Staring

[Opaline]

Does anyone ever catch people staring at them in public? I don't mean feeling paranoid that people are looking at you - I mean actually seeing people staring at you, perhaps making awkward eye contact with you and they continue to stare.

This happens to me all the time. I know it sounds like I'm being conceited, but I'm not. I don't know why they're staring - perhaps they think I look strange. Maybe they are trying to determine my age, because I am 21 but look younger. I don't know. All I know is, when I go out, I always catch at least one person staring at me, and I usually look back at them, expecting them to look away. Many don't look away, they just continue to stare, and I steal nervous glances back at them, hoping they'll avert their gaze, but they don't :: It really makes me paranoid and I find it to be very rude, when you make eye contact with them and you look displeased/uncomfortable, but they keep staring anyway.

It just happened to me tonight - I was at the grocery store, waiting for my brother to finish paying for some items, and this guy was staring me down, pretty intensely. I looked back and quickly looked away, trying to show him it was making me uncomfortable, but when I looked out of the corner of my eye, he was still staring! Argh!

Can anyone relate?

 

[HappySquidward]

I can't really relate because I avoid looking in same direct as people. If you have any nervous social habits they might be noticing it and think you're strange. Or hey, maybe they just like what they see.

 

[hoddesdon]

The guy who was staring at you was interested in you.

 

[dottie]

it's because you're a hottieboombottie

 

[Opaline]

:/ Okay I feel like I just sounded like I was bragging or something. I'm serious! There's no way all these people are checking me out

Anyway I was mostly just wondering if anyone else has this problem, and what they think about it - is it rude? I think so :/ I guess it could be flattering, but I don't know if that's really why they're looking at me. I'd just rather not be stared at at all, so I can go about my business without feeling awkward, haha.

 

[dottie]

yes, it's true. i've seen your pic. i completely understand, though. it's unnerving. like... look somewhere else. anywhere.

 

[coyote]

if i saw you in a store somewhere, i'd stare at you, too

i'd try not to let you see me do it too much

unless you kept looking back at me

in which case, i'd think you were interested

you may have been giving that guy in the store mixed messages

 

[coyote]

Re: Don't look at meh

People are staring at you because you are beeauuutiiful.

they stare at you for the same reason

i know i would

 

[LazyHermitCrab]

your pretty but ppl shouldn't stare that long that's creepy :/

 

[laure15]

When people stare at my direction, I tend to think something's wrong with me, like maybe I got something on my face or maybe the weird clothes that I wear.
But I wouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly. What if the guy was staring at you because you look like his ex, or he thought you look familiar, or maybe he's looking at somebody/something behind you? If someone was staring at my direction, I would move away if I could. And if that person keeps staring at me no matter where I go, then I know for sure that person is staring at me.

 

[bcsr]

It's been said, you're gorgeous, of course men will check you out. I'm sure someone just sitting there leering at you with a creeper stare is a but unnerving, though.

 

[HappySquidward]

I was staring at someone not too long ago and it was because I though it was some I knew. However I was in a car so I couldn't tell and didn't anything. They could have thought you were someone else.

 

[user deleted]

Sometimes I stare at people if they have interesting faces. Especially women. I hate it, because I don't mean to. It's almost compulsive though if someone has that kind of face. It isn't an attraction or repulsion thing, it's just a.. I don't know. It doesn't happen very often thankfully, as I'm sure when people do notice they are suitably freaked out.

 

[Opaline]

Well... thanks for the replies anyway

I just get paranoid when someone stares at me, because I don't know what to do. Stare back? Avoid eye contact? Give a mean look?

If it was I guy I was attracted to, I'd want to look back in a friendly way, but I'd probably be too shy to :/ I had a guy compliment me this one time, and I thought it was nice but I was so nervous that I think I just looked pissed off and kept walking, haha. Poor guy, probably thinks I'm a bitch now.

Ah well. People will stare. Guess I have to deal with it. Though I do think it can be very rude if it's obvious and drawn-out, despite sending signals that you're uncomfortable.

