly. So not so much of a problem recognising actors (though getting worse as I get older!) but an issue remembering new neighbours or colleagues I don’t usually have much to do with.

ddl1 · 20/08/2020 11:07

I think I'd be even worse! Unless the people involved in the crime had been talking: I would remember their voices and what they said. I remember everything about a person except what they look like -very embarrassing at times.

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