AIBU to love looking in people’s windows!

[LittleRa]

I’m on maternity leave and my baby loves the pram (was a surprise as older DD hated it!) and naps well it, but wakes up when I stop walking. I also do the school run twice a day for older DD. So I find myself wandering around the streets, exploring parts of the neighbourhood I haven’t been to before. I love looking into people’s front windows! It feels so nosy What they have on their walls; art work, photos etc, how their furniture is arranged, where their TV is positioned (and how big it is!) have all become a source of fascination to me. Has my baby brain turned to mush and I need to get out (of the nearby streets) more? Is is terribly bad manners? Anyone else like a good nose into front windows?
Disclaimer- from the street! Not entering gardens/yards and pressing my nose up against the glass! And also not stopping and gawping- always moving along (aforementioned sleeping baby!)

And - people who trip over and fall when they are so busy staring into my hall when I open the front door, that they forget to look where they are going. I have even spoken to people walking by that are intently staring into my house, so engrossed that they don't even acknowledge me standing there.

I take the key now when I go to the bins, and ensure that the door is closed, it is incredibly rude but folk these days have no manners.

I like looking at front gardens if they're nicely planted.

Where I live, there are lots of bay windows and in December everybody put their Christmas trees in them and puts the lights and decorations all the way around so they can be enjoyed from the outside.

I’m another one guilty of this. The OP sounds of a similar mentality to me. I’d glance in, but look away if anyone there (because that would be rude), but if nobody is there I’d probably notice features of the room like a nice bookcase or lovely colour scheme on my way past. It’s usually in a complimentary “ooh that looks a lovely room” way. If a house has nets or blinds you might be able to see shapes and lights etc, but no detail and it’s not interesting to look at.

I live rurally so never have curtains shut. We have a mirror opposite the window. We get horse riders checking their position in it as they go past (amuses me as I used to be a riding instructor). We also have a footpath goes past our kitchen windows. My husband let the hedge grow tall for privacy, but I’ve made him cut it. I’d smile at people looking in going past. We have neighbours about 1/3 of a mile away that have built a new glass fronted house. We call it the big brother house, you can’t help but see everything they’re doing when it’s lit up. I wish it wasn’t so open. It’s in a completely dark, rural area and draws the eye like a tvscreen.

It doesn't really matter if it's rude or not. People WILL look.

Either you don't mind, or it bothers you and you do something about it.

The "posh" neighbourhood have such big front garden, long drives and tall hedges or wall, you'd need a binocular to look inside. People like their privacy

The police sent to question the driver who had a flat tyre (on a public road) too close to the Middleton house was a step too far possibly...

There's a reason net curtains were invented, and this is it

That is what Rightmove is for 🙈

Not the first time I've given the finger to people staring into my window.

If people are that bothered, why on earth do you leave your windows without any privacy curtain/blind/plant...?

If women are bothered by men staring, why on earth do they wear short skirts and not cover up?

@GloriousMystery This is exactly my point: you think I am “gawking in peoples’ windows”. Do you not register anything you walk past without having to full on look at it?

@NoseOfJericho

And - people who trip over and fall when they are so busy staring into my hall when I open the front door, that they forget to look where they are going. I have even spoken to people walking by that are intently staring into my house, so engrossed that they don't even acknowledge me standing there.

I take the key now when I go to the bins, and ensure that the door is closed, it is incredibly rude but folk these days have no manners.

People actually fall over because they're staring into your hall so intently?

@slashlover

Not the first time I've given the finger to people staring into my window.

If people are that bothered, why on earth do you leave your windows without any privacy curtain/blind/plant...?

If women are bothered by men staring, why on earth do they wear short skirts and not cover up?

Oh come on, that’s not the same thing at all! I’m talking about looking at inanimate objects- bookshelves and sofas, not people’s body parts!

I remember as a child there was a local man ( under today’s standards I’m thinking he would maybe special needs or learning difficulties) but he would wander the village at night looking into peoples houses

My mum got a real fright when she looked up and he was stood there. It’s not the only memory I have of that guy, he definitely was not to be feared, a lovely gentle soul. I guess it’s ingrained in me from that memory

It’s not only rude but could upset someone

As much as I would like to nosey in I don't. Because it's bloody rude. Thankfully I am an adult and able to control myself. Phew!

My own window is apparently an eye drawer. The right size, level and position for people to walk past staring in, usually looking directly at me sitting on the settee eating my dinner, watching telly or even just scratching my arse in my own home. But as I don't want to sit in darkness with my blinds pulled, or live in the 80's with some fetching net curtains, I'm stuck looking like a zoo exhibit.

Not the first time I've given the finger to people staring into my window.

pretty safe way to ensure everyone who saw that once will actively LOOK to check if the nutter is inside every time they walk past 😂

Oh come on, that’s not the same thing at all! I’m talking about looking at inanimate objects- bookshelves and sofas, not people’s body parts!

How do you know, unless you look, whether or not someone is in the room?

Oh come on, that’s not the same thing at all! I’m talking about looking at inanimate objects- bookshelves and sofas, not people’s body parts!

So every single room you look into is empty? Nobody sitting in their PJs when you're on the school run? In this heat, nobody sitting in shorts and a vest top they wouldn't wear outside?

If people don't cover their windows then it's fine to ignore their privacy is such nonsense. Why should someone pay to reduce the amount of light going into their house because you are nosey?

@GreyhoundG1rl

People actually fall over because they're staring into your hall so intently?

The pavements in this road are appalling, broken paving, tree roots covered in mounds of tarmac and still growing through the top, missing bits of kerb, so yes, they really do need to be paying attention to their feet and not my hall or front room.

Obviously not every room is empty, as I’ve said if I glanced in and there was someone sitting there then I’d look away- in the same way that if someone sat opposite you on the tube wearing a short skirt you’d glance across and register it and then look away rather than continuing to ogle. You can’t really control where your initial gaze falls, as a PP mentioned humans have a wide peripheral vision.

When we take the net curtains down to wash I'm always reluctant to put them back up, it's amazing the difference it makes to the light levels in the room. Would love to just chuck them away, but I already hate how much people can see with them up, I can't do without them. It's really frustrating.

I always do this. I think the eye is drawn to houses as you pass. Don’t see anything wrong with it. I always keep a nice bunch of flowers in the window of my front room purposely so it looks nice for anyone walking past.

@slashlover Personally, I usually don’t know whether a person is in the room or not (unless they are stood right in front of window pane) as it’s just a second’s long glimpse and I’m moving. I think a more than a few of us really aren’t eyeballing the room as much as some seem to think we are, though some of these stories are shocking!

I don't think anyone has an issue with reasonabpe short glance. That's normal.

But honestly. Being able to tell wall art is not a glance🙈

Unless it's MASSIVE

I usually have a glance. Best when on a horse as you get a good view

Actually, yes, if you don't want someone to look, it's on you to protect your privacy.

If your bathroom can be seen from the street and you complain people look at you in the shower, it's your problem.

If your front garden can be seen from the street, you can't complain that people are looking at it either.

If someone climbs your fence or on the top of their car to peer in your house, then you can call the cops.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

I don't think anyone has an issue with reasonabpe short glance. That's normal.

But honestly. Being able to tell wall art is not a glance🙈

This. You’d have to have some sort of long look to notice furniture and wall art.