 

[OceanMist]

A guy staring at a woman. I hate to break it to you but that is an incredibly common occurance.

Anyway, a lot of people in general stare at others. It's just common. It's what a lot of humans do.

 

[Opaline]

A guy staring at a woman. I hate to break it to you but that is an incredibly common occurance.

Anyway, a lot of people in general stare at others. It's just common. It's what a lot of humans do.

I realize this. I'm sure I've done my fair share of staring. It's when I make eye contact with this person and they continue to stare - that is what unnerves me. Wouldn't you find that a little odd if they continued to stare?

 

[razzle dazzle rose]

When people stare at my direction, I tend to think something's wrong with me, like maybe I got something on my face or maybe the weird clothes that I wear.

I just get paranoid when someone stares at me, because I don't know what to do. Stare back? Avoid eye contact? Give a mean look?

People staring at me, with no expression on their faces, freaks me out. I am sure my SA plays a major role here. I just don't know what to do in response. I try to smile? And I do think that maybe they are looking at me thinking how weird I look. It is upsetting. Though I do think it is me, although sometimes I do feel that they are just being creepy. This happens with both men and women, and sometimes even children. Creepy children scare me!

This happened last week, while my sister and I were having lunch. I was talking with my sis and eating, when I felt someone staring at me, so I turn to look, and it is this man. He has no expression, but he is just staring. Okay, I turn around, whatever, maybe he is just deep in thought and his gaze just happens to be fixed in my direction. Well, he kept staring at me in that creepy way the whole time. I finally asked my sister to move a little to block him. It made me very uncomfortable.

Not sure what I can do about it but ignore it. I don't want to give bitchface, or smile. I just want to be neutral dammit. Like them, with their creepy expressionless faces.

 

[Opaline]

People staring at me, with no expression on their faces, freaks me out. I am sure my SA plays a major role here. I just don't know what to do in response. I try to smile? And I do think that maybe they are looking at me thinking how weird I look. It is upsetting. Though I do think it is me, although sometimes I do feel that they are just being creepy. This happens with both men and women, and sometimes even children. Creepy children scare me!

This happened last week, while my sister and I were having lunch. I was talking with my sis and eating, when I felt someone staring at me, so I turn to look, and it is this man. He has no expression, but he is just staring. Okay, I turn around, whatever, maybe he is just deep in thought and his gaze just happens to be fixed in my direction. Well, he kept staring at me in that creepy way the whole time. I finally asked my sister to move a little to block him. It made me very uncomfortable.

Not sure what I can do about it but ignore it. I don't want to give bitchface, or smile. I just want to be neutral dammit. Like them, with their creepy expressionless faces.

Haha. I'm sorry, the way you described that was pretty funny But yes, this is exactly what I mean. Of course people stare, and I can't stop anyone from staring, but I do find it incredibly rude to keep your gaze on someone for a prolonged period of time. It's kind of threatening.

 

[thezero123]

A guy staring at a woman. I hate to break it to you but that is an incredibly common occurance.

The opposite doesn't happen to me though

 

[kilojoule]

I totally caught myself staring at this girl yesterday, initially it was because she had her hair all done up really nice and I was thinking 'I wish I could do my hair like that' and trying to figure out how she'd done it. Then I noticed how pretty she was, you ever just meet someone who is extraordinarily pretty, it's hard not to stare! Then she was on the phone speaking to somebody and almost crying, her child was sick and she was going to the hospital and I wanted to help her somehow but I didn't know what I could do but I completely admired her because she was so brave and she sat up straight and smiled at her baby and kept it together. And I was facing her so I smiled at her empathetically. I wish I could have helped....but yea I probably did stare. I wish I could have reassured her some.

If I liked a guy, no way would I stare at him, I'd be afraid he'd look back eeep.

I'm not a starey person but I think that generally if I do stare it's out of fascination. I think if men stare when they're attracted to someone. I don't think women stare when they're attracted to someone, I think they stare when they find something about someone interesting.