Seeing in vs. seeing out

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

Hi, all,

In your own home, is it better to keep the blinds/shades/etc. open, so you can see out, or closed, so any BGs can't see in?

Thanx,
- pdmoderator

[Steve Smith]

Turn on your lights in your house, open your blinds, and look from the inside out to your dark front or backyard. Tell me what you see. Now go outside (change nothing) and tell me what you see inside. Be your own judge!

[dd-b]

Depends a lot.

Generally speaking it helps me, rather than hurts, for the "bad guys" to be able to see in and see the house is occupied. The greatest "bad guy" risk at home seems to be burglars, and by definition (of "burglary") they won't come in if they know people are present. However, a psychotic, or somebody specifically after *me* rather than *my stuff* might come in because they saw me.

If I were young, female, and cute, and liked to run around home in my underwear or less, I'd *definitely* keep the blinds closed while doing it. This is yet *another* detail it depends on.

I tend to close blinds at night at least, because I like the privacy rather than for safety reasons. You can't see out worth a darn anyway, so no loss in that direction.

[krept]

At night I keep them closed because... BG or not, I just don't want people peeking in. At night, the outside ambient light is a lot brighter, any BG would be silhouetted near the window. I'm not too worried if the BG knows anyone is home or not, if the alarm sign out front doesn't stop them then they are of the minority that want trouble (most burglars are lazy).

If you wanted to "see out" what would you be looking for? Someone screwing around in your yard? If so that would be a good reason to invest in motion sensing floodlights. If they aren't in your yard, they shouldn't be much of a threat unless they are casing, scoping you out from across the street, etc.... if that's the situation, maybe better to have the blinds closed to begin with?

I don't know, interesting question. The only time I open the blinds is when I'm home during the day to let light in or when there is a good storm.

BTW, do the Molon Labe hats come standard with tinfoil or has anyone done that mod? ;)

[Hardtarget]

I open the curtains/blinds during the day because I don't want to feel like I'm living in a cave.
I close things at night because I don't want to feel like I'm living in a fish bowl.
If the nut-case comes crashing in...I want him to feel like he's living in his LAST SECONDS! (and hope I survive!)
Mark.

[Hkmp5sd]

Keep the curtains closed at night with the yard lit by floodlights (some on continuosly and some on motion sensors) pointing away from the house. Much rather see them than let them see me.

[Wakal]

Same here. Blinds closed all the time, flood lights on motion detectors outside.

Got used to the "no window" thing after slaving for the gov'm'nt in the Intel Mines lo these many years.



Alex

[GhostShooter]

Blinds closed.


http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/2M16.gif

[Don45cal]

Living in the big city I keep them closed at night. During the day I let the sun shine in.

[Neal Bloom]

Keep the blinds closed most of the time. Motion detector lights outside and dark inside so no one can see me from the outside.

[Betty]

Curtains closed downstairs - not only does it keep prying eyes out, it keeps too much sunlight from fading furniture, photos, etc. I can just imagine a couple neighborhood kiddies peeping in our windows while we're cleaning guns. :D

Actually, I did have a peeping tom about a year ago - the pre-teen neighbor's boy liked to pound on my door late at night and leave flowers that he uprooted from someone else's garden. This was before Oleg moved in, and I remember giving details on the phone: "I'm wearing solid black right now and wish I had my glow-in-the-dark hockey mask. If he comes around again, I'm gonna wait in the bushes and then jump out...."

I caught him on the back porch at least once looking in through the vertical blinds. I keep them closed now. Nobody is going to verify whether Runt actually owns squeaky pink bunny slippers!

Upstairs I keep the curtain partially open so I don't wake up and vaporize like Dracula. I just have to keep reminding Oleg to not tinker with the firarms by the window or his silhouette will creep out the neighbors.

[Tamara]

I just have to keep reminding Oleg to not tinker with the firarms by the window or his silhouette will creep out the neighbors.

Considering that roughly once per month y'all's apartment looks like a SWAT team convention-cum-firearms historical society meeting, I think you can safely consider your neighbors sufficiently creeped... ;)

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

Nobody is going to verify whether Runt actually owns squeaky pink bunny slippers!No need to hide; it's impossible. No one makes squeaky pink bunny slippers in Kevlar. :D

- pdmoderator

[Peetmoss]

I would have to say it depends on the time of day. During the day with blinds open you can see outside. However at night your blind while the BG's can see very cleary into your home.

[tobeat1]

CLOSED! I have quite a bit of computer equipment laying around. Why tempt somebody to break into an otherwise nondescript house? (of course the six dogs might discourage them) :D

[Bob A]

In the daytime the blinds are open. It's brighter outside than in, so you can see out but not in. The reverse is true at night so the blinds get closed. If I want to see something at night, I go outside.

[PATH]

Open during the day but closed at night when I really cannot see out the window save when I turn my lights off.

[Shawn Dodson]

Partially open during the day, so sunlight will reflect off the blinds and produce a concealing glare. Hence I can see out, but the glare interferes with ability to easily see in.

[Matt N]

We've got those nifty up/down blinds on the first floor. At night, the blinds are completely closed. During the day we can lower the tops of the blinds to let in some light or raise the blinds to see out, enjoy the view, etc. With top lowered enough to let light in, people outside can't really get enough angle to see in but you can see out if you so desire by getting closer to the window.

These things are great, but pricey.

[jrhines]

A few years back, we had a serial rapist in the Wash DC area. One of the local police chiefs suggested that women living alone not wear any suggestive or revealing clothing as this might provoke him. For my nickle, bad advice, maybe practicle, but the real solution was to have some intended vic cancel his subscription to "Life"! Of course conventional wisdom said cower in your house with the shades drawn, the world is full of deranged cowpokes. Seems to me these same LEOs are the ones telling me to try and feel safe when I fly.
Any way, the downstairs windows are open with candles in them, the upstairs bath has stained glass, and the skylights are always open. I won't live in fear of anyone outside my house, and it's not just because of the CZ in the nightstand.

[sonoranjack]

Blinds closed 24/7. Don't want to give anyone the ability to look inside my home for any reason. If I need to look out I can always move the blinds.

[J.Gillespie]

I have a two story house and I don't like my bedroom dark at night ( I know I know im crazy like that ) so, I like to keep my bedroom blinds open at night to be able to see any activity. The downstairs blinds stay shut most of the time unless I am home. That's my .02 worth.

[sm]

Blinds closed.
I'm top of steps in an apt. Out of site out of mind, don't want to give ideas. I have other ways to see out if need.

[Lord Grey Boots]

Closed, if I want to look out, and go to the window and move the blinds so I can see.

Thats the default. I sometimes open them during the day to remind myself what the big yellow sphere is, as its not seen that often in this area (Pacific North Wet).

I don't want folks looking over the back fence into the house, or in the front window from down the street...


Wasn't there a pic that Oleg posted that had Betty in sqeaky pink bunny slippers??? :D

[V-fib]

Open during the day.

Closed tight at night.
helps keep the heat in too!:cool:

[asdaf]

closed at all times. But that's mostly because I like the feeling of living in a cave. I'm saving up for my underground house so that the question will be moot.

[jmbg29]

The way I look, it pays to keep them open! :D Ain't noboby gonna bother me.:D ;) :what:

[Kamicosmos]

Closed. Privacy as well as security. No reason for the outside world to see my TV, stereo whatever. Might give someone that extra incentive to decide to come on in...

kamicosmos

Plus, I'm a paranoid recluse